High School of the Dead Re-Amped!
by HoTDFan
Summary: Follow three brothers as their journey takes place before, during, and after Z-Day. Watch as they link with the original survivors. Who will live? Who will Die? Read on as the story continues to show that only the best can survive in the new world.
1. Act 1: Brothers Part 1

**Act 1: Brothers Part 1**  
><strong>(Three years before Z-day)<strong>

A young boy looked out the fogged up window of his classroom to watch the snow fall. He knew he was meant to be paying attention to his teacher but his mind was far more focused on what his father had planned for him this weekend. Every few minutes he would run his fingers through his short, brown hair enjoying th feeling for some reason.

The boy's legs swayed back and forth out of excitement as he knew that this was going to be what his older brothers had to go through at some point. His brown eyes still were looking out the window with a blank expression on his face. The British flag waving outside for some reason was captivating to him, more than usual at least.

"So who can answer that? How about you Noah?" asked the teacher as she stood by the whiteboard with a pen in hand.

"Noah, are you still with us?" the teacher asked again, maintaining a calm demeanor.

Suddenly the bell rang dismissing the entire class (along with the rest of the school). This caught Noah's attention and caused him to rise out of his desk immediately.

"Noah, could you stay for a minute?" asked the teacher right before Noah could even get near that door.

"What? Oh… uhh sure, I guess." Noah said in a shy voice as he approached her slowly standing at her desk, unsure why she wanted to see him.

"Noah, is everything alright? You've been real quiet, more than usual anyways." his teacher asked in a sincere voice.

"I'm ok Mrs. Thompson; I've just focused for this weekend for awhile now." Noah explained.

"Oh? What for?" Mrs. Thompson asked, curious as to why her eleven year old student was so hyped up for.

"This is the weekend I get to start my military training with my father. Just like my older brothers did!" Noah exclaimed with pride in his voice.

"Wow, sounds exciting! So you're going to be a soldier like your father then?" Mrs. Thompson asked, taking interest in this subject.

"Yeah! But my second eldest brother, Marcus, doesn't think I can take it, neither does my father since our mother didn't let him train me around the same age as my eldest brother, Frasier." Noah explained with a hint of sadness in his voice.

"Awe, well don't worry, so long as you try your best then all should turn out fine. Now go enjoy your weekend and good luck with the training." Mrs. Thompson said encouragingly.

Noah nodded and felt a small smile run across his face before walking out into the hallways only to see Frasier waiting for him in the crowded halls. As he stepped outside the classroom doors, he felt someone wrap their arms around his neck. Out of reaction Noah swung his elbow back into the groin of whoever it was.

"Oi! Bloody hell that hurt!" groaned a familiar voice as Frasier stood there laughing a bit.

"Told ya, Javin. Noah has been getting better with his reflexes. Isn't that right, little brother?" Frasier asked as he walked over to Noah, towering over him. His brother had short hair just like him only it was platinum blonde instead of an oak brown.

Noah gazed up into his brother's crystal blue eyes and merely gave a simple nod in response to the question. Javin soon managed to shake off the pain and chuckled a bit to himself at the fact he had been caught off guard so easily.

"Yeah I noticed, next time don't have me be the test dummy though. He's got really sharp elbows." Javin suggested for the next time they would test Noah randomly.

"Shouldn't you be in military school right now?" Noah questioned Frasier, wondering why he was out so early.

"We got out early. Have you seen Marcus anywhere? He should be here by now." Frasier asked as he continued to lean against the lockers behind him.

Suddenly the sound of a kids gathering into a crowd could be heard nearby. Noah, Frasier, and Javin moved towards the school windows to see that two boys were fighting in the snow. Not wanting to miss out on any of the action, all three dashed down the stairs and rushed outside to get a better look at the scene before them.

One boy was already pinned down on the ground as two held him down while one sat on him throwing vicious punches onto the pinned boy's face. Splotches of crimson blood painted the pure white snow while everybody just stood there and watched.

The boy being pinned down had jet black hair, emerald green eyes, and was only thirteen, his name was Marcus Markle. Normally he should have been able to take on the other boy sitting on him, pounding away at his face if it wasn't for the other two making this fight entirely unfair for him.

"Brother…" Noah whispered to himself concerned for Marcus' safety, knowing that he was unable to protect himself even in the slightest. Before Noah could rush in to help, Javin quickly pulled him back.

"Hey! Let me go I need to go help him!" Noah protested as she tried to squirm out of Javin's grip. Angered that he wasn't allowed to even attempt at helping Marcus.

"Hold on kid, let your eldest brother handle this one, its best we don't get in his way." Javin explained as he noticed Frasier had an enraged look on his face, with both fists clenched tight and a glare in his eyes that sent a tremor of caution down their spines.

Noah stopped squirming and watched as Frasier stood over the three boys beating on Marcus. Never letting up even for a second to give his opponent a fighting chance.

"You think I care about your prick of a brother? I'll beat his ass any day!" the boy on Marcus snarled, still unaware of the fact Frasier was right behind him.

"He seems to think differently." Marcus said, still managing to pull off a smirk under his conditions as he looked over his opponent's shoulder to see Frasier looming in the background.

"What?" asked the boy as he turned around in time to see Frasier's foot kick him between the eyes, instantly snapping some cartilage in his nose, a loud, crackling noise rang out causing all who heard it to cringe.

The two holding Marcus down immediately bolted away in fear as Frasier ignored them to go for the boy he just kicked, the predator picking his easy prey off. Marcus quickly sat up to enjoy the show, watching as Frasier spared no time in talking, he was out for blood.

As the boy was rolling around in the snow holding his blood covered nose, Fraser quickly placed his knee down on the boy's chest, pressing down as hard as he could to create massive surge of pain whenever the boy would try to breathe out. His fists pounded away against the pinned boy's face jaw until he pleaded for mercy.

"Alright I give, I give! Just stop!" cried out the boy, trying not to choke on his own tears, blood, and snot. His face already distinguishably battered and bruised up from the ferocious onslaught.

However, there was something about this act of aggression that really pushed Frasier over the edge. Perhaps it was the cowardly attitude, or how he was attacking his kin. Maybe Frasier was finally done pulling his punches because of school rules. Either way, Frasier didn't stop until the school security ran in to break things up. Noah then walked over to Marcus helping him onto his feet slowly.

"Are you ok, big brother?" Noah asked softly as he rubbed some of the dried blood off of Marcus' cheek, running his blood covered mittens against a patch of snow.

"It's not me you should be worried about; it's that dumbass who thought it would be a good idea to mess with a Markle and not regret it." Marcus replied trying to avoid the fact that he needed Frasier to pull his ass out of the fire once more.

Both brothers and Javin just watched as Frasier for some strange reason was putting up a fight against school security, resisting as if this was a fight to the death. What was even more shocking (at least to everyone else) was that they were actually having trouble restraining the enraged fifteen year old. He just refused to give up on his thirst for retribution but eventually was overpowered and dragged to the sidewalk away from the rest of the kids who began to disperse now so they wouldn't miss anymore of their precious weekend.

"Come on Noah, we should get home before mom has second thoughts on dad training you." Marcus whispered, knowing they had to move on.

"What about Frasier? We aren't going to leave him like this are we?" Noah asked as he watched Frasier beginning to calm himself down. He then looked over at Noah and gave him a nod as if he knew they were going to go on with their day.

"He knows what he's doing. This isn't the first time he's gotten into a fight, Noah." Marcus explained as he began to walk away. Not turning back to see whatever resistance Frasier was still trying to put up if there was any left at all.

-

Later that night after many angry phone calls and a fully written police report, Frasier stood before his father whom was sitting in his leather chair within his personal study. Normally their father would be proud of Frasier defending his brothers and using his training to do so, but for some reason their father was actually scorning him for it this time.

"All my life you've taught me to protect the family and just about everything you know!" Frasier argued as he stood his ground before his father, his words of reason being swatted aside like common house pests.

Marcus and Noah were just standing in the next room, listening in on the entire conversation. Both were shocked to hear that they weren't agreeing with one another on the matter as they normally do. A strange feeling emerged in the pit of the stomachs at this unwelcoming sight.

"You were reckless and went too far. There was no control in what you did toddy, I'm sorry my son but I don't think there is any way I can look past this flaw on your performance. After much discussion with your mother it was decided that you will live with your Unlce Mark in his apartment." his father replied coldly, Frasier's eyes widening as he felt he had momentarily gone deaf.

"What? You… mean you're sending me to Japan? How can I continue my training now?" Frasier asked in a broken voice, feeling pain in his heart as the man he was loyal too and strived to impress since his military training began at age six was now casting him away.

"If my brother is up to it then he can still train you on a few things. However, that shouldn't be your first concern, do you still remember your Japanese lessons from when you were younger?" his father asked as he dismissed the question, wanting to ensure that his son would be able to blend in with the populace.

"Y-yes…" Frasier replied in an emotionless voice as he looked away realizing there was no point in continuing this conversation any further, not even remotely concerned about anything else.

Meanwhile, Marcus and Noah were both in tears from what they overheard. To see their big brother whom they've always looked up to was now being sent away to live on the opposite side of the world from them. Noah felt sadness and sorrow while Marcus could feel guilt and responsibility for this seeing as how he couldn't fight back.

They then saw their mother standing over them both. A kind-hearted woman who could easily sense the distress in both of their hearts. She gently wrapped her arms around both of them, pulling them into her. Her tender hands gently rubbing their backs to comfort them both in their time of need.

"Sshhh, It's going to be alright my sons. Give it time and you both be with Frasier again, I promise." their mother softly whispered to them in a comforting tone, both of them only able to respond with sniffles and nods.

-

**(3 years later)**

Things were rough for Marcus and Noah for the next three years. Now that Frasier was gone and attending Fujimi Academy, it felt like a trio had lost a member and couldn't be the same until that said member returned. Both boys had grown a considerable amount and began to form their own personalities in the process as well as individuality. Even if not all new qualities were for the best.

Both remaining brothers were still trained to some degree by their father. However, Marcus was so affected by this new change that he actually began to rebel. In school his marks would be slipping, whenever his parents tried to lecture him he would actually talk back.

Eventually it got to the point where they couldn't stand his rebellious attitude. His fate was just as Frasier's was, Marcus was the next brother to be sent away to live with Uncle Mark. Before he left gave Noah some advice: learn to speak Japanese.

**(3 months later**)

With both brothers gone, Noah had nothing better to do than learn the language. Noah felt a massive hole in his heart that nothing could replace. It pained him deeply every time he looked at their empty beds. There was no one to look up too or anyone he could go to when he had a problem that he couldn't tell his parents without dying from embarrassment.

Every night before he went to bed, he would look at his dog tags. All the men in his family were given a set at birth; his father was a famous captain in the S.A.S. Special Forces so it made sense to uphold the tradition. His father always wanted his sons to be S.A.S. Operatives one day, just like him, a proud elite soldier of the U.K.

Noah soon became depressed and would hardly respond to anyone over anything. Even during his training, he was only able to go up to forty percent of what he was truly capable of. Both of his parents took notice of this and gave him a choice. One night he stood in the same spot that Marcus and Frasier stood in when they were sent away.

"Noah my son… we've noticed that you've being going through tough times and it's quite clear it's because you miss your brothers. Am I right?" Noah's father asked as he sat back in his chair with a far more approachable tone then when he talked to Marcus and Frasier.

"Yes, does this mean your letting them come back? So we can be a family again?" Noah asked with high hopes if his father was being this approachable.

"No. Their place is in Japan and it will remain that way. However, my brother plans on coming here to live with us." replied his father making it clear he didn't like the idea of them returning home anytime soon.

"Oh…" Noah replied in a crushed voice.

"As you know, Frasier is now eighteen and can be considered a legal guardian. Your father and uncle have agreed to put him in charge over the apartment from now on." Noah's mother brought up.

"What does this have to do with me though?" Noah asked unsure why they were telling him all this.

"Because we're going to let you choose where you will be living from now on. Do you wish to stay here with us, or with them?" Noah's father asked.

Noah took a few minutes to think things over. He just stood there to think over the pros and cons of both choices. However it always came back to the same decision every time.

"I wish to live with my brothers." Noah finally answered.

Before he knew it, Noah was on a plane to Japan. The flight was fairly quick for him because he had fallen asleep quite fast from the over-excitement. The plane had landed later that night and he walked out of the terminal feeling nervous yet ready at the same time.

As Noah sat down waiting patiently in the lobby, he was approached by a man whom obviously stood out from everyone else. He stood at about 5'10; he clearly had a bald spot amongst what was left of his black hair. It was none other than Uncle Mark.

"Uncle!" Noah exclaimed as he ran up to Mark wrapping his arms around his waist.

"Ahahaha! Nephew, you've grown so much! Glad to see you've made it. Welcome to Japan!" Mark replied as he motioned Noah to follow him out to his car.

Noah sat in the passenger seat and looked out the windows to see how different everything was in Japan. Even the architecture was captivating to him.

"Like what you see nephew? They're plenty of sights to see around here." Mark said as he drove through the lively streets.

"I can't wait! So how have my brothers been?" Noah asked as he continued to look out the window to compare Japan to England.

"They've grown as well Noah. This is a big step up for all of you to be living here without any adults… well ok other than your brother but you get the point." Mark said as he pulled up into the driveway.

Noah quickly bolted out of the car and could barely contain himself as he followed Mark up the stairs to his new home. When Mark unlocked the door, Noah immediately ran inside to see both Marcus and Frasier sitting at the table arm wrestling with one another.

"Brothers!" Noah announced as he ran towards them with the biggest smile on his face.

"Well it looks like the Markle brothers are finally reunited. Hey Noah you're just in time to see me beat Frasier at arm wrestling." Marcus said with a grin as he struggled to make Frasier's arm go down.

"Oh no he's doing it; he's really, really doing it!" Frasier taunted sarcastically.

"Stop messing with Marcus and give your brother a hug you show off." Mark said as he heaved Noah's entire luggage inside the apartment on his own.

"You're just annoyed because I beat you twenty times in a row, Mark." Frasier replied confidently as he slammed Marcus' hand into the table.

"Wow you've really gotten tall Frasier." Noah observed as Frasier was now standing at least 6'0 now, his body was also far more muscular and intimidating then it was three years ago.

"As have you, little brother." Frasier observed as Noah hugged him holding back the tears trying to form in his eyes.

"I'm off to bed guys; you three should get some rest as well. Last I checked you all have school tomorrow." Mark instructed before leaving the room.

"Jeez, turn off the water works Noah." Marcus said as he opened up the fridge to find something to drink.

"Just because you 'nearly' beat me doesn't mean you should attack Noah, Marcus." Frasier replied with a smirk.

"I'll beat you one day, just you wait!" Marcus replied with great enthusiasm.

"Hmm maybe you will, but for now we should get some rest. We both have class tomorrow and it will be Noah's first day." Frasier replied as he walked away into his room, slowly closing the door behind him.

With that said, Marcus and Noah soon went off to bed without saying anything else. Noah was anxious to see if he could speak the language properly or not. He eventually managed to fall asleep after tossing and turning in bed.

-

**(1 Day before Z-Day)**

Noah woke up to see that Frasier had already left for school. He looked in the mirror to make sure he looked presentable. His hair was a little scruffy but nothing he couldn't fix, Noah was about 5'5 now. After he took a quick shower, Marcus walked him to school, showing him the shortcuts to take. Afterwards he told Noah to just play it cool and blend in.

It was his first day in school; a Japanese boarding school at that. Noah walked through the two front iron gates; he was astonished and amazed at the sheer size of the school.

This school was huge compared to his old school. Students walked by as he stood there looking at his personal schedule. All of them wore student uniforms just like the kids did back in his former school.

Noah then felt a hand on the back of his shoulder. He turned to see Marcus standing over him.

"Not lost already are you little brother?" Marcus asked as he looked down at Noah smiling a bit.

Noah was happy to see the familiar face, and simply responded with a nod.

"C'mon let's take a walk, I'll show you the ropes around here" Marcus offered, this caused Noah to smile as he felt the pressure slowly drift away.

"Where is Frasier? Shouldn't he be here about now?" Noah asked as they entered the main building and into the crowded hallways.

Marcus shrugged his shoulders but had a pretty good feeling where he was right now. Noah looked at the lockers and long hallways feeling dazed from the sight.

"Hey when does class start?" Noah then asked.

The bell suddenly rang and his question was answered. Marcus laughed and teasingly tussled Noah's hair. He then strolled away trying to get the attention of some really pretty girls that he noticed passing by.

"Wait what about showing me the ropes?" Noah called out feeling alone once again; soon the hallways were as empty and devoid of life once more.

Marcus obviously ignored Noah and moved on without him. Noah just stood there alone and felt a cold breeze run by the empty hallways. He walked around going up and down the stairs feeling nervous. Noah then noticed a girl with pink hair who seemed to know where she was going. This would also be the true test to see if Noah could communicate with the locals properly.

"Excuse me miss, could you help me out?" Noah asked in a shy tone.

She turned around and had annoyed look on her face. She had fierce orange eyes, her pink hair wrapped into two pony tails; her hair also had two thin, long bangs at the sides, two thin strands of hair over the left side of her forehead, and a spiky larger portion of hair covering the left side of her forehead.

"What do you want? Can't find the little men's room?" the tempered girl questioned, clearly irritated by Noah's presence.

"Umm… No, I can't find my classes and I'm new here… I'm really sorry to disturb you." Noah replied feeling his voice weakening from this girl's mere presence.

"Ugh stupid kid. How will you learn to do something if you have someone else do it for you? I'm too smart to bother with your little problems, go find someone else to bother" the girl ordered in a harsh tone.

Noah just stood there trying to think of what to say to her now. However he couldn't think of anything and began to walk away.

"Never mind I'm sorry I'll just go now" Noah whispered softly, no longer wishing to be a burden on her.

Suddenly the girl grabbed his schedule. Taking pity on Noah, her eyes quickly scanned the crumpled up piece of paper. She knew where each of these classes were, she practically knew the school like the back of her hand.

"Okay you just need to go to the third floor and go on the left side of the hall, you can't miss it" the girl replied confidently before tossing the schedule back to Noah.

Noah couldn't help but smile at her generosity.

"Thank you miss! I'm Noah by the way. Noah Markle, and you are?" Noah replied with more excitement in his voice.

"Saya… Saya Takagi, now get to class!" Saya instructed while she still had control of her short temper.

Noah quickly ran off, going up three flights of stairs until he reached his class. He slowly opened the door and felt the all the eyes in the class gaze upon him. Noah felt his heart sinking as he walked before the teacher and told her he was new to the school (as well as the country itself). However she gave him a warm smile as if she understood completely.

"Everyone this is Noah, he's new and I expect you all to show him the kindness you show each other. Make him feel welcome and I'm sure we will all get along just fine." the teacher announced to the class so they understood what was up. As Noah walked to his desk, a girl held his sleeve stopping him in his tracks.

"Hey you look like someone here… Do you have any brother?" the girl asked out of curiosity.

Noah blushed as he looked at her and nodded slowly.

"Y-y-yes two actually, have you met them? Marcus and Frasier Markle…" Noah replied as he sat down next to her.

Before he knew it, all attention was on him again as the women gasped and swooned at what Noah just said.

"You're the brother of Frasier?" one would ask.

"Yes, I can see the resemblance now." another commented.

"Now that you mention it, he was talking to Marcus earlier" the first girl mentioned.

Noah blushed even more with all eyes on him as the guys began to question him.

"Is it true? Did your father really throw human entrails onto Frasier during his training? Marcus told me that but I think he was exaggerating. Then again you all went through the same training right?" one boy asked in series of questions that nearly overwhelmed Noah.

"Well Marcus and I didn't receive the same levels of training so you'd have to ask Frasier about the entrails bit. I can definitely tell you that we were all trained to use firearms and survival training." Noah replied feeling a bit more comfortable on the subject.

About an hour later, the bell ran and the class was over. Noah was interested in what he had learned; he had also managed to socialize with a few other students successfully. He walked to his next class after asking his teacher where it was.

It felt reassuring to Noah that people knew his brothers. He then entered his next class and sat down as the teacher introduced him like the previous one. Just like last time, Noah was able to use his brother's fame to get a conversation going so he wasn't considered a no-body. Time flew by as class was already over in what seemed like minutes.

The bell rang and Noah walked outside the building for his break. He sat by a tree and opened up his lunch box that Frasier packed him before school.  
>Noah was about to start eating but then he noticed some kids throwing someone's bag around. He set his meal down and walked over as the boy tried to get his bag back.<p>

"C'mon guys enough is enough give it back!" said the kid in the middle.

Noah noticed the bag was coming in his direction. He caught it with ease… both the bullies and the kid they were messing with looked at him. He looked at the kid and his big glasses, then one of the older kids with a intimidating voice began to speak to him.

"C'mon pass it already!" he shouted out to Noah

Noah then tossed it to the kid in the middle, not wanting to make any enemies.

"Here you go; I'm Noah by the way." Noah said introducing himself.

The boy was surprised how Noah just gave it to him but managed to smile and responded in a shy voice similar to his.

"Thanks! I'm Kohta Hirano, nice to meet you!" Khota replied.

They both then shook hands; both had a timid grip. Noah then felt his body shoved aside into the dirt. Noah squirmed and tried to get up but he felt the main bully press his foot on his chest.

"Think your too cool for us do you? Well I'll just have to put you in your place kid." The main bully announced quickly catching the attention of the kids nearby.

Noah continued to squirm and tried to call for help, but no one was willing to step in for him.

"Go ahead and squeal, no one here is man enough to help you!"

Noah felt crushing pain in my chest as he laughed. Then he heard it, he could hear someone shoving other kids out of his way to get to the center.

"I am!" exclaimed a strong voice.

From the side of Noah's eye, he saw the main bully look up only to meet a quick fist strike him across the face. As he flew back the strong figure stood over Noah, then he kneeled down to his level. Noah looked up covering his eyes from the sun.

When his vision became clearer, he could see it was his eldest brother Frasier, once again protecting his kin as he did with Marcus so long ago. He came to Noah's rescue and then offered him his hand pulling Noah up to his feet.

"Stand back Noah, let me handle this one." Frasier instructed as he took a fighting stance.

**{Justice League Unlimited Theme}**

He stood before the four bullies and looked at them as they pulled their leader up. As Noah stood back with Khota, he noticed the crowd around them was growing making it clear that they knew a fight was brewing.

"You can't do that to me! I'll make you pay for that!" the main bully shouted as all five of them stood before Frasier.

"By all means." Frasier replied, still standing his ground.

All five suddenly charged towards Frasier, he quickly ducked and spun around multiple punches at once.

Noah stood there amazed how his fighting style had changed so dramatically, normally he would just receive a punch and throw one back at twice the fold. But now he would dodge and use his opponent's force against them.

Noah walked back to Kohta; he was clearly trembling with fear. But Noah then told him everything was going to be ok because his eldest brother was now here. Khota then looked at Noah then Frasier noticing some resemblance.

"You're really his younger brother?" Khota questioned, still in some disbelief.

Frasier took a step back blocking the nearest fist. He then spun around back handing one boy off to the side taking him out of the fight instantly. Two more fists came his way but instantly missed as he leapt to the side placing some moderate distance between him and his opponents.

When two bullies ran ahead of the rest. Frasier gripped them by the neck and held them up in the air only to toss them aside. One had actually managed to flank him while the main bully tried to land a hit on him.

Right before the bully flanking Frasier could do anything, another boy from the crowd jumped onto his back.

"Banzai!" shouted Marcus as he tackled the boy to the ground, already beginning to pound away at his face.

Frasier was now able to focus the rest of his attention on the head bully. Within seconds both brothers were victorious. They couldn't help but grin as they finished their little skirmish sending the five bullies right off into the crowds. They then nodded to one another before Marcus ran off to do whatever it was he was doing before all of this.

**{}**

The bells suddenly rang causing the other students to scatter off to their next class. When everyone left, Frasier slowly approached Noah to see if he was alright.

"Are you alright little brother?" Frasier asked making sure Noah wasn't injured.

"Just a little cut... it's nothing really." Noah replied as he tried to brush off the dirt from his uniform.

"We should still go see the school nurse. That could become infected if you're not careful." Frasier instructed before looking over at Khota.

"Ah, I see you've already made a friend Noah." Frasier observed.

"Who me? Oh well that would make sense he did help me after all!" Khota replied trying to keep himself from spazing out.

"Well we need to go see the school nurse, you should get to class before your late." Frasier recommended as he motioned Noah to follow him.

Khota nodded as he ran off to class. Meanwhile, Frasier and Noah headed into the main building.

As Frasier walked with Noah through the hallways towards the nurses office, they were approached by a tall, purple haired girl who had the exact same blue eyes Frasier did.

"Hello Frasier, how has your day been so far, and who might this be?" the girl asked before looking over to see Noah was with him.

Noah blushed and stood behind Frasier as he smiled back at her confidently.

"This is my younger brother, Noah. He's new here and just had a little trouble fitting in. So I helped him out and now he needs a plaster". Frasier replied.

Frasier seemed different to Noah all of a sudden, his usual aura of confidence seemed to instantly diminish at the precense of this girl. She smiled and then put her hand on his shoulder. Both of them locking eye contact suddenly.

"I saw your little skirmish earlier. Will I be expecting you to help me with my practice? No one ever wants to spar with me these days." the girl explained.

"Well you did take 1st place in the National Martial Arts Championship last time I checked." Frasier said with a slight smirk.

The mysterious girl just smiled at that reminder and began to walk down the hallways. She then turned around to say one more thing.

"I'll take it as a yes then! Don't be late, tomorrow after the first break we get. You know where to find me." the girl called out before leaving the two brothers to themselves.

"I'll be there." Frasier softly muttered to himself, his cheeks then turned a bright red.

Noah felt the hair on the back of his neck tingle after witnessing his brother acting so strangely.

"Who was that?" Noah asked as he looked up to Frasier.

"Saeko Busujima, one hell of a woman and that is all you need to know, brother." Frasier replied as his confidence was beginning to return.

"She seems like the female version of you, brother. I've never seen you get so flustered around a girl before." Noah commented.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Frasier asked defensively as if annoyed by what Noah just said.

"N-nothing... just an observation." Noah replied, realizing it was a sensitive matter for him.

-

When they finally reached the infirmary, Frasier opened the door to the health office. Noah looked around but instantly saw the biggest pair of well.. boobs right in his face! He was stunned and felt his brother slap the back of his head.

"Well if it isn't Frasier! Well what have you broken this time?" the nurse said with a bubbly smile.

"For once it's not me Shizuka. It's my little brother here." Frasier replied as he laughed a little at her assumption.

The nurse known as Shizuka looked at Frasier then to Noah comparing the two.

"Hmm this doesn't look like Marcus, did he do something with his hair?" Shizuka asked confused.

"Oh forgive me Miss Shizuka, this is my other little brother, Noah. He's new here and had a little accident. So he needs a band-aid for his arm." Frasier explained.

She put a finger to her lips. Then she looked at him as if pondering about something.

"This wouldn't have to do with the five students that came in not to long ago needing ice would it?" Shizuka asked curiously.

Frasier just grinned as she applied the band-aid to Marcus' wound.

"Maybe... Maybe not, anyways time for me to get back to class." Frasier answered.

Frasier walked out as she giggled. Noah then noticed her eyes were locked onto his butt. She then told Noah to stay out of trouble as he walked out to return to class.

The rest of the day went by quite smoothly compared to earlier. When school finally got out, Noah walked home with Marcus unable to find Frasier again. Marcus told him how he made out with three girls at once.

Noah found it silly and quite bullshit, but nodded and just was happy to be with his brother again. When they got home, Noah dropped his backpack and shrugged his shoulders.

"Ahh that's sore! So why did you ditch me earlier Marcus?" Noah asked, slightly annoyed his brother would do something like that.

He didn't bother answering Noah's question as usual, so Noah just took out his books and studied in the living room. He heard Marcus and Frasier talking about their day as he walked in while I studied.

Noah felt different without his mother and father here to talk to him about his day. He also felt like he was a free man even if he was just fourteen. It still felt amazing and calming though.

Hours passed and he was finally done with his homework. Uncle Mark suddenly entered the apartment carrying two thin boxes then entered the kitchen.

"Alright boys, dinner is served!" Mark announced thought the apartment.

"All right! Pizza!" Marcus exclaimed as Uncle Mark opened up the two boxes.

All three brothers sat at the table with their uncle after equally dividing up the pizza amongst themselves.

"So anything interesting happen today?" Mark asked the brothers.

"Nothing... out of the ordinary anyways." Frasier replied as the image of Saeko popped into his mind.

"I got to meet Frasier's girlfriend." Noah said mischievously.

"She's not my girlfriend!" Frasier replied defensively.

Both Marcus and Uncle Mark began to laugh nearly choking on their food.

"I knew it! It was Saeko wasn't it?! Oh who am I kidding of course it was!" Marcus asked as if he already knew it was.

"Oh we both knew the answer to that. So Frasier when are you going to man up and ask her out?" Mark asked intrigued.

"I don't see why you guys are so interested in the matter... Saeko is a friend whom I respect. We've trained together for three years now under her father, it would be unprofessional of me." Frasier replied feeling sadness in his voice the more he would talk about the matter.

"Not to mention her big-" Uncle Mark said before Frasier shot him a glare.

"-personality." Mark finished not wanting to piss of Frasier anymore than he was now.

"If anyone needs me I'll be in my room." Frasier said as he left the table.

"Just ask her out already, we all know you live her! You never know what could happen tomorrow." Noah announced.

"Maybe I will brother... maybe I will." Frasier thought to himself before closing the door behind him.

After the other three finished off the last of the pizza, the t.v. was turned on, Marcus flickered through the channels trying trying to find something good. Noah meanwhile got up to go see if Frasier was ok.

Without knocking, Noah entered his room to see he wasn't there. Before he left something managed to catch his eye. Amongst all the golden trophies Frasier had, one of them was silver.

On the description it read : "2nd Place in the National Martial Arts Championship."

Noah smiled to himself then closed the door quietly. He then noticed Frasier sitting alone on the balcony as Marcus and Uncle Mark were heading to bed.

"Thanks for the help earlier, I'm so glad we are together again." Noah thanked as he sat next to Frasier.

Frasier just smiled and tussled Noah's hair.

"You should get some rest Noah. We still have class tomorrow." Frasier said as he let go of Noah.

"What about you?" Noah asked as he stood by the door to the balcony.

"I just need to think about a few things, I'll be in soon brother." Frasier answered as he remained in his spot.

Noah walked back inside to brush his teeth and get ready for bed. He then curled into bed reading a book he brought from home. Noah eventually drifted away, excited, and afraid at the same time for his second day of school. 


	2. Act 1: Brothers Part 2

**Act 1: Brothers Part 2**

**Z-Day!**

Noah awoke from his slumber and quickly got ready for school without haste. He packed his books up not wanting to be caught unprepared in class.

Frasier in the meantime had made breakfast for everyone that morning. During said breakfast, they talked about what they had planned for the weekend.

Minutes passed by as Noah then looked at the clock and alerted his brothers it was time to go. They all walked to school, side by side, it was like one big happy family, even if their parents weren't there.

When they reached the school they each went their own separate ways once more.

Luckily Noah had managed to find his way back to class without anyone's help this time. He looked out the windows during the lecture, everything seemed normal and very peaceful. In no time at all the bell rang and the next class was a breeze. An hour later and it was already time to eat!

Noah had found his friend Khota and sat down with him. They just talked about stuff guys usually talk to each other about in school. Favorite video games, tv shows, ect. Then Noah asked him one particular question that most guys never answer upfront.

"So Khota is there anyone you like here? I mean more then friends." Noah asked curiously as he took a big bite out of his sandwich.

Khota froze up at the remark and fixed his glasses in attempt to stall for time.

"Well if you must know, it's this girl with a particular... attitude, but I see past that and just wish I could talk to her about how I feel." Khota answered honestly. Unsure how someone like him could talk to the girl he was referring to.

"Well maybe we could find a way to make her like you." Noah said with a positive attitude.

"You would really do that for me?" Khota asked as if surprised by this offer of kindness.

"Of course I would, you are my best friend!" Noah replied warmly.

Noah didn't why he said "best friend" it was probably because he was his only friend here so far. The bell soon rang and it was time to head back to class.

As Noah ran up the stairs to class, he noticed a boy, roughly around Marcus' age, standing on the stairs looking out in the distance. Clearly something was wrong, Noah slowly walked up to him.

"Hey, is everything ok?" Noah asked in a concerned voice.

"Yeah, if your girlfriend leaves you for your best friend I guess everything is ok." replied the gloomy teen.

Noah felt bad for him and offered one of his spare rolls. The gloomy boy slightly smiled at the kind gesture but refused it in the end.

"I'm Takashi, who are you?" asked the gloomy kid.

"I'm Noah! Nice to meet you." Noah said, noticing a spark of gratitude in Takashi.

He noticed that he needed to get to class or else he would be late fir certain. Noah then ran off before Takashi could say anything else. As he ran, Noah could've sworn he could hear Saya's voice behind him, but it didn't matter now.

-

Meanwhile Marcus left in the middle of his science class to go to the bathroom. As he pushed the doors open it was clearly empty. He found his favorite urinal and unzipped his pants.

"Going through the carwash, come on sing it with me." Marcus hummed to himself as he relieved himself.

After zipping his pants back up and washing his hands, Marcus moved back to class. Along the way he looked out the window to see something was out of place. At the iron gates, a man wearing a black suit was continuously bumping into them. Marcus had noticed that the man's skin wasn't right, perhaps it was the shade, but it almost seemed like the skin color was grey.

"That's odd, wonder what's got him so grey." Marcus chuckled to himself before he continued to make his way back to class.

-

Frasier on the other hand was roaming the halls alone, heading towards the martial arts studio where Saeko would be waiting for him. No one else had that class at this time so now was his chance to be alone with her. He held a rose in his hand as he began talking to himself.

"Saeko, we've known each other for how long now? Three years? Really? Because to me it feels like a lifetime... no that won't do. Hey, Saeko! Fancy seeing you here, so I've been wondering if you were available this weekend... no, I wouldn't know where to go after that. Hey, Saeko... Ugh! Come on Frasier, you're a trained warrior! How can this be so hard for you?!" Frasier grumbled in a rant. Feeling so conflicted with emotions he had never even considered before meeting her.

He then reached the door to the studio, Frasier could see Saeko's shiloete sitting down, meditating and awaiting a challenger in the sparring ring. As his hand reached for the door handles, the intercoms began to crackle to life.

"This announcement is for all students. An emergency situation is taking place inside the school right now. All students must follow your teacher's instructions and evacuate."

Frasier turned his head to the speakers on the wall. His fists gripping tighter and tighter as his concerns suddenly switched from Saeko to Marcus and Noah.

"I repeat, an emergency situation is taking place inside the school right now-" the announcement continued over the intercom before it made a loud screech. Almost as if interrupted by something.

"What the hell?" Frasier muttered to himself. Wondering if the school was under attack.

Things were silent for a bit, but then a noise could be faintly heard. Almost as if there was a struggle going on.

"Get away from me! Get back... Argh! Help! HHEELLPP! Aaaaahhhh!" was all that could be heard before the intercom went silent again, only this time it stayed silent.

"Brothers!" Frasier thought to himself. Dropping the rose as he ran off to find Noah and Marcus. As the roses fell, Saeko's figure slowly stood up with a wooden practice sword in hand.

Frasier sprinted as fast as he could down the halls in fear that he may already be too late. When he reached another hallway he noticed two students were limping towards him. Frasier's eyes quickly observed them noticing that something was way off about these two.

Their skin was grey, eyes were both both rolled into the back of their heads, uniforms coated in fresh blood. He noticed one had a chunk of flesh gnawed off of his shoulder while the other had a nasty bite mark on her neck. What really stood out though was the blood and bits of flesh wedged in their teeth.

"I don't want to hurt you guys, but I will not let you get in my way!" Frasier warned as he took a combat stance. Suspecting they were apart of this somehow.

-

Meanwhile, Noah was shoved out into the hall by the stampeding wave of students. All were clearly in a panic as they pushed and shoved their way for safety. Some students were even trampled on if they were unfortunate enough to fall over.

Noah quickly slipped into an empty classroom and closed the door behind him. All of the training he had received had gone blank in his mind. He slowly walked over to a nearby window to see how things were on the outside.

His jaw slowly dropped to the morbid sight before him. The courtyard at the front gates were filled with students and teachers being attacked by... what appeared to be grey skinned teachers and students. None of this made any sense, everything was just fine a few minutes ago.

Noah could feel his heart sinking as he could hear people screaming all over the school. Tremors ran throughout his knees as chills went down his spine. He watched people running for their lives only to be grabbed and bitten by the grey skinned people. Their blood spurting across the school grounds like a fresh coat of paint.

Suddenly, a figure appeared by the door to the classroom. It pressed it's hand against the door, leaving a bloody imprint. Noah quickly hid behind a turned over desk in hopes that whoever was out there didn't already notice him.

Eventually the figure limped away, giving Noah some sense of relief. He took a deep breath and slowly made his way towards the door. He slowly opened it up and peeked his head out to see the figure was limping away through the hallway. A large chunk of flesh missing from his neck could be seen but the figure moved as if it was nothing.

Noah then turned his head around to see someone standing before him. Before he could say anything a hand was placed over his mouth. Noah squirmed at first but immediately stopped when he noticed it was Marcus.

"Shhh. It's ok, Noah it's me." Marcus whispered as he then proceeded to let go of Noah's mouth.

"Marcus! What the heck is going on?! Did you see what's going on outside! People are eating each other like its nobody's business!" Noah shouted out the second he could.

The second he shouted all of that out, the figure that was limping away suddenly twisted its neck around. It's body then followed the source of the noise heading right for the two brothers.

"Oh shit, has that guy been bitten?!" Marcus asked Noah as he just noticed they weren't alone.

"Yeah, look at his neck. You think he's one of the guys responsible for this?" Noah asked as Marcus gently shoved him aside and out of harms way.

"From what I've seen in the lower halls, is if you're bitten then you will start doing it as well." Marcus replied. Telling Noah of his experience so far.

"What do you think is wrong with then?" Noah asked. Curious as to what kind of sickness would make people act like this.

Must be Super Rabies or something. Stay back and let me handle this." Marcus explained to Noah as he raised his fists.

Marcus then dashed forwards and leapt into the air. He extended both feet delivering a powerful drop kick to the solar plexus. Noah watched as the limping boy was sent stumbling back a few meters.

After delivering the kick, Marcus hit the ground with a loud *thud* but he felt confident that should be enough to take the fight out of the grey skinned boy. However, to their surprise the boy stood right back up as if nothing had happened.

"No way! I hit him right in the solar plexus! He should have hardly any air left in him, much less be able to stand up without so much as a sign of pain." Marcus said aloud as he picked himself up to prepare for another attack.

He quickly punched across the grey skinned boy's face a few times. When he stopped punching, the boy's head menacingly turned back towards Marcus letting out a low groan.

Both hands reached out for Marcus grabbing at his uniform. Marcus responded by gripping the boy's forearms.

"Hey fuck off, kid! You don't wanna get on my bad side." Marcus warned as he tried to not use any lethal attacks on the grey skinned boy.

Noah quickly came to Marcus' aide by wrapping his arms around the boy's neck. He pulled at him with all his might but nothing came of it.

"Noah, get back!" Marcus instructed as the boy's mouth opened trying to go for one of Noah's arms.

As both rows of teeth connected, Noah's arms just barely let go in time to avoid any contact. The grey skinned boy overpowered Marcus and shoved him aside into a nearby locker. The locker swayed wide open as the grey skinned boy limped towards Noah letting out a wretched groan.

Marcus quickly recovered and noticed something in the locker that could help out with the fight. He reached into the open locker and pulled out a baseball bat that was sticking out.

He then turned back to see Noah was now cornered by this freak. Without warning, Marcus ran forward and slammed the baseball bat into the boy's arm causing a loud *crack* to be heard as the humerus bone was shattered.

"Jesus Christ, Marcus! He's just a sick kid. You didn't need to break his arm!" Noah shouted out of shock after witnessing such a thing.

Marcus then swung at the femur, breaking it on the first impact. The grey skinned boy fell over onto the floor. Without sparing any time, Marcus pulled on Noah's arm dragging away from the scene.

"Noah, the git would've bitten you if I didn't. He can't hurt anyone now so don't worry about it." Marcus explained as they both ran down the upper halls of the school at Noah's pace.

"Well now what do we do?" Noah asked before they ran into a hallway full of bitten students.

All of them turned their heads towards the brothers when they heard Noah's voice.

"Not that way!" Marcus exclaimed as they both made a hasty retreat onto the bridges that connected the other buildings to each other.

"Quickly across the... bridge..." Marvus instructed before he realized all four directions had infected blocking the path.

Before the brothers could go back inside, several grey skins reached out for them, forcing the boys back to the center of the crossroads. All four groups of infected limped towards Marcus and Noah forcing them into a tight spot.

"Shit shit shit shit!" Marcus said in a panic as he raised the baseball bat ready to start swinging at the nearest one.

**{Halo Combat Evolved OST - Brothers in Arms}**

Suddenly a set of doors swung wide open. Three grey skins came flying out onto the balcony, one even fell off the railing, falling to an early death. Following right behind them was Frasier as he charged out towards his brothers.

"Oh man, I think they got him too!" Noah commented as Frasier ran towards them.

"Damn it! Not you big brother! Anything but you!" Marcus exclaimed as he swung the bat towards Frasier.

However, when the bat came at Frasier he caught the handle and yanked it out of Marcus' hands with ease. He then swung around in a circle bashing four grey skins off of the bridge.

When one reached out for him he kicked it in the stomach then back spin kicked it off the edge with the rest. Frasier then charged towards the other two infected he tossed through the doors earlier. Noah and Marcus stood there in awe, watching as Frasier killed the infected students with no remorse on his face.

The first one he swatted aside with little trouble. Both brothers winced as they watched the girl plummet to the ground only to splatter from the fall. The last one however grabbed onto the bat and pressed forward pushing Frasier back. This however only made Frasier angrier than before.

"Ggggrraaagghhh!" Frasier roared out before kneeing the grey teacher in the stomach.

When the grey man bent over, Frasier lifted the bat above his head only to bring it down. *thwack* was the only sound that could be heard as the man's cranium caved in, slowly collapsing to the ground, motionless and remaining that way.

Noah and Marcus just stood there, paralyzed with fear as their brother just killed eight people (with no signs of remorse either).

When Frasier knocked the last of the grey skinned people off of the bridge, he turned to his brothers. The baseball bat slowly dripped blood as a tooth could be seen lodged into the tip of the bat.

"Frasier, what the fuck?! You didn't have to kill them!" Marcus shouted out of reaction.

"You're one to talk." Noah commented as he nudged Marcus' sides.

"I broke his arm and leg, I didn't throw him off of a fucking bridge." Marcus replied. Clearly thinking he didn't go as far as Frasier just did.

"Relax brothers, those weren't normal people, it was just more of... 'Them'." Frasier explained as he pointed below to the masses of grey skinned people wandering about the school grounds.

"Them?" Noah questioned as he and Marcus looked over the bridge to see some of the grey skinned people eating flesh off the remains of the other students that were unfortunate enough to get caught.

"Just look at how they move, how they act around anyone that hasn't been bitten by Them already, even the sounds they make... they clearly aren't human... at least not anymore." Frasier explained, pausing every once in awhile to take in the tense scene.

Suddenly, a whirring sound could be heard in the air. As the sources drew nearer and nearer, the brothers spotted three military helicopters flying by.

"Hey, why aren't they helping us?" Marcus questioned as he continued to watch the helicopters fly by. Raising his arms to cover his eyes from the sudden waves of wind that hit them.

"They must be here for an anterior purpose. They aren't even doing anything about the infected over here." Frasier replied as he leaned against the railing of the bridge.

While the Frasier showed his younger brothers the horrors on the outside of the school, the boy Marcus hit earlier slowly walked through an open doorway. It was inching closer and closer towards Frasier with his back turned to it.

"It's clear we're dealing with an infection of some sort. It's best we keep moving." Frasier recommended as he handed Marcus the baseball bat back.

Noah then noticed the infected boy behind Frasier. Despite the fact Marcus shattered the boy's leg, he just kept moving along like it was nothing.

"Frasier, behind you!" Noah shouted before the infected boy could get the jump on his older brother.

Frasier however was fully aware of the impeding danger. He quickly reached behind his back and actually lifted the infected boy above his head. Marcus and Noah both watched as Frasier then slammed the infected boy onto the bridge.

The infected boy groaned and hissed as he looked up at Noah. Before anything could become of it, Frasier raised his foot and slammed down onto the mushy, grey head, *spalsch* was the only sound that could be heard afterwards.

"I don't get it... I smashed his arm and leg... how the fuck could he still come after us?!" Marcus asked still surprised by the whole situation.

"You've got to destroy the brian. It's the only way to keep the damn things down. They have a high damage threshold so make every attack count." Frasier explained as he wiped the blood off of his shoe on the back of the dead student's uniform.

Noah then fell to his knees, one hand was clenched tight on his stomach while the other was extended out pressing against the floor. His body trembled all over as he suddenly vomited.

"Noah! What's wrong? Were you bit?" Marcus asked, unsure why his little brother was acting this way.

"It's not that, he's going into shock. His mind can't handle all of this so his body is shutting down to compensate. It won't be long before yours goes into shock too Marcus, and that's the last thing I need." Frasier answered as he lifted Noah over his shoulders.

"Well what do we do now, Frasier?" Marcus asked as he walked behind his older brother covering the rear flank.

"We need to get to the infirmary. If my hunch is correct then Miss Shizuka should have a supply of adrenaline shots." Frasier whispered as he then motioned Marcus to slow down.

"Adrenaline shots? Why on Earth would she need those?" Marcus asked quietly.

"It varies, the device is commonly used to treat acute allergic reactions and to avoid or treat the onset of anaphylactic shock." Frasier explained softly.

"But Noah isn't suffering from either one of those. Are you sure this is safe?" Marcus questioned as he peeked around a corner to see if any of the infected were there.

"It's risky but if things are as bad in the streets as they are here, then I need you two at your best. Carrying Noah around is hindering my combat effectiveness by 70%." Frasier explained as he spat on the floor feeling sweat trickling down the back of his neck.

As the trio entered the same level as the infirmary, they noticed that some of the bodies were already slain. As if other students were able to put up a fight too.

"It looks like our big chested friend had some unexpected patients." Marcus commented as he pointed towards the infirmary office.

"Jesus... the door has been torn down." Noah groaned as he looked around the small, enclosed room.

"Take it easy brother, just try and stay calm. Marcus, help me search the place for what we need." Frasier ordered as he gently set Noah onto the medical cot.

Both brothers began to rummage through the drawers and shelfs in search for the solution to their dilemma.

"Hey, is there a proper name for an adrenaline shot? Or is it just called an 'adrenaline shot'?" Marcus asked as he picked up a small rectangular box.

"Epipen, Twinject, Adrenaclick, Jext... It looks like a pen in short." Frasier explained as he carefully searched through a needle drawer.

"I don't see... wait I found two!" Marcus exclaimed as he pulled out two boxes.

Frasier immediately snatched the boxes from Marcus' hands and tore into them. He then held Noah's arm out and injected it directly into his arm. When a loud *click* could be heard, Noah's eyes shot wide open as he took a deep gasp of breath. He could feel his body instantly reacting to the sudden burst of energy.

Frasier then tossed the first one aside then turned to Marcus. The middle brother was hesitant at first but then held his arm out, accepting what must be done.

He bit his lips as he felt the needle sinking into his flesh *click*. Marcus then took a deep gasp as he felt massive amounts of energy surging throughout his body.

"What about you, Frasier? Don't you need one too?" Noah asked as he felt himself beginning to stabilize.

"I've been through worse Noah, dad threw real human entrails onto me while I crawled under barbed wire and through wet mud. So consider me immune to the shock of our current situation." Frasier explained coldly. Treating this nightmare like it was just another simulation.

He then kneeled down to observe how the infected in this room and outside were killed, each one had received blunt trauma to the head. Clearly the student responsible had impressed him with their caliber of skill.

One boy who had a shattered pair of glasses in his lap, seemed to be executed judging by the way he was sitting. Frasier then looked closer at the gash slowly running his fingers through the open gash to see there were splinters from whatever was used to kill the student.

He then smiled to himself knowing that the same type of wood these splinters came from, were from the wooden kendo practice swords the school provided. She was still alive.

"Saeko..." Frasier thought to himself as he could imagine her skillfully bashing these infected student's heads in, something about that thought really turned him on.

"I don't think that's nearly as bad as what we're facing here. I mean this shit is like out of the movies. Zombie movies." Marcus commented as he peered out the windows, watching how some of the fallen students were beginning to rise up and limp with the rest of the infected.

"Like 'The Walking Dead'?" Noah asked as he got off of the cot.

"Those were just movies and shows. This is real life Marcus, so shut up and listen closely. Those adrenaline shots will only last you guys somewhere between ten to twenty minutes so let's get you guys situated with what we can expect in the streets." Frasier explained, paying no attention to their childish comments.

"What do you mean by situated?" Noah asked curiously.

"You guys will need to be able to handle killing the... 'zombies'... by the time those adrenaline shots wear off. Luckily there's no shortage of Them around the school so let's get started." Frasier instructed as he motioned his younger brothers to follow him.

"I don't know about this guys." Noah muttered softly as he looked up at both his brothers.

Frasier then stopped and turned to Noah, he then kneeled down a bit so the brothers were at an even level. This time he spoke in a more calm and understanding tone.

"Noah, I know this is tough but you've gotta be tougher. These... abominations are bent on killing us. So unless you want to be one of Them I suggest you do exactly as I say." Frasier explained as an infected student wandered into the halls.

"This one is mine!" Marcus whispered as he charged towards the infected student.

He raised the baseball bat above his head only to swing it back down without any hesitation. With a caved in skull, the infected student wobbled back and forth before crumpling over motionless. Marcus then turned back to his brothers and gave them a thumbs up, with a wide grin on his face.

"I still don't think I can do this..." Noah said as he looked up to Frasier. Uncertain of himself still.

"You must try Noah, think of this like your show. The Walking Dead was it? Pretend you're the main character when he had to kill his first zombie." Frasier said trying to help make things easier on Noah.

"Like Rick Grimes? Yeah... I can do that!" Noah replied more enthusiastically as he took a deep breath. Envisioning himself as the hero of the show he clearly enjoyed.

Marcus slowly walked over towards his brothers. He tossed Noah the bat as he looked over towards Frasier.

"We should learn about these things while we can. You know what father always said, 'to beat your enemy you must know him first'." Marcus suggested as they all began to walk through the bloody halls.

"Good idea brother, let Noah take the next one." Frasier replied as he spotted one of the infected students feeding on a fresh corpse.

The three brothers slowly crept up to the infected girl. Frasier slowly pulled off the top half of his student uniform leaving him in a black t-shirt. He then quickly wrapped his student uniform around the infected girl's head in attempt to blind it.

"Quickly! Noah, hit her while she can't see!" Frasier announced as the infected girl suddenly began to resist. Thrashing her head about when detecting the fresh meals.

Frasier quickly wrestled with the infected girl in order to give Noah a clean hit. Noah slowly raised the baseball bat up, his heart was racing as he tried to retain some composure.

"Noah, I can't hold her back much longer. Hurry up!" Frasier ordered as the infected girl drooled blood and saliva through his uniform.

Noah closed his eyes and swung blindly. Knowing he had to do this before the situation became out of control.

*thwack*

Noah slowly opened his eyes to see the girl had stopped thrashing about. Her arms drooped low as her torso bent over. Frasier then released his tight grip on his uniform, letting the corpse drop to the ground with a *thud*.

"Well done, brother. How does that feel?" Frasier asked as he tossed his torn up uniform aside.

Noah began to feel the effects of the adrenaline shot wearing off. He took a few seconds to articulate his thoughts before he responded.

"I... I feel like I can handle it for now... thanks, Frasier." Noah replied, unsure how he would react to killing the infected now.

"Give it time, Noah. You two have a long way to go before your minds adjust to the horrors we'll encounter." Frasier explained. Knowing both brothers weren't near his level yet. Their minds still innocent and have yet to be desensitized to violence.

"I say we get out of here while we can. God knows how many students have been bitten already. Let alone the rest of the city." Marcus brought up. Shuddering at how bad things must have gotten by now.

"Agreed, let's go out the..." Frasier said before going dead silent from what stood before them when they walked out the doors.

What seemed like hundreds of infected students stood before them. All of them were either wandering the school grounds or were feasting on the flesh of the living. However it seemed like the infected couldn't even see the brothers.

"Why the hell aren't they trying to eat us?" Noah whispered as he gripped the bat tighter.

"Not sure... it's almost as if they can't see us." Frasier whispered as he observed the infected more closely.

Suddenly the sound of a girl screaming from the building behind the brothers could be heard. This had caught the attention of the infected nearby. Their heads slowly turned towards the brothers, all letting out a wretched groan.

"Shit! Let's get out of here!" Marcus shouted as the infected began to move in.

All three brothers bolted back inside. Frasier quickly leaned against the doors keeping the infected back for a bit.

"Go on without me, I'll hold Them back for as long as I can!" Frasier shouted as the infected pushed against the door.

"Don't be crazy! We can't do this without you." Marcus replied as he pressed against the door to help Frasier.

"Damn it Marcus, now is not the time to be the hero." Frasier snapped as the door hinges were being weakened every passing second.

Noah without even thinking wedged the baseball bat into the door handles. Marcus and Frasier then stood back to see that the door wouldn't hold for long.

"Nice job, Noah! Let's find a room and try to collect ourselves. We clearly don't know enough about the infected yet." Frasier instructed as the brothers began to run up the stairs.

"What's not to get? You just have to smash their heads in. Why couldn't you just do that to those ones?" Marcus asked as the brothers entered the A.V. room.

"I can easily handle one to four, maybe even five if they're spread out, no problem. But in a pack those things can really be overwhelming and things can get ugly fast. I'll need a weapon." Frasier replied as he locked the door behind him. 


	3. Act 1: Brothers Par 3

**Act 1: Brothers Part 3**  
><strong>Fujimi Academy, Tokonosu City, Japan<strong>

**Z-Day!**

The skies were a bright, vibrant orange now. The three brothers carefully barricaded the door to the A.V. room with the teacher's desk. A few figures could be seen wandering outside of the door. Each brother felt their hearts racing as they watched, unsure if the infected had detected them again.

When the figures slowly passed by and everything seemed clear, all of them let out a deep sigh of relief.

"It looks like we've lost Them... for now at least." Frasier whispered to his younger brothers as they sat against some turned over desks.

Marcus then began to search through the teacher's desk in search of a remote. When he found one he pointed it at the TV mounted on the wall.

"Keep the volume low, Marcus." Noah whispered as he noticed what Marcus was up to.

Marcus nodded as he turned the volume to a low setting. He then hit the power button, turning on the television set.

A news reporter instantly appeared on screen with plenty of emergency broadcasts bellow. The brothers quickly turned their full attention to see how things were going for everybody else.

"The government has begun to consider the emergency measures against the outbreaks that have been occurring across the city." The newswoman said.

"Change over to another station." Frasier said to Marcus.

The station then switched over to another news channel, this time the reporter was outside. Behind her were policemen running back and forth.

"It's been feared that more than 10,000 have been victimized in the local area. The governor has already called for the... *bang* ... already declared state of emergency and has requested the emergency disaster relief." the news reporter announced, flinching as she was interrupted mid sentence by a gunshot in the background.

"It's a gunshot. It seems the police are finally using firearms!" she announced as the camera showed two figures in body bags rising up only to fall straight back down when two more gunshots went off.

"No. No! Ahhhh!" the news reporter suddenly pleaded before screaming. The camera dropped and the view showed multiple grey figures heading towards the scene only for the signal to go dark.

All three brothers gazed blankly into the static that followed after before the channel switched over to the local news station. Now what appeared to be a much younger newscaster could be seen being handed some papers. Clearly she was nervous and in fear after hearing the screams of the previous news reporter.

"Uh... There appears to be a problem with our satellite feed. From now on, we will bring you the story from inside the studio. The condition outside seems chaotic; please stay indoors unless it's absolutely necessary to go outside. We'll bring you more on the story as soon as it's safe to get coverage on site." the younger reporter announced before Frasier switched the channel.

"This unusual and unprecedented, biological, phenomenon, that's spread throughout North America has yet to be put under control. Government authorities have evacuated the White House and will relocate to a command center on the aircraft carrier George Washington." the new reporter announced as the TV showed a helicopter taking off from the White House as the streets of D.C. were in smoke and fire.

"There are reports of transfer in power in the preparation for the use of tactical warheads to combat the infestation." the new reporter announced as the cameras now showed the National Guard fighting the infected in Times Square.

"We've currently lost contact with Moscow. Beijing has been set ablaze. London has managed to maintain order while Paris and Rome have reports of looting." the reporter spoke of the world before Frasier smiled and turned off the TV.

"Well at least the folks back at home aren't in any trouble." Marcus said as he looked over to his two brothers.

"We should get out of here and find Uncle Mark. He'll know what to do!" Noah suggested as he stood up to head for the door.

Before he could get anywhere near the door, Frasier reached out and grabbed his shoulder.

"Hold on, we still need to learn how the infected work." Frasier explained as he then grabbed a piece of chalk and began to draw a human figure on the board behind him.

"So what do we know so far?" Frasier asked to his brothers.

"We know the infection is viral." Noah answered from simple observation.

"In English!" Marcus said, annoyed that Noah couldn't be straightforward about it.

"That was English... and it means the infected people spread the disease by bodily fluids. Basically any of their DNA mixes with yours then you're a goner. So don't get bitten or scratched." Noah explained as Frasier wrote it on the board.

"What else do we know?" Frasier asked soon afterwards, knowing they'd need more information to survive.

"They have high tolerance for pain, and they only seem to stay down when any damage is done to the brain." Marcus replied from experience.

"Oh, and if they are anything like the walkers, then I'm certain they can't see us either. They would only be able to detect us by sound and smell." Noah brought up.

"Okay... I think that's all we know so far, but this is all good stuff to know. Let's go find one of Them and test out these theories." Frasier ordered as he tossed the chalk aside.

Marcus and Noah nodded in acknowledgement as they helped him pull the teacher's desk away from the door. Frasier then carefully opened up the door making sure he was completely silent about it. He peeked his head out to see there were three infected students wandering in his direction. Frasier slowly walked into the hall with his arms raised up.

He remained completely still, yet was entirely out in the open. The infected students slowly limped and staggered closer and closer to him each second. When the three students walked by, all three brothers held their breath, waiting for whatever would happen next.

Luckily, the infected students were blind and could not see a thing. They just walked by Frasier as if he wasn't even there at all. Noah and Marcus let out a soft sigh of relief, as it was quite clear the infected had no sight or sense of smell whatsoever.

Frasier then leaned down and picked up a blood covered tennis ball. He winded his arm back only to toss the ball across the hallways breaking a window. The second the sound of glass being broken could be heard, the three infected students turned their heads instantly.

All three let out a groan as they began to head towards the window. They passed by Frasier once more to investigate the sound they just heard. The infected students just kept bumping into the broken window as if they couldn't feel the broken glass cutting their mushy skin.

Frasier motioned his brothers to follow his lead. All three brothers slowly approached the infected and stopped within reaching distance. Frasier then made a few hand signals to his brothers; they both nodded and got ready to do as he signed.

"One... Two... Three!" Frasier mouthed silently.

The moment afterwards, all three brothers pushed at once shoving the three infected students outside the already shattered window. *splat* *crunch* *crack* was all that could be heard when the falling infected made impact with the concrete ground.

"Yeah! Take that you tossers!" Marcus exclaimed in an excited voice.

"Markles: 1 Abominations:0! Way to go brothers!" Frasier announced unexpectedly.

"I say this calls for a round of high fives." Noah added in.

Both Frasier and Marcus couldn't help but agree with Noah. They all went back and forth slapping each other's hands in celebration. After a few moments they all settled down, still aware of the serious danger they were still in.

"Alright, so what did we learn?" Frasier asked as he checked his surroundings to make sure they weren't being flanked.

"They obviously can't see, certainly can't feel pain if they can let glass cut their skin up without any negative reaction to it." Noah answered insightfully.

"Also can't smell us. No offense, Frasier, but your sweat has a pretty strong scent and I could smell you from over there." Marcus mentioned as he pointed to where he was standing just a few moments ago.

"Noted. Anything else?" Frasier asked for the last time.

"I think that's good for now. I say it's time we bust outta here and find Uncle Mark like Noah mentioned." Marcus replied.

Marcus then leaned against the wall, waiting to see what Frasier was going to say. He was their leader after all, and whatever he said usually goes. Even before the sudden outbreak of this new infection it was this way.

"Any secret ways out or maybe an awesome way to trick the infected?" Noah asked curiously.

"Judging by how the infected are positioned... I'd say the front gates are our the best option." Frasier explained as he pointed towards them.

"Are you serious? Not only are there hundreds of infected over there, but the school keeps the front gates locked tighter than a nun's ass." Marcus replied showing his disagreement for the plan.

"Bear in mind, the infected are blind and can't smell us. So long as we're quiet things should turn out smoothly." Noah explained confidently.

"Alright, but that's only half the problem. We need the keys to unlock the front gates if we have any hopes of leaving that way." Marcus brought up.

"Or something similar to a key." Frasier replied as he looked down at science room in the building across from the one they were in.

"What do you mean?" Noah asked, now unsure of what Frasier meant.

"I'm sure there are plenty of chemicals in the science labs we could use to make a corrosive acid." Frasier explained as he walked down the stairs.

"Oh I like the sound of that!" Marcus said, finally understanding what Frasier was up to.

"Come on, we've wasted enough time dicking around." Frasier ordered as he motioned Noah and Marcus to follow him.

The three brothers slowly walked down the stairs to see at least seventeen infected students had entered the building after the door broke down. The baseball bat could be seen snapped in two after the door was broken down. There was only one option to get past the infected now: stealth.

Marcus grabbed a binder on the stairs and tossed it into a nearby locker. The sound was just enough to attract most of the infected students who were crowding the doors. The trio began to crouch down through the hallway until they could get onto the bridge that would take them straight to the building the science class was in.

While traveling across the bridge, Noah looked over the edge to see hundreds of infected students wandering below him. He gulped but managed to keep his body relaxed. At least all the random screaming had finally stopped.

Frasier slowly opened the door and scanned the hallways for any movement. So far things seemed clear, no signs of neither infected nor survivors, just random splotches of blood that covered the floors and lockers.

The brothers quickly sprinted down the hallway until they reached Marcus' science class. They quickly locked the door behind them and immediately got to work.

"So what do we do first?" Noah asked Frasier.

"Look in the cabinets for Nitric acid." Frasier explained as he began to rummage through the cabinets.

"Sounds like it would be in one of these locked ones. After all it is acid." Marcus suggested as he pointed to a set of cabinets that had a lock on them.

"Then we better find the science teacher who has the right key." Frasier explained as he observed the lock.

"Hrmmm...Couldn't we just break the lock off?" Noah asked, not feeling up to searching for what was essentially a needle in a haystack.

"Well, do you see a teacher in a white lab coat?" Marcus asked as he began to bend two paper clips he found on the teacher's desk.

"Well no I-" ("Found him.") Noah began to answer before Frasier interrupted him.

"What? No way, where?" Noah asked as he ran over to look out the window Frasier was looking out of.

"Right there, can't miss him." Frasier said as he pointed to an infected man wearing a lab coat who was at least one hundred yards away.

"How in the hell can you see that far?" Noah asked, astonished that Frasier could pinpoint something from such a distance.

"Because his eyes haven't been ruined by technology. He doesn't watch TV or spend hours on electronic devices like we do, Noah. Well... that and the dude wears a white lab coat most likely covered in blood now. Anyways can we go or what?" Marcus asked as he held the opened lock in one hand and the Nitric acid vial in another.

"How did you get it open?" Frasier questioned as he was handed the vial of Nitric acid.

"Simple, I lock picked it open. Saw a 'how to' video on YouTube." Marcus explained as he placed the two paper clips he bent into his pocket.

Frasier and Noah looked at Marcus, both completely unaware of his hidden talent.

"What? Would you rather go and try to pick pocket those jingle keys in the middle of that horde? No? Didn't think so." Marcus said before walking out the door.

"Point taken." Frasier replied as he walked out the door with Noah following closely at his side.

-

The brothers quietly jogged down the hallways towards the front of the school. It wouldn't be long now until they made their great escape from the high school of the dead.

On their way, they noticed multiple infected students had already been slain. Most were found with brutal blunt trauma to the head, but some had what appeared to be nails protruding from their foreheads, one even had a power drill sized hole in its skull.

Whoever was fighting back was making it clear they knew what they were doing and were a force to be reckoned with.

"Do you really think that tiny vial will be enough to melt those iron gates?" Noah questioned as he kept up with his older brothers.

"No, but it should be enough to scramble the locks so let's keep moving." Frasier whispered in response.

When the trio looked outside, hundreds upon hundreds of students stood before them. All were docile for now, but one wrong move and it would be over in an instant.

As the brothers were about to exit the current building they were in, a loud *clang* echoed throughout the entire school.

"RRRUUUNNN!" shouted out a familiar voice to Noah.

"Oh for fucks sake!" Frasier cursed out in anger as he kicked an infected boy aside as all the infected on the outside began heading towards the brothers and the source of the two noises.

"Bloody tossers just made things a whole lot more complicated!" Marcus announced as he snatched the vial from Frasier's hands and tossed it into the faces of the infected students, the sound of their flesh could be heard melting from reaction to the corrosive acid.

"Let's retreat and see if we can lose the infected." Noah suggested as he took a step back.

With no time to debate, all three ran back inside in an attempt to evade the aggravated horde of infected students. With no weapons or devices to use, the brothers were forced to take shelter in yet another abandoned office.

As they took a few moments to catch their breath they noticed something speeding through the parking lot. One of the school's microbuses was driving at high speed, ramming and running the infected students over mercilessly.

Eventually it rammed the iron gates sending them flying aside like they were nothing. When it was completely out of sight, the brothers snapped back into reality.

"Lucky bastards... we get stuck with their infected while they make an easy get away." Marcus commented as he snapped his fingers.

"Look on the bright side, at least the gates are down and we can escape now." Noah said with optimism in his voice.

"Yeah, but the infected aren't going to make it easy either." Frasier argued as he sat down to think of what they could do now.

"Oh I know! These guys hunt by sound right? What if we activate the fire alarm?" Noah suggested as he began to spit out ideas to use.

"And the infected would be as blind as bats! Noah, you're a genius!" Frasier finished as he quickly got up.

**{Bear MCceary - The Hand}**

With one last effort, the trio quickly found a fire alarm in the hallway. Frasier pulled the lever down causing the alarm system to go off. An annoying ringing sounded went off throughout the entire school, causing every infected within the noise radius to turn their putrid heads.

-

Minutes later, entire mobs and bundles of infected pressed up against the walls and lockers. All were reaching for the ringing bells scattered throughout the school.

Frasier, Marcus, and Noah sprinted through the halls and out the doors. The courtyard in the front of the school was now vacant and free of any opposition. They ran through the smashed gates and out into the streets.

Smoke could be seen in the sky as the streets were consumed with chaos. Cars crashed and flipped over, random splatters of blood soaked the ground from those unfortunate enough to fall victim to the undead, random fires burned with no one to tame them.

All sorts of noise could be heard in the distance, it was carrying between gunshots, screaming, cars crashing, and the crackling of flames. It was as if a nightmare had been unleashed upon the quiet city of Tokonosu.

However, this wasn't enough to slow the Markle brothers down. All they could think of was if their uncle was okay. Frasier led Noah and Marcus through a series of shortcuts that eventually took them right to their apartment.

The sight they saw was nerve wrecking: a place Marcus and Frasier could call home was now in ruins. The front door to their apartment had been torn off, showing that the infected had been here. A few bodies could even be seen slumped over along the rails, all with bullet sized holes in their heads.

"Oh shit! Do you think he's okay?" Marcus asked as he stopped to take in the petrifying scene.

"We better get inside, quickly! There's no telling how many of Them were already here." Frasier ordered as Noah took off ahead of them.

"Uncle! Uncle!" Noah shouted, as he was the first to enter their apartment.

Noah looked around the living room to see that at least twelve infected corpses were lying face down around the living room. Each one killed by a headshot from Mark's 9mm Browning L9A1 pistol.

When Frasier and Marcus caught up, they saw Noah standing in the living room. His body was shaking as his fists were gripped tight.

"No! Noooo! No!" Noah hysterically cried out as he paced back and forth the room, his voice eventually beginning to crack, as he looked back at his brothers then forward again.

Marcus and Frasier both looked at the far end of the room to see their Uncle Mark was lying against the wall with a pistol in hand. He had bite marks and missing bits of flesh all over his arms and legs. They looked away in pain once they saw a bullet hole in the back of Mark's head, indicating he took his own life rather then succumb to being one of Them.

All three brothers were now all alone, forced to face the rapidly changing world, alone.

**{}**


	4. Act 2: Streets Part 1

**Act 2: Streets Part 1**

**Tokonosu City, Japan**

**Z-Day**

With the death of their Uncle Mark, the Markle brothers were on their own, under the leadership of the oldest amongst them, Frasier.

"I can't believe he's gone. If only we had gotten here sooner." Noah muttered, mourning the death of their uncle.

Frasier slowly walked over towards Mark and kneeled besides him. He slowly reached out and pulled the dog tags off of Mark's neck.

"What are you doing?" Noah asked in a heated tone, unsure why Frasier was taking Mark's tags. Whatever the reason may be it certainly pissed the young Brit off.

"In father's study, there's an entire wall that has every fallen male Markle's dog tag and name engraved into it. If we ever make it home, we must place Mark's tag with the rest." Frasier explained as he then looked at their new situation; sticking to tradition despite how fast things were changing for the rest of the world.

"So now what?" Marcus asked as he locked the front door behind him, wanting a solid plan before they made another move.

"Marcus, help me barricade the front door. Noah, you check the news and check for any new developments. I doubt this will last very long but until then we hold our position." Frasier replied, quickly taking command of the situation as if it were just another simulation.

With no reason to argue, Marcus began to pull the couch by himself while Noah walked over to the television set turning it on. The current news station was showing the devastation all over town. It was incredible how something like this was happening in a single day. Anyone would have thought they were witnessing a war-zone if they didn't know what was really going on.

Noah sat there as people continued to say it was a pandemic and that it was best to stay indoors, others would claim it was some sort of biological hazard, then there were those that were slaughtered on screen for any viewer to see. Noah was afraid of what would happen next. How could they possibly get out of this mess now?

After Marcus and Frasier barricaded the only entrance to the apartment (as well as toss the infected corpses over the balcony), they walked into the kitchen to pack up supplies.

"Idiot! It was your turn to go buy groceries! Now we have barely any food!" Frasier shouted out in a pissed off tone.

"Well excuse me for not knowing about the end of the bloody world, your Highness!" Marcus shouted back defiantly.

Marcus then walked out and sat with Noah on the only piece of furniture that wasn't used in the barricade. He let out a soft sigh knowing what he did wrong.

"It's okay, Marcus, had no idea this would happen. I'm sure no one did." Noah said reassuringly in an effort to raise his brother's morale.

"Thanks, but that wont keep us from starving, Noah. I really messed up bad. And I'm sorry I ignored you the other day. It was wrong of me, and I will make it up to you if we make it out this alive." Marcus said in apology, showing deep regret for his actions.

Noah was genuinely surprised to see Marcus show his acknowledgment of failure, and the fact that he was apologizing for his actions nonetheless. Noah knew that they were going to make it deep down, somehow.

Frasier then walked in with duffle bags and a leather jacket. He even wore Mark's black combat boots for extra protection when he may need to kick in a few rotten heads.

"Noah, put this on. Marcus, take a bag. We're moving out as soon as we can. We can't stay here and I don't want us to be trapped with those things." Frasier ordered as he tossed a blue duffle bag to Marcus and the leather jacket to Noah. Both brothers uncertain why he wanted to move out after they barricaded the apartment.

"What about holding our position?" Noah inquired as he questioned the change of heart.

"What's to defend? We have little food and if our barricade breaks we're trapped like rats on a sinking ship. Best we move out of town and head to the bridges for evacuation." Frasier responded as every word he said made sense to his younger siblings.

Marcus and Noah then both nodded as they began to pack supplies that would be deemed necessary for use.

-

"Flashlight... check... Batteries... check... Bottled water... check... 9mm pistol... check... Food to ration. Check! Is that all we need?" Marcus asked as he went over the list aloud.

"Hand me that broom and tape, Noah" Frasier requested as he grabbed a large kitchen knife.

Noah gathered what Frasier had asked for, handing him the broom and roll of tape. Frasier then snapped the brush of the broom off over his knee, taping the kitchen knife at the very end for a bayonet.

"There we go now, we can fight them on better terms." Frasier said, feeling confident in their increase in chances of survival.

Frasier then tossed the roll of tape to Marcus. As he packed it up Noah had put some cloth into his pockets in case they could be used for later. Everything seemed all ok, but Noah didn't understand why he needed to wear the leather jacket.

"Frasier, why do I need to wear this again?" Noah asked as he looked at the leather jacket.

"Because those things bite to infect and if I'm right on that, then the leather should give you some protection against Them. Just in case the worst comes to worst." Frasier answered as he adjusted the spear he was crafting from basic household items.

Noah smiled at first but then noticed that Frasier and Marcus didn't have any leather jackets to wear.

"What about you guys? Don't you need protection?" Noah asked next.

"I don't think condoms will protect us," Marcus said humorously, chuckling for his own amusement.

He then snickered but instantly stopped as Frasier slapped the back of his head in disapproval.

"I want you to wear it, Noah. I can't afford to lose my little brothers to those things. I will do all in my power to prevent it... even if I must die in order to do so. Understand?" Frasier explained as he looked at Noah.

Noah just nodded as he admired his eldest brother's bravery. He rolled the sleeves up a bit so they didn't restrict his hand movements.

"So where to now?" Marcus asked as he zipped up his bag.

"I suggest we go where these people are going." Noah suggested as he pointed at the TV where it showed people moving across bridges to the other side of town.

"Seems like we have no other choice. Brothers, let's roll out!" Frasier exclaimed as he looked out the window to make sure the infected weren't waiting for them at the door.

Frasier and Marcus quickly pulled the barricade apart as Noah could only watch. They went out first to see if it was clear on the street levels. When all seemed clear, Noah soon followed them, looking out at the descent of the sun and the rise of the moon.

The smoke from the fires continued to fill the air as the brothers got to ground level. All of constantly maintained a high level of alertness.

-

As they walked on street level, they could hear the occasional gunshot in the distance, assuming it was the police trying to contain the outbreak. Noah tried to keep up as Marcus looked around nervously.

"So why aren't we taking the car again?" Marcus questioned out of curiosity.

"Because you didn't refuel it." Frasier replied sharply.

"So this shit is a global thing right?" Marcus asked aloud, trying to start another conversation.

"That's what the newscaster said." Noah replied as he nodded his head.

"Well at least it's not just us who are in peril then." Marcus said, unable to think of anything else to say.

Noah didn't really know how to respond to that so he just nodded his head again.

-

As the trio moved on, they eventually had to stop when they reached a tunnel blocked off by a flipped over bus. From simple observation (and the hard to miss scorch marks) it was clear the bus had burst into flames earlier but had died out hours ago.

Nearby the wreckage were a few charred bodies could be seen lying in the street. The flesh from their bones were seared and singed after long exposure to the flames. Now merely black crisps of their original form.

"It would appear the infected don't take too well to the flames." Frasier observed as he looked around the burn victims, noticing some still had visible chunks of flesh ripped out of them.

"Uh guys, we've got a problem over here!" Marcus announced, catching the attention of his brothers.

Noah and Frasier quickly looked over their shoulders to see a large group of at least twenty infected were heading straight for the trio.

"Quickly, get up onto the bus, they can't follow us that way!" Frasier ordered as he began to throw some of the extra knifes he had on him in attempt to slow the infected down.

Noah and Marcus quickly ran towards the bus and began to scale it one step at a time. Frasier then sprinted over towards them making it up before Noah could reach the top. The infected had caught up and were ready to pounce upon the brothers.

"Give me your hand!" Frasier yelled as Noah reached for the top of the bus.

Right before their hands could touch, Noah was pulled back by one of Them to the ground. He was now face to face with the putrid creature as its jaws opened wide. Noah quickly scrambled to get up but it pulled him back. The infected man then began to bite at the leather jacket in the back.

Noah squirmed in desperation but felt it would soon be over, but then he heard a terrifying yell.

"Aarrrrggghhh!" Frasier roared out as he leapt from the bus and landed feet first on the infected man's shoulders pinning it down to the hard street ground.

He then took his spear and brought it straight down into the eye socket, killing it instantly. With no time to waste, Frasier picked Noah up and gave him a boost on his shoulders.

"Go! I'll hold Them off!" Frasier shouted as Marcus took Noah's hand and pulled him up.

While Noah was going up top on the bus, Frasier stabbed another infected man through the chest and swung it side to side knocking the others back like dominos. When they fell over he pulled his weapon back.

He quickly jumped up and scaled back to his brothers. They all jumped down to the other side, running through the dimly lit and empty tunnel. Noah looked back and was relieved to see no more infected were chasing them.

When the brothers got out of the tunnel, they all took a moment to sit down on a grassy hill slope. Frasier and Marcus both checked the leather jacket to make sure Noah wasn't bit.

"Hey, wait a minute this is my jacket!" Marcus announced as if he didn't recognize it until just now.

Noah laughed and walked up the concrete stairs while the night sky had completely covered the evening sky. He looked on the horizon as the sun was now fully set and the streetlights came to life. They were now in what was once a busy part of town. Only fate would be able to tell what the trio would face this thrilling night. 


	5. Act 2: Streets Part 2

**Act 2: Streets Part 2**  
><strong>Tokonosu City, Japan<strong>

**Z-Day**

"Who would have guessed the end of the world would have been a Friday? You would think it would be on a Monday... Nobody likes Mondays, but hey,what does it matter now?" Marcus thought to himself as he tightened his shoelaces.

He was with his two brothers, Noah and Frasier. As they walked along the grassy hill, it was clear they couldn't turn back now. Marcus looked at his little brother who was wearing his favorite leather jacket as he managed to already get bite marks all over the back.

But Marcus guessed it was for the best, or his elder brother would have to put Noah down. Marcus didn't want to think about that, he just wanted something to eat. It had been hours and he was starving!

"Hey, Frasier, when can we eat?" Marcus asked as he looked up at him.

"When we find a safe spot to eat," Frasier replied, maintaining a constant level of alertness.

"Why not here?" I can't see any of Them around." Noah commented as he checked his surrounding environment.

"That's how it seemed with the bus didn't it, Noah?" Frasier replied sharply, making sure they didn't forget that ordeal anytime soon.

Marcus and Noah looked back at each other, shrugging their shoulders, as they just kept moving, knowing he was right. He was always right.

-

During the first five minutes of being out of the tunnel, Marcus noticed a man lying face down with a motorcycle helmet on his head. He walked over towards it and pulled the helmet off of the man's caved in head.

"Be careful, Marcus." Noah warned, as if he was expecting the man to get up and bite Marcus.

Blood dripped out of the helmet as Marcus noticed it was cracked up in the back. Almost as of someone had bashed this man's head in with a cinder block or something along those lines.

"Piece of crap must have been made in China or something." Marcus commented as he tossed it aside and moved on with his brothers.

-

During their long walk into the city, Noah spotted the front of a police car sticking out from behind the last building on the current street they we're traveling on.

"Hey guys, look! I think everything's going to be ok!" Noah said with enthusiasm as they all walked towards a police patrol car he noticed, the front of the vehicle just barely sticking out.

However, when they got to the other side they all dropped their jaws. The other side of the police car had been completely crushed by a garbage truck that must have sped out of control. Both policemen inside were clearly killed upon impact.

"Damn... well check if they have anything we can use." Marcus soon said after taking in the scene.

"What? You can't be serious, brother." Noah protested, feeling that looting the deceased was wrong.

"No. He's right, Noah. We'll need every last resource if we want to pull through." Frasier explained as he motioned Marcus to search the car.

"What's the point of retaining our humanity from Them if we end up becoming animals? What will we have left if we give up our humanity?" Noah asked, still unaware of the danger they were really in.

"Our lives for a start. Noah, I know this is tough for you, but grow a pair and open your damn eyes. I'm not going to become zombie chow because you can't handle us using what these policemen clearly won't be needing now." Marcus scorned as he rummaged through the car.

"I... Yeah... you're right brother... I'm sorry." Noah apologized as he took a deep breath trying to accept their situation.

"Don't worry about it, Noah. You're young and naive is all. This is all for the best, trust me." Frasier explained as he patted Noah's back.

After a few more moments of scavenging, Marcus finally pulled out of the squad car. A look of disappointment could be seen on his face.

"Find anything?" Frasier asked as he looked at Marcus.

"Nothing that we can use to our advantage." Marcus explained as he stretched a little.

"Nothing? Not even their guns?" Noah questioned as he looked over at the two corpses of the policemen.

"Well if I didn't know any better, I'd say someone else was here before us and took a pistol with them." Marcus replied.

"Wait, only one gun? But there are two cops, Marcus." Frasier pointed out.

"I know that, but the only pistol left has a broken grip. Plus whoever was here took the bullets out of the chambers, so we have no ammo for it even if it was usable." Marcus explained as he pulled out the pistol to show his brothers.

**{HoTD OST- Miracle Brain}**

"Hmm,let me see that for a second." Noah requested as he held his hand out for the police gun.

"Alright brother, knock yourself out." Marcus replied, slowly handing Noah the small, broken, revolver.

"Now hand me the Browning L9A1." Noah instructed as he pulled the revolver apart, setting down some of the pieces onto the hood of the police patrol car.

"Why? The ammunition types aren't going to match up. There's no point in fixing the police pistol." Frasier replied as he placed the Browning L9A1 onto the hood.

Noah ignored his brothers and quickly took the other pistol apart. He quickly switched parts back and forth until he found a winning combination.

"Tape." Noah then requested as he held his hands close together around whatever he was doing.

Without questioning his motives this time, Marcus quickly pulled out a line of tape and handed it to his little brother. Noah then took the strand of tape and wrapped it around a few times.

"Ta-da!" Noah exclaimed as he turned around holding his creation out in both of his palms.

"Noah... Did you just create a hybrid between the Browning L9A1 and the Smith & Wesson M37 Air Weight?" Marcus asked, nearly shouting in his astonishment in Noah's ingenuity.

"Yup, now we can use this pistol whenever we manage to find some .38 special ammunition." Noah replied, feeling proud of himself as he handed the pistol to Frasier.

However, Frasier held his hand up and shook his head for some reason.

"You keep it Noah, you made it, and you use it." Frasier replied, showing no emotion of the situation as he then motioned his younger siblings to follow him seeing how it was time they got moving again.

Noah smiled to himself as he holstered the pistol. He clearly had made both of his brothers proud and aware of his talent, even if one of them wasn't being upfront about it.

**{}**

-

Z-Day+1

Hours later, the brothers stumbled upon a nearby gas station to see no signs of Them. It wouldn't be long until the sun would be back up.

Frasier quickly observed the area from a distance but saw no immediate danger in the vicinity. He then motioned his siblings to move forward with him.

"Hey, think if we sat on the fire escape we could eat?" Noah asked Frasier as his tummy rumbled for all to hear.

"Very well, let's get up there. The infected seem to lack enough coordination to climb a ladder. But just in case, let's just keep it quiet,alright?" Frasier instructed as he led them to the first ladder.

Marcus and Noah nodded as they climbed up the ladder and unzipped a duffle bag. Marcus tore into the first bag of chips he could grab and wolfed them down. His brothers ate and just looked down at the intersection where a few crashed cars could be seen.

"Hey guys, think we could find anything useful in there?" Marcus asked as he pointed towards the convenient store that was apart of the gas station.

"Hmmmm it's worth a look but we need to be careful. Don't go into any dark areas where you can't see." Frasier replied, warning the brothers of what could be awaiting them inside the store.

Both Noah and Marcus nodded, showing they understood him before they both descended back to ground level. Cautiously crossing the street so none of Them would be alerted if they were hidden somewhere nearby.

When Marcus walked by a gas pump, with a rather large figure slumped against it, he realized that tire marks from a motor bike were left by the fueling station.

"Hey, look at those tire marks. Maybe we should follow them and see if there are more survivors?" Marcus suggested as Frasier caught up with him.

"After we search the convenient store." Frasier replied as he then held his fist up to order his brothers to halt.

"What is it, Frasier?" Noah asked as he looked around the area in case there was danger.

"Those store lights are pretty dim in there. Switch to your flashlights, brothers." Frasier ordered quietly in case there were infected already inside.

"We can tape them to our shoulders so we can use both of our hands." Noah suggested as he took a roll of tap, sticking his flashlight onto his shoulder.

"Nice thinking, Noah." Marcus complimented as he taped a flashlight onto his shoulder.

"Aren't you coming with us, Frasier?" Noah asked as he noticed Frasier wasn't equipping a flashlight.

"I'll stay out here and keep a lookout for Them. Never know when they are going to show up." Frasier explained as he tossed Noah his spear for protection, he then motioned them to enter the building.

Noah and Marcus slowly entered through the front door. A faint tune could be heard playing from a radio, it was almost as if the owner didn't bother turning it off before abandoning the store. Everything seemed normal inside the store, except for the cash register being smashed off the counter-top.

Meanwhile, Frasier observed the rather large man slumped against the gas pump; when he observed what killed the figure he noticed a bullet hole in the fat man's right lung. He wore cargo shorts, a black t-shirt, a bandana with a hat put on backwards. To Frasier he looked like the typical street scum.

"Heh, guess you must have pissed someone off, ugly." Frasier chuckled softly.

Just as he said that, the man's eyes shot wide open. He reached out placing both hands around Frasier's neck and throwing himself onto him. Caught entirely by surprise, Frasier fell onto his back as the man continued to strangle him.

"Ugh... get off me you fat fuck!" Frasier growled as he flexed his neck to open his airways back up.

"Frasier!" Marcus and Noah both shouted as they noticed the situation from all the commotion. They then ran over to assist their older brother when it seemed like he couldn't win.

"Stay back, brothers! I can handle this myself!" Frasier warned as he placed both his feet under the large man's stomach, slowly lifting him up.

"Whoa..." both brothers muttered as they watched their elder brother lifting something so heavy with just his legs.

"Huragh!" Frasier grunted as he managed to push off the heavy infected man all on his own.

The bastard landed with a *thud* but soon managed to get back up all on his own. It was now just the break of dawn as the sun slowly ascended.

The large man's mouth slowly opened up, revealing blood-covered braces that gleamed from the rising sun. He let out a groan before his eyes slowly rolled back into his head. Two more infected corpses limped towards the brothers after hearing the struggle.

"You two take the stiffs, the big one is mine!" Frasier ordered as he crunched both his knuckles together.

Frasier then charged the thuggish looking man as Noah and Marcus charged the two infected corpses.

Noah stabbed the spear forward, impaling an infected woman through the chest. She let out a low groan as she began to pull him towards her, Her hands grasping around the wooden pole.

However, Marcus quickly swung the fire axe around. When the edge hit the woman's face it left a massive gash in it before she fell over onto the asphalt street, face down, this time remaining motionless.

"You gotta destroy the brain Noah, remember?" Marcus reminded as the infected man beside him reached for him.

Without saying a word, Noah quickly wedged the spear into the squishy eye socket of the infected man heading for Marcus. The tip of the sharp blade sliced through the brain like it was butter.

"I got it!" Noah replied as he grinned a little.

They then both turned around to see Frasier standing up. He was covered in the blood of the thuggish looking man. The two brothers cringed a bit when they saw three-kitchen knife's sticking out of the skull.

"Are you alright, Frasier? Were you hurt?" Noah asked in a concerned voice.

"I'm fine... Now let's keep moving. Won't be long until more of Them show up." Frasier grumbled as he snatched the spear from Noah's hands and began to walk away from the gas station.

"What's wrong with him?" Noah asked Marcus as Frasier continued to walk away.

"Probably just pissed off because the fat one managed to catch him off guard." Marcus estimated as they began to jog over to catch up with Frasier.

-

Minutes later, the brothers descended into a nearby subway station. Their footsteps echoed throughout the narrow, concrete, halls. One by one they vaulted over the chrome colored turnstiles, Making extra sure not to create any unnecessary noises.

As they reached the station's loading area, the ground began to shake. At first the brothers figured it to be an earthquake, but then a bright light could be seen growing brighter down in the tunnels. A train could be seen speeding towards them.

"Shit! Get back!" Frasier ordered as all three brothers leapt as far away from the tracks as they could.

*Crash*

The speeding train could no longer handle the intense speed it was on. The wheels ran off the track and derailed the train entirely. Glass windows shattered as fire could be seen within the wreckage.

"Oh my god..." Noah muttered at the scene before them.

All of them helplessly watched as infected corpses smashed and crawled out the windows. The glass cutting their grey flesh as the flames consumed them until they were nothing more than black crisps.

"We should head back." Marcus suggested, breaking the silence between the brothers.

"Agreed." Frasier responded as he turned only to hold his hands out to stop Noah and Marcus.

Before them were the shadows of what seemed like at least fifty infected; their footsteps clomping against the cold, concrete, stairs, Sending tremors of fear into Noah and Marcus' hearts. It was quite clear the crash had alerted the infected the brothers were so careful to evade.

"Which way now?" Noah whispered as they began to slowly back away from the horde of infected moving closer with each passing second.

"Into the train... Now." Frasier hissed as he spotted a window that was broken but showed no flames from within.

Despite the insanity of that idea, the younger siblings couldn't see any other way out. They watched as Frasier went in first to make sure it was safe. Glass crunched beneath their feet as they entered one by one. Noah's eyes then widened as he witnessed the massacre within.

Entire bodies and remains were scattered throughout the rows of seats. Those that were infected gnawed on the pink flesh that had not yet turned grey. Blood stained the seats, carpets, and windows the brothers walked by.

Marcus kept his hand wrapped firmly over Noah's mouth to keep his sobs from alerting any nearby infected they passed by. Frasier then slowly opened the door to the front of the train where the engineer would be.

He saw a figure lying against a leather seat. A heavy wheezing noise could be heard as the grey fingers twitched and showed signs of life. Frasier slowly raised the kitchen knife in his hand, ready to bring it down on the infected engineer's skull.

"Wait." Marcus requested as he grabbed Frasier's wrist.

"What?" Frasier questioned as he was uncertain why Marcus wanted him to wait.

"Look." Marcus whispered as he then turned the seat to reveal that the infected engineer was impaled on something. Blood running down its chest, as it was now clear it was of no threat to them.

"He's of no harm to us nor anyone. Let's just get out of here." Marcus suggested as he let go.

"Sorry... No infected whatsoever." Frasier replied coldly, bringing the knife down between the engineer's eyes in between his pause.

Marcus let out a sigh and looked to see the window in the front part of the train had a large crack in it. Probably explaining how the engineer was impaled in the first place.

"Don't ever show hesitation. These things will never offer it to you, brothers." Frasier lectured before he suddenly noticed infected corpses were approaching from behind.

Without warning he quickly slammed the door shut and braced up against it. The door was shaking as grey fists pounded against it. It wouldn't be long before the door was pulled off its hinges.

"We need a way out... Now!" Frasier growled he as wedged a knife into an infected skull every time the door would open up.

Noah and Marcus quickly looked around the room to find a way out. Everything was happening so fast it was making them panic, at least until Noah spotted something that may be of use.

"I got it! Stand back." Noah announced as he pulled out a crowbar out from its case on the wall.

Marcus stood to the side as Noah swung the crowbar into the already damaged window.

***Smash***

The window shattered on impact and glass shattered everywhere. Noah covered his eyes as fragments of glass bounced off his leather jacket. Frasier and Marcus smiled at Noah's quick thinking.

"Good to see you work well under pressure." Frasier complimented as Marcus and Noah began to climb out of the window.

He then stood back from the door and watched as the infected swung it wide open. They stood before him in single file. Frasier planted a will placed kick into the first one, causing them to fall over like dominos as he made his getaway.

Noah and Marcus watched as Frasier landed before them, Watching as he stood above them with a smile over his face.

"Well done, brothers. Let's keep moving." Frasier ordered as he began to walk down the tunnels with both duffle bags strapped along his back.

Noah and Marcus smiled to one another before they traversed down the lonesome tunnels, Uncertain where the rails would lead them.

-

Eventually the brothers managed to reach the surface and soon discovered a highway that would take them further up North. Their hearts filled with hope that the barricades were still holding up against the infected onslaught that rampaged through the town.

-

During the long walk, Marcus found some liquor bottles and decided to pick them up to see if there was any left inside. He never was able to drink because Frasier told him to wait until he was eighteen but times had changed.

Marcus lifted the bottle, about to get his first taste, but the bottle was swiped from his hands.

"How old are you little brother?" Frasier asked inquisitively.

"Eighteen." Marcus said jokingly, knowing he was busted.

"Funny, since when did I become twenty?" Frasier replied as if he found what Marcus said to be humorous.

Marcus frowned and kept moving as Noah got an idea as to what to do with the bottles.

"Hey Frasier, could I see those?" Noah requested. His hands held out.

"If I didn't let him drink them, what makes you think I'll let you?" Frasier replied as he raised an eyebrow to Noah.

"No, no, I mean I have some cloth and an idea." Noah explained as he laughed a little at the assumption made.

Frasier shrugged his shoulders and handed him the bottles. Noah then pulled out the cloth from his pockets he brought along from earlier. He took a few moments to put his idea in motion.

"Now we have Molotov's!" Noah exclaimed as he smiled and looked at his brothers for approval. Setting the multiple bottles out with rags sticking out of them.

"You continue to amaze me, Noah. What made you think of it?" Marcus asked curiously.

"I figured that they won't like fire since we saw those burned corpses at the bus and metro station, so these should come in handy!" Noah explained out of experience.

"Yes that could work, but do we have a lighter?" Frasier asked.

"I don't... I'm sorry" Noah said sadly, Realizing a major flaw in his plan.

Marcus then remembered that he had one from a guy who asked him to smoke with him and his friends before this all started.

"I do..." Marcus announced, unsure if telling them was a good idea or not.

As they looked at Marcus, he felt he would regret sharing that bit of information with Frasier.

"I don't know where you got this but... I guess it's for the best." Frasier replied, surprising Marcus entirely.

Marcus reluctantly handed it to him by flicking it over to Frasier. As he put it in his pocket, Noah carefully stored the bottles in one of the bags.

"Good work brothers, we should be able to get help soon, but it wont be long until it is night time again. Let's prepare to set up for the night." Frasier ordered as he set down his duffle bag.

Marcus looked around trying to find a spot to rest, finding hardly any suitable spots to take.

"Frasier, what if the infected come by while we sleep?" Noah asked as he observed how easy it would be for the infected to trample over them.

"You're right Noah... we can sleep under the cars. There is no way the infected will be able to reach us that way." Frasier explained as he looked around the area.

The brothers slowly crawled underneath the nearby cars, it was a big relief knowing the infected couldn't get them, for now at least.

Marcus made a pillow out of the duffle bag he carried and felt his body drift away into slumber. Noah used Frasier's bag as he silently cried himself to sleep. Meanwhile, Frasier slowly reached into his wallet and pulled out a picture of Saeko.

"Saeko... I'm so sorry I couldn't find you... that I didn't tell you. If your alive and we cross paths again... I'll be sure to let you know how I feel about you." Frasier softly thought to himself before closing his eyes, Ready to regain the expended energy from this day. 


	6. Act 2: Streets Part 3

**Act 2: Streets Part 3**  
><strong>Tokonosu City, Japan<strong>

**Z-Day+1**

In the middle of the night, the brothers awoke to the sound of rapid gunshots going off. Marcus sat up only to hit his head on the car he was under.

"Son of a bitch." Marcus groaned as he rubbed his forehead.

Noah and Frasier rolled out from the car they slept under. They yawned and stretched their arms out after being cramped up. Frasier then noticed it was still dark out.

"Sleep well, Frasier?" Noah asked as he pulled their duffle bag out.

"A little bit... but I think we should head out now." Frasier said as he hoisted the bag over his shoulders.

"I couldn't agree with you more. This asphalt is making my ass itch!" Marcus complained as he scratched his rear end.

Frasier and Noah laughed a bit before Frasier noticed several figures limping towards them.

"Brothers, we need to pull back now!" Frasier whispered as he motioned his siblings to follow him.

"What's going on? More freaks to smash?" Marcus asked softly as he was clearly unaware of the impending threat.

"Yes, but more then what we can handle. We need to fall back now!" Frasier explained as he grabbed both bags.

"What about the Molotov's?" Noah asked.

"Not a good idea, I saw cars with gas leaks, if the fire was to touch them they would explode." Frasier explained.

"Might as well ring a dinner bell then because I'm certain every infected within miles will be coming." Marcus whispered as he followed close to Frasier.

-

The brothers traveled along the accursed road, silently killing small groups of infected that would get in their way. All three brothers were careful and managed to evade the massive horde that was a clear threat just a few moments ago.

Soon they moved past the wreckage of some vehicles only to stumble into what seemed like a battle that had already taken place.

The slain infected were killed by multiple measures, some had blunt trauma to the skull, some had nails sticking out of their foreheads, a few even had bullet sized holes in their heads.

"And I was the one who wanted to get nailed." Marcus chuckled aloud for anyone to hear.

Noah laughed a bit as Frasier was kneeling by some motorcycle tracks; he was carefully observing the blunt trauma in the corpses. Marcus noticed this and walked over to him.

"What's the matter?" Marcus asked as Noah walked to join with them.

"If these infected were killed with a wooden practice sword, then I have a feeling a certain someone is still alive and traveling with the ones who keep leavening these tracks." Frasier replied as he was 100% certain Saeko was still alive.

Suddenly, a dreadful, yet familiar, groan could be heard. All three brothers quickly turned around to see a small pack of infected approaching them. Each one with their arms reached out for the trio.

"Hey guys, I think we should go" Noah said with a bit of uncertainty in his voice.

"I think it's time to take the fight to the freaks! No more running away!" Marcus said boldly as he gripped the fire axe handle.

Marcus felt confident, there wasn't nearly as much infected here as there were at school or just a few minutes earlier. Besides, he needed to blow some steam off.

"I'll handle the main force, you two stick close and cover the rear. Remember, we fight as a unit and stick together; we're all we have right now. All right, let's do this!" Frasier ordered in a powerful voice.

-

As soon as he said that, his brothers obediently followed their orders. Marcus ran in with Noah and hit three infected in a flurry of swings. He felt so cool, like a hero in one of those zombie movies he would watch with Noah.

Marcus and Noah hit them low and high, smashing and slicing the skulls of the infected all over the place.

Noah swung his shiny new crowbar into the kneecap of an infected man. When the putrid corpse jolted forward, Marcus swung the fire axe directly into the temple of the skull, thus earning another kill.

An infected woman suddenly wrapped her decaying fingers around the handle of the axe. Marcus grunted and struggled to keep her at bay.

Noah took notice of this and tackled her to the ground, protecting his older brother. Marcus just watched as the innocent, young boy viciously bashed the former woman's head in with the crowbar. Crimson liquid slowly dripped from the tip of the crowbar as Noah stood up.

He smiled when he looked over at Marcus, knowing that he had bragging rights for saving his butt from the infected woman.

Before anything else could be said, two more infected corpses headed for the two brothers. However, they both welcomed the challenge and stormed off to take Them head on.

-

As the two younger brothers finished up with their share of the undead, they looked over at their older brother taking on three... four...five... six! Six infected with his custom built spear... Oh wait make that five again.

Frasier was like a warrior from those old tales. Where no matter how many enemies he faced he would take them all down. At least that's how his brothers saw him. Both aspired to be like him one day.

Marcus then noticed an infected boy was right behind him. He was unprepared as Noah was too far to help.

Marcus held up his axe as the creature sank its teeth into the wooden handle. He struggled as he lost his grip, soon being pressed into a car. Marcus felt like the infected boy was going to tear his face off.

Then he saw a fist punch the boy in the jaw, sending him back. Marcus and Noah watched as Frasier pursued his target relentlessly.

Before the infected boy could even get up Frasier had already slammed his foot down, pinning the last infected corpse in the area. With no more kitchen knifes left to throw he kneeled down and began to rapidly punch the infected boy in the face.

Both younger siblings cringed at the sound of skull being pounded into the road. Soon the infected boy was dead but that didn't stop Frasier from punching. He even began to laugh as his fists made impact.

"Frasier?" Noah asked softly, but he got no response from his older brother.

"Frasier, it's dead! You can stop now!" Marcus shouted as he pulled Frasier's arm back.

Frasier pulled his arm back then slowly stood up as Marcus took a step back, almost out of fear.

"Are you alright, Marcus? Did this abomination bite you?" Frasier asked as his head slowly turned around.

"N-no." Marcus stuttered as he felt himself turning blue from fear of his older brother.

"Good. Well don't just stand there, brothers, the night is still young!" Frasier said in a more positive tone. Almost like nothing just happened.

He then walked over and grabbed both bags. Marcus and Noah slowly followed their older brother, both of them concerned as to why he was laughing when he was killing the infected. Could it be that he enjoyed killing Them?

-

Marcus looked at Frasier as he walked back with his spear broken in two.

"Two is always better then one they say." Marcus joked, still chuckling as Frasier tossed the broom handle aside but kept the knife at his side.

"Let's go brothers; I don't think we need anymore-unwanted attention. Besides we will need more equipment soon." Frasier ordered as he began to move again.

-

As they walked further into a residential area, the brothers found a department store on their way to the bridge where the police continued to hold up the checkpoints for as long as they could.

Inside the department store, the brothers quickly noticed it had been completely ransacked. Luckily they only were seeking shelter for the moment. The trio quickly set their gear down, before Noah walked to the bathrooms.

When he pulled on the doors he noticed they were locked.

"Hey guys, the bathrooms are locked!" Noah whispered. His legs squeezing together to hold it in.

"So? Go in the corner." Marcus replied, unsure what the problem was.

"In the store?" Noah questioned.

"Marcus go take him outside until he's finished... relieving himself." Frasier said with a slight pause.

Marcus grabbed his fire axe walked outside with Noah. They then went behind an alleyway so Noah could take care of business.

-

After several moments of standing around Marcus was beginning to become impatient.

"I can't get it going, Marcus." Noah whispered.

"Do I look like the Piss Fairy? Shake it or something!" Marcus sharply hissed, still trying to keep his noise level to a minimal.

Seconds later a trickling noise could be heard battering against the brick walls. Marcus took a step back as a small trail of liquid moved towards his shoes.

"Noah, hurry up already!" Marcus whispered as Noah pulled his zipper up.

Suddenly, they were both blinded by a flash of light, Marcus threw his hands up to shield his eyes.

"You two boys ok?" shouted the voice of a woman.

"Do you need Asami's help?" asked another female voice.

"Other then the blinding light, yeah we're fine!" Marcus yelled back.

The woman turned her flashlight off and slowly approached them, while the other woman followed close by. Noah and Marcus had to blink a few times before the spots went away.

When their vision cleared they realized that two policewomen were standing before them.

The one with the flashlight had eyes that were soft and a beautiful shade of purple; her black hair was tied in a ponytail. She had a tight figure and average sized chest.

While the more timid looking one was a small woman (about Noah's height) with light brown hair and blue eyes. Her hair was brushed to the right side of her face, partially obscuring her right eye.

Both wore the standard female police uniform of the Tokonosu Higashi Police, which consisted of a white shirt, a black tie, a blue jacket, and a blue skirt.

"Have either of you been bitten? If so please let me know now," the one with the flashlight requested.

"It is important you let Asami know this, it is very crucial for all of us." the police woman who constantly spoke in the third person added in.

"For the last time, you're meant to say 'this officer', not your own name!" said the other female officer in an irritated tone.

"Whoops! Sorry Hitomi, Asami keeps forgetting that part for some reason." Asami replied, making it quite clear to the brothers that she was new to the force.

"Ahem, hello?" Marcus said in attempt to continue the conversation.

"Oh right... So have you been bitten or not?" the officer now known as Hitomi asked for a second time now.

Marcus shook his head at her. Both officers let out sighs of relief after hearing that.

"Good, because I would have to put you down if you were. Is there anyone else in your group?" Hitomi asked.

"Yeah, our big brother. He's still inside, I'll go get him." Noah offered as he ran off.

"Asami will go with you!" Asami announced as she followed the young boy.

"I don't know why I even bother anymore." Hitomi groaned as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

Marcus laughed a little and leaned against the brick wall.

"My name is Marcus, and that kid was my little brother, Noah." Marcus said, introducing himself as he watched Noah and Asami run off.

She held out her hand, when Marcus shook it he felt somewhat nervous. Hitomi was certainly young, probably not that much older than Frasier.

"So what is your name officer?" Marcus asked after letting go of her hand.

"My name is Hitomi... I mean this officer is known as Hitomi, nice to meet you, Marcus." Hitomi said, having to correct herself mid-sentence.

Marcus blushed, trying to think of something clever, but was unable to think of anything at the moment. Normally he was calm and confident around women, but not this time.

"How old is everyone in your group, Marcus?" Hitomi then asked as she observed the teenage boy who seemed very nervous around her.

"Noah is fourteen, I'm eighte-" Marcus began before another voice over shadowed his.

"He's sixteen, and I'm eighteen." Frasier said as he walked into the alley with Noah and Asami not too far behind.

Marcus frowned a little, thinking Frasier had the worst timing. Along Frasier's back he had both duffle bags. It was quite clear that he couldn't find anything of use inside the store.

"Officers, I take it you're here to help us?" Frasier asked as he looked at both officers, showing no interest in exchanging pleasantries.

"We are. So you're the one in charge here?" Hitomi asked as if she could tell just by his stance that he was the one calling all the shots.

"I am, well unless you want to take over mam." Frasier replied, willingly stepping down.

"Glad you can see it our way. I'm officer Hitomi and you've already met officer Asami." Hitomi said, introducing them to Frasier.

"Nice to meet you both. So how are the police doing at the checkpoint? Is it any safer up North than it is here?" Frasier asked as he looked around making sure none of the infected were sneaking up on him.

"I can't really say, kid." Hitomi replied as she began to pace back and forth.

"What do you mean? You're the police, surely you know something." Noah said as he felt uneasy at Hitomi's lack of awareness to the situation.

"We were cut off from our unit, Asami tried to help out but she lost her gun during a panic and was forced to run." Asami explained as she looked down, feeling ashamed of her actions.

"I didn't mean to make you upset, things have been hard on all of us." Noah explained, noticing the regret in Asami's eyes.

Asami smiled softly to herself then looked down at her feet, nearly blushing at his kind words.

"We heard a lot of gunshots earlier, but they've stopped not too long ago. I'm afraid the checkpoint has been overrun." Hitomi explained upfront.

"Well we can still head across the river if the currents are light, then we can walk right on through." Frasier suggested.

"It's a plan boys, stick with me and we should be alright. I'll see if we can get you through to the other side." Hitomi announced, now ready to go.

She began to walk out the alleyhecking the streets for any signs of Them. When things seemed clear, Hitomi waved her hand over signaling everyone else to follow. The brothers remained silent as Hitomi and Asami led them down the road.

-

Minutes later, Asami and Hitomi held their hands up, causing the brothers to freeze in place.

"Hold on... I see three of them up ahead. I don't think they've noticed us yet." Hitomi whispered softly.

"They don't see at all, they hunt by sound. So try to refrain from making any noise." Frasier explained to the two officers.

Hitomi nodded and looked at her gun knowing she shouldn't use it unless they were detected already. Noah then tapped her shoulder.

"Excuse me... how much further until we reach the other side?" Noah asked.

"Shouldn't be too long kid, don't worry, alright?" Hitomi whispered as they began to sneak through the neighborhood.

Asami looked on as they walked through the neighborhood. Entire families infected, all turned into Them. Frasier desperately wanted to put them to rest, as well as have some fun but the group couldn't afford the unnecessary attention.

As the group nearly reached the exit of the neighborhood, Asami's radio went off, crackling to life. Everyone nearly jumped out of their skin as the infected within the noise radius turned towards the group.

"Damn it, Asami! I told you to shut that thing off!" Hitomi growled as more infected could be seen approaching.

"So much for stealth!" Frasier sighed, as he pulled out the kitchen knife, ready to stab any infected that entered his reach.

Meanwhile, Officer Hitomi drew her pistol. She took careful aim, firing for the head of any of the infected corpses that were unlucky enough to be caught in her iron sights.

Asami and Noah worked together to kill three infected corpses that approached from the rear flank. Asami timidly used her police baton while Noah continued to use his crowbar.

Marcus covered the right flank on his own, hacking and slicing away limbs with his fire axe; Blood coating the steel blade.

-

Soon more showed up to the point they were losing ground. Frasier quickly dropped a duffle bag and pulled out several bottles with rags in them.

"Everyone stand back! I'm using the Molotov's." Frasier announced, as he pulled out Marcus' lighter from his pocket.

After standing three Molotov's upright, he held the lighter up to the rags, igniting all three bottles. Frasier then began to toss each one into the bundles of infected approaching the group.

They all twisted and turned as their flesh burned off the bones. The flames spread so fast they cut off Hitomi from the rest of the group.

"Damn! Hold on guys I'm coming." Hitomi shouted as she tried to find a way past the flames.

"Go, Hitomi! We'll be ok, there will be more survivors that will need your help." Marcus shouted as he stepped back to avoid being grabbed by an infected man that continued to burn in agony.

"Asami! You take care of those boys! I'll try to find another way across the river!" Hitomi shouted to Asami before she was forced to retreat.

-

As the flames continued to burn, Asami just stood there, Almost as if paralyzed by the idea of being out in charge of another human being's life.

"C'mon, snap out of it!" Frasier shouted as he shook Asami's shoulder to grab her attention.

"Wha- Oh right! Follow Asami to safety!" Asami announced as she began to run back the way they came.

The brothers reluctantly, yet obediently followed Asami as she led them away from the residential area that was now in flames. Within minutes they managed to reach an apartment complex.

"Let's try and hide in here." Asami instructed as she entered the apartment without hesitation.

As the brothers entered, Asami quickly locked the front door up. She let out a sigh of relief, knowing that she had successfully protected the brothers, for now at least. 


	7. Act 3: Scavengers Part 1

**Act 3: Scavengers Part 1**  
><strong>Tokonosu City, Japan<strong>

**Z-Day+1**

After another brush with death, the brothers took a few moments to regain their energy. Luckily when they entered the apartment with their new leader, Officer Asami, none of the infected followed them.

"So now what do we do?" Noah asked as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"I need a new weapon... I can't really do much with a kitchen knife. The blade is already going dull. It isn't going to last much longer." Frasier replied as he looked around the rooms.

"Perhaps Officer Asami can assist you?" Asami asked as she looked around the lower rooms in search for something Frasier could use.

They entered the kitchen to see that someone was recently here. The stove was still on as a small dish could be seen on top. Frasier slowly lifted the lid to see someone was making a meal that smelled far too familiar to him.

"Whoever was here last sure did know how to cook a meal." Asami commented as she began to sniff the air, allured by the smell the food gave off.

"Agreed. So who was that on the radio?" Frasier asked as he closed the lid, continuing his search for an efficient weapon.

"Asami isn't so sure. Hopefully it was Asami's superior officer, Miss Matsushima. Hitomi and Asami always looked up to her. She's a veteran on the force. She can help us." Asami explained, showing high praise for the officer known as Matsushima.

-

Meanwhile, Noah and Marcus were exploring the upper rooms, both hoping to find something of use. During their search, they entered a bedroom that had small, empty boxes scattered across the carpet, along with a locker that was clearly broken into.

"Marcus... these are ammo boxes! The owner must have been here and pulled out a miniature arsenal. 7.62mm, 7.62x51 mm, 12 gauge ammunition... whoever lived here sure had some heavy firepower." Noah commented as he observed the empty boxes before him. Looking up to see something was left in the locker, his jaw slowly dropped.

"No shit, Noah, but I don't think the owner would break into his or her own locker. My guess would be... looters... whoa." Marcus replied as he began to pause after he looked inside the busted open locker.

"Frasier!" both brothers shouted out.

-

Seconds later, Frasier busted into the room with his kitchen knife raised. He scanned the room, expecting infected corpses to be inside, judging by the way his brothers called for him.

"What is it? Infected?" Frasier whispered as he slowly approached them, Asami following close by with a baton in hand.

"Look what we've found!" Marcus announced, nearly overwhelmed by the excitement of their discovery.

"This better be important, and keep your voice... down..." Frasier instructed before he looked into the locker.

Inside the locker, was a Barnett Wildcat C5 with four arrows lined up next to it.

"What is that?" Asami asked, clearly unfamiliar with what she was looking at.

Frasier reached in and slowly pulled it out with ease. He then unfolded it and smiled.

"The Barnett Wildcat C5, one very powerful crossbow. So powerful, it can kill a grizzly bear! Not to mention it has retrievable ammo, four arrows for use. Best part is where it originated from, England!" Frasier explained, grinning a bit at the end.

"I guess the visitors before us didn't take it because they had enough weapons?" Noah estimated as he observed the crossbow.

"Could be that, or none of them were strong enough to use it. It requires like 150lbs of pulling power just to pull the loader back." Marcus explained as he placed all the gear, food, and his fire axe into one duffle bag.

"So we couldn't use it either?" Asami asked, knowing that there was no way she would be strong enough to use it.

"I know I can't." Noah commented, shrugging his shoulders.

"Same." Marcus added in, looking down at his feet.

*Click*

"Speak for yourselves." Frasier corrected, causing everyone to turn around to see him pulling the loader back with hardly any effort.

"Looks like you've got yourself a new weapon, Frasier." Noah commented with excitement in voice.

"So Officer Asami... you're okay with us doing this? Technically we're looting." Frasier asked, looking over to the officer before him.

"Asami doesn't know what to do. She didn't do very well in the police academy. Her boyfriend left her because of it." Asami confessed in a saddened voice, unable to remember what to do in this situation.

"How about we just borrow it temporarily, then when things clear up, I'll return it." Frasier offered, holstering the crossbow along his back as he placed his hand on her shoulder.

"That seems reasonable. Asami agrees with this plan!" Asami said in a more positive voice.

-

Suddenly the sound of multiple fists banging against the front door could be heard. Everyone ran out onto the balcony to see the infected were attempting to break in.

It was all too clear that there were too many of Them, and it wouldn't be long until they entered the apartment.

"We need an escape plan." Marcus announced as he ran back into the bedroom to grab the duffle bag.

"Frasier, do you have any ideas?" Noah asked, unable to think of any way out.

"Not at the moment. We could try and fight Them off." Frasier suggested as he loaded an arrow into the crossbow.

"Forget it, too many of Them to fight." Asami interjected, disagreeing with the thought of trying to fight that many infected.

"You got a better idea, Officer?" Frasier questioned as he looked down at her.

"Ummm... uhh... Oh, Asami has a plan that might just work!" Asami exclaimed as she held a finger up.

"Well? Care to share with us?" Marcus asked as he returned with the duffle bag.

"Mhm, do you guys have any rope?" Asami asked.

"Yeah, right here." Noah replied while he opened up the duffle bag, handing Asami the thick rope they'd been carrying with them.

"Perfect! Now let me see this." Asami ordered as she took one of Frasier's arrows. She then began to tie the rope around the arrow securely.

-

After taking a few moments to observe the area, Asami placed the arrow back onto the crossbow. She then pointed to a nearby building.

"Frasier, try to hit that house over there." Asami instructed.

After saying that, she tightly grabbed the other end of the rope. Frasier aimed his crossbow and pulled the trigger.

***phft***

The arrow went flying across the sky with the rope following it. When the arrow hit the wall of the house from across the group, it penetrated with ease. Asami gave the rope a few tugs before she tied it to the metal railing before her.

"You guys climb down the rope. Asami will hold Them off for as long as she can!" Asami ordered, as she pulled out her baton, ready to make a final stand.

"To hell with that! No one gets left behind!" Frasier protested as Marcus and Noah were already climbing down the rope.

"It's Asami's duty as a police officer to protect you boys." Asami argued.

"Asami... you may not be the best cop around, but I need your help taking care of my brothers. I don't know if I can do it alone. Please?" Frasier asked in a softer tone, almost as if he was beginning to doubt if he could keep his younger siblings safe on his own anymore.

-

Suddenly the front door to the apartment broke down. Both survivors could hear the infected as they made their way up the stairs.

"Alright, you've made a good point. Let's go!" Asami ordered, willing to run to fight another day.

Frasier holstered the crossbow along his back with the strap going diagonally across his torso. He then grabbed the rope and began to pull himself down.

However, Asami stood there, just now remembering her intense fear of heights.

"Did Asami forget to mention she did very poorly on the obstacle course?" Asami brought up, just as the infected entered the bedroom.

"Then you better take my hand." Frasier suggested, with his hand reached out for hers.

Asami smiled and quickly grasped it. Their combined weight caused the line to shake a bit. Marcus dropped the duffle bag in reaction to the sudden movement. It landed with a *thud* in the middle of the street for anyone to pick up.

"Fuck." all three brothers thought, as they each knew that all of their food and weapons were in that duffle bag.

Asami wrapped her arms around the back of Frasier's neck as he continued to climb down the rope. The sun began to rise as the group made their way down the secured rope. Four figures could be seen descending the line, inch by inch.

When Marcus and Noah reached the end, they both dropped down into a residential yard. Luckily for them, none of the infected were within the seven foot wall that surrounded them.

Asami's feet dangled inches away from the infected as they reached the lowest point of the line. She slowly wrapped them around Frasier's waist as he continued to carry both of them across the line. The infected roamed the streets as the sunlight illuminated the city.

-  
><strong>Z-Day+2<strong>

When Frasier and Asami reached the brick wall, Asami was the first to drop down besides Noah and Marcus.

Frasier followed soon afterwards. He then stood up and smiled at the fact that they all made it out in one piece. He then remembered that all their food and equipment was in the middle of the road.

"We should try and find a place to set up a plan. We can't leave without that bag." Noah suggested as he looked over the fence.

"Agreed, but let's keep the talking to a minimum. We don't want to attract any unwanted attention." Marcus whispered as he could hear the stomachs of the undead gurgling.

The group silently climbed over multiple fences until they reached an office supply store. Luckily the store was wide open for anyone (or thing) to enter freely.

Noah and Asami slowly closed the front doors, making sure they did it without alerting any of Them. Frasier cleared off a desk as Marcus grabbed a large roll of paper along with some markers.

All four survivors gathered at a table and rolled out the paper. Marcus set down some paperweights on each corner after he gave Noah the marker. Everyone then remained silent as Noah began to draw put a plan out.

"All right, here's the bag, and over here is an alleyway system that we can use to travel instead of running around in the streets. Frasier you will be here, while Asami and Marcus will be on this side of the alleyway." Noah began to explain.

"What about you, Noah?" Marcus questioned, noticing how Noah didn't mention his own part yet.

"I'll be the one grabbing the bag." Noah answered as he drew red lines for where he could go in terms of direction.

"Absolutely not! There's no way I'm going to let you do this. It's far too dangerous, I'll grab the bag." Frasier protested, knowing it was far too dangerous for Noah to be doing this.

"No! You're the only one capable of operating the crossbow. That's why you go here, to cover me." Noah explained.

"And what if something goes wrong?" Asami questioned, after looking at the distance between both group positions.

"I've got that covered. If I can't go back to Frasier, then I'll keep running until I get to you guys. It's risky I know but I'm the lightest one here so I'll make little to no noise at all. Also if you guys come with me you could get in the way. It's best if I do this solo." Noah replied, maintaining a confident demeanor.

"Well I don't have a weapon, remember? My fire axe was in that bag." Marcus brought up.

"Then you better take this." Noah said as he handed Marcus his crowbar.

After a few silent seconds, Marcus took the crowbar. He took a few practice swings before he was comfortable with the weapon.

"I don't like it, but he's right, Frasier. Without that bag, we might as well start digging our own graves." Marcus said, finally seeing the reality of things.

"Very well. You just be careful, Noah." Frasier said, giving in to the plan.

"Don't worry about me, I can handle this." Noah replied as he stood back to stretch his legs, ready to prove himself to his brothers and Asami.

-

Minutes later, the two groups were set up and ready to carry out the plan.

Noah took off his student jacket and Marcus' leather jacket so he could move faster. Now he was in a light blue t-shirt. He then peered around the corner to see the bag was still where Marcus had dropped it earlier that morning.

"I can see the bag from here. Looks like most of the infected have moved on. This will be easier than I thought." Noah whispered to Frasier.

"Not going to lie, you've got balls for a kid to be doing this." Frasier commented as he loaded his crossbow.

"I'm fourteen, Frasier." Noah replied as he began to exit the alleyway.

"Whatever." Frasier said after kneeling down next to a green dumpster, taking aim at the entrance to the alleyway.

Noah quickly darted down the sidewalk, passing by some wrecked cars next to him. He stopped for a second when he thought one of Them had spotted him. With little time to think, Noah opened up a car door to slow down the infected man heading towards him.

As Frasier waited for Noah to return, he could hear someone approaching from behind the dumpster. He quickly popped out of cover and aimed the crossbow at the figure before him.

A teenage boy with spiky, blue hair, wearing clothes only a thug would wear, stood before Frasier.

"Whoa, don't shoot, man!" the boy pleaded as he held his hands up.

"Get out of here, we're in the middle of something." Frasier warned as he kept his crossbow aimed.

"HELP!" shouted the frightened teen.

"Shut up! You're going to attract Them!" Frasier hissed as he rushed to the teen.

As the infected man tripped over the door, Noah sprinted into the open street. He quickly grabbed the bag without hesitation. A few of the infected corpses noticed him and began limping towards him. Knowing that he couldn't go to Marcus and Asami, Noah ran back to Frasier's position.

"HELP! HELP!" the teen continued to shout.

Marcus and Asami noticed the cries for help and began to head for Frasier's position through the alleyway system.

"HEL-" the teen tried to shout out one more time before Frasier lost his patience and bashed the boy across the face with his crossbow. The boy fell over as Frasier placed his hand over his mouth.

"Shut up! Stop yelling!" Frasier hissed as the boy squirmed against his hand.

Frasier quickly punched the boy sending him into a daze as he clenched the boy's mouth shut.

Suddenly two thuggish, adult, figures came sprinting into the alleyway. One held a light, aluminum baseball bat as the other one kicked Frasier to the ground, catching him off guard.

One man began to wail on Frasier with the light baseball bat as the other began to kick him viciously. Frasier covered his neck and kidneys knowing those were the most vulnerable areas they could hit.

Noah ran onto the scene only to stop as he saw his older brother getting beat on by two thuggish looking figures. One of them turned around and immediately noticed what Noah had in his hands.

"That's the bag, Yuudai!" the man with the baseball bat shouted.

Both of them stopped beating Frasier and quickly ran towards Noah. Noah immediately began to run the other direction, but was greatly weighed down by the duffle bag.

One of the thugs shoved Noah into the wall, knocking him over. Both figures tried to pull the bag out of his hands but Noah was determined to hold on.

Meanwhile, Frasier was far from being taken out of the fight. He slowly grabbed his crossbow and aimed in a prone position. He pulled the trigger letting the arrow release from the loader.

The one known as Yuudai, cried out in pain as an arrow pierced his left kidney. He flailed around, desperately trying to reach for the arrow.

The other thug realized that things were quickly spiraling out of control. He whistled as he picked up Noah, using him as a human shield. Both thugs didn't even bother trying to grab the duffle bag now.

"Get off me! Let me go! FRASIER! FRASIER!" Noah cried out as a car pulled up in the middle of the street.

Frasier quickly loaded another arrow before he stood up. He wobbled at first, but then began to sprint towards the two thugs who were abducting his little brother. Adrenaline pumped throughout his body, as he was ready to tear into the two men.

Noah was tossed into the car as the two thugs quickly hopped inside. At least seven infected piled up onto the car before it sped off, knocking all of them off.

"Get back here! I'm not done with you! You sons of bitches!" Frasier shouted like a wild animal, as he kicked the chain link fence.

He then noticed the infected that were brushed off by the car began to limp towards him. Frasier quickly pulled the chain linked gate back, sealing the infected outside as their grey fingers tried to reach for him.

The elder brother turned to see the boy who had ruined everything, starting to stand back up. Frasier went into a blind rage and charged towards him as Hitomi and Marcus showed up on the scene.

"HHRRAAGGH!" Frasier roared out as he shoved the boy into the wall.

"Frasier, chill out!" Marcus shouted, barely holding Frasier back as the infected continued to push against the fence behind them.

"I'm going to kick your nuts up in your throat!" Frasier shouted out, completely ignoring Marcus as he tried to lash out at the teenager.

"What the hell happened to Noah?" Marcus questioned, noticing their little brother wasn't anywhere to be seen.

"This little douchebag and his little douchebag friends just took Noah!" Frasier explained as he continued to rage on, his words filled with anger and hatred.

"Let me go!" the frightened teen shouted before Asami held her arms out.

"Asami wouldn't if she were you!" Asami warned as Frasier was on the verge of a meltdown.

"I'm going to stomp your ass!" Frasier shouted out as he continued to reach for the boy.

Suddenly the fence behind all of them began to creak, making it clear to everyone it wouldn't last much longer against Them.

"We don't have time for this! Take that kid back to the office supply store and we can settle things from there." Marcus said as he grabbed the duffle bag.

-

All four retreated into the office supply store. Once the front doors were secure, Frasier shoved the boy into a chair and just gave him the meanest glare man could give.

"What's your name?" Asami asked calmly.

"Koji..." the teenager replied reluctantly.

"Asami needs to know where your friends took their brother." Asami asked, trying to take a calm approach on things.

"Fuck you. You're just a pig. My crew will fuck you all up." Koji said, clearly unwilling to talk.

Frasier stepped forward, but Marcus held his arm out stopping him. He didn't want Frasier to do anything too hasty... at least not yet.

"Listen, it's best you cooperate with Asami. Things don't have to be like this." Asami explained to Koji.

"What makes you think I'll rat them out? Also, why the hell are you talking like that?" Koji asked.

"Because if you don't tell Asami, then he will ask you." Asami answered to the first question; she then pointed towards Frasier.

Frasier cracked his knuckles while he gave Koji a menacing grin. He then began to walk forward with Noah's crowbar in one hand.

"I've been spending the last two days killing the infected. The blood rush through my mind and body gives me quite an urge to continue. Would be a shame if I had to spend all day in here listening to you bad mouth my friend here. I'm just bound to lose my patience any minute now." Frasier threatened as he swirled the crowbar between his fingertips.

"Okay, okay! I'll tell you where they are. Just keep him back!" Koji requested, cringing in the back of his chair.

"Now wasn't that easy?" Asami asked with a smile. She then motioned Frasier to stop.

-

Roughly thirty minutes later, the group tied Koji's hands together and took him to where his group was hiding out. They crouched behind a brick wall before heading to the abandoned warehouse Koji told them about.

"Try anything funny and you're going to get an arrow in the ass." Frasier warned Koji.

"Nobu is going to take the arrow out of my ass, and shove it up yours." Koji replied.

"Nobu?" Marcus questioned, unsure of who this guy was.

"He's the one in charge here. Nobody messes with him. With one look, he can get inside your head and read you like a book." Koji explained.

"He's going to be disappointed then. My mind is not a nice place to be in." Frasier replied sharply as he stood Koji back up.

All three survivors walked towards the front entrance of the warehouse with Koji in front of them. Frasier held his crossbow out, Marcus held his fire axe in both hands, while Asami held her baton in one hand.

The front doors slowly opened up, three men casually walked out. Others could be seen standing inside the warehouse, each one having a rough looking attitude.

"You all right, Koji?" the one in the middle asked.

"I'm good, Nobu. Just had a little trouble with these white boys and this pig." Koji replied.

"Hey, that's the one right there! That's the one that shot me with an arrow! What's up asshole?" Yuudai asked Frasier as he pulled out a metal chain. A medical wrap could be seen tied around his sides.

However, Nobu held up his hand to motion Yuudai to hold back for now.

"Easy, we just want a calm discussion." Marcus said as Frasier aimed his bow in defense.

"A calm discussion? My people get attacked, Yuudai had an arrow in his side, you guys take Koji prisoner, and to top it all off you just want a calm discussion. That's a funny way of thinking you've got there, kid." Nobu commented, raising an eyebrow to Marcus.

"We could always do it my way." Frasier grumbled as he aimed his crossbow at Nobu.

"Easy, all we want is our little brother back. We'll give you Koji back, then we'll walk away and continue with our business elsewhere." Marcus compromised.

Nobu then let out a quick whistle. Noah slowly walked out with duct tape around his mouth. Marcus untied Koji's hands then pushed him forward, towards Nobu's gang.

"Not a bad trade... but I also want my bag of supplies." Nobu demanded.

"Your bag? That was our bag before the outbreaks." Marcus explained.

"That bag was lying out in the middle of the road. Anyone can say it's theirs." Nobu replied, denying the claim.

"As an officer of the law, Asami orders you to give up your hostage at once." Asami said, in hopes that the thugs would give Noah back.

"We don't negotiate with the oppressors known as the police. Especially not the crazy ones." Nobu said as he held up a hand to Asami, shutting her out of the conversation.

"Listen you son of a bitch! If you don't give us our brother back, I'm going to gut each and every last one of you like a fish!" Frasier growled in anger.

"You're in no position to talk! I've got the upper hand here. One wrong move and your brother dies." Nobu grinned as he snapped his fingers.

One of the thugs held a switchblade up against Noah's neck. Frasier growled, knowing if he didn't change up his attitude, Noah would be a dead man.

"Fine..." Frasier replied in a more calm tone, slowly holstering his crossbow.

"Your weapons. I want those weapons on the ground as you leave." Nobu demanded.

"You greedy bastard! If you think-" Marcus began before Frasier held his hand up.

"Just do it Marcus, we can find more weapons later." Frasier instructed as he tossed his crossbow onto the bag.

"Damn it." Marcus grumbled as he and Asami tossed their weapons next to the bag.

Nobu then pulled the duct tape off of Noah's mouth then shoved him towards Asami. She gently stroked his hair in attempt to comfort the frightened boy.

"Shhh, everything's going to be okay, Noah. You're safe now." Asami said in a comforting tone.

Nobu and his gang slowly began to walk away after taking the duffle bag with them.

"Just one more thing, Nobu." Frasier said as he reached into his pocket.

"What's that?" Nobu asked as he turned around.

"The deal is off. I want the bag as well." Frasier demanded as he pointed Noah's pistol between Nobu's eyes.

"An interesting gambit you're playing right now. I doubt you even have any rounds in there. Am I right?" Nobu grinned, feeling confidence in himself.

"I'm with the cop, remember? And every good cop has spare rounds. Am I right?" Frasier grinned as he mimicked Nobu.

"Hmm. Even if it is loaded, you only have five shots in there. There are twenty-five of us! We would tear into you in a matter of seconds. You can kill some of us but you can't kill all of us." Nobu replied, sweat beginning to form across his brow, his voice starting to break.

The group felt their hearts pounding, unsure of how Frasier was planning on getting them out of this mess. However, Frasier just smiled as he kept the pistol leveled.

"You have a point, but it will only take one shot to kill you, Nobu. The rest are for fun. I know your type: all talk. You don't want to die; I can see it in your pathetic eyes. Then again, maybe you're right. Maybe I'm just bullshitting and this pistol is empty. The real question now is: are you feeling lucky, punk?" Frasier asked as he glared Nobu down.

Both groups looked over to Nobu, his fists were clenched tight as sweat could be seen pouring down his face. His face nearly turned blue before he let out a deep sigh.

"Well played... here's your bag and weapons." Nobu chuckled as he tossed Marcus the duffle bag with the weapons in it.

"Pleasure doing business with you." Marcus grinned as he strapped the duffle bag to his back.

"Oh, and Nobu. You're coming with us until we are out of range of your gang. No one follows us, got it?" Frasier ordered as he kept the pistol up.

"Heh, you're not nearly as dumb as I thought you were. Good thing too. We would've shot you all the second you turned your backs on us." Nobu confessed as he followed them to the outer area of the warehouse, leaving the rest of his gang behind.

-

When things seemed clear, Frasier motioned Nobu to stay in place. As the group walked away, Frasier stopped for a moment to turn towards Nobu.

"Hey, Nobu!" Frasier called out as he pointed the pistol at Nobu again.

Nobu quickly flinched and ducked in fear. Frasier pulled the trigger for a loud *click* to be heard. Nobu just stood there, grinding his teeth and gripping his fists until they bled, knowing he had fallen for the bluff like a common sucker.

"Hahaha! Better luck next time, jackass!" Marcus called out from a distance as their group left the local area and made their way towards the river.

With all their gear and supplies back in their possession, the group was finally ready to cross the river onto the other side of town. 


	8. Act 3: Scavengers Part 2

**Act 3: Scavengers Part 2**  
><strong>Tokonosu City, Japan<strong>

**Z-Day+2**

"Hahaha that was amazing! Who knew you had it in ya? Very nice with the Dirty Harry at the end." Marcus exclaimed as the four survivors walked down the lonesome streets.

"Asami is very impressed. You did what she could not." Asami admitted as she looked down blushing, amazed at how well Frasier handled the situation.

"Thank you so much, you have no idea how bad things were in there, brother!" Noah thanked while putting his student uniform top and Marcus' leather jacket back on.

"I was just doing what I do best, but what I do best isn't always very nice." Frasier replied to all of them as he kept walking with his crossbow slung across his back.

All of them remained silent for a while, at least until they finally reached the grassy slope that would descend into the river.

"Guess it's time to move out, huh?" Noah asked, observing the scenery.

"It would appear so, Noah." Asami replied in a positive attitude.

"So from what I heard off of Asami's radio... It sounded like the bridge had been overrun last night. So that means we can't get across now." Marcus commented.

"We just need to get across the river, not necessarily the bridge." Frasier corrected.

"Frasier, do you think it's possible to swim the river?" Noah asked, unfamiliar with the area.

"We could just walk it actually, but our gear would weigh us down. Plus I'm not a big fan off soggy chips." Frasier replied as he checked the flanks in their group.

"Marcus, check the water level. See if it's safe for us to travel through." Frasier instructed.

Marcus took his fire axe and slowly submerged it under the water. It wasn't long before the handle touched the bottom. It was clear that the water was shallow enough for all of them to walk on through. The currents were even light that day, so resistance was minimal.

"It's not that deep, even Asami can walk through this." Marcus said, commenting on Asami's short height.

Asami then tugged at Frasier's arm, trying to grab his attention. He leaned over as she put her lips to his ears.

"Can you... umm... c-carry Asami over?" Asami requested, being very shy about the subject.

"You'll be all right. The currents are light today, and the water is shallow." Frasier replied softly as Noah and Marcus hopped into the water.

"Asami knows that, but she doesn't want to get wet. Her clothes will be-" Asami explained before Frasier interrupted her.

"Say no more, I get where this is going. Just don't squirm around ok?" Frasier instructed as he turned to his brothers.

"Noah, Marcus, take the duffle bag." Frasier ordered as he handed it to them, both having to carry it over their heads.

"Thank you." Asami whispered as Frasier kneeled down, she slowly straddled herself onto his shoulders and wrapped her legs around his neck gently.

"Hold this for me Asami, I don't want it to get wet." Frasier said as he handed her his wallet. He then walked into the small river.

-

As the group waded through the river, Asami opened up Frasier's wallet. She couldn't help but notice a picture of a beautiful girl with purple hair, and blue eyes similar to Frasier's. The photo had a small rip along the edge, almost as if someone else was in the picture originally.

Asami closed the wallet and clenched it in her small hands, almost as if she was jealous of the girl in the photo for some reason.

-

The group soon reached the other side of the river without any interruption. Noah and Marcus tossed the duffle bag over their heads, and onto the grassy hill before they climbed out. Asami got on land before she tried to help pull Frasier up, but he had already pulled himself up before anything could be done about it.

Asami's radio then began to go off again. A high-pitched whine could be heard, then just static. Asami took a few moments to adjust the frequency until a clear message could be heard.

"To all surviving units! This is Officer Matsushima. I've managed to secure Taiei Shopping Town and have begun to set up barricades inside the facility. All units are to report here for further instruction. This message will repeat." a female voice announced numerous times before Asami turned it off.

"Well, looks like Asami knows where we're going next." Asami exclaimed as she began to head up the hill.

"Then I guess this is goodbye for now." Frasier said as he stood where was before.

Asami stopped and turned around. She was unsure why he just said that, but wanted to know why.

"What are you talking about? Come with Asami now while things are still okay." Asami ordered.

"Sorry, but a big crowd of survivors that are just waiting in one spot is bound to attract Them. Just look at what happened to the bridge." Frasier said, explaining his reason for not wanting to go.

"Asami sees your point." Asami said in a weak tone, saddened that the three brothers she was starting to become accustomed with were now leaving her company.

"You could always come with us. Always room for one more in our group!" Noah exclaimed with a positive aura.

"Sorry Noah, as much as Asami would love too, she has a responsibility as an officer of the law to help others and obey her superior officer's orders. Asami will miss you all." Asami said before she walked up, hugging both Marcus and Noah, she then walked up to Frasier and kissed his cheek before walking towards the hill.

"If things don't work out with surviving out here, you're always welcome to join Asami at the mall!" Asami exclaimed as she waved goodbye to the brothers.

-

Moments later, the brothers were alone once more. Papers flew by in the wind as they stood by the river for a few more minutes, unsure what to do next.

"Well? Now what?" Marcus asked as he looked over to Frasier.

"We should wash our clothes in the river. The blood and sweat are starting to get crusty." Frasier instructed.

All three stripped down to what wasn't covered in sweat or blood. Marcus then looked at his brothers.

Noah was only in his sky blue t-shirt and underpants. His body was somewhat lean, but not very muscular.

Marcus then looked in the river to see his own reflection. He only was wearing striped boxers and a white tank top. Marcus flexed a little, hoping this whole conflict would give him some muscle.

Frasier then walked over in his black jeans wearing nothing above it. His abdomen and pectoral muscles were vastly superior to his younger brothers; years of dedicated training had hardened him greatly. The bruises from the baseball bat were already begining to fade away. Marcus looked at Frasier's arms noticing they were much bigger than they looked while he was in school uniform.

Marcus then stopped flexing as he helped Frasier in holding the clothes in the river. They watched as the blood came off and turned bits of the water red.

"Now all we have to do is wait for it to dry." Frasier said as he pulled their clothes out and set them along the grassy hill.

"What do we do until then?" Noah asked as he sat down on a rock, sinking his feet into the cool water.

"Well, the infected aren't anywhere nearby so I guess we can rest here for now." Frasier said as he positioned himself onto the grassy slope.

-

For the next two hours, the trio relaxed in the sun next to the river. It was turning from mid-day to mid-afternoon as the sun was rising, beginning to move out from the center of the sky.

Marcus played with his phone as they waited. His stomach grumbled while he looked at what was left of their food.

"Hey, Frasier, can we eat?" Marcus asked.

"Yeah, now seems like a good time." Frasier replied.

He unzipped the duffle bag, and handed out rations to his younger siblings before taking any for himself. Marcus looked on as the river ran smoothly. Noah could be seen tossing some rocks at the river in attempt to make them skip. Marcus then walked over to him and held up a rock.

"Here let me show you how to do this, Noah." Marcus said to him.

Marcus pulled his arm back only to launch it forwards, tossing the rock at the water. Both watched it skip along the surface of the river. Noah was so impressed that he even began to count the skips.

"Wow, that was like eight skips! Can you teach me how?" Noah asked as he picked up a few more rocks.

As he said that, Marcus nodded and for the next few minutes they both tossed rocks across the river. It was fun as they enjoyed the fact that they weren't trying to survive from the infected. It was just another calm day for the Markle brothers at this point.

Marcus then looked at Frasier as he sat by himself holding a picture in his hand. While Noah practiced, Marcus walked over to Frasier. He sat beside him, looking at the picture.

Frasier noticed this and put it away as Marcus looked at it. Normally Marcus would make fun of him for looking at the picture, but Frasier seemed distant about it.

"I'm sorry about Saeko; if she's alive then we will find her. I promise." Marcus said, trying to comfort Frasier's possible loss.

Frasier remained silent as he got up walking to the duffle bag and dried out clothes. He dressed himself back into his attire after he tossed his brothers their clothing.

"Come on guys, it's time to move out. The sun may be out but we are running low on food already." Frasier explained as he began moving up the hill while his brothers got dressed.

Marcus and Noah drank the last of the water before heading out. They decided to keep the water bottles since there were plenty of water fountains around town to refill them.

-

As the trio headed to the top of the hill, they noticed something didn't seem right. There was no sight of the infected anywhere else, none whatsoever. Not a single one of Them was about.

"Is it me, or is it quiet even for Them?" Marcus asked, unable to stand total silence.

"I think the infected go where high populations of people go. It's the best place for a meal." Frasier replied as he pointed at the bridge.

"Hey guys, I found something!" Noah exclaimed, as he was a few feet ahead of his older brothers.

Frasier and Marcus quickly ran over to investigate. When they got there, they immediately noticed what Noah was talking about.

Two large set of tire tracks could be seen going up the grassy hill. Then a similar set could be seen on the road.

"Looks like whoever was driving here also used their vehicle to drive through the river." Frasier commented as he observed the tracks that could be traced back to the river.

"Asian drivers, am I right?" Marcus joked as he kicked his feet about.

Frasier smacked the back of Marcus' head before walking away.

"Let's keep moving. We don't have all day." Frasier sighed aloud as he walked towards the city.

-

Within minutes, the brothers stumbled upon two stores that we would come in handy.

A hardware store and a clothing store could be seen on the street they stood on. With high hopes, the trio expected the stores would have something to increase their chances of survival.

"Let's go get us some padded clothing first. I think we need some armor to protect us if we are going to be using melee weapons." Noah suggested.

"I'll go to the hardware store" Marcus mentioned, only able to walk two steps before he felt Frasier pull back on his collar.

"And get jumped again? I think we all will vote to pass that motion." Frasier said as Marcus walked back to Noah.

They carefully walked into the clothing store. The lights were left on as if open for business. As they entered the main part of the store they still had yet to see any signs of Them.

It didn't take long for the brothers to find some suitable jackets that could fit them properly. Noah handed Marcus his leather jacket back as he found one that was properly suited to his size. Frasier then walked over with what appeared to be body armor.

"Whoa, what are they?" Noah asked curiously.

"Sport body armor, should be enough to protect any areas that our leather jackets can't cover. Will also do nice if we encounter any hostile humans. It won't protect against bullets but it will certainly shrug off most forms of melee attacks." Frasier explained as he helped his brothers suit up.

Their forearms, shins, shoulders, chests, backs, and fists were now fitted with an extra layer of protection.

"Only down side I can see to the armor is it will slow us down a bit." Noah commented, pulling off the chest piece and shin pieces.

"Not to mention the slight restriction of flexibility." Marcus added as he stretched his body out. Having to remove the shoulder pieces.

"It's a small price to pay for the protection it offers." Frasier replied as he adjusted to his full set.

Noah then came over with some boots he found. They were far too heavy for him and Marcus to use. However, they fit Frasier perfectly.

He strapped the heavy boots on then made a few stomping motions. Frasier then tightened the laces, only to stand up tall and proud.

-

After finding nothing else of use, the trio moved on to the hardware store. The sun was beginning to set as they entered the store.

Marcus and Noah's jaw dropped as they saw all the sharp things inside the store that would require adult supervision. They then looked at Frasier as he developed a sinister looking grin.

"Payday." Frasier muttered as he dropped the near empty duffle bag onto the floor.

The brothers then heard a raspy, wheezing sound from behind an aisle. Frasier pulled out his crossbow and got down on one knee, taking aim in the general direction of the noise.

"Is somebody there?" Noah asked softly.

As soon as he said that, the source of the noise walked out from behind the first aisle: a police officer with a missing arm, slowly stumbling before the Markle brothers. Half of its lower jaw was unhinged from the rest of the skull. The decaying tongue just hung out as a few rotten teeth fell out of what was left of its mouth.

"Top of the afternoon, officer." Frasier joked as he fired an arrow at the brim of the skull, sending the police cap flying off.

The infected officer was forced back against the shelf; the arrow protruded from the skull, just barely piercing the brain from how high the arrow was placed.

"Nice shot." Marcus complimented as he stood by.

Frasier then walked over, placing his boot on the officer's face as his hand gripped the shaft of the arrow.

Noah and Marcus turned their heads as they heard the arrow being pulled out by force. *Squish* was all that could be heard as the brain was officially scrambled. After pulling the arrow out, Frasier shook the blood off and loaded the arrow back into the loader.

"Hey Noah, come here." Frasier instructed.

Noah slowly walked over to see what his oldest brother wanted with him. He then looked down to see Frasier holding ten .38 special rounds in his palm.

"You've found ammo? This is great! Now I can finally use my pistol." Noah exclaimed as he pulled out his customized pistol.

Noah quickly popped the cylinder chambers to the side. He then carefully loaded one bullet per chamber, totaling up to five rounds of live ammunition in the gun. Noah placed the spare rounds inside his pockets for later.

"Remember to only use that if we have already been spotted." Marcus commented as he joined up with them.

"Right, only if we're spotted." Noah repeated as he carefully holstered his hybrid pistol to his belt.

"Let's go see if we can find anymore of Them in here." Marcus suggested.

When the brothers walked down the aisles, they could hear a gnawing sound not that far off: the sound of teeth ripping into flesh.

Frasier leaned around a corner to see several of Them standing around in the next aisle over, most notable was the two infected corpses in the middle of the group, tugging back and forth at a severed arm; their teeth stripping away the red meat latched onto the white bone.

"Looks like we've found the officer's missing arm. Now to deal with the culprits." Frasier said as he motioned Noah and Marcus to the other sides of the aisle they were hiding behind.

When they were in position, Frasier began a countdown.

"One... Two... Three!" Frasier mouthed.

All at once, the brothers pushed with all their strength, causing the aisle to come crashing down upon the infected in the next row over. The brothers quickly ran over to see out of twelve, only three survived.

"You two handle the stragglers. I'm going to find some extra sharp tools." Frasier ordered as he walked away, leaving Noah and Marcus with the remaining abominations.

"Time to cut you fellas some slack." Marcus joked as he raised his axe.

The infected woman he stood before opened her mouth, letting out a wretched screech. Marcus then swung his axe down, slicing the head wide-open letting the brain matter splatter all over the floor.

Noah slowly approached an infected employee of the hardware store. With little hesitation, he slammed the crowbar down over and over until he was certain that he had killed the infected man.

Marcus then walked over towards the last of the surviving infected. Little did he know, the heavy aisle shelves had severed the infected man in half.

The infected man pulled himself out from the wreckage and right towards Marcus' feet. Marcus quickly took a step back only to trip over a paint can that was right behind him.

Marcus dropped his axe; it slid across the tiled floors and under another aisle. The infected man drew nearer and nearer to Marcus. With nowhere else to go, Marcus quickly kicked forward. Some of the teeth were snapped off as the infected man's head jolted back.

Noah helped Marcus up as the infected man was momentarily pushed back.

Suddenly a boot stepped onto the loose spine of the infected man. Both brothers looked over to see Frasier pinning the infected man down, despite the great effort it put into crawling towards them.

"I told you guys to take care of the rest. Do I need to do everything around here?" Frasier asked as he lifted his other boot up only to casually stomp the infected man's head in.

"Sorry, It just caught me off guard is all. It won't happen again." Marcus explained, apologizing for his mistake.

Before Frasier could lecture Marcus any further, a commotion could be heard from the front of the hardware store.

"We have company, brothers. Ready yourselves!" Frasier ordered.

Noah and Marcus looked over to see the movement at the doors. The undead were back and in force! There were so many of Them, but the brothers were in a store with so much fighting potential.

The infected just poured into the store, groaning while they limped towards the trio. All three brothers quickly grabbed some nearby equipment they could salvage from the store.

When the first wave drew near, most were killed instantly when Marcus and Noah pushed another aisle onto Them. Marcus then made the first strike with a lead pipe, crushing the skull of the first freak to get too close.

Noah even started to throw some bricks he found, they seemed effective when he hit their heads. The *crunching* noises it made sent chills down Marcus' spine.

"Frasier, where are you?" Marcus called out, noticing his older brother was nowhere to be seen.

"Just give me a minute. I found something that should help." Frasier yelled back from the further reaches of the store.

Soon more infected showed up and Noah was out of bricks.

"Noah, use your pistol, now!" Marcus shouted as he bashed in the cranium of the nearest infected corpse.

"Right!" Noah replied as he quickly drew his pistol from his side and began to take aim.

**{Prodigy - Invaders Must Die}**

At first there was hesitation, firing at an unarmed... anything seemed wrong to Noah. Marcus noticed this and knew now wasn't the time for this.

"Noah you fire that pistol and you do it now!" Marcus shouted as he grappled with an infected boy.

Noah then turned towards Marcus and aimed the pistol right at him.

Blood splattered across Marcus' face as the bullet pierced the infected boy's head. The body became heavy and quickly slumped over.

Noah's eyes widened as he felt energy surging throughout his very being. He then turned towards the small group of infected heading towards him.

Noah ran forward and drop kicked the nearest infected corpse. The infected man stumbled back into a larger crowd, causing most of them to tumble along with him.

Noah then rolled to the side in time to dodge an infected woman's grasp as she knelt down to bite him. In attempt to save ammo, Noah tossed one of the bricks he used not too long ago at her.

The brick shattered the skull, killing the woman on the spot. Noah smiled as he felt his adrenaline starting to kick in. He quickly rolled backwards onto his feet.

Noah then fired two shots at the oncoming infected. The two bodies he hit dropped like a bag of rocks.

Two more bullets spiraled through the air, the lead rounds puncturing through the skulls of the undead. Noah grinned as he then popped out the cylinder chambers. With one shake, all five casings fell out of place, bouncing and rolling on the floor.

Noah quickly slipped in another five rounds before sliding the chamber back into place. He then noticed four of the infected corpses were coming at him from all sides.

Noah fired his first two shots at the infected corpses to his left and right flank.

Noah then held the gun up at his forward flank, firing at the man reaching for him. He even let the recoil throw his arm back to the point the pistol was pointing back to the infected man standing behind him.

Marcus watched in amazement, as his little brother was becoming a natural at killing the undead. He then noticed an infected officer Noah had shot still had his Smith & Wesson 37 on him. Marcus rolled forward between two infected employees, in mid roll he managed to slide the pistol from its holster seamlessly.

Marcus fired two shots into the infected group as he joined side by side with Noah. Both brothers went back-to-back, covering each other and securing the flanks.

"I'm nearly out of ammo. How many rounds do you have left?" Noah asked.

"Three shots left, and you?" Marcus replied.

"Just one." Noah answered.

"Let's make them count then. Try to use this when you can." Marcus recommended as he handed Noah a hammer.

Marcus then fired two rounds off, both whizzing into the crowd of walking corpses. Noah swung the hammer in a backhand motion, smashing the teeth out of an infected woman's jaw. Marcus then turned and finished off the woman Noah just hit.

**{}**

"I'm out of ammo!" Marcus announced.

"Same here! Where the hell is Frasier?!" Noah questioned as they began to retreat further back into the hardware store.

"I don't know! He had better have found something really fucking awesome back there!" Marcus exclaimed as they began to hear a something being pushed out.

Suddenly another group of infected pushed through, boxing in Marcus and Noah. Only equipped with a lead pipe and hammer, the two brothers wouldn't be able to last much longer.

"Frasier now would be a good time to do what you do best!" Marcus shouted.

-

Just as things seemed over, all the aisles fell over around the two brothers. All but one of the surrounding infected corpses was crushed. A gardening sickle then spun through the air, striking the surviving infected between the eyes.

Marcus and Noah turned to see Frasier driving over in a massive lawn mower with a chainsaw in each hand.

"Where did you get all that?!" Noah asked as Frasier approached them.

"I found the gardening department. Where all the really, really, really sharp objects are." Frasier explained in a sadistic tone with a wide grin on his face. He then handed Noah and Marcus a chainsaw each.

"What about you?" Marcus asked while they mounted the lawn mower Frasier was on.

"I'll be driving, you two just cut whatever I miss." Frasier instructed as he pulled himself up to the drivers seat.

Without any question to his plan, Noah and Marcus sat on the sides of the drivable lawn mower. Frasier started the engine and began to rev the engine. Ready to charge forward towards the largest pack of the undead that plagued this store with their presence.

He stopped the mower to give his brothers a few moments to catch their breath. They watched as the grey, putrid corpses walked towards them.

"Let's have some fun brothers." Frasier suggested as his brothers nodded in agreement.

**{Megas XLR OST - Instrumental Theme} **

Frasier turned the ignition back on, the metal blades spun around; Marcus pulled the cord to his chainsaw; Noah revved his chainsaw; Frasier then formed a twisted grin on his face.

"Let's rock!" Marcus exclaimed as Frasier slammed his foot on the gas pedal.

The mower went at full speed towards the horde of the undead. Noah and Marcus held their chainsaws out in anticipation for the bloodbath that was to ensue.

"Aaaaahhhhhhh!" all three brothers shouted as the mower drew closer and closer.

Frasier drove directly into the crowd without hesitation. Tiny chunks of flesh went shooting out the side of the lawnmower, spraying the walls red with blood and tiny shreds of flesh.

***bbbbzzzzz*** was the sound the chainsaws made when they tore into the necks of the infected. Heads began to roll off necks as the trio passed by.

It wasn't long before the mower could go no further and the blades became clogged with the remains of Them. But that certainly didn't keep the trio from putting up a good fight. Frasier began to spin the wheel around, causing the mower to rotate in circles. Both chainsaws continued to buzz and hum as they cut down entire rows of infected, the steel edges slicing away at anything that touched them.

Marcus found the noise to be irritating but the infected numbers were dropping exponentially.

"heh... hahaha.. HAHAHAAHA!" Frasier began to laugh under his breath, catching Marcus' attention immediately.

Despite the chilling laughter, Marcus continued to cut down any infected that got too close to him.  
>Noah let out a grunt of distress as his arms lowered a bit. Frasier looked back at Noah as he grabbed his chainsaw.<p>

"My arm is tiring out." Noah explained as he felt tension in his arms, the deadly tool wobbling as he was close to dropping it.

"I'll take it from here, you try to keep the mower moving." Frasier instructed, switching spots with Noah seamlessly as his personality changed as well.

Noah did his best to control the wheel as Frasier carved into the hungry faces. Marcus felt another chill when he could hear Frasier laughing again.

He then jumped off to finish the last of Them, carving his way to victory. Frasier's chainsaw ran out of gas, now unable to function properly.

No longer being of any use, he tossed it aside and gripped the neck of the last infected corpse. Frasier squeezed tight so that he wouldn't end up bitten.

The infected man bared its teeth, drooling, and still trying to bite at Frasier. It groaned and hissed trying to break free.

Frasier threw it to the ground and lifted his boot. His laughter grew louder as his boot came down. The force splattered the brain matter all over the floor. With nothing left to kill, the laughter soon ended.

"Seems that's the end of that." Noah exclaimed, exhausted from their battle with Them.

The brothers had finally won their battle against one of the many hordes that plagued the city of Tokonosu. 


	9. Act 3: Scavengers Part 3

**Act 3 : Scavengers Part 3**  
><strong>Tokonosu City, Japan<strong>

**Z-day+2**

Marcus looked at the carnage around the gardening store. What seemed like hundreds now lay dead before him. Blood was splattered all over the walls and white floor. Organs and limbs torn to shreds, scattered across the store like it was a decoration.

"What time is it when this all began? How long have we been here?" Frasier asked as he stood before Marcus.

"No idea, but judging by how far the sun has moved I would say maybe an hour or two." Marcus answered to the best of his abilities.

It was surprising that they had been fighting the infected for several hours when to them it felt like mere minutes.

Marcus then looked at his brothers coated in the blood of the dead. He then looked at himself to see he was just as coated as they were.

"Maybe we should go back to the river and try to get the blood off." Noah suggested as he tried to brush the blood off into the nearby wall.

"No need. Just wipe it off on one of the corpse's clothing. They won't be needing it." Marcus replied as he did just that, pulling off an infected man's shirt only to wipe his face off from the tainted blood.

Frasier was meanwhile standing alone, breathing heavy and irregular as his fists were continuously clenching in and out; the blood rush still fresh in his mind, wanting to slaughter more of Them.

"Frasier, you okay?" Noah asked in a concerned voice the moment he noticed distress in his elder brother.

"Yeah... I was just starting to enjoy myself, but now the fun is over. Lets get out of here" Frasier responded in disappointment, slowly making his way towards the front of the store with the duffle bag strapped around his back.

-

The trio walked into the city as it was now becoming afternoon. Despite the knowledge that the undead were starting to grow in numbers each passing minute, there appeared to be no traces of life (dead or otherwise) as they continued on. Frasier then held up his hand, motioning his siblings to stop.

"Can you hear that?" Frasier whispered as his eyes searched all over the area for the source, feeling it may be a reason as to why the infected hadn't been around lately.

The younger siblings also looked around and noticed the sound to be off in the distance. Something was definitely going down nearby. They cautiously headed towards the source as it sounded like chanting.

"Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!" announced numerous voices in a choir like chant, the chanting growing louder the closer the brothers got. There was now only a fence between the brothers and the group of people on the other side.

Frasier kneeled down and had Marcus stand on his shoulders. As he went up, he could see a crowd of trashy looking men just standing there as someone (figured to be their leader) announced this.

"The police have forsaken us! They abandon and kill to preserve order, but we know it is just their way of oppressing us during even the hardest times. We however have managed to capture one!" the rough voice announced, pacing back and forth as he ranted on.

"Well? What do you see?" Frasier asked as he lowered Marcus down to report his sighting.

"It's just a bunch of survivors. I think they used to be homeless or something before the world went to hell. They looked very dirty... even for survivors. Also some guy spoke of how they had captured a police officer. It didn't sound very good the way they spoke of them." Marcus explained to his brothers.

"Figures. The weak blame their problems on those that have any power left and turn on them like dogs." Frasier grumbled after hearing Marcus' explanation.

"So how are we going to help that officer?" Noah asked as he pulled his hybrid pistol out.

"We're not." Frasier replied bluntly before taking the duffle bag and walking away from the scene, showing zero intention of getting involved in a fight that wasn't their own.

"What?! You can't be serious... Frasier?" Noah questioned as he watched Frasier's head turn back to him.

"Oh, I'm very serious, Noah. I won't jeopardize our survival for someone we don't even know. My only concerns are for our survival and no one else's." Frasier replied in a cold, brutally calculating tone.

"Except for Saeko's..." Marcus muttered under his breath, causing Frasier to grunt when he faintly heard that.

"Fine. I'll do it myself!" Noah announced as he began to scale the fence all on his own.

"What?!" both Marcus and Frasier questioned as they watched Noah trying to head off against the angry mob on the other side of the fence.

"Noah! Get down from there!" Frasier hissed as he tried to keep his voice down low, standing beneath his defiant sibling as he continued to climb the wooden fence.

"I'm helping that officer, whether you're with me or not!" Noah announced as he reached the top of the fence, ready to hop over onto the other side.

"Alright, alright, I'll help the police officer. Just don't run off like that, okay?" Frasier requested as he gave into Noah's ultimatum, knowing his younger brother wasn't ready to take on a mob on his own.

"Good. So how are we going to help them?" Noah asked as he sat atop the fence.

"We need a better vantage point than a wooden fence. Try to climb up to that low roof and secure this around something." Frasier responded as he reached into the duffle bag and tossed Noah the remaining rope they had left.

Noah carefully climbed his way up to the low rooftop and quickly fastened the rope around an air duct. He then motioned Frasier and Marcus to climb up to his position.

Frasier went first between them, his C5 Wildcat slung across his back as he carefully climbed up the rope, his feet walking up the wall as he made his ascension.

When he reached the top, he looked back down to Marcus, without warning un-holstering his crossbow and aiming straight down.

"Whoa! What the hell are you doing?!" Marcus questioned as he ducked down, uncertain as to why his brother would point a weapon at him.

***Phft* **

Marcus closed his eyes only to hear a *thud* like noise as something behind him toppled over. He opened his eyes to see an infected woman was right behind him. A crossbow arrow pierced through her skull, as her jaw remained wide open.

"Oh... Thanks..." Marcus thanked, correcting himself as he reached down for the arrow. With a single tug he managed to tear it right out, making a squishy noise as the arrow scrambled the brain even further.

"Don't mention it, Marcus. I'm never going to stop fighting. Not until both of you are safe and back home." Frasier replied, watching as Marcus pulled himself and the duffle bag up to the rooftop.

-

The trio carefully crouched around on the low roof and managed to position themselves right above the crowd of survivors that stood before their psychopath of a leader, listening to him continue the rants he had to say against the police.

"So how are we going to save the officer?" Marcus questioned in a whisper as he looked over to Frasier for an answer.

"Easy. Just kill the bastards and be done with it." Frasier responded as he aimed the crossbow down at the leader of the group.

"No wait!" Noah warned in a hiss as he motioned Frasier to hold his fire.

"What? Isn't this what you wanted?" Frasier questioned as he lowered his C5 Wildcat.

"I just thought of something. What if we kill these guys and they return as Them?" Noah brought up, concerned for the aftermath of killing the members of the mob bellow.

"You mean like in The Walking Dead?" Marcus questioned, figuring where Noah was coming from.

"Yeah! Frasier, in the series, the people would actually come back as Walkers, regardless of whether they were bitten or not." Noah explained knowing Frasier didn't have the faintest knowledge about how the infected worker when it came to The Walking Dead.

"Unless they were killed by some form of brain damage of course." Marcus added in to clarify things.

"So what? My aim is more than suitable enough to place a clean arrow through each of their cowardly skulls." Frasier replied confidently as he aimed back at the leader.

"Skilled enough to kill at least ten men with only three arrows that you would have no chance of retrieving?" Noah brought up, instantly forcing Frasier to rethink his approach.

"How much ammo do you have left?" Frasier questioned, trying to calculate and weigh all his options.

"I'm completely dry. Marcus and I used up all our rounds at the gardening store." Noah answered as he showed the empty chambers in his pistol.

"Then I guess it's non-lethal then." Frasier muttered in a disappointed tone of voice, setting his crossbow aside.

"So who's going to take who?" Noah questioned as he mentally prepared himself for the fight ahead.

"You two will stay here and let me handle this. Neither of you are ready and having you guys down there is only going to hinder me." Frasier responded as he began to mess with the rope between his hands.

"You can't be serious..." Marcus replied, shocked that Frasier would consider doing something like this alone.

"If any of them draw a gun, then use my crossbow and take them out. If they aren't armed with firearms then I'll be fine. Trust me." Frasier explained, earning a reluctant nod from both siblings.

-

Suddenly, two men dragged a female police officer with a sack over her head towards the leader of the mob. The mob leader was shirtless and had a tattoo of a three-eyed dragon on his left arm. His head was bald as his demeanor was based off of imposing fear on others.

In his hands was a baseball bat with nails protruding from them; the rusty nails painted with dried blood from a previous victim no doubt.

"Can anyone speak for the police whore?" he asked aloud, slowly raising the baseball bat over himself to bring it down upon the police woman's head.

"I can." Frasier announced for all to hear as one of the thugs dragging the officer was flung up in the air with rope latched around his ankle, slowing down Frasier's descent as he landed before the small mob, sending tremors of fear and astonishment at his defiance.

The crazed man with the baseball bat stood there and watched as two men dashed towards Frasier; one armed with a switchblade while the other had a cleaver on him.

The one with the switchblade lashed out only for his small blade to deflect off of the forearm of Frasier's sports armor. His head flung back as Frasier proceeded to uppercut it.

When the man with the cleaver swung at him, Frasier twisted aside and then spun the large man's arm around till it made a horrid *crunch* noise that made it clear that it was detached from its very socket. Frasier enjoyed it as he forced the man down with only a single arm.

He then held an arm out to punch aside a third attacker that tried to hit him from behind. The leader growled like a feral beast and charged towards Frasier with the bat raised high.

Frasier caught the wooden part that wasn't filled with nails. He then spun around and threw the bald psychopath over his head and into four more oncoming thugs.

Noah and Marcus watched in amazement as they watched their brother handle the situation with great poise and finesse, his movements' fluid and practically flawless, the years of training clearly showing great pay off.

Most of the men had scattered away when Frasier approached them, his aura having a darkness that overshadowed their leader. The leader coughed up blood as he held his sides. One of the nails from the bat had pierced his tan flesh after landing on it.

He looked up as Frasier slowly stood before him, earning a look of disgust from the young man before him. His free hand slowly reaching for a concealed pistol he kept tucked in his pocket.

"Who made you God, little man? Surely it wasn't that gun." Frasier pondered aloud as he stepped on the man's hand with just enough force to break the wrist.

"Hahaha... You think you're better than me? Fuck you, kid. You're no cop; you're just some punk who thinks he can scare me with some little speech. So go ahead, turn me into the police, doubt they can throw me into jail with all the crazy shit that's been going down." the bald man cackled as he smirked at Frasier.

"Who said anything about you living?" Frasier responded as he picked up the baseball bat.

"No. Wait hold on! You can't do this to me... A man can't go out like this. I'd rather go to jail." The man suddenly pleaded as he watched a grin form across Frasier's face.

"Men go to jail. Dogs get put down." Frasier growled through his teeth as then swung the bat down, the nails spiking the bald man's brain. Warm blood splashed Frasier's face. He took in the fresh smell and felt something take over.

He pulled the bat back out then swung again. His entire body tingled with an unearthly pleasure as he continued to pound the man's head in until it was impossible to identify. Frasier tossed the bat aside and then looked down at his hands, uncertain how something like that could feel so right.

This was the very first time Frasier had ever actually killed another living, breathing person. The strange sense of enjoyment and pleasure he had felt when snuffing out another life actually felt somewhat unsettling to him. For a split second, looking at his hands covered in warm blood, Frasier Markle, for the shortest time, felt afraid. But just as quickly as that fear had come, it quickly faded as he turned his attention to the masked policewoman.

He then walked over to the police girl who remained in place while the fighting started. The brown sack covered her head until Frasier pulled it off to reveal a familiar face.

"Officer Hitomi." Frasier thought as he looked over to see his brothers just now running over. Clearly their expressions showed that they didn't just see their older brother kill another man in cold blood.

It relieved Frasier that his brothers didn't have to see him in that state of mind when fighting another human being, but he was now uncertain if he could ever hold back the beast that now dwelled within himself.

It was a manifestation from the rage that also fueled him whenever he would fight, making it crystal clear that it would arise again when he was to find himself in a similar situation like today.

"Is that Officer Hitomi?" Marcus questioned as he and Noah just caught up to Frasier.

"It appears so. Everything alright, Officer?" Frasier replied as Noah untied the gag around her mouth.

"Yeah... Nothing like being taken prisoner to a bunch of assholes you try helping. But thanks for the assistance." Hitomi responded as she slowly stood back up, brushing the dirt off her knees.

Frasier remained silent, still deep in thought after killing another human being that wasn't infected or prior to becoming one of Them.

"Silent type, huh? Fair enough. So you boys want to tag along? I think we could really help each other out." Hitomi suggested as she motioned the brothers to follow her.

"Good idea... So are there anymore officers in the area?" Noah asked as he handed Frasier his crossbow back.

"Not that I'm aware of. They must be held up somewhere. Perhaps in a big group or something?" Hitomi replied as she tried to think of a logical answer to Noah's question.

"We'll follow your lead. You're the man after all. I mean woman- you're the woman that's in charge!" Marcus added in before quickly realizing his mistake. He became flustered and continued to blush after apologizing frantically.

Hitomi giggled as she then looked over to him.

"Relax, Marcus. I got the point." Hitomi replied as she then motioned the brothers to follow her out of the area and back onto the streets.

-

"I've been thinking lately... Everybody who's survived probably has a group by now, right?" Marcus randomly asked everyone as they wandered through the streets quietly.

"Yeah, why do you ask?" Frasier responded as he figured Marcus was going somewhere with this.

"Well, I think our group should have a team name." Marcus suggested as he kicked a can across the street.

"Oh I like that idea! How about... The Three Dolphins?" Noah chimed in, enjoying the thought of having a team name.

"Dolphins are gay!" Marcus replied as he showed his disapproval for the name.

"Dolphins aren't gay! They can kill sharks!" Noah protested as he tried to defend his suggestion.

"So can gay guys, but that still makes them gay." Marcus replied as he stuck his tongue out at Noah.

"See what I have to deal with?" Frasier said to Hitomi as they watched Noah and Marcus continue to argue about the name of their group.

"Forget the dolphins, we need something manly and ferocious. Like a Tyrannosaurus!" Marcus announced as everyone chuckled at the enthusiasm.

"Frasier, what do you think we should be called?" Noah asked as he looked over to his elder brother for any input on the matter.

"What? Oh... Ummm... Hmm, I guess the Union Jacks? I'm not good with thinking up a name on the spot." Frasier admitted as he tried to focus more on surviving rather than the arbitrary name for their group.

"More like the Union Jackasses!" Hitomi teased, earning a roar of laughter from the brothers before they all noticed a crashed police car, the front of the patrol car hanging off a nearby bridge.

"Think there will be anything of use?" Frasier asked Hitomi as they just stared at the car slowly teetering back and forth.

"Maybe... Do you really want to risk it though?" Hitomi questioned as they walked up to see how balanced the patrol car was.

"We have no ammunition left after a skirmish with Them. Frasier only has three arrows left if that counts for anything. I'd say the pros outweigh the cons." Noah answered honestly, earning a sigh from Frasier and Marcus when he just told Hitomi they had firearms on them.

"Oh? You boys not telling me something?" Hitomi asked as she turned to face the brothers.

"W-we may have a... f-firearm or two..." Marcus answered nervously, stuttering every now and then from the gaze she gave them. His cheeks turned bright red as he carefully pulled out the pistol he took from the infected police officer, making sure to not make Hitomi think he was drawing it on her.

"That's one. Where's the second one?" Hitomi asked as she raised an eyebrow to Noah.

"Right here... kind of. I combined a standard police model with another pistol our Uncle owned." Noah answered as he showed Hitomi the hybrid weapon he created a couple of days ago.

"Okay, that's new. Just who the hell are you guys anyways?" Hitomi suddenly questioned when she saw the unique weapon, astonished that someone as young as Noah could create such a device.

Noah and Marcus turned their heads to look to Frasier for approval. Frasier just gave them a slight nod, knowing that they had nothing else to keep from her. He then walked away to find a way to keep the patrol car to keep from falling when they searched it.

"We come from a military family in England. Our father has trained us for quite some time now. Frasier was the first and got the roughest of it. I sometimes worry about him. At times, he can show signs of bring a real sociopath." Noah explained with great concern in his voice.

"How bad do you think it is? He won't be a problem will he?" Hitomi asked as she leaned against a railing on the bridge, feeling that she had better keep an eye on Frasier's behavior thanks to Noah's little warning.

"Frasier? Oh you won't need to worry about him. He'd never hurt us. I promise." Noah vouched for Frasier as he held both hands up when Hitomi was beginning to see Frasier as a potential threat.

"Hmm, alright then. Just be sure to let me now if he starts to act unusual. No telling how the past few days have been on someone with his background." Hitomi suggested as she tussled Noah's hair.

"Oh yeah, don't worry about us or nothing." Marcus grumbled, almost as if he was jealous for Hitomi's attention.

"Aww, are you not feeling so swell?" Hitomi teased as she then playfully winked at Marcus, instantly sensing and picking up on his emotions.

"Not what I... nevermind." Marcus replied as he stormed off to go see how Frasier was doing.

"I think he likes you." Noah commented as he holstered his pistol.

"You think? Although I will admit, he's quite the charmer once you get past the immaturity." Hitomi commented as she watched Marcus helping Frasier secure the patrol car with a cable winch from a nearby tow truck.

Noah rolled his eyes then smiled as they both watched the patrol car being pulled back to the point it wasn't a safety risk trying to get inside of it.

"Do you have the keys?" Marcus questioned as he looked over to Hitomi.

"Err, no. Why would I? Not like they give us a master key to all the patrol cars." Hitomi answered as Frasier suddenly smashed the window in, causing everyone to flinch at the sudden sound of glass shattering.

"Well that escalated fast." Marcus commented as Frasier reached into the car and unlocked the doors.

"Sorry about that, but we don't have the time to lock pick the car." Frasier explained as he pointed towards another infected horde slowly moving towards them.

Without another word said, the entire group began to rummage through the patrol car, managing to retrieve the standard police firearm from the previous owner who remained motionless in the driver's seat, a Benelli M3 Pump shotgun, and a few cases of ammunition to spare them.

During the rummaging, the radio in the deceased officer's uniform suddenly went off.

"All remaining Officers, report to the evacuation point at..." a male voice announced before it was cut off by static.

"Damn, that sounded like a big break." Frasier grunted as he handed Marcus a few extra shotgun shells he picked up.

"Don't worry, kid. I know exactly where that evacuation point is." Hitomi replied as they began to move out of the vehicle.

-

Eventually everything else was either useless or would have taken too long to retrieve.

"Okay, let's get out of here!" Hitomi ordered as she motioned the brothers to follow her.

"Hold on, I have an idea!" Noah suggested as he then crawled beneath the car and could be heard messing with something beneath it.

A leaking sound was suddenly heard as Noah crawled out from beneath the car.

"Help me push the car!" Noah instructed as he unhooked it from the cable.

Frasier and Marcus instantly began to push with all their might, causing the car to slowly roll forward until it reached the edged of the bridge that was facing downhill towards Them.

"Push!" Noah groaned as he joined in to help his brothers send the car rolling down at full speed towards Them.

All four survivors watched as the patrol car sped down the empty dip, running over and sending the infected it hit flying.

***Crash* **

The car slammed into a few parked cars, squishing an infected that managed to be caught between the two objects.

"That was fucking badass!" Marcus exclaimed as he patted Noah on the back.

"I'm not done yet." Noah replied as he then took the lighter from Frasier's pocket and held it to the ground.

A small fire sparked to life when his thumb activated it. At first nothing happened, but then a second fire was ignited and started following a gas trail left behind from the patrol car. The four survivors covered their eyes as the patrol car violently exploded, consuming the nearby infected in a fiery blast.

Those that weren't destroyed simply wandered around it after hearing the recent sound, captivated by the loud explosion despite it destroying most of the infected nearby them.

"Now we can go." Noah whispered as the four left the remnants of the infected horde to remain distracted by the cackling flames that charred the flesh of the more unfortunate infected.

-

Nearly an hour later, Hitomi managed to lead the trio to the convoy. Time was running short though, as the infected were coming and in full force. The brothers entered through the small camp of survivors and police as they loaded up the three parked buses, ready to transport everyone out of the city.

"This bus should get you kids to safety." Hitomi gambled as she helped Frasier hide their duffle bag full of weapons beneath the bus so the rest of the police wouldn't feel the need to confiscate it.

"Thank you, Hitomi. It means a lot to me, what you've done for us. Let's just hope this convoy can get out before it's too late." Frasier thanked as he managed to secure the duffle bag in place.

"They're here! Infected at the front of the camp. Start moving the buses out, now!" announced what could be assumed as the police officer in charge.

Those stationed near the front of the camp began to immediately open fire. The first wave of Them were wiped out in a matter of minutes, but soon the police had to retreat in order to avoid being trapped and consumed.

Hitomi ran to the nearest squad car while the brothers boarded the last bus out, the doors being sealed behind them as the infected passed by, slowly surrounding the vehicle and pounding away at it with their putrid, grey hands.

-

"Driver! Why the hell aren't we moving?" one of the passengers questioned as he stood up from his seat.

"We can't move until the infected are out of the way. We could tip the bus if we hit to much at once." the driver responded.

Everyone looked around, as it seemed all hope was lost. It was only a matter of time now before the infected would completely swarm the road and prevent any chance of escape. Frasier then looked over at Marcus and Noah.

"Marcus, take care of Noah for me, okay?" Frasier said to him in a soft voice.

"What about you? Where the hell are you going?" Marcus asked, uncertain what Frasier meant by those words.

"I'm going out there to distract those abominations while you guys get out. It's something I'll need to do alone." Frasier answered as he gently held Marcus close to him.

Before Marcus could even consider objecting to the outrageous plan, Frasier gripped a pressure point on both their shoulders, seamlessly knocking them out with a gentle grip. He then stood up and looked around the bus.

Entire families were here: women, children, even the elderly sat aboard the bus. Frasier walked down the rows of the bus, everyone too frightened to notice him to begin with. He looked down at a lone man with a guitar besides him.

"Excuse me, sir. May can I borrow this?" Frasier asked formally. The man nodded and handed it over, knowing it didn't matter now.

With the guitar in hand, Frasier marched to the front of the bus. He gave the driver a tap of the shoulder.

"Get these people out of here. I'm going outside to distract Them."

"You can't go out there, kid. Those things will tear you to shreds before you can even set one foot outside!" the driver responded, seeing nothing but insanity in Frasier's plan.

"Then make use of the time I'm giving you." Frasier replied with a smirk as he pulled himself out of a bus window, landing with a *thud* in an open gap as he rolled to decrease the impact made, just barely managing to keep the guitar from being smashed on the hard ground.

-

It felt like there were hundreds of Them in the vicinity. Frasier dexterously bolted through the crowds lingering around the bus. As he maneuvered around the abominations, he could feel his skin crawling.

The smell and sight of these undead monsters must have been getting worse or something. He climbed a fence, sitting on top of it as he tried to balance himself from falling.

Frasier then gave the bus driver a thumb up. He began to pluck the strings, making a noise that echoed through the wind. It was amusing to see the heads turn from both the living and the dead.

However, simply plucking the strings wasn't enough to attract the bulk of Them. Frasier took a deep breath and remembered the first song he was ever truly inspired by.

**{Tom Petty - No I Wont Back Down}**

He began to play as he remembered the lyrics, watching as he was grabbing the attention from anyone or thing that could hear him. Frasier closed his eyes as his lips moved to match his singing in a strong, proud, voice.

"Well I won't back down, no I won't back down. You can stand me up at the gates of Hell, but I won't back down."

"No I'll stand my ground, won't be turned around, and I'll keep this world from draggin' me down. Gonna stand my ground and I won't back down."

"Hey baby, there ain't no easy way out. Hey I will stand my ground, and I won't back down."

"Well I know what's right, I got just one life. In a world that keeps on pushin' me around, but I'll stand my ground and I won't back down."

"Hey baby there ain't no easy way out. Hey I will stand my ground, and I won't back down."

"Hey baby there ain't no easy way out. Hey I won't back down."

"Hey baby there ain't no easy way out. Hey I will stand my ground, and I won't back down. No, I won't back down."

-

The bus slowly began to push through to join up with the rest of the convoy as Frasier was left behind, running over small bundles of Them in the process.

Frasier then looked down at the horde of the undead. They stood around the fence groaning and moaning, grey hands rattling the fence as the infected shook it to bring him down.

"Don't you putrid fucks hear me? I said I'd stand my ground!" Frasier shouted out defiantly as he then knew he needed to reassess his options.

No weapons, no one to watch his back, the darkness taking over, his body was fatigued from the constant moving around and battle he had with a few thugs before this, and then to top it off, he was surrounded by hundreds of the undead.

Frasier had to act fast because he didn't get a weapon; chances were he wouldn't make it very far.

After a few seconds of planning and calculating the options set before him, Frasier decided that the guitar would break pretty fast if he tried to fight Them with it.

He lifted it above his head, tossing it far from where he was perched, watching the wooden instrument flying across the dark skies. When the guitar landed, it smashed on impact, skidding along the hard, asphalt.

Most of the infected turned their heads and walked towards the noise, but some weren't fazed by it and stood their ground. It was almost as if they knew Frasier was still there.

He jumped off the fence, barely dodging the ones that stayed. As his feet hit the ground, he ran. He ran as far as his body could go.

Frasier's heart raced as his breathing became short yet heavy at the same time. The cold night winds blew by, sending a chill down his spine as his breath became visible. Frasier looked up to the moon, as if his bad luck seemed to have no end.

-

"Must find a way to catch up with the convoy." Frasier muttered to himself, knowing he had to join back up with them, somehow.

Frasier walked up a hill then he reached a stop sign. The infected were slowly following in the direction he was moving. Frasier grit his teeth and gripped both fists tightly.

He needed to move on if he was to have any hope of catching up. The undead seemed to be moving in larger groups, and Frasier knew it was too risky to try and fight Them with just his fists and feet. He needed a weapon, but for now, he required rest after nearly a full 24 hours without stopping.

He cautiously crawled underneath one of the many cars that were abandoned during the outbreaks. Frasier had a rough time adjusting to the hard road underneath him, but eventually he managed to ease himself into a much-needed slumber. 


	10. Act 4: Survival Part 1

**Act 4 Survival of the Dead Part 1**

**Z-Day+3**

Frasier crawled out from his temporary shelter from beneath a car, slowly stretching a bit before heading out. He enjoyed the droplets of cool rain pecking at his cheeks. Even the air smelled better to him.

While walking through an ally, he not only spotted a bus, but the same bus from Fujimi Academy.

As Frasier approached it, he noticed a small pack of infected wandering towards it. He watched as a young student stood outside of the bus hitting the door desperately.

"Help me Mr. Shido! Let me in! I'll never talk back to you again! Help me!" he cried out, just before he was pulled back by the infected.

Frasier watched as they tore into his flesh, he didn't stand a chance. It wasn't like Frasier cared for the boy, but he certainly didn't want to deal with another one of Them.

Frasier then looked at his feet in attempt to find a weapon. But to his dismay there was nothing of use. He looked at a garbage can and took the lid off.

It seemed like it was enough to push and bash the infected over. Once the infected were on the ground level, all he had to do was bring his boot down, curb stomping their skulls in.

Frasier causally walked out in the street to see that four infected were feeding on the young boy, while two others began to wander around the bus. Slowly raising the trash can lid, he started to tap the stop sign he stood under.

Sending out an echoing noise, three of the four got up, one just sat there feasting on the fresh meat. The sound of flesh being consumed made the hair on the back of Frasier's neck stand.

Frasier lifted the trash can lid and pushed it with heavy force into the first infected. She tumbled down and knocked down the one behind her. As they scrambled to get up Frasier drew the other one away so he could separate Them.

Frasier swept his leg across the ground, catching both legs and knocking the infected man down. It looked at Frasier and opened it's mouth groaning in hunger.

"Open wide" Frasier said as he brought the heavy boot down.

The front half of it's face caved in as Frasier's boot crushed whatever was under it.

The other two finally managed to stand up. Frasier faced them as they drew closer, he charged them both head on. The first one he side kicked into the bus. The second one reached out at him only to be blocked by the trash can shield.

It held on tight, trying to pull it out of Frasier's hands. Frasier quickly twisted the shield around, jerking the infected man's arms around. The body soon followed, sending it to the ground. Frasier took no time to stomp the head in. Blood and bone smeared along the curb as Frasier fought with no intention of failing now.

In the fray of battle, his chest began to tickle, causing him to laugh. The third one stood back up and grabbed the trash can shield. This time Frasier lifted it, pulling the girl off her feet and over his head in an arc. As she hit the ground, his boot soon followed.

Frasier couldn't help but laugh, his body became loose. His muscles tightened as he wanted more.

The two infected corpses that were wandering around the bus now limped towards Frasier.

He charged Them with the trash can shield. The closest one was bashed to the side. Sparing no time to recover, he tackled the one still standing.

The left hand gripped the neck as tight as it could to prevent the infected boy from biting back. His right hand was raised only to come back down. Again and again, Frasier pummeled away at the skull.

The laughter increased as he could feel the damage he was inflicting with every punch. The bones hardened, his flesh burned. Soon the abomination stopped struggling, lying still in a pool of its own blood.

Frasier stood up and observed what was left. Just two infected remained, and one of them was still feeding on the student.

Frasier took the shield and aimed it at the infected he just shield bashed. With the trash can shield he pulled back only to throw it forward like a discus, striking directly between the eyes.

For a second time the abomination fell over. He stood over it and brought the shield down. Frasier repeatedly brought the shield down, the sound it made on impact soothed his killing frenzy. When Frasier finished caving the head in with his shield, he realized wasn't in very useable condition anymore. The rim was badly dented and no longer of any use to him.

Frasier tossed it aside, while the last one was still feeding. Slowly he approached it, kneeling down behind it. Frasier gripped the back of its head with both palms as his fingers found the eye sockets. The grip tightened, sending the fingers deep into the eyes. Blood squirted out as the infected girl tried to stand up, only to be kept down.

He slowly turned her head turned one direction, then suddenly jerked the opposite direction. Frasier felt the skull in her body instantly disconnect from the spine (along with the rest of the body). The infected girl stopped moving, the body slowly slumped forward, dead in his hands. The flesh was cold, the body void of any life whatsoever, even before Frasier had killed her.

Frasier let go, he held his hands up in the air, letting the rain cleanse his hands of the blood. He let out deep, controlled, sigh, trying to sustain himself. It was odd how he was enjoying this, but it didn't matter to him.

-

Moments later, Frasier looked up at the bus to see that he wasn't alone after all. Several curious faces peered through the windows. Frasier slowly approached the front doors, before he could knock on the door it opened up automatically.

"It had to be more survivors. The abominations aren't smart enough to use an operated door control." Frasier thought to himself.

He slowly approached the door to see a girl wearing the same uniform the female students wore at his school. Frasier then noticed she kept her short, light orange hair tied back with a hairband.

"Hurry! Get on before more show up!" she shouted, looking up and down at Frasier's soaking wet body with her devious, yellow eyes.

Frasier walked step by step onto the bus. He brushed his hair back letting droplets of water sprinkle the area around him.

There were five people in the back of the bus, they were looking at the mess Frasier had made all over the street. Then they turned to him, with looks of amazement.

"Ah our savior and hero! It was a good thing when you arrived!" announced a familiar voice to Frasier.

It was none other than Mr. Shido.

Something didn't feel right, even the air smelled wrong. Filled with the smell of sweat and shame. But Frasier's mind was too focused on being reunited with his brothers and Saeko (if she was even still alive).

"Mr. Shido? Well I assume you're the one in charge then?" Frasier presumed.

"Well of course. I'm the oldest and a teacher, I led these students to safety from the school. As their leader I've protected them from a harsh and cruel world!" Shido announced, adjusting his glasses afterwards.

The students immediately clapped like mindless drones as Shido took a bow. Frasier slowly walked over to Shido and pointed to the torn up boy that slowly began to stand up.

"That kid was crying out to you for help, why did you leave him to die?" Frasier questioned, unsure why Shido would do something so low.

"He was going insane from the chaos, he began talking to himself. He even tried to force himself onto poor Miku!" Shido said as he pointed to the girl that was standing at the door.

Frasier turned to see her with tears in her eyes.

"He would have done bad things to me! But luckily Mr. Shido was able to stop him and force him off the bus. Then a big, strong, guy came along and killed Them." Miku explained as she looked at Frasier with a lustful look in her eyes.

She wrapped her arms around his left arm, but he immediately pulled it back, showing no interest. He then grunted and laughed a little.

"That's it? That's the best lie you guys could come up with? Haha even Marcus is a better liar than you fools." Frasier chuckled as he leaned against a seat.

"H-how did you know we were lying?" Miku asked, surprised that he could see through their lies.

"I've been around for eighteen years, you think I haven't heard a shitty lie before? That and you just confirmed it." Frasier explained, grinning to himself.

Miku was stunned by the clever trick. She looked away as Shido shot her a glare of disapproval. Miku felt her heart sinking, hating the idea of his disapproval.

"So your not going to do anything about it?" questioned one of the only other boys on the bus.

"I couldn't care less about the kid, never even knew the poor sob. I'm only concerned over three people in this entire bloody country." Frasier replied coldly.

"Who are they?" asked one of the other girls sitting in the bus, cowering behind the seat in front of her, intimidated by his presence.

"My brothers, Marcus and Noah." Frasier answered.

"That was only two though." Miku noticed.

Frasier was distant and just kept quiet. He didn't wanna talk about Saeko right now, he wasn't even sure if she was even alive anymore. He just remained quiet as he sat down in the seat he leaned on.

"Hello? I'm talking to you!" Miku said as she waved her hand in his face, not wanting to be ignored one bit.

"Leave me alone, I don't wanna talk about it." Frasier grumbled, swatting her hand aside.

Before Miku could snap at Frasier in anger, Shido walked over to take over the situation.

"So tell me Frasier, what do you plan to do now? I'm sure you wouldn't be foolish enough to wander the streets alone. Especially in this weather." Shido observed, trying to convince Frasier to stay with them.

"You joking Shido? Rain is my element. However, I was separated from my brothers. I need to find my way to the next city. There was a convoy heading that way, hopefully there is no problems and they are alright." Frasier explained slowly.

"Well you must come with us!" said one of the girls sitting down.

"Yeah we could really use a fighter like you!" added another male student.

Frasier looked out the window and sighed, unsure if he should stay with this group or not. Something about them creeped him out, it also wasn't easy to trust them after what they did to one of their own earlier.

"The students are right you, will make a fine addition to the group, plus we can help you get there. We just need to make a quick stop first." Shido offered.

"And where would that be?" Frasier asked.

"Takagi Estate." Shido replied.

"Takagi Estate? What makes you think they will help us?" Frasier asked, knowing that it was highly unlikely they would help them.

"Let's just say I have someone on the inside." Shido replied as he grinned, adjusting his glasses once more.

"Hrm, very well. But if any of you try anything funny with me like you did with your friend out there, then I will use lethal force." Frasier warned as he moved to the very back of the bus, claiming a row of seats for himself.

Shido grinned to himself as he drove the bus forward. It gave him confidence that he had someone to defend the group if the need should arise.

Frasier meanwhile kept to himself during the ride, looking at his picture of Saeko most of the time. Drowning out the sound of the other students on the bus.

-

After a few blocks, the bus came to a complete halt. Frasier looked over to see Miku leaning out the window.

"

Miku sat back as the barricade was soon lifted momentarily to let the bus through. Shido casually drove on as Miku got back inside, brushing her wet chest off and clenching her hair to get the rain water out.

"See? Mr. Shido knows what he's doing. So who was the third person you cared about? Is it a girlfriend?" one of the other girls asked Frasier.

"Leave me alone, go bother someone else." Frasier grunted, uninterested in talking to the girl.

"So it is a girl! C'mon you can tell me! I won't tell anyone." the same girl pressed on, whispering the last part.

"Kawamoto, maybe you shouldn't bother him, you guys all saw what he did to the infected." a timid girl in glasses, warned.

"Now that you mention it, he always did hang around that Saeko girl. Bet they were screwing with all that alone time they had." the blonde boy teased, not realizing Frasier was standing before him.

Frasier reached down and gripped him by the neck, slowly dragging him out of his seat.

"Agh... let me... go!" the blonde boy demanded, gasping for breath between each pause.

"I've had just about enough of you creeps, if this wasn't my only option I'd be long gone. So let's get one thing straight, you don't say that name, you don't refer to that name, and you never say anything degrading about her. Understand?" Frasier growled, tightening his grip.

***screech***

The bus suddenly stopped, causing Frasier to loosen his grip as his feet stumbled forward. The boy dropped to the floor as Shido stood up to adress the problem himself.

"That's the second time you've been knocked on your ass Tsunoda. At least this time it was by a boy." the girl sitting loyally at Shido's side taunted.

"Shut up Miku! He just caught me off guard is all." Tsunoda grumbled.

Frasier looked down at Tsunoda and gave him a quick kick in the groin.

"That's twice now." Frasier corrected as he turned to face Shido.

Tsunoda grinned as held his wounded groin, knowing Shido would help him.

"Get up! Enough of this petty bickering! I've said it once and I'll say it again: only the strong may survive!" Shido snapped, glaring at Tsunoda from the corner of his gaze.

"As for you Frasier, you should watch that temper of yours. It would be a shame if it cost you an opportunity to see your brothers agai-" Shido threatened before Frasier gripped his neck.

"Is that a threat Shido? I don't take kindly to that sort of behavior." Frasier warned as Shido tried to pry his hands off.

"Mr Shido!" one of the girls shouted out as the rest of the students began to panic at the sight of their leader in pain.

"If you kill me now then you'll loose your chance to find them." Shido explained in fear while he gasped for air.

"Fair enough." Frasier replied as he let go, dropping Shido to the floor, gasping for air.

"Well then, I think it's best we step off the bus to get some fresh air. Frasier maybe you should keep an eye on the bus in the mean time." Shido suggested, rubbing his neck as he regained his breath.

"Whatever." Frasier responded as he sat back in his seat.

-

Minutes after the group left the bus, Frasier got bored and wandered off to see what was going on in the Takagi Estate.

Frasier stretched his legs, then his arms to keep the blood flowing. The students that followed Shido were like sheep, he had to break away and see if there was another way to find his siblings. Being around them gave him the creeps.

Frasier walked around moving through the camps set up along the sides of the estate. He paid no attention to anyone as he could hear what sounded like soldiers marching.

He casually followed the sound to see roughly a hundred men or so in the back practice formations and melee training. It seemed like a boot camp to Frasier, peeking his interest as he approached the man instructing the others.

"What is this?" Frasier asked.

"The Takagi Militia. We're training these men to fight and combat the infected. These men will be out to ensure that those who can't fight will make it to the evacuation point. They are fresh and eager to fight back. I just hope they can handle this great undertaking." explained the man in uniform a white uniform.

"Think I could join? I've been fighting these abomination's ever since day one." Frasier asked.

"You? Well we can use every man we can get. Do you know how to use this?" the instructor asked as he tossed Frasier a Naginata.

Frasier nodded as he then spun the weapon around a few times. Impressed at the maneuvers, the instructor snapped his fingers and had a uniform brought to Frasier.

-

Hours later, the rain soon died down and the sun began its decent once more.

The rain soon died out and the sun was setting. Frasier continued to train with the rest of the recruits, glad he was able to finally find a group of capable fighters he didn't need to baby sit.

In the midst of his down time, a bright flash could be seen across the orange skies. He covered his eyes a bit as people pointed to the mysterious glow. Just as the bright light appeared, all the lights began to shut down. Almost as if someone had pulled the plug on the electricity.

Frasier then grabbed a pair of binoculars. He carefully observed the ominous spark. As things didn't seem bad enough as it is, a plane could be seen in the far off distance, slowly plummeting towards the ground.

It was too far off to be heard, even if there weren't crowds of people talking all at once over the bright light.

-

Suddenly gunshots could be heard off in the distance. It was clear to Frasier that the infected were now showing up at the worst time possible. After awhile the gunshots mysteriously ceased just as they had begun. The people in the camps looked around, unsure of what was going on now.

Moments later another sound could be heard.

***clang***

The iron gates could be heard collapsing at the front of the estate. along the groans of over five hundred infected. Frasier could then hear even more gunshots, much closer to the front of the house.

Militia men ran to their officers ready for instruction. More and more gunshots went off as Frasier joined them. He looked up to one of the officers standing above them.

"Men, the front gate has been breached. We need to evacuate the perimeter of whoever is left. Go get your gear and prepare to defend the front of the house. We must not lose this estate!" ordered a man in a clean white uniform.

The militia quickly turned around and ran to gather everything they needed. Frasier ran to his bag and opened up the seal. He pulled out the militia uniform and decided to just put it over his soaking, hardly dried, clothes since time was of the essence.

***BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* **

Amongst the gunshots, a series of dynamite exploding could be heard.

With no time to lose, Frasier grabbed his Naginata and ran with the rest of the Takagi Militia, towards the front of the house.

-

Night was upon the estate as the militia moved closer to the front of the house. Civilians ran towards the back of the house as the camps and tents were set ablaze. The candles that illuminated the front courtyard were barely lit. Most were either knocked over and spreading the fires, or they were blocked out by the infected horde passing by.

A Humvee drove through the gaps of the undead. Frasier watched as the military vehicle sped off, fleeing the battle field.

"Prepare to defend the estate, this is what your training has prepared you for!" shouted a powerful, commanding, voice.

Frasier looked on to see the man calling the shots around here. The man had jet black hair, his stance was intimidating and strong. He wore a black uniform while every other man under him wore blue and white uniforms. Even his orange eyes resembled that of a predator.

Frasier had once seen this man in the newspaper, Souichiro Takagi was his name, Don of the Tokonosu prefecture's ultra-nationalist organization, a very wealthy man as well.

The militia slowly marched down the stairs to join up with their leader as he roared out theorders.

Only him, his wife, and his personal body guard were left of those fighting in the front. The infected were everywhere, it seemed like hundreds if not thousands were approaching the house.

Frasier stood in the front row, prepared for battle. Men who had never even seen combat before, just stood yards away from the masses of infected. They held their ground, ready for contact. The men seemed nervous from the flames that sparked when the candles were knocked over.

The first wave approached, they limped and were within range. Frasier heard one of the Takagi Elite blowing into a loud whistle. His line held out spears, impaling the first wave that walked into them. Frasier felt his spear pierce through two infected.

The whistle blew again, giving them the order to retract their spears. The row behind Frasier held their spears up ready to bring them down on any infected that were stuck on the first row's spears.

Frasier pulled back with a girl impaled the end of the point. As she pulled herself closer to him, the two men behind Frasier brought their spears down onto her skull. The abomination hissed and groaned as it died quickly.

The Takagi Elite blew their whistles twice, giving the order to advance forward. Frasier's row held up their spears, jabbing at stragglers from the first wave.

The undead horde was now packed too close together for the spear maneuver to be effective. Everyone pulled their arms back only to through their spears, impaling whatever was in front of them. As the infected fell, more would just walk over to continue the advance.

Frasier drew the katana at his side and stood his ground. Remembering the three dedicated years of training he spent with Saeko. The smell of blood in the air was affecting him greatly, it was intoxicating.

"Everyone prepare to charge. Drive those abominations back, they are not human so do what you must to win!" Souichiro Takagi roared out.

The men cheered and yelled as they felt inspired to fight.

"Show these things what you are made of! Everyone show Them your inner furry as men!" Shouichiro ordered.

Frasier's chest tickled again as he felt the thrill of the kill awaken. He held the blade high above his head and let out a loud roar.

"CHARGE!" was all he heard before everyone at once began to run, taking the horde on toe-to-toe. Frasier ran forward at such speed even his fellow militia men couldn't keep up. As they drew closer, Frasier looked at the very first of the infected to get in his way.

With a single swipe of the blade, he cut down three instantaneously. With the thrill of the kill taking over, Frasier started to swing in deadly arcs, slicing anything unfortunate to cross my path. With a flick of the wrist, Frasier immediately removed the blood from the blade to prevent any damage to it.

Frasier then slowed down and watched as both sides clashed. Most of the militia were able to cut down the front of the horde, unfortunately some were overpowered and were consumed in the carnage.

He gripped the handle tighter, men who had never been to war before fought for their lives as the battle escalated. Taking enough of the battle in, Frasier got back into the action.

Running at moderate speed, he sliced through small groups letting the blood splash everywhere he would tread. The moon was high as his blade shinned in the night. His fellow militia were pushing the abominations back. Flesh and steel clashed as the militia fought with everything they had against the undead.

As Frasier cut down everything in his path, he then noticed a man holding his Naginta up, struggling with three infected at once. Frasier rushed over and brought the blade down slicing six arms off. The man he was helping fell back and watched as Frasier swiped the blade back and forth. The three infected soon fell into multiple pieces.

"Thanks kid... you saved my life." the man said in gratitude.

"Don't thank me yet, this battle isn't over yet." Frasier responded, handing the man his weapon back.

However the battle was theirs, but they still needed to make sure every last one of Them was dead. A single one was capable of brining down the entire place down, all it took was one bite.

Frasier sliced a man in two, cutting right down the middle, he then turned to face the one behind him. He heard a gunshot and watched as infected woman's skull popped. Frasier turned to see the shooter in her dress shoot him a smile as he nodded to her.

**{}**

-

The fires from the candles spread to the point they cut the militia off from the remnants of the horde they battled with. Frasier stood there, watching the flames crackle as the infected stood there almost as if waiting for him.

"Get some buckets and fill them with water. We need to put these flames out and finish the job." ordered Souichiro.

Frasier however could not wait a moment longer. The flames weren't enough to hold him back. His fists gripped tight, unable to let the undead go unchallenged for even a single moment.

After taking a few steps back, Frasier began to run at incredible speed. When he reached the flames, he leapt over the blazing inferno, landing into the center of the last ten infected that plagued the estate.

Those carrying the water buckets stopped in shock that someone would do something so reckless and foolhardy. Multiple infected threw themselves onto Frasier, all trying to pin him to the ground with their superior numbers.

However, Frasier was prepared for this sort of attack. He crossed his arms together only to expand out, sending the infected back. Two landed in the flames, slowly burning to a crisp as they gurgled in hunger.

Frasier was now in a state of bliss, slaying the infected did more then boost his adrenaline. It gave him a rush beyond belief, the intoxication of killing the undead was driving his senses wild.

He sliced and diced four infected corpses in mere seconds. Limbs torn and severed beyond repair, the blood of the spurting against the ground.

One had managed to grab his right arm, forcing Frasier to drop the blade. Before it could bite him, he quickly made a fist and backhanded the abomination into the flames.

It hissed and squealed as its flesh melted away. Only three remained with him in the circle of fire. One reached out to him, he ducked and swept his leg, knocking the infected woman to the ground.

Frasier stood up tall, raising one foot only to bring it down, crushing the skull on impact. The next one limped towards the enraged warrior, with both arms extended to reach out to him.

Taking his time, Frasier picked up the blade and sliced at the hips, then the head. He then lifted his right leg and kicked the chest, causing the head to spin in the air as the torso and legs were sent back. Before it hit the ground Frasier sliced the head in half.

The last one was in his face with its mouth wide open. Frasier nearly gagged from the smell as he reached out, gripping it's neck lifting it in the air. As the flames crackled, the militia cheered, they watched as Frasier slowly carved through the neck, decapitating the last attacker.

The body dropped to the ground as Frasier held the head high for all to see. He looked at his fellow militia men, all were cheering after winning such an extraordinary battle.

The rush was finally over as Frasier sheathed his blade. Men began to toss the water onto the flames, freeing Frasier from the fires that surrounded him. He walked through the vapor as the militia cheered for the grand victory.

They then looked at Frasier and began to raise their fists in the air.

"Shinigami! Shinigami! Shinigami!" they called out, calling him the grim reaper.

-

Moments later, everyone gathered at the stairs before Souichiro and Yuriko Takagi.

"This is a great victory for us! The dead have come to our gates only to be sent to hell!" Souichiro proudly announced.

Frasier and the militia cheered as Souichiro held up his hand for silence.

"It's to dark for us to journey to the next city, at daybreak we march. However, we will need an expeditionary force to clear a path and make sure it is safe to travel. I know you're all tired and have given so much but we need just a little bit more, who is willing to go just a bit further?" Souichiro questioned.

Everyone fell silent, all looked unsure and began to talk amongst themselves.

Frasier knew that the convoy that Marcus and Noah were on was in that part of the city. He had to go if he wanted to see them anytime soon.

"I am." Frasier announced, raising his arm up for all to see, everyone was silent and looked over to him.

"Come here soldier, show everyone who you are." Souichiro ordered, motioning Frasier to stand before everyone.

Frasier did as he was told and walked through the ranks. All eyes were focused onto him. After walking up the stairs, he stood before everyone.

"What is your name?" Yuriko asked him in a smooth tone.

Before Frasier could answer, the man he saved during the battle raised his fist shouted out: "The Shinigami!"

The Takagis both looked down at the man. Then the rest of the men joined in and raised their fists in the air, shouting"Shinigami! Shinigami! Shinigami!"

Frasier looked at the Takagis as Souichiro chuckled.

"Well seems you have become quite the hero among us. Tell me why out of all these men, the youngest one is the one to be first to answer my call?" Souichiro asked, glaring down at Frasier with a predatory look.

"Because I'm willing to fight and die for those who mean everything to me. I'm just doing what is expected of me. I'm only doing what I do best, and what I do best isn't very nice." Frasier replied, Souichiro continued to stare him down, still awaiting an answer.

"My name is Frasier, but I guess you can call me what everyone else has branded me as." Frasier finished.

"Very well, who will join this man and being death to the infected that plague our world?" Souichiro asked in a loud powerful tone, the men in the crowds cheered and raised their hands.

"Prepare to move out, and remember we're counting on all of you." Souichiro explained as the expeditionary force assembled to the broken down iron gates.

-

The expeditionary force marched step by step, with Frasier in the very front. They kept in a column formation filling the streets with eager troops. Everyone was ready for a fight, after a glorious victory at Takagi estate who wouldn't be inspired to fight back?

Their boots were loud and proud; luckily the streets were mostly empty. A large majority of the abominations we're slain at the estate. Whenever the infected would dare show themselves, the militia would send Them straight to hell. Their destination was the next city over, and to report on the status of the convoy.

Both of Frasier's younger brothers were on that convoy. He was on it at one point, but gave that up when he distracted the infected so the last bus could escape.

As they marched they passed a small park. The men began noticing an A.T.V. (All Terrain Vehicle) in a fountain with a small pack of the abominations crowding around it. It seemed like the survivors were learning how the infected hunt.

"Should we engage them?" one man asked Frasier.

"No, leave Them were they are. We need to stay on course. If they show interest in us, waste them." Frasier replied, unsure why they were asking him for his input.

The park was quite beautiful, the trees stood tall as the leafs fell to the ground. Despite the blood stains on the paths and the remains of the unfortunate, it was a very peaceful setting. To think that the dead would defile these peaceful grounds, it made Frasier's blood boil. He kept in control though, because he had more important things to do then to cleanse a park.

-

Soon the unit reached a highway filled with abandoned cars. Most of the men didn't like the idea of walking in tight quarters with the chance of being trapped with nowhere to go.

Frasier walked forward looking at the carnage that took place here. Bodies were everywhere, but he couldn't tell if they were alive or not.

"Be careful, I see a lot of bodies but no infected, some might be alive so watch yourself. Pass it on to the man behind you." Frasier whispered to the man behind him.

As they passed the word through the rows Frasier began to tread cautiously along the cars. Everyone was now whispering to each other, they didn't like this either but it was the fastest route to their destination. The sun would be up soon, giving more light and comfort that they had survived another night.

-

The man in charge of them was Yoshioka, the right hand man of Souichiro himself. He stood tall in a white uniform and white dress shoes, his hair and eyes were both a plain brown.

About halfway across the highway they all stopped. The men pointed and whispered as they saw the buses all lined up. Frasier recognized them more than any of them, it was the convoy.

"How do we know this is the convoy?" asked one man.

"Because I was there when they left for the next town." Frasier answered.

Heads turned towards him as another soldier asked: "Then why are you here?"

"Because I made the choice to distract the infected, thus letting everyone else get away. It was a necessary sacrifice." Frasier responded.

Everyone remained silent as a few militia men searched the buses. It was empty, nobody was left on board. Luckily no dead we're nearby either, maybe the EMP was what stopped the buses. The only place to go now was refugee camps.

Frasier then noticed a militia man rummaging through a car, searching for anything of value no doubt.

"Go bring that soldier back; everyone needs to stick to the formation." Yoshioka ordered Frasier.

Frasier nodded and walked over to the man slowly.

"Hey get back in line soldier; it's not a good idea to split off from the group." Frasier said calmly.

The man looked at Frasier and grunted.

"Shut up kid, you have no say in what I do. You may be in the militia but you are still just a kid." the man replied, showing no intent on stopping with his looting.

Frasier turned his head to see the entire unit halt as this arrogant fool defied direct orders.

"You're just delaying progress, I'm not asking you to get in line soldier..." Frasier said sharply.

The man laughed and pushed Frasier a step back.

"And who will make me? You? Why don't you show me what you got and make me!" the man taunted.

Frasier gripped both fists tight; he wanted nothing more than to put the man in his place but then took a deep breath. He needed to conserve his energy.

"Very well, you want to be like that? Fine by me, you're on your own." Frasier said, walking away, back to his original position.

The man stomped his foot down in anger yelling.

"Don't you walk away from me you coward! I've killed more infected then you can count! Get back here!" the man demanded.

Frasier smiled under his breathe as he knew the man was nothing more than a wild animal, losing all power.

As Frasier continued to walk away, he heard a blade being drawn from its sheath. He turned to see the man charging towards him. His sword drawn ready to strike, fear was in his voice as he yelled. Frasier stood his ground with one hand on the handle ready to fight back.

As the man charged, he suddenly stopped for some reason. Everyone watched as he stood there trying to move his left leg. Frasier then saw it.

A grey hand from underneath a car gripped his pants tight. The man tried to pull away only to fall on the ground, dropping his sword in the process.

As two soldiers started pulling him back, the hand followed to reveal an infected woman had gotten a hold of him.

She opened her mouth wide and tore into the man's leg with no mercy. He screamed in pain as she broke the skin, blood trickled out as he tried to pull her off. He reached for his blade as she mauled him in a matter of seconds.

"Hey they're over here too!" yelled a militia man as the infected began to emerge from underneath the cars. A medium sized group at best, but very little room to fight.

"Men prepare to engage!" Yoshioka ordered.

Everyone began to move to the right side of the highway, shifting into a line formation. Frasier stood and watched as those armed with spears jabbed at the attackers.

While watching the skirmish, a spearman in front of him impaled an infected man through the stomach. The abomination grabbed it, slowly pulling the man by his own spear towards the undead crowd.

Frasier quickly grabbed his collar pulling him back before throwing a solid punch, sending the impaled fiend back, knocking several others down. Frasier then handed him his blood coated spear back.

"Thanks Sinigami, I owe you one." the young man said, just as the skirmish was soon over.

Frasier didn't like being called that, it felt like he was the grim reaper. The militia kept alert, finishing off whatever was left as Frasier walked towards the man who was still on the ground having his leg mauled. He coughed blood over himself as he raised his hand up for help.

Swinging his boot, the woman was knocked back. Frasier then drew his blade and dragged it against the road causing sparks to form as he stood over the grey skinned fiend.

She groaned at him, baring her teeth with the poor man's uniform and flesh between them. Frasier brought the blade up without hesitation to let everyone see, only to bring it down across her neck, serving the head from the body. The head rolled around the pavement then slowly stopped.

Frasier sheathed his blade in the holster, Yoshioka then walked to him, nodding in approval.

"Good work soldier. Let us move on and try to keep on schedule. We should be off this damn highway soon." Yoshioka said, motioning the rest of the men to move out.

"And kid, be sure to take care of that soldier before you return to your post." Yoshioka instructed before he walked away to join at the front of the line.

Frasier looked at the defiant man lying in the road; his skin was pale from the loss of blood.

"Please... Don't leave me... I'm sorry I disobeyed you... you can't leave me to die here!" the man sobbed, begging for help.

Frasier stood there silent as the man coughed more blood up. It was uncertain how long it would be before he turned.

"At least let me die as a human." the dying man begged.

The thought of killing another human rattled in Frasier's mind.

Never has he once slain another human being before. Granted he has killed his fair share of infected and was trained to kill ever since he was six, but the first kill was always the most memorable one.

The wind blew through Frasier's hair, his heart beating slowly.

He came to the conclusion that he had to end his life, if he didn't the man would just become another abomination, and that was not an option.

The blade shinned in the sunlight, the steel reflecting the man's dying face.

"Wait! What is your name?" he asked.

"They call me... Sinigami." Frasier said, accepting his title.

After that, the man closed his eyes as the blade quickly ended his life. Frasier's body suddenly became warm inside; he felt the thrill returning, building inside of him as he wanted more. He quickly sheathed the blade and took a deep breath.

Reaching into hid pocket, he pulled his wallet out. Both eyes were focused on the picture of Saeko Busijima. Frasier closed his eyes and put the wallet back.

Deep down he knew she was still alive, if anyone was to survive this, it would be her. Frasier then ran back to join up with the front of the expedition.

-

The rest of the trip was silent as they finally reached the next city. The militia cautiously entered into the city to see it was empty. It felt like a damn ghost town, Frasier kept his senses alert in case more infected would dare show themselves. His right hand always remained on the handle, just in case something were to get the jump on him.

Tension began to rise as the other volunteers didn't like the emptiness. Some were in fear, some were bored. Their feet were sore from the matching, Frasier could even feel his toes trying to stretch but couldn't go out enough.

The militia soon approached the destination. A large gate was closed between two large buildings; ten militia men slowly pulled the gates apart. Everyone walked through the gates.

Camps were set up, but no signs of life could be detected. Frasier walked around to see if there were any indications left of where the survivors could be. The tents were set up, so where was everyone? He then walked over to Yoshioka.

"Something isn't right here. There are no survivors, and worse no infected.. I don't like this place. It feels like a trap almost." Frasier told him.

"It seems that way doesn't it? Try to stay calm; I'm sure we will find something." Yoshioka responded, acknowledging the eerie moment.

Frasier looked over and saw two volunteers talking. He then noticed a figure rise from a tent and reach its grey hands out pulling a militia man back.

"They're here!" he yelled out as the infected man bit into his neck, tearing the jugular vien in one bite.

All of a sudden all the tents began to shuffle as infected began to rise, pulling anyone too close into the shadows and consuming them. The entire camp was infested with Them!

Yoshioka immediately blew his whistle and ordered everyone to engage. Everyone drew their weapons out and charged in one big mob against the undead.

Frasier drew his blade as he rushed off to fight. Both sides clashed into each other. So far it didn't look good, the militia expedition had already taken heavy casualties and we were not in any formation.

Their own troops were becoming infected as the battle raged on. Frasier sliced what he knew was infected; the sun was high as the ambush was coming to an end. There was no escape; all the exits of the camp had been blocked off from unimaginable amounts of Them. There were possibly more here then there was at Takagi Estate!

-

Yoshioka blew the whistle for retreat but Frasier refused to surrender. Despite his efforts, he could not do it alone. Frasier was knocked to the ground, remaining as one of the only survivors that didn't flee from the battlefield. He gripped the dirt between his fingers.

"Noah... Marcus... Saeko! I won't let you down... I WON'T!" Frasier shouted as he grabbed a second blade off of the ground.

Frasier quickly got back up and started to swing in deadly arcs, lobotomizing everything in his wake. The tickle in his chest returned as the thrill was in full effect. Blood dripped off the tips of each blade.

His feet moved fast along the blood stained concrete Frasier cut down what seemed like endless amounts of infected. Frasier's heart raced, his blades carved into the lost souls, this was a good day to die.

However that wasn't the option for him.

As they drew near, he rushed in a straight line decapitating the first seven he encountered. The blades sliced through flesh and bone, the cold steel ripped through the grey skinned fiends.

Frasier's body burned inside as he was in another bliss. The blades danced as limbs were torn and severed apart. The rush was to much to handle, his form was slowly becoming sloppy. His breathe became short as all energy was depleted sooner than expected.

Both swords became heavy all of a sudden; Frasier dropped them as his muscles tightened. Both arms were giving out and he couldn't take much more.

"No... what is wrong with me?" Frasier murmured to himself.

He coughed and shook his head. Frasier began to disengage the abominations and slowly step back.

Frasier held a spear sideways as five infected grabbed the handle pushing him back. His body hit a window and broke through from the force the infected used.

He fell into a store and hit a large a bookcase. It tipped back and forth before it fell over towards Frasier.

He closed his eyes expecting a slow death, his body was finally catching up with all the energy he had been expending over the last few days with barely any rest. His eyes became heavy as his last thought was "I'm not dead... Yet." 


	11. Act 4: Survival Part 2

**Act 4 Survival of the Dead Part 2**

**Z-Day+5 **

Frasier sat up and found himself still under the bookcase hanging over him. He carefully crawled out from under it and looked at the sky.

The sun was setting and the ambushing horde had moved on with the exception of the stragglers feeding on the fallen militia. Flesh being torn from the bones as the infected showed they had an endless hunger.

The bookcase leaned on the ledge of the window which explained why the infected did not follow Frasier into the room. They stood there with open mouths as if expecting him to come out.

Frasier was all that was left of the expeditionary force now, other than Yoshioka and the small squad that went back to Takagi Estate.

-

His uniform was tattered and had tears all over it. There were no weapons for him to use, he knew he couldn't go back out the window. Frasier had no idea how his body would react after it broke down like it did a few hours ago.

Slowly removing the uniform, he folded it neatly and left it on a table. It was all he could do to honor those who died here today.

Frasier was now back in his old attire. Black work boots, rugged blue jeans, sweat-stained black t-shirt, and sports armor that covered his forearms, shins, and upper torso.

The lights in this room were out; he couldn't tell if the EMP had affected this city as well, or someone simply kept the light switch off. Every step Frasier took was with caution, his vision soon adapted and adjusted to the darkness that shrouded him.

What was left of the sun, guided him to the front of the building. Frasier walked out, slowly making sure the door wouldn't slam behind him and attract all of Them.

The streets were filled with chaos; the city was the same as the last one. The undead walked the streets as no survivors could be seen, alive at least.

-

Frasier began silently moving along the sidewalks trying to avoid any infected he encountered. But every second he worried for his brothers well being. After seeing those buses brought to a standstill by the EMP is was hard to tell what truly happened to them.

Frasier sighed and needed to blow some steam off, he looked at a moderate pack of Them. He looked at the environment for any weapons, but nothing useful could be spotted.

"Not today, abominations." Frasier softly grumbled. Gritting his teeth in anger as he had to accept that he couldn't deal with Them at the moment.

Frasier continued on and looked at the sky. The sun was gone and night was upon him, he was all alone in the dark.

The street lights suddenly turned on, Frasier watched as post by post activated. It was safe to assume that the EMP didn't reach this part of the city. The light from the post above shun down on him.

Reaching into his right pocket, he pulled his wallet out to see the picture once more. It was the only material possession he had that kept him going. Without it he would've long descended into madness, just being alone was enough to get him talking to whomever he imagined was beside him.

Letting out a sigh, Frasier put it back knowing he had other priorities.  
>His brothers meant everything to him, but so did Saeko. His feet began to move again as the journey continued.<p>

-

The lonely night progressed on as Frasier constantly moved. He ended up consuming all of his water, he kept the bottle and would refill it anywhere he could. Frasier wished his brothers were here, he felt fear. An emotion he only felt a few times in his entire life.

Suddenly a man's screams could be heard. Frasier ran towards the source and watched as three of Them grabbing a survivor, biting at his legs and torso. He held up a crowbar desperately trying to fight back, but it was useless. His swings were wild and missed as he panicked for his life.

Frasier cautiously walked over and grabbed the crowbar that slid off to the side. He quickly executed all of Them as they continued feeding on the survivor's flesh.

Their skulls cracked as he brought the crowbar down, the sound of bone being demolished was soothing for Frasier. When he was finished the survivor slowly stood up.

Already expecting this, the bitten survivor had turned and reached for Frasier.

Jumping back in time, Frasier dodged the grab. He gave a quick blow to the temple and watched as the infected survivor fell back onto the cold pavement. To be sure the job was done, Frasier lifted his boot only to bring it down, ensuring the abomination stated down.

Frasier liked the crowbar, he gave it a few practice swings. It seemed light yet held great potential.

The commotion had attracted multiple packs. Under Frasier's breath he smiled as he gripped the crowbar tight. Frasier rushed the nearest infected corpses, quickly ending Them in a series of bone breaking swings. As more drew near he licked his lips in anticipation.

Suddenly Frasier began to laugh, from small chuckles to full on laughter. Deep down he knew he was enjoying this. The raw energy and the extreme danger was breathtaking.

He no longer cared for stealth anymore; Frasier beat down and destroyed any walking corpse in his path. Men, women, elderly, hell even the children! It no longer mattered to him; they were all the same and had to be put to rest. One way or another he would ensure it.

One managed to bite the bar, Frasier spun the bar around feeling the teeth grind and shatter in the process. He kicked it back as he bashed the skull in of the girl to his left. As she fell, Frasier walked to the one he just kicked over.

It looked up at him and opened its disgusting mouth, revealing the broken teeth, letting out the standard groan. Frasier looked into its cold white-filled eyes and smiled as his boot stomped on the forehead, splattering the brain goo all over the sidewalk.

Swinging the crowbar in hand, he waited for more to show. After waiting a few seconds, he was left with only four more to kill. With quick, decisive strikes, Frasier was alone again. His laughter was not normal, he soon got ahold of himself he looked into the broken mirror of an abandoned car. Something had changed inside of him.

-

Frasier began to walk further down the streets, for awhile it was empty and quiet as expected. Despite the peace he never let his guard down, not after what happened at the camp. Both boots echoed throughout the abandoned blocks.

His stomach gurgled and rumbled in hunger. He held his stomach trying to silence it. As he thought he was alone he then heard a loud sound. Then multiple sounds could be heard, all of them sounded like motorcycles.

Frasier ran through an ally but remained in the shadows. Watching the street he watched six to seven bikes go by. All of them wearing helmets hiding their faces.

A girl ran out into the street and held her hands out calling for help. The motorcycles kept going at their speed as one rider pulled out a metal pipe. The girl stood there unaware of the situation, but Frasier knew exactly what was going to happen.

He quickly ran out and tackled the girl out of the way as the pipe barely missed both of them.

"Hey! What the hell is wrong with you?" the girl asked in an angered tone, unsure why this random boy just shoved her into the filthy ground.

"Get out of here, these people aren't here to help, they're just going to kill you." Frasier warned, putting an emphasis on the word "help".

"Look out!" the girl suddenly shouted, pointing at one of the bikers driving towards them.

As soon as she said that, Frasier turned around to see one rider swinging a metal chain around. The biker swung it around then whipped Frasier's left wrist. The chain circled tightly around the forearm; Frasier could hear laughter as the biker began to drive forward.

"Oh crap." was all he could mutter before his body was dragged forward.

The chain was wrapped up tight, but Frasier held on strong as he was dragged along the road. Luckily his sports armor was enough to shield him from being turned into a red pulp.

The biker drove through the streets with the rest of the gang as Frasier was dragged with him. They laughed and tried to swing whatever weapons they had acquired at him. Frasier rolled around dodging whatever they could send his way.

The biker eventually grew bored and let go off the chain before he drove off, laughing as his voice became faint in the distance.

Frasier tumbled and rolled into some nearby garbage cans. After he knew they were gone for sure, he picked himself back up.

His body seemed ok other than a few bruises, but the upper sports armor was ravaged to the point it was cracked, rendering it near useless if expected to hold up again to a punishment like that.

Frasier pulled off the broken edges then tossed it aside. It was hard walking at first, his legs were tired and were wobbling from the intense moment.

He coughed and gripped both fists, before unwrapping the metal chain still attached to his forearm. Frasier now wasn't really sure where he was, this day just kept on getting worse by the minute. No matter what though, he needed to keep moving.

-

After hours of walking, Frasier's feet were beginning to become sore as he felt his mind boggle at the endless journey.

Just as it seemed nothing good was going to happen, he saw what would even the playing field for him. A sporting goods store that seemed to have been looted and abandoned. He walked in hoping to find something of use.

-

Frasier cautiously entered the store in case any infected lingered within. His eyes adjusted to the dim lighting fixtures overhead as he scouted the room for movement. So far everything seemed normal.

All the shelves and display cases were picked clean of anything useful. Some were even smashed in attempts to access the really good stuff such as the few guns sold there. Frasier then noticed something that really caught his eye.

A familiar duffle bug could be seen laying against a countertop. It seemed nearly impossible but it was the same on he planted under the convoy bus.

"Well that's convenient." Frasier thought to himself as he opened the bag to see some of the ammunition boxes were used up, empty food wrappers littered the empty spaces, and the police sidearm Marcus had was missing.

Frasier slowly explored the building for any signs of the survivors who took his bag. He pulled the crossbow out and pulled the strap over his arm so he could carry the duffle bag along his back.

He carefully pushed a door open to enter a back room. What he found in the room was certainly not what he had expected to see.

Multiple bodies were scattered throughout the storage room. Two were young males and at least Frasier's age.

Some had their throats torn out while the rest had their heads bashed in by a blunt object of some sort. Frasier was weary about the ones that were bitten, uncertain if it was one of Them responsible for the slaughter or not.

He then noticed the police sidearm was tightly gripped within one of the fallen survivors hands. Explaining what happened to the pistol from the bag.

Against his better judgement, he gently placed his hand over the forehead of one of the bitten survivors to feel for a high fever. To his relief the body was cold and stiff as normal corpses should be.

"If the abominations didn't kill you guys... Who did?" Frasier pondered to himself as he then looked over to see a wooden chair with loose rope sitting at the legs. Splotches of dried blood painting the floor around it.

But what caught his attention most of all, was the three severed fingers resting on the arm of the chair. Clearly indicating someone was being tortured to extreme measures.

Frasier quickly checked over the dead survivors to realize none of them were missing any fingers. Now he had a heavy suspicion that it was whomever they subjected to such horrendous pain that was responsible for the blood bath before him.

"If your fingers were missing you'd want to find a medical kit..." Frasier then calculated as he walked towards a door that was yet to be opened.

"Ah, there we are." Frasier thought as he then jiggled the handle to notice it was locked tight. Clearly no one could get in without the key or done serious firepower.

Suddenly, something fell off a shelf and rolled out for Frasier to see. He quickly spun around and aimed his crossbow, ready to fire in case an infected corpse was approaching him from behind.

But nothing could been seen throughout the darkness in the vast storage shelfs that reached the ceiling of the large room. Frasier then set the crossbow down and knew it must've been the survivor that was missing his fingers.

"I know you're there and I know what you did to these people. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that they were the ones who did wrong and you simply sought revenge. After surviving such a traumatic experience, I doubt you'll want to talk to me so listen to my words."

"I'm not with these people and I have no quarrel with you. To show good faith, I'll leave the pistol they took from me and hand it down to you along with some ammunition and fresh water." Frasier announced as he placed the police pistol (along with a full box of ammo) on the chair and an unopened water bottle besides it.

"As for that door. I'm certain you'll want to get into it for the medical supplies it may contain." Frasier announced as he pulled out the shotgun from the duffle bag.

***boom* *boom* **

He fired two rounds from the powerful gun. Blasting off the hinges that kept it in place before he kicked the door down, granting anyone access to whatever it may contain.

"I'd recommend taking care of your wound before leaving. It's a dangerous place out there, so don't expect the mercy I've shown you to come from anyone else." Frasier announced before he left the storage room. Giving whomever dwelled within a second chance at surviving the brutal streets of Tokonosu.

-

Frasier went back to the main store to grab a backpack. He then noticed that there were some other valuable materials people neglected to take with them.

A long rope that could prove useful as the one he used two days ago, a pair of binoculars with night vision, a pair of sunglasses (even if it was still night time), and a machete.

In the clothing isle he was even able to find a jacket his size. It was sage green and had a hood on the back. Frasier pulled it off the rack and put it on, it was no leather jacket but it would have to do.

Frasier loaded all of the goods into his bag and let out a deep sigh. Before setting foot outside into the unknown, he looked at his personal piece of inspiration. The one little picture of Saeko was all it took to keep him going. 


	12. Act 4: Survival Part 3

**Act 4 Survival Part 3**  
><strong>Tokonosu City, Japan<strong>

**Z-Day+5**

The sun began to rise as Frasier walked out of the store; the streets were completely empty. He put the sunglasses on so the sun wouldn't get in his eyes and potentially distract him.

With the machete in his right hand, he kept a vigilant watch out for any more survivors. The crowbar was attached to the side of the backpack while the guns were carefully placed inside the duffle bag.

While walking by a broken car, he noticed in one of the reflecting mirrors that he was beginning to grow his facial hair back. Frasier felt his face to be sure, running his hands along the small prickles.

With no razor blade, he knew he would have to live with the scruff, seeing how a machete would be way too dangerous to shave with.

Getting over the facial hair, Frasier walked away and kept moving along the sidewalks. There was no destination anymore; it now came down to exploring and hoping to find his brothers. He knew they were alive deep down, but that wouldn't mean they weren't in some sort of trouble. Frasier gripped his fists and kept going.

-

As Frasier explored the streets, he couldn't help but notice the lack of infected. Sometimes he would find a few and quickly end their pain, but it was becoming a ghost town just like everywhere else. He then looked up at the sky to see a plume of smoke. There must have been a fire nearby, presumably one from the outbreaks, but it was worth investigating all the same.

Frasier cautiously followed the smoke to the source. When he discovered the source, his jaw immediately dropped in awe.

A United Kingdom military plane had crash-landed into a local neighborhood. Entire homes devastated and in shambles while the plane faired no better from the crash.

'This must have been the same plane I saw through the binoculars at Takagi estate.' Frasier thought to himself as he observed the bodies filled with bullet holes scattered across the ground. From the looks of them, it was safe to assume that the soldiers had started by firing at the center mass before realizing it took head shots to kill Them.

He slowly walked towards the wrecked plane, not even regarding the infected that roamed around it. Fellow countrymen walked amongst the dead as one of Them. Most were wearing the standard outfit of a British soldier.

Supplies were scattered everywhere. Frasier tried to look for ammunition and weapons, but everything was a mess. Bodies burned in the wreckage, scrap and debris was scattered all over the area. Frasier knew the smart thing to do was to sneak around the infected, but he felt somewhat obligated to lay these soldiers to rest.

The machete in his hand was light but the real test was if it could decapitate Them.

Frasier ran towards the nearest group and sliced at a diagonal angle. The steel cut through the flesh perfectly, the blood splattered all over the ground as he made quick, precise cuts into Them. A wicked grin forming at his lips as he watched the undead slowly fall into pieces with each flick of the wrist.

His attention then turned to the next group of infected soldiers. They must have heard him during the commotion and began to limp forward. Frasier kicked one to the side as he sliced the hands off another. The machete cut and ripped flesh from the bones. The infected numbers drastically dropped as Frasier carved his way to the inside of the plane, not even a bead of sweat could be taken from him at this rate.

As soon as it began it was already over. He slowly sheathed the machete like a samurai would with his prized katana. A gust if wind breezing by to signify the bloody storm had ceased for now.

Frasier slowly walked through the inside of the plane, unsure of what he may find. The lights flickered on and off as he moved up the aisles. The seats were covered in blood and scorch marks. Windows completely cracked if not shattered from the initial crash.

It all seemed quiet until a gunshot went off, causing Frasier to immediately duck behind a seat.

After a few moments of waiting, he peeked his head around the corner but saw no one. Frasier mustered up the courage and walked towards the front of the plane. The door to the cockpit was sealed shut.

Frasier reached his hand out and opened the door with Noah's hybrid in hand, ready for someone to be waiting behind the door. Frasier held the pistol grip tight.

He walked in and looked around the cockpit. Both eyes scanned the area, searching for the one responsible for the gunshot, unable to spot any of Them either.

Suddenly, something grabbed his leg. Frasier quickly spun around and aimed the pistol only to have it disarmed from him. His eyes widened as he realized he recognized who this towering figure before him was. It was his father who was now looking at him. The legendary Arthur Markle.

"Really now, Frasier, is that any way to say hello to your father?" Arthur asked as he then spun the pistol around his finger; the handle now facing Frasier who was stricken with shock.

Frasier looked at his father, feeling his heart stop beating entirely. It couldn't be real, but what seemed like an illusion was a reality. Frasier's father was sitting before him, a hand held against his shoulder as he coughed heavily.

"Father... What are you doing here?" Frasier asked, barely able to let a word slip through his lips, kneeling down to move his father's hand, only to discover teeth marks along his shoulder.

"We came here to get you and your brothers, but we lost all power when that EMP hit us. We crash landed and it wasn't long before those things attacked us." Arthur explained as he coughed heavily.

"We brought a small strike team, but most of them died in the initial crash. Those that didn't were soon greeted by those putrid creatures." He added.

"What about mother?" Frasier asked with high hopes, trying to keep his tears back.

"She came too, but unfortunately, your mother and I have both been bitten. I know what happens when you're bitten. Your mother didn't want to live as one of Them, so…I granted her…her last request." Arthur answered as he pointed too the body resting behind Frasier. Even his gruff voice was on the verge of cracking.

His mother lay on the floor with a bullet hole between her eyes. Frasier sighed deeply then looked back to his father, trying to fight back even more tears biting at his eyes.

"Where are Marcus and Noah? Did they make it?" Arthur then inquired as he rested his head against the wall. Wanting to know how his own kids had faired against the end of the world.

"We were separated, but this is the city they should be in." Frasier replied, uncertain how to tell his father of his failure.

"Find them Frasier... We must find them and keep them safe. Once we do, we'll find a way back to England and find Colonel Cunningham. He will take care of things from there on." Arthur ordered as he tried to pull himself up, a grunt of pain escaping his lips as h slumped back down.

"Stay here, father. Let me find them. You need to save your strength…" Frasier advised as he watched his father pulling himself up.

"I'm no weakling, Frasier. I can still fight!" Arthur growled, hating the fact that his son was suggesting he sit on the sidelines.

Suddenly, multiple footsteps could be heard approaching through the plane. Frasier quickly aimed the pistol but soon lowered it when he noticed the figures weren't the infected, but rather men all wearing British military uniforms.

"Recon unit reporting, sir!" one of the troopers announced. All of them armed to the teeth with military grade gear.

"At ease, Lance Corporal Dunham. What have you got for me?" Arthur questioned as he managed to stand strong before Frasier and the rest of the men.

"Its really bad, sir. We have multiple hostiles inbound on our position. I'd say five minutes until the infected are at our doorsteps." Dunham explained as he looked over to see Frasier standing at his father's side.

"Did Private Elliot manage to get that damn radio transponder working yet?" Arthur questioned as he walked out of the plane with the rest of the men.

"He managed to get a faint signal by one of the crashed engines. Elliot estimates that we should be able to reach High Command in roughly ten minutes." Dunham replied as he kicked a piece of scrap metal aside.

"We'll be dead in five." Arthur replied as he let out a deep sigh, leaning his forearm against a broken wing of the plane.

"Father? What do we do?" Frasier asked as he looked up for the answer, certain his father had something in mind.

"Soldiers, setup defenses around the perimeter. We must defend the radio transponder at all costs, or else we'll all be swimming back home." Arthur explained as he then coughed into his hand, fighting the ultimate battle of wills against the infection that tried to take over his being.

"Yes sir!" all the remaining soldiers announced before rushing off to set up defenses to give them an edge over the infected.

"What about me? What should I do?" Frasier questioned as he looked up at his father, forgetting the resentment for being sent away so long ago as he currently admired his father's leadership.

"Didn't you hear me? All soldiers are to defend the perimeter." Arthur responded, holding out an L86A2 LSW (light support weapon) to Frasier.

"Hope you still now how to use it." Arthur grinned as he watched a smile form over Frasier's face, knowing his father had not entirely given up on him.

-

**{Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare OST - S.A.S. spawn theme} **

Moments later, what little defenses could be made amongst the wreckage area were set up. An L2 HMG (heavy machine gun) was salvaged and firmly planted in a windowsill that was not destroyed by the plane crash in one of the nearby houses.

Cars in the neighborhood were rigged with C4 for when the infected would prove to be overwhelming in numbers. The explosions would at least give the men enough time to reload if it didn't do the trick.

Lance Corporal Dunham, armed with an L129A1 DMR (designated marksmen rifle), positioned himself atop on a balcony, having an over watch position from the high vantage point.

The rest of the men positioned themselves amongst the wreckage of the plane in order to ensure that Private Elliot could send out a distress signal. All had their rifles pointed down range and ready to engage the approaching horde.

Frasier swallowed his fear and remembered everything his father taught him. The years spent learning how to fight like the men he stood amongst. To him, this moment was his birthright and initiation.

Captain Arthur impatiently paced back and forth before looking up at Lance Corporal Dunham for a report.

"Dunham! What do you see up there?" Arthur inquired curiously.

"I've got movement. Get ready!" Dunham announced as he began to fire off precise, single round shots at the first of Them, expertly landing clean head shots between each pull of the trigger.

The rest of the soldiers braced themselves for the dreaded foes that tore into their comrades the last time they encountered one another.

At first, it seemed like Dunham had the entire situation under control, but soon entire groups of the infected began wandering past the street corners, moving in such a force that made Dunham's shots seem entirely benign to Them.

"Christ... It's just like the Takagi Estate all over again." Frasier thought to himself as he aimed the rifle, awaiting his father's command to shoot.

**{Starship Troopers OST - Battle Theme}**

"Give 'em hell men!" Arthur announced before he began to spray his MP5 submachine gun into the oncoming crowds, dropping at least twelve of Them before needing to reload.

Without needing anymore prompt to shoot, the surviving soldiers began to instantly open fire at the infected that were unfortunate enough to be lined up in their sights. Some would fire in semi-automatic bursts while others simply held the trigger down until their ammo clips were empty.

The lucky soldier, who drew the largest stick to sit at the L2, started off by firing single round bursts but soon had to resort to auto fire when the infected showed no signs of backing down.

The massive .50 caliber bullets shredded through the already weak grey flesh of the infected. Bones snapped from the extreme penetration as entire limbs were severed from the torsos. Headshots didn't even matter when it came down to the HMG encampment.

But even the L2 wasn't enough to stop the continuous onslaught of the undead horde. Bodies began to pile up bit by bit, as rounds continued to fly by.

The British soldiers however showed no intention of backing down from the glorious battle as they kept on fighting. Even when the infected began to take more land the troopers stood their ground. They were trained and trigger disciplined to not only let each shot count, but to allow others to reload while they fired.

"Frag out!" one would occasionally call out. Roughly two seconds later a loud explosion would go off and send dozens of the infected flying aside with shrapnel cutting into more of Them.

Frasier stood side by side with his father; both had a fiery look in their eyes as they slaughtered entire packs of infected together. Bullet casings quickly being spit out the side chambers as round after round was shot.

"These grey bastards are getting to be a real pain in the ass... Use the detonator!" Captain Arthur ordered as he then awaited the anticipated explosion.

But little did he know, the soldier given the detonator was currently being mauled by one of Them that managed to flank his position.

"I think Private Mack is in trouble. Go check on him!" Arthur ordered Frasier, coughing heavily as his son began to fall back to check on Mack.

"What about you? I can't leave you in this condition." Frasier replied, as he couldn't bring himself to leave his father's side.

"I said go! That's an order!" Arthur roared out at Frasier as he then tossed an empty ammo magazine aside, reaching for a fresh one attached to his hip.

Frasier nodded then retreated into the house Mack was meant to be firing from. When he kicked the door down he spotted two infected men were feasting on the young soldier's organs.

Sparing no time at all, he placed two shots into each of the infected corpses. He then kneeled down and pried the detonator from Mack's stiff hand, pressing down on the remote detonator.

Back outside, the cars that were rigged to blow violently exploded. Infected within a close radius were instantly turned into red chunks while those nearby were simply torn up by the shrapnel and crushed by the flaming wreckage.

Arthur smiled to himself as his vision suddenly began to blur. He shook his head then continued to fight on as Frasier rejoined his side.

"How're you doing on ammunition?" Frasier asked as he provided covering fire.

"C-cant tell. Everything is so... Ugh..." Arthur replied as he tried to stay alive just long enough to continue the fight.

"Father. You can't keep this up... Just rest and let me handle this." Frasier offered as Arthur suddenly noticed something was wrong with the soldier manning the L2 encampment; the barrel of the gun should have been swaying back and forth.

Clearly the operator of the HMG was flanked like Mack was and was unable to fight off the infected and man the L2. Suddenly a wild trail of bullets began heading straight for them.

"Get down!" Arthur yelled out as he tackled Frasier aside. Just in time to dodge the barrage of heavy bullets that came their way.

Unfortunately, the trail of stray bullets continued to climb along their cover and struck the radio transponder Private Elliot was working on. He then fell over dead when a bullet pierced his Mk. 6 helmet and blew his entire head right off his shoulders, reducing it to a fine red mist.

**{Batman Beyond OST - Farewells} **

"No... Without him, we can't call for help." Frasier muttered as he began to lose all hope.

"Dammit! Why isn't Dunham keeping over watch on any of Them that get by?" Arthur growled as he looked up to see that the Lance Corporal was no longer on the balcony but had fled from the battlefield.

He then looked down to the street level to see more and more infected were approaching from their rear flanks.

"What do we do now, father?" Frasier asked as he looked up for the answer.

"You will run and find your brothers. The mission still stands, Frasier." Arthur replied as he then mustered up enough energy to stand back up. Slowly pulling the dog tags from his neck and placing them in Frasier's hands.

"What?! But what about you?" Frasier questioned as his hands trembled at the touch of his father's dog tags.

"I will stay here and hold Them off with the rest of the soldiers. Run my son. Run and don't look back." Arthur ordered before he realized it wouldn't be too long before the infected broke through the front lines as well.

"Fall back! Everyone prepare for a last stand!" Captain Arthur announced before he pulled out a HP Browning pistol from his holster, ready to meet his maker.

However, the infected were already right on top of them. Despite a quick series of automatic gunfire and close quarters fighting, the soldiers quickly found themselves overrun within seconds.

With what little strength he had left, Arthur grabbed Frasier by the collar and dragged him into the body of the plane while the others were torn limb from limb.

Knowing there was nothing that could be done for the others, Frasier sealed the door securely. He slowly backed away when the infected outside could be heard banging against the heavy obstacle.

"Your mother couldn't stand what I had become... When I had sent you away from your true home. Your brothers somewhat resented me whenever your name came up in a conversation, knowing they would be next if they spoke out against me. All of them seeing me as this monster. But you never broke your loyalty... Not even once. Either you're one of a a kind or I just broke you to the point loyalty to me is all you know." Arthur thought to himself as he watched Frasier trying his best to barricade the door from being torn from the hinges.

"C'mon, dad. You've got to get out of here." Frasier pleaded as he tried to help his father back up onto his feet. Unable to leave his own behind to the oncoming undead. Hardly paying attention to the fact his dad would soon become one of Them anyways.

"Leave me, you're the only one that cares." Arthur softly responded in a defeated sigh as he held onto what little strength was left within him, fully aware he was done for.

Suddenly, the bulk door could no longer hold the infected scourge back. Frasier spun around to make a final stand, only for his father to dash in front of him only armed with a single combat knife in hand.

"Frasier! Get out of here now!" Arthur roared out as he valiantly charged forward, ready to make an ultimate sacrifice to give Frasier an opportunity to escape the circling horde.

He pushed the first of the infected back with just sheer force, his steel knife stabbing and slashing at the infected as they kept coming at him. Arthur formed a circle with the undead coming in from all sides, despite his flawless technique there was no way he could fight on all fronts, but that certainly didn't stop him from trying. Knowing it was a choice to sacrifice himself to protect his first born, making this one of the easier choices in life for him.

"I'm ready! How about you?" Arthur then questioned the undead as he raised his arm with a small metallic device in hand. Multiple hands grabbing at him as he closed his eyes.

Meanwhile, Frasier did as he was told by sprinting past the infected as they piled onto his father, their insidious groans and snarls all dwarfed by the sound of a grenade going off. The explosion was quickly followed by a shower of dark blood and shredded limbs.

Tears formed in Frasier's eyes as he kept running while the remaining infected were now limping and shambling after him at a slow yet steady pace. Pain grasping his heart as he thought of his father's noble sacrifice, but anger then came to mind when he thought of the coward that abandoned his post to save his own skin.

"Your death won't be in vain, father." Frasier promised himself as he then heard the gunshots suddenly cease entirely, knowing the last soldier had fallen.

**{}**

-

Once again, Frasier was alone; the eerie sound of loneliness was all he could hear. The streets became silent once more despite how loud things were minutes earlier. Perhaps the Militiamen he served with were right about him. Everywhere Frasier went, people would die, living and dead alike.

"Maybe I am the goddamn Grim Reaper after all." Frasier pondered to himself as he continued his long journey alone. Taking into consideration of all the death that began to accumulate around him.

He soon found his footsteps to be echoing out loud as he walked beneath a bridge. When Frasier walked out, he sensed that he was not alone this time. 


	13. Act 5: Roads Part 1

**Act 5 Roads Part 1**

**Z-Day+5**

**(one hour earlier)**

"You know it's quite amazing how one day your a transfer student to a Japanese school one day. Then the next day an epidemic of flesh eating zombies break out and begin consuming the world."

"It only took a few minutes for my school to be overrun. Luckily I was able to find my older brother Marcus. We both tried to fight our way out of the school, but we're no match for the infected."

"When all seemed lost, my eldest brother, Frasier, came in to the rescue and escorted us to our apartment. We all decided that staying home would be a mistake and that we needed to link up with the evacuation."

"We travelled the entire city and even met a female cop by the name of Hitomi. She was young but tough, however we were spilt up and had to go our separate ways."

"We crossed the river and battled the infected nearly everywhere we went. At one point me and my brothers rescued Hitomi from a group of thugs (Frasier did most of the work). She took us to the convoy; the infected then soon overran the camp when we arrived."

"We barely made it onto the bus as Hitomi joined with the police squads that were escorting the buses. By the time the bus was ready to go infected had completely swarmed the evacuation site. The bus could go nowhere. Frasier and Marcus were talking to each other about something."

"I turned to see what it was and suddenly felt my body shut down. I awoke about an hour later as the bus was still driving along with the convoy. Me and Marcus asked around the bus to discover Frasier had knocked us both out and stayed behind to distract the infected with a guitar."

"We both were in pain as we knew our big brother was left behind alone, hurt, without a weapon, and faced the horde alone. During the bus ride Marcus got a call on his cell phone. It was our parents; they said they were coming to get us. The call was cut off however as his phone sparked and died."

"The bus soon stopped and people began to panic. We looked out the window to see the entire convoy had come to a complete halt. The police quickly took control and guided us towards a refugee camp. As we traveled the highway people pointed up at a bright light in the sky."

"When we arrived at the site, Hitomi helped me and Marcus set up our tent. We thought the infected were long behind us, but then the ones in this city attacked the camp. Hitomi led just me and Marcus out of the  
>camp as it fell."<p>

"She felt that the police wouldn't be able to do anything about the situation, basically she just retired her career just for us."

"Unfortunately she ended up using all her bullets trying to get us out of the camp. Her gun was useless until we could find some ammunition. She still had a baton however so we weren't entirely defenseless."

"As we travelled the streets, we avoided the infected as much as we could. She would break a few skulls along the way as Marcus would try to keep things lively with his jokes and commentary.

"It began to rain as we travelled the streets, soon it became a small drizzle. During our travels I couldn't help but notice Hitomi and Marcus were becoming closer whenever they would talk." Noah commentated along the way.

"Noah, who the hell are you talking to?" Marcus asked, unsure of why his little brother was talking to himself.

"Oh, no one, just making a mental note of all this. Somebody will one day want to hear our story when the outbreaks are contained for good." Nosh explained with high optimism.

"You're really confident aren't you?" Hitomi questioned Noah, shooting him a smile of approval.

"Well... I uh..." Noah stuttered, unable to properly respond to Hitomi's comment.

"Shhh I can see someone up ahead." Marcus whispered, trying to silence the group in case it was one of Them.

"Where?" Noah asked, unable to see the woman ahead of them.

"I can see him. He doesn't seem infected but lets try and get a better look before we make our presence known." Hitomi instructed, clearly stating she was the one in charge between the three of them.

The brothers nodded and followed her as she walked under the bridge above them. The man they approached didn't seem to be infected, just in pain as he slouched over.

"Please... help me." the man pleaded as he noticed the three survivors approaching him.

"Are you hurt? Were you bitten?" Hitomi asked in a professional tone.

"N-no bites... just distracting you fools." the man grinned, his voice suddenly changing from a distressed one to a more sinister one.

Before anyone could react to what he just said, five men jumped the group, catching them entirely off guard. Despite their resistance they were quickly overpowered and disarmed. Six highway bandits now had the three of them tied up and entirely at their mercy.

The highway bandits tied the group's hands together and had them sit on the side of the road. Society and order had truly fallen seeing how things have came to this.

The highway bandits were all in rags, two held lead pipes, two had small switchblade knifes, the big one wore a gas mask and carried a chainsaw, then there was the leader who carried a metal pipe but held it like a scepter.

They laughed and cackled as if taking pride in capturing the three survivors. As they talked amongst themselves, Noah looked at Marcus and Hitomi.

"What do we do now?" Noah asked, whispering so he wouldn't catch the attention of the highway thugs.

"I say we escape and kill these bastards." Marcus suggested, grunting as he struggled against the ropes.

"I'm sorry I've led you guys into this. I don't know what they will do to us but I'll do whatever I can to stop them." Hitomi said, unsure how she could lead the two boys into such a bad situation so fast.

"Perhaps this is the end of the line for us. Those guys probably won't want to bother dragging us around wherever they go. We have nothing of value either." Marcus admitted, sighing as he slowly lost hope.

"If we die here... we die as a family." Noah said, trying to put in an optimistic spin on things.

They closed their eyes as one of the thugs walked over and dragged Hitomi off to the side. She kicked and struggled trying to resist him.

He pulled her by the hair and then tore her police uniform up. Her police top was torn off and revealed an undershirt. The bastard was going to rape her!

Marcus began to turn red with anger as he managed to stand up and throw himself into the man. The bandit was caught off guard, taking a small tumble in the process.

Marcus breathed heavily as the man came back and hit him across the face, knocking him straight into the dirt. Before Marcus could get up the highway bandit held him down with his foot.

He lifted his lead pipe and was going to kill him on the spot. Suddenly one of the highway bandits with a pair of binoculars began to make commotion, quickly attracting the attention of the other five highway bandits.

"We have a live one! About a hundred yards out." the one on lookout announced as they ran about the place, looking for a place to surprise the approaching figure.

"Someone gag those prisoners. I don't want them to make a sound!" the bandit leader ordered.

-

He and two bandits hid behind a large sign as the other three hid behind a large truck that was on the other side of the road. The one that was about to kill Marcus took out some cloth and tied it around the group's mouths so they couldn't speak aloud.

"I'll be back for you." the bandit hissed at Marcus before storming off.

The bandit then he joined with the leader. All three of them sat there waiting as they could suddenly hear footsteps approaching.

-

Soon a man walked out from under the bridge. He was tall, wearing black shades; he wore a green jacket and rugged blue jeans. His boots were black but covered in dirt and blood. The last details Noah noticed were his facial hair and backpack.

"Get out of here kid..." Hitomi whispered under her breathe, not wanting to see this young man ambushed just as they were.

The mysterious stranger walked a few feet from the tunnel only to stop in his tracks. He looked around as if he knew he was being watched.

"Seems I am not alone after all!" the young man called out.

The highway bandits knew he was onto them and emerged from their hiding spots.

"I am impressed! This man could hear us all the way from thirty feet away." the bandit leader exclaimed, speaking in a voice as if he was trying to befriend the lone man with compliments.

The highway bandits all stood in the road, forming a scattered row with their weapons freely out for anyone to see.

"So whatcha got in that bag?" asked the babdit leader, showing his direct interests upfront.

"What bag?" replied the mysterious stranger as he took a few steps back, folding his arms as he did.

"It looks pretty heavy. I'm sure you have something we want. Why don't you just go ahead and open it up nice and slow then dump whatever you've got onto the side of the road." the bandit leader suggested as he pointed to the bag then the ground with his scepter.

"I can't do that." the mysterious stranger explained, standing his ground firmly against the highway bandits.

"Take off the fucking pack... OR DIE!" the highway bandit leader demanded of him, with a rising spite of anger in his voice at the end.

The mysterious stranger stood there, silent and emotionless. The highway bandit leader reached out and pushed his shoulder.

"Are you listening to me?" he asked.

"I am now. Are you listening to me?" the mysterious stranger replied, finally breaking his moment of silence.

"Yeah?" the highway bandit leader replied, unsure why this man was asking the question now.

"Good. Put that hand on me again and you won't get it back." the mysterious stranger warned, his voice a cold and emotionless one at best.

The highway bandit leader laughed as he looked back at the rest of his crew.

"Hahaha can you believe this fucking guy?" the highway bandit leader taunted as he looked to his friends for support, they began to chuckle and laugh slightly, almost as if afraid they would be killed if they didn't.

"Alright I guess we have to do this the hard way." the highway bandit leader said as he reached out to push the mysterious stranger's shoulder again.

-

As the hand reached out the mysterious stranger whipped his right hand around in a clean, circular, motion.

All that could be heard was the sound of steel slicing through flesh as the highway bandit leader's hand fell off. The stranger had his arms crossed in an X as the group (as well as the highway bandits) could see a machete pressed against his left arm.

It was gleaming in the sunlight with a bit of blood left on the blade.

"He must have had it under his sleeve the entire time." Noah commented, whispering to whoever was still listening, but Marcus and Hitomi were far too focused on the scene before them.

All the highway bandits seemed surprised at the sudden action, watching in what seemed like fear and disbelieve. The highway bandit leader looked at his hand then at the stranger then back to where his hand used to be.

"Why you do that?" he asked in a weakened voice, taking a few steps back before he fell to the ground onto his rear end.

"He just cut my hand off... What are you standing around for? KISS HIM!" the bandit leader cried out with pain in his voice.

The highway bandits looked at each other confused as to what their boss just told them to do.

"What he say?" asked the large bandit in the gas mask, his voice distorted from his mouth being covered by the mask.

"He's in shock..." the mysterious stranger replied, slowly stepping back into the tunnel, letting the shadows slowly conceal his figure.

"...I believe he said kill him." the mysterious stranger finished, his voice echoing at the end.

The large bandit started to pull the cord on the chainsaw as the other four thugs walked towards the mysterious stranger. His breath was heavy as they walked into the darkness under the bridge.

All Noah could see was six figures fighting in the darkness. As the highway bandits attacked the mysterious stranger, he held his blade in one hand, immediately cutting down two bandits.

His body standing in one spot the entire time as he only needed to move his opponents around, controlling the entire fight in quick, simple motions.  
>He then kicked the big one out of the way, the chainsaw buzzed and hummed as the battle raged on.<p>

The sound of steel colliding could be heard as the stranger blocked the man that was about to kill Marcus and sliced at his chest, knocking him down. One bandit held up his lead pipe ready to strike, but the mysterious stranger simply extended his arm with the tip of the machete at the end.

Marcus felt the hair on the back of his neck stand as he watched the blade pierce the bandit's neck, making a rough squishy noise. The bandit dropped like a rag doll as the mysterious stranger turned his attention to the chainsaw bandit who was just recovering from the staggering kick.

The big thug swung the chainsaw like a giant sword, the stranger's machete swiftly clashed with it, causing sparks to illuminate the tunnel for a split second each time contact was made.

After three clashes, the stranger backhanded the chainsaw bandit in the gas mask, disorienting him. The big bastard let out a small *oomph* as he staggered back a little, desperately trying to adjust his mask.

The bandit that was going to kill Marcus suddenly stood back up and tried to hit the mysterious stranger from behind. Despite the sneak attack, the stranger blocked the pipe then sliced the man's stomach wide open, letting the entrails plop out as he fell back down a second time. This time the bandit didn't get back up.

Meanwhile, the chainsaw bandit raised the saw in the air, ready to bring it down in one brutal attack. The mysterious stranger having his back turned to him, quickly reacted by holding the machete up in both hands.

Just in time he blocked the incoming chainsaw. The blade and chainsaw were now in a deadlock. Sparks went off again as the stranger pushed up and quickly turned around slicing at the last bandit's chest. The large brute let out a grunt of pain and held his wound with his left hand, clearly down for the count.

The mysterious stranger lifted his blade moving in for the final kill. With the blade raised high he swung down only to have his forearm grabbed by the big bandit. The chainsaw bandit theb tried to swing the chainsaw around, only to have his forearm gripped as well. The bandit head butted the stranger, knocking him a few steps back.

The bandit quickly raised his arms ready for more, completely exposing himself to the mysterious stranger. The stranger sliced upwards in a cold, calculating manner, severing the right arm off the big thug.

The arm went flying off to the side with the hand still gripped tight around the chainsaw. The man screamed in pain and agony. The saw continued to buzz and hum as it went flying through the air.

The stranger then spun around and stabbed the machete backwards, finishing the oversized bandit. All was suddenly quiet as the mysterious stranger walked out of the tunnel, leaving the rest of the bandits to rot in the darkness.

-

The highway bandit leader was still alive, bleeding out as he was reaching for his hand that remained where it dropped on the pavement. When he was nearly able to grab it, the mysterious stranger took his foot and slid the hand further away. The bandit leader then looked up at him.

"I told you, you weren't going to get it back." the stranger said, remaining in a calm, emotionless state.

"Yeah... you did say that." the bandit leader laughed out slightly.

"Who are you?" the bandit leader then asked after a few moments of silence.

The mysterious stranger kneeled down to his level and put the tip of his blade on the dying bandit's stomach.

The group could hear the sounds of the man's guts being ruptured as the blade was slowly pushed in. The bandit's figured soon slumped over lifelessly in the stranger's arms.

The stranger pulled the blade out and wiped the blood off on the clothes of the dead man. He stood up and sheathed his machete.

He then began to walk away as if nothing happened, Noah wasn't sure if he was friendly or not but they needed help. He started to kick and make noise. The mysterious man quickly turned his head towards him and began to approach the group.

All three of them waited as the mystery man drew closer and closer. He was standing above Noah looking down at him. Noah looked at him and tried to say something, completely forgetting about the muffle.

The stranger reached down and pulled the gag out of his mouth.

"Thank you so much stranger! I don't know what we would have done if you didn't show up!" Noah thanked as he coughed a bit.

"Noah?" the man questioned, catching the rest of the group off guard.

"H-how do you know my name?!" Noah questioned.

"It's me, Noah. Frasier." the man explained, covering his beard to make it easier for Noah to identify him.

"Frasier! Your alive!" Noah exclaimed.

Hitomi and Marcus both looked surprised when he said that but soon they could see it as well, they both tried to talk but were still muffled by the gags.

Frasier reached out and took their gags off. He then took his machete and slowly sliced the ropes off of Noah's hands. Noah quickly rushed over and untied Hitomi as Frasier freed Marcus.

When Marcus was free he wrapped his arms around Frasier. Noah saw tears begin to stream out of his brother's eyes.

"How could you leave us? We were lost without you!" Marcus blurted out, unable to hide his pain.

"I did what I had to Marcus... I left because I had too. Not because I wanted too." Frasier explained, rubbing Marcus' back gently, soothing the middle child's pain.

Noah was just as hurt as Marcus was, he just tried not to show it, to prove he wasn't as weak as he was at the beginning of all this.

-

The trio was finally reunited. They were a complete family once again,  
>with a new addition of course. With no further reason to stay on the road, the group soon moved on down the road.<p>

"So once again you've saved the day." Marcus commented, looking up at Frasier.

"I wouldn't say that. I just showed up at the right time and place. Don't always expect me to be there to save you guys." Frasier explained, knowing he couldn't be everywhere at once..

"Yeah, yeah, humble till the end. So what's with the shades?" Marcus questioned as he pulled them off to wear himself.

"Because it help keeps the glare out of my eyes. You have no idea how many of Them I've had to handle." Frasier replied as he tried to repress the thought of his father dying at the hands of Them.

"I just had an accident on my way here." was all Frasier answered nonchalantly, quickly placing the shades back on.

"Cut the tough guy attitude, you'd be amazed what we've had to go through." Hitomi said in a more firm, no non-sense tone.

"Does that include fighting lunatics in the darkness?" Frasier asked as he motioned towards the viruses behind them.

"Why fight in there anyways? I doubt you could see a thing in there." Hitomi questioned. Frasier just nodding as he didn't even bother speaking this time.

"His superior training has greatly heightened his senses. The sound echoed and gave him better perception of what's going on. Thus leaving the bandits helpless in the darkness." Noah concluded. 100% certain Frasier was using the environment to his advantage.

"Very good, Noah. I'm impressed you figured that out on your own." Frasier admitted, stoping to tie his boots back up.

Noah smiled, feeling very proud of himself as Marcus played with the shades, enjoying the look they gave him.

"We should get moving it will be dark soon." Hitomi announced to the brothers.

Unanimously, everyone agreed to move on. After retrieving weapons off the dead bandits, the group began to walk wherever the road would take them. Noah was alert the entire time just in case more bandits decided to show up.

"So what's the plan?" Noah asked. Wanting to be certain the group wasn't blindly exploring the streets.

"Perhaps we should decide whether or not to bulk down and have a safe house or just keeping going from camp to camp." Marcus suggested.

"Let's camp in one of these buildings for tonight and discuss this tomorrow." Hitomi ordered, pointing towards what appeared to be a hotel.

-

She took Marcus' hand leading him into the grand hotel. Frasier and Noah both followed close as they travelled into the empty lobby. Bags and luggage were scattered everywhere but no bodies could be visibly seen.

The group moved up the stairs since the elevator was out. Noah's throat felt very dry right now. It had been awhile since he had any drinkable water that wasn't rain.

"Is there any water nearby?" Noah asked in a raspy voice.

"Hold on Noah, I have some food and water for everyone. Just let us find a room first ok?" Frasier said as he took each step with caution.

After several flights of stairs the group finally reached the very top floor. So far no infected could be seen or even heard from. It was safe to assume the inhabitants abandoned the hotel before the infection could reach it.

Marcus opened a unlocked room at the far end of the hall. Everyone rushed in and locked it without hesitation. Frasier then reached into his bag and handed each of them a bottle of water and a small square wrapped in foil.

Noah quickly unfastened the cap and chugged down the bottled water. It felt good to finally catch his breath and relax after several long days of hell.

He refilled his water bottle before he ate the food Frasier gave him. M.R.E. was what the label clearly stated. Noah remembered these back at home when his father took him on the survival training path his elder bothers took at one point. They didn't taste so good to him but it would have to do, beggars can't be choosers after all in the apocalypse.

-

Soon the sun had set and the moon began its ascension. Noah was sitting on the balcony looking out at the city. Frasier gave Noah the binoculars he found, the young boy could see for miles with it.

Although he didn't see very much other than the occasional survivor. After a few moments of playing lookout, Noah noticed some motorcycles driving through the streets. They were going extremely fast as if running from something. He moved the binoculars over to see a sea of undead moving towards this part of town.

"Uh... guys... I found out where the infected went!" Noah announced.

Marcus and Hitomi ran out and looked through the binoculars. A series of unfortunate looks formed on their faces as the witnessed the colossal amount of infected copses moving into town.

"Well there goes my sense of security." Marcus commented. Knowing he wouldn't be getting a goodnights rest anytime soon.

"What's wrong tough guy? Afraid of a few flesh eating monsters?" Hitomi teased as she hugged him from behind.

"No. I just thought we weren't going to need to have our guard up 24/7." Marcus answered, blushing as he shook his head.

"Well don't worry, you won't die on my watch kid." Hitomi said in a more protective tone.

Before she let go and walked away, she gently kissed Marcus's cheek.

"That's for earlier you knucklehead. You didn't have to risk yourself out there" she whispered, Marcus turning bright red as he was unable to say anything.

Noah let out a few laughs as Marcus tried to play it cool. He looked at the binoculars and pressed a button.

"Noah you never mentioned these had night vision!" Marcus said.

Noah took the binoculars from him and looked through them. Everything was lit up and visible through a green filter. Only downside was when looking at sources of light the eyes would feel an uncomfortable sensation.

"I wasn't aware they could do that. Besides, Frasier found them so you can tell him that." Noah said, honestly unaware of the unique function of the binoculars.

Speaking of Frasier, Noah hadn't seen him in awhile. He walked back into the large suite. Everything was really nice here. Very fancy and exquisite, this place must have cost a fortune to live in. Luckily the world has changed and most of the old rules didn't apply anymore.

Noah walked through the different parts of the suite. Slowly opening a door to see Frasier sitting alone in a room with the lights dimmed down.

Noah figured he must be meditating so he slowly backed out and left him to it. It was best not to disturb him whenever he's trying to be in a peaceful state of mind. Especially for someone like him who was usually in an aggressive state ever since the outbreaks.

He then noticed another door was slightly opened. Noah quietly walked over and peeked through the opening in the key hole. All he could see was Marcus and Hitomi talking, they were really quiet about it so Noah figured it was private.

-

At this point he was really bored and decided to see what was in Frasier's backpack and the duffle bag. Noah walked to the kitchen and opened up the bag silently. He was extra careful when he reached in and pulled out all the contents inside.

First thing Noah's hands could pull out was his hybrid pistol. Next was the police shotgun, very similar to the one his dad would shoot back home.

Noah remembered the training he received, it was only beginner stuff, but it was better than nothing. He made sure the safety was on for all of them so there would be no risk for any accidental discharge.

The backpack was soon empty as Noah then pulled out a satchel. He unzipped it and looked to see all the weapons lying side by side.

He had no idea that his eldest brother found such excellent loot. However all of this was not child's play, these were extremely dangerous weapons and tools.

-

As Noah thought he was alone, he suddenly felt someone breathing down his neck.

"You know it's impolite to go through someone's stuff without asking." Frasier lectured, speaking with no humor in his voice whatsoever.

Noah nearly jumped out of his skin and dropped the bag. Frasier's reflexes however were sharp and caught them before hitting the ground.

"Marcus you should know better than this! You could have easily killed yourself with any of these weapons." Frasier said in a disappointed tone.

"Hey! I'm over here; for once it wasn't my fault!" Marcus shouted from his room. Completely innocent in all this.

"Sorry, force of habit." Frasier responded, feeling used to Marcus doing something wrong by now.

Noah snickered a bit before Frasier turned back to him. The youngest brother immediately became silent from the eldest one's glare.

"Seriously Noah, you shouldn't go through my things without asking. I would have shown you if you had simply asked. Don't let your curiosity get the better of you." Frasier scolded, making sure Noah understood why he was lecturing him.

Noah nodded in silence as he helped Frasier pack the rest of the gear up.

"Noah, you should wash up and get some rest. We have a long day ahead of us. Plus we need to all be at full alert with the horde of abominations moving into town." Frasier instructed as he walked back to his room. 


	14. Act 5: Roads Part 2

**Act 5 Roads Part 2**

**Z-Day+6**

Noah rubbed his eyes and sat up in his bed. His body felt fresh and ready to explore the apocalyptic streets of Japan. The sun was barely peeking over the horizon, rays of light shinning through the the windows.

As Noah walked out into the main part of the suite, he immediately noticed Marcus and Hitomi standing on the balcony holding hands. Suddenly a funny idea popped into his head, a wide grin forming along his lips.

Noah silently walked behind them and imitated Frasier's voice.

"Marcus! What is the meaning of this?" he bellowed out, causing Marcus to immediately let go of Hitomi's hand.

"N-nothing sir! J-j-just enjoying the sunset is all!" Marcus stuttered in an attempt for an explanation, not daring to turn and face his eldest brother.

It took all of Noah's strength to not laugh out loud. Hitomi looked at him and giggled, Marcus then turned around and let out a sigh.

"Oh Noah... normally I would hit you but even I have to admit that was pretty funny." Marcus said as he let out a soft chuckle.

"So you and Hitomi hmm?" Noah asked in a humorous tone, all Marcus could do was blush and nod.

"Yeah, pretty crazy huh? Who would think a boy who lives to cause trouble would fall for a girl of the law?" Marcus responded. Still hardly able to believe or himself. Hitomi then leaned into his side and held his right arm.

"Then again, times have changed. The world we know is now dying slowly." Hitomi added in. Keeping a realistic view on things.

Marcus actually seemed really happy with Hitmoi. However, he didn't know how Frasier would see this. If he said no then it would be final, seeing as he was their legal guardian for the time being.

"Noah... don't tell Frasier about us. Not yet anyways. Hitomi means a lot to me." Marcus requested of his younger brother.

Noah nodded as Hitomi kissed Marcus on the cheek. Just like last night, Marcus instantly blushed but this time returned the favor. They both stood at each other's height as a simple kiss on the cheek went to a full on kiss.

-

Feeling like a third wheel, Noah walked away to the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator and pulled out the milk the hotel luckily had in stock. Next he grabbed some cereal and a bowl.

After setting everything up, Noah grabbed the spoon and took his time eating his bowl of cereal. It tasted much better than the M.R.E.s did, mainly because there was an actual flavor. Noah took his time to savor and enjoy his meal.

-

Thirty minutes later Noah lifted the bowl and carefully sipped all the milk up.

Suddenly he heard footsteps behind him. Noah turned his head to see Frasier walk in with bits of toilet paper on his cheeks and chin.

"You tried shaving without your razor?" Noah asked, somewhat surprised Frasier would even try such a thing.

Frasier grinned as he sat in the chair next to Noah.

"And without shaving cream. How did I do?" Frasier added before asking Noah.

Noah pulled off the bits of cloth and was surprised to see he had done a very decent job. A few hairs remained but Noah only noticed because he was looking for any flaws.

Frasier smirked a little as took off his shades and reached into his wallet. He looked at the picture of that girl he introduced Noah to. Both eyes strained to keep open for long but that was all he needed. He then put it away and unloaded the guns on the table.

"Noah how much training did father give you with weapons?" Frasier asked seeing how he wasn't there to witness it in person.

"Not much, just the basics." Noah responded.

Frasier looked at his arsenal and decided to give Noah his hybrid pistol. He then reached over and handed Noah the crowbar, the very same one he was using a just a few days ago.

"Take this Noah, it's excellent for crushing skulls and opening locked objects. Trust me on both matters, without it I wouldn't have been able to get all these provisions. Then again it's not the first time you've had to use it." Frasier explained before remembering his brother was using a crowbar not long ago.

Noah stood up and held it tight in his hand; he gave it a few swings, very light for something so powerful. It felt good to be re-armed once more.

Part of Noah felt honored that Frasier would give him such a fine tool. Frasier then called for Marcus and Hitomi. He asked Hitomi how much weapons training she had received at her academy.

She held the pump shotgun in her hands. Closing one eye to look through the iron sights.

"Enough to rise to the top of my class and even surpass the instructors." Hitomi replied with confidence. Loading a few shells into the chamber.

It was probably true too, she never missed a shot with her pistol while escorting Noah and Marcus from the undead camp. Frasier nodded in acceptance and had Marcus hand her all the shotgun shells she could carry on her person. He then turned his head to Marcus.

"Sorry Marcus, but that's all we have for guns. I'd let you use the crossbow, but I don't think you have enough strength to wield it properly." Frasier explained as he realized Marcus was the odd man out.

"Don't worry about me. Can't be too hard to find a gun for me." Marcus replied in a positive tone.

"That's very mature of you, brother. Here. Take this." Frasier said as he slid the machete over to Marcus for an alternate weapon.

"Wouldn't want you to go out their defenseless now would we?" Frasier questioned as he smiled at Marcus who was carefully examining the short blade.

"What happens when the infected get too close to you?" Hitomi questioned.

"They won't." Frasier replied confidently as he then rummaged through his bag.

"And if they do we'll be here to back you up!" Noah exclaimed as he loaded the pistol's chamber.

"We'll see when we cross that bridge. Now with that out of the way, let's get down to business." Frasier said as he pulled out a map of the town the suite had in one of the drawers. Spreading it out he sat back for all to see.

"Since this is our forward base we will now need supplies and provisions. Where shall we start?" Frasier asked. Wanting to gather everyone's opinions before his could be heard.

"Oh these places look good!" Marcus exclaimed as he pointed on the map.

"What? Where?" Noah questioned as he leaned over the table to get a better look at the map.

"It seems there are a few clothing stores around so maybe we can get something new to wear. Then not too far from that district there is a grocery store. You know in case we run out of food in the hotel. To top it off, there's a pharmacy in town, not that far off. " Marcus explained, feeling confident the locations he pointed out were key to survival.

"I think he's got the winning choices."  
>Hitomi announced as she grabbed the backpack.<p>

"Alright, let's do this." Noah exclaimed as he holstered the hybrid pistol and kept the crowbar in his right hand.

Everyone gathered by the front door that led out of the suite. Awaiting Hitomi's command to exit the room.

"Remember we stick together, and maintain low profile for as long as possible when out on the streets. We don't want to attract any unwanted attention from the infected or outlaws out there." Hitomi instructed as she nodded for Frasier to take point.

-

Frasier entered the otherwise quiet hallway with his crossbow leveled. His eyes scanning for any movement whatsoever. Noah then followed close behind him with the crowbar in hand. Just in case one of Them would jump out within a close proximity of Frasier to the point he couldn't effectively aim his weapon.

"Hallway clear!" Frasier whispered as he held his position. Both him and Noah awaiting for Hitomi and Marcus to catch up to them.

Hitomi and Marcus quickly dashed out the room and rejoined the two before they all began to descend the many stairs before them. Making sure to avoid any steps that would let out a loud creak.

It wasn't long before they reached the bottom of the stairs and walked into the huge, abandoned, lobby. Everything seemed clear from the inside, however, when they walked outside it was quite the opposite.

The road was littered with infected. What was worse was that they were packed close together to the point sneaking around them would be too much work.

Frasier carefully opened the door and held it open long enough for the group to silently slip outside. He then slowly pressed the door back, keeping his fingers locked tightly around the handle.

Noah looked at him to see sweat form above his eyebrows. The door closed without making a peep and the infected were none the wiser about it.

There was no doubt in anyone's minds that he'd want to fight Them and use the guns he found. But they also knew in retrospect that would probably attract more if they fired the guns. It was certainly more than enough reason for Frasier to keep himself contained.

"See anything that could attract Them?" Frasier whispered to Hitomi gently.

She looked around looking for something they could use to their advantage. Anything would do so long as it could create a noise loud enough to distract Them, as well as give the group time to slip by the infected crowds.

-

However, the streets were so compact it was nearly impossible to create a distraction that didn't involve drawing attention to any of them. Hitomi shook her head in disappointment.

But then Noah spotted something perfect. Sitting under some bushes were a few rocks. After silently pointing out to them in order to let everyone know his idea, Noah made his way down the steps.

The closer he got, the faster his heart raced. If any of those infected corpses were to get a hold of him it would be over for Noah.

However, the youngest brother was brave and ignored most of his fears as he reached for the rocks. He picked up four average sized stones then silently made his way back up the stairs to rejoin his group.

Marcus took all of them and motioned everyone to take a few steps back. He pulled his right arm back then like a catapult, launched the first rock through the air. It landed against the sidewalk and only caught the attention of a few infected.

He then tossed the next two, still not catching enough attention with them. Noah looked around the crowds and noticed a parked car.

"Marcus, try to hit a window on that car over there." Noah whispered as he pointed Marcus in the right direction.

He nodded and took aim; things were now tense since this was the last rock they could find. Marcus threw the stone with all his might.

It felt as if time had slowed down at this precise moment. Everyone's eyes focused on the rock as it landed on the windshield. The second it made impact the glass shattered and the car alarm went off. All the infected on this road and probably the next one overheard this.

The group watched all the heads turn as the bodies begin to limp towards the source of sound. Marcus was so proud of this he even began to go into a victory dance. Hitomi softly giggled and took his hand as Frasier and Noah began to make their escape down the stairs.

-

The group ran along the sidewalk, away from the massive horde that occupied the street outside the hotel. When the undead were out of sight and the survivors were out of breath, all of them sat down in an ally to check the map.

So far they were on the correct path and soon began to move out again after collecting their composure. Marcus would guide everyone through the streets as Frasier would silently take out any infected that would stray from their packs.

"Must you shoot every corpse that you see one its own?" Hitomi questioned as she soon grew weary from having to constantly wait each time the crossbow was fired.

"Best to keep the infected numbers low when we can. Why? You feel bad for them or something?" Frasier questioned as he placed his boot down to pry the arrow from his most recent kill.

"N-no... It's just that- oh that's just wrong." Hitomi groaned as Frasier had a twisted smile on his face as he shoved the arrow in and out of an infected man's eye socket.

"You enjoy this way too much." Noah commented as he soon had to advert his gaze to avoid upchucking his breakfast from earlier.

"What? It's just the optic nerve being torn from the sockets very, very, very slowly." Frasier replied sadistically as he then yanked it out and placed the arrow back in the loader after wiping the blood off.

"Besides, you guys should get used to this kinda shit. Being squeamish isn't going to do ya any favors out here." Frasier explained as he then pointed to an infected man standing just outside their first destination.

"Noah, you take this one." Marcus whispered as everyone hanged back to give Noah his space.

The youngest of the brothers, crouched down and began to approach the putrid creature. His crowbar resting in his dominant hand before he slowly raised it. In a single swing he managed to wedge the metal bar in just enough to puncture the infected man's skull.

The infected corpse sank like a sack of rocks and tumbled over as Noah stood there. Felling putty for the stranger as the group walked past it like the man was nothing.

"Good work, brother. Hurry along now. Don't want to be left behind now do ya?" Frasier said as he walked past Noah. Breaking him from the trance he was in.

-

The sun was finally all the way up as they entered the clothing store. To his companions, it seemed Marcus really knew what he was doing when it came to navigation and path finding.

Noah carefully opened the twin doors and noticed the lights were already left on. Side by side, everyone kept their eyes sharp for any signs of life. But so far there were no signs of the undead, at least not yet.

"Think any of Them made it in here?" Marcus asked softly.

"Not that I can tell of." Hitomi replied in a soft hush.

"Hey guys, I think this will solve our storage problem." Noah gently called out as he spotted some backpacks hung on the racks ahead of him.

Marcus and Hitomi walked over as Frasier tried to look at his picture of Saeko again.

"One of these days he's going to have to let her go. She's just as likely to be dead as the next person." Marcus commented between Noah and Hitomi.

"So you'll be the one to tell him that?" Noah questioned. Wondering if Marcus was going somewhere with this.

"Hell no! There's no way I'd be the one to tell him that. I liked having my head attached to my neck, Noah." Marcus replied, clearly showing fear to how Frasier would react to such a sensitive matter.

-

All three of them continued on and picked out different color backpacks so there would be no confusion over ownership. Noah's was silver and brown; Marcus picked a red and black one, while Hitomi grabbed a green and purple backpack. Each of them would be able to carry the essentials along with any spoils of looting.

Frasier joined them as they all began to pick their own individual clothes. Noah of course had to help Frasier pick his since the two love birds went off to help each other pick something. After taking all the suitable clothes Noah could carry with him, he (along with Frasier) waited for about ten minutes before Marcus and Hitomi joined back up to us the group.

Marcus opened the map up and once again began to lead the group to their next goal. They exited the clothing store and headed towards a grocery store marked on the city map. Noah then noticed ten grey figures walking around the front of the store.

Hitomi quickly aimed her shotgun gun at Them, flipping the safety off. However, Marcus held up his hand, motioning her to stop.

"No, not yet! Only shoot if you need to. Ammo won't be easy to come by plus the noise could bring in more." Marcus explained, trying to conserve every last resource the group had.

"Marcus, how many of Them can you see?" Frasier asked as his fingers began to twitch.

"Ten. Why? You're not afraid are you?" Marcus replied with a humorous intent at the end.

Hitomi and Noah watched Frasier's stone cold face grin as Marcus then handed Frasier the machete.

"Quite the opposite." was all Frasier said before he dashed out to engage the small pack.

He immediately sliced the jaw off the first one he encountered. After that he severed the arms off the next three. His blade was moving so fast their eyes could barely keep up. One second the machete was there, then the next it was already passing through the neck of an infected corpse.

He showed no fear, no remorse, and certainly no mercy as they began to circle around him. If anything it only made him fight harder.

Frasier suddenly swiped his leg out and tripped one. As expected he lifted his boot only to bring it down and finish another one of Them. Adding yet another to his high kill count.

-

With only three left he tossed his machete high in the air. Frasier then grabbed the hair of two and slammed Them together with incredible force, the skulls instantly cracked open, leaking blood everywhere.

When his hands let go the bodies dropped to the floor, motionless as nature intended for the dead. The last one was in his face ready to sink her teeth into his flesh.

Before teeth and skin could connect the machete came back down, stabbing in the dead center of the skull. The infected woman walked back and forth then toppled over backwards. After retrieving his machete, Frasier walked back and returned the blade with a small grin.

"All right fun is over, let's get going." he said with a hint of disappointment. Wishing that there were more for him to slay.

"Fun? How killing what used to be humans was fun I'll never be able to comprehend. Then again, Frasier has had more experience with Them so perhaps I should just stay quiet in the matter." Noah thought to himself, unsure as to why his older brother was enjoying this nightmare.

-

Suddenly out of the corner of Noah's eye he saw a small figure run through the shadows of a nearby alleyway.

"Hey wait!" Marcus shouted out, apparently noticing the figure as well.

"Let it go, Marcus. No need to chase something of no importance." Hitomi said, showing no concern for the possibility of another survivor.

Marcus quickly got over it and pulled the map out, continuing on with the journey. Noah's feet began to hurt with each step he took. He kept quiet though because he didn't want to look weak in front of his brothers.

-

When they walked through yet another ally in attempt to avoid the infected, Hitomi held her hand up motioning the group to halt.

"Can anyone else hear that?" she whispered, trying not to voice over the new sound.

At first the brothers heard nothing, but then they heard a cry for help. The quickly group ran out of the ally to see three thuggish looking characters corner a girl up against a car.

Hitomi raised her gun ready to take the shot. But once again Marcus stopped her.

"Wait! Don't shoot, the pellets could go through them and hit the girl." Marcus warned, not wanting to risk any collateral damage.

"Alright then what's your fantastic plan then?" Hitomi asked in a irritated tone, annoyed she couldn't fire the gun in her hands.

"Maybe we don't need to do anything." Noah suggested as he pointed towards a hooded figure that emerged from the shadows of a nearby house.

-

The hooded figure approached the three thugs with a metal bat in one hand. He slammed it against a lamppost to grab their attention.

"Seems like you cowards have never been taught any manners! School is in now in session." the hooded boy called out.

The thugs all laughed as two of them drew out switchblades. When they drew closer, the hooded boy took no time to spring into action. Noah watched as the first thug took a quick stab only to miss by a few inches.

The hooded figure had ducked down and thrusted his metal bat forward into the thugs groin. The bastard bent over in pain, dropping his tiny blade. Before he could get up the hooded boy brought the bat down on his skull, crushing it in one powerful blow.

As the first thug fell another one grabbed the hooded boy from behind, while the other tried to stab at his torso. The hooded boy quickly jumped up and kicked both his legs straight out, knocking the second thug back.

The hooded boy then reached for his side and drew out what looked like a pistol. All three brothers recognized it and knew it was a Glock 24 semi-automatic pistol.

The returning thug raised his knife ready to stab, but the hooded boy quickly fired eleven shots as best he could, putting seven into the attacker before he fell over dead.

The thug holding him punched at his kidneys, but now no longer had him in a good hold. The hooded boy ran backwards smashing the last thug into a broken down car. Finally free the hooded boy spun around and started to throw wild punches across the man's face.

After delivering a barrage of hits to the skull the hooded man kneed the thug in the stomach and let him fall to the ground.

The hooded stranger kneeled down and put the barrel of the gun in the dying man's mouth. Gently giving the squeeze of the trigger, splattering the thug's brains all over a car door.

The hooded boy then reloaded his pistol and holstered it at his side. After grabbing his bat from the ground, he walked towards the girl and offered his hand.

"You're safe now." he said in a more approachable tone.

The girl had her head between her legs, remaining entirely silent, she then reached out instantly. However her hands were grey.

She clearly was infected, but the hooded boy probably noticed that when she pulled him down. He grappled with the infected girl trying to avoid her vicious bites. His hood came off and revealed his jet black hair, it went down to his neck.

"Ok now, Hitomi!" Marcus announced.

She grinned as she lifted the shotgun, firing a single round into the girl. The infected girl stopped attacking the boy as the pelts sent the undead fiend flying against a brick wall.

Without hesitation he stood back up and brushed himself off.

"Are you ok? Did she bite you?" Noah asked as he ran up to the hooded boy.

He shook his head and pulled his hood back up as if trying to hide his face.

"I'm fine, and no she didn't. I could have handled it you know, but thanks." he answered in a grumbling tone.

Noah smiled knowing he wasn't bitten. It was good to see a friendly face, even if he kept it hidden under a hood.

"I'm Noah, what's your name?" Noah asked out of curiosity.

"I prefer to keep that a secret to most and for very good reasons... but since you seem friendly my name is Rhys. Nice too meet you Noah." he replied in a softer tone.

Noah then pointed to his family to introduce them to Rhys.

"That's Marcus, that's Hitomi, and that's Frasier. We've been traveling together all the way back from Fujimi Academy!" Noah exclaimed, showing pride in his group.

Rhys just stood there, observing everyone as they approached, then he looked back at Noah.

"Fujimi Academy? Interesting..." Rhys commented, almost as if he had a connection to that place.

"Why is that?" Noah asked.

Rhys remained silent as he began to walk away, avoiding the question entirely.

"Hey wait! Where you going?" Hitomi questioned.

"Wherever. It doesn't matter since the world has gone to hell. I have nowhere to live, no family to love." Rhys replied as he stopped to turn his head back to her.

"Well you could always come with us... if you wanted too." Noah suggested.

Rhys stood there as if unsure of what he wanted. His chin wiggled back and forth, his mind unsure of he should trust these strangers.

"Plenty of thugs to kill!" Marcus added in to sweeten the offer.

After saying that it seemed Rhys was utterly convinced to tag along. Besides, it wasn't like he really had anything going for him anyways.

"Very well, I'll join with you guys... for now." Rhys responded as he began to walk away, making it clear he wanted to walk alone.

"He's not much for conversation is he?" Frasier commented as he kept his finger close to the trigger unless more of Them were around.

"Like you should talk." Marcus teased before the group moved on.

-

With the new addition, they continued to follow Marcus as he led everyone into a shopping district. The huge parking lot was filled with abandoned cars. There seemed to be only a few infected around but that wasn't what concerned the group. Suddenly the sound of multiple motorcycles could be heard revving up.

"Down!" Frasier instructed, remembering how he was attacked by people on motorcycles the other day.

Without hesitation the group laid their bodies besides the parked cars and waited for further instruction. The ground was especially hard and unforgivable to those with anything in their pockets.

"What's wrong?" Noah asked, unsure of the potential danger.

"Bikers attack anyone they see whether they're infected or not." Frasier replied, completely convinced these were the same people who dragged him across the streets.

"Best we avoid any fights until we can get inside, those motorcycles are too fast to hit on foot." Hitomi added in.

"What do you think, Rhys?" Noah inquired.

"All I want is those thugs dead, but Hitomi is right. Best we move inside." Rhys responded in a grunt.

With everyone agreeing to hold off any engagements, they began to slowly crawl on their stomachs. About a few yards from the front of the grocery store the motorcycles they heard earlier drove off with haste.

The group played it safe however and continued to crawl under the cars. It wasn't long until they reached the building before them.

Marcus scouted the area for any signs of life. He then motioned the rest to move forward and that everything was clear for the time being. It was intense with each second that passed by. A great uncertainty that the bikers could turn back and detect the group as they advanced.

When Noah crawled out last, he wiped the gravel off of his chest. Hitomi was already standing up to the front doors and pulled them open for everyone else.

"C'mon before they come back." she whispered, feeling like they were currently being watched.

Noah and Rhys ran inside as Marcus and Frasier casually walked in. The lights inside were dimly lit, it was hard to tell if anything living nor dead were currently inhabiting this place.

Noah gripped the crowbar tight, expecting hidden infected to pop out randomly. Suddenly he heard a noise behind him; he raised his arms ready to strike. But as the source walked out into the light he realized it wasn't one of the infected.

-

Out stepped a young girl probably no older than Noah. She was his height and had long, straightened, blonde, hair with black highlights. She had fear in her big emerald green eyes.

"Please... don't hurt us, we gave you guys everything you wanted. I swear we have nothing else." she said in a weak voice, her legs nearly trembling to the point she couldn't stand.

Noah lowered the crowbar and set it down to show her he meant no harm. She seemed to calm down as Hitomi holstered her shotgun along her shoulder.

"It's ok. We're friendlies, are you all that's here?" Hitomi asked in a calm, peaceful tone.

Marcus and Frasier stood by Noah's side as the girl waved her hand to the other girl they just noticed hiding behind an aisle shelf.

She stepped out into the light and was nearly exactly identical to the first girl, only here eyes were sapphire blue. They stood side by side, both of them even wore the female school outfits from Fujimi Academy.

To Noah it felt good to see that him and his brothers weren't the only survivors from that hell hole. The dreaded feeling of being the only ones to escape the slaughterhouse.

"What are your names?" Hitomi asked in a professional tone.

"I'm Akira!" said the first girl with emerald eyes.

"And I'm Akiko!" added the second with sapphire eyes with enthusiasm.

"I'm... was, officer Hitomi. Is there anyone else here?" Hitomi questioned, wanting a full rundown of the area.

It seemed as if they both lost all fear and fell into a comfort zone when Hitomi said she was a police officer.

"Yes, there is." Akira replied brightly.

"About six of us now." Akiko confirmed. They then both ran off and came back with only two people.

Slowly, a couple of survivors walked out and stood before the group. All of them had fear and uncertainty in their eyes. One was a woman in her early thirties, another was an old man with a walking stick.

"You all look pretty shaken up. What happened here?" Hitomi asked as she observed the group's situation.

"The punks that came here before you guys. Forced us to give everything we had of value." the old man explained, sparing no time to speak up.

"We said no at first but when they murdered my husband we had no other choice. My name is Jun, I'm the doctor around here." the woman explained, taking a moment to pause at the horrible sight she witnessed. Clearly trying to hold her tears back.

Noah stood there and noticed something was off. There were supposed to be six people, he only counted four.

"I thought there were six of you? Where are the other two?" Marcus noted, also realizing the lack of two survivors.

"Well one is in the pharmacy department, he was badly injured at first but Jun patched him up." Akiko answered so the new group wouldn't feel that they were lying to them. Akira then looked around for the other survivor.

"Oh wait where is..." ("HERE I AM!") Akira began to question before interrupted by another female voice that came from behind Frasier and Rhys. Both of them jumped out of surprise. She giggled childishly as she cart wheeled over to Jun.

"Who are they?" she asked in a curious voice.

"They're survivors and from the looks of it seem like our solution to those damn bikers." Jun answered as she observed how well conditioned the newcomers were. She then looked at Noah with her golden eyes.

"You there, the one with the crowbar. What are your names?" Jun asked curiously. As if wanting things to be more formal.

"Well my name is Noah..." he answered as he pointed to his elder siblings.

"These are my brothers Marcus and Frasier..." then he looked over at Rhys and Hitomi.

"and last but not least, Rhys and Hitomi." Noah finished. Giving Jun the rundown of who was who.

That hyper girl walked over and stood at about 5'7. She had pink hair tied back into a pony tail. She was wearing the lower half of the school uniform, but over her top half she wore a purple hoodie. Her eyes were hazel and full of joy, as if she didn't even know it was the end of the world.

"Isn't there something you want to tell them?" Jun brought up to the hyper girl. The girl put her finger to her lips pondering.

"Hmmmm... Oh yeah! Im Yuki! Nice too met you all!" the hyper girl announced. She then giggled as if she just heard a funny joke.

"You'll have to excuse her, she's a little hyper at times." Jun apologized, clearly having to be embarrassed for the both of them.

"Only a little?" Marcus said with a smirk. Noah and Hitomi both also couldn't help but chuckle at his comment. However Frasier and Rhys were steadily becoming impatient.

"Well that's fine and all, but what about the biker problem? Not going to get anything accomplished by standing around." Frasier said sternly. Taking things seriously with no humor to be found in his voice.

"I agree. Enough fooling around." Rhys muttered from under his hood.

"You said there was someone in the pharmacy, think he will be able to help in the fight?" Hitomi asked.

Akira and Akiko took Noah and Marcus with them to the back of the store to watch as Jun unlocked the door to the pharmacy. The two brothers saw a man Frasier's age lying stretched out on a table.

The first thing Noah noticed was a huge scar across starting from the right side of his chest down to the left side of his stomach. He had multiple cuts and bruises along his arms and torso. His hair was snow white, short and spiky. His body type seemed to be slim and approximately 5'8 in height.

He immediately sat up when they walked closer, reaching for the katana Noah just noticed to his side as he drew it out.

"Who the hell are these guys?" he quickly demanded. He had a distrusting look in his icy-blue eyes.

Before anymore could be said the sound of another blade could be heard. The sword pointed towards Noah and Marcus suddenly flung to the other side of the room.

All six survivors were stunned as Frasier stood before the aggressive boy, Marcus' machete clearly drawn out (without his knowledge till now) which explained how the sword was disarmed so easily.

"It's ok they're not here to hurt us, they're actually going to help us out." Jun explained, trying to put an end to the escalating tension.

The guy seemed to cool down as the woman that saved his life reassured him that we weren't hostile. It also helped with the fact Frasier had his machete pointed for the boy's neck.

"Sorry about that... I'm just not too fond of strangers. I'm Ryou by the way." the aggressive teen said apologetically.

"It's alright. I usually expect the worst in other people too." Frasier said before returning the weapon to Marcus.

"Wait... I know you... you're the hero of the Takagi Militia! The umm... the Shinigami! How did you survive that slaughter at the evacuation point?" Ryou asked Frasier.

At first the other two siblings thought Ryou was crazy or maybe mistook Frasier for someone else.

"You were in the militia?" Frasier suddenly asked. Destroying any doubts of mistaken identity.

"Yeah... after watching you lead that charge against that horde I wanted to join up and help kick some zombie ass." Ryou confirmed as he stood up, placing a hand over his wound.

"Wait hold up. What militia? And the Takagi's? How the hell did you get involved with them?" Marcus interrupted, wanting clarification.

"Watch your tongue kid!" Ryou suddenly snapped out.

"You're talking to a great war hero! This man went above and beyond against an army of the undead. I personally watched him slay ten undead after leaping into a ring of fire!" Ryou finished, revealing more of Frasier's feats to the younger of the three.

"Settle down, Ryou... he was just asking a question. Besides we have bigger problems at hand." Frasier said dismissively. Ryou took a deep breath then put his white shirt on and nodded in acknowledgement.

"Very well. What seems to be the problem?" Ryou asked, unaware of the situation.

"The survivors that helped you are being hassled by bikers. We could use your help." Noah explained upfront.

"Biker thugs? I'm in. So what's the plan? Who's in charge?" Ryou asked, everyone looked at each other after hearing that.

"Well I guess Frasier. Since he's this great war hero I've heard so much about." Noah replied sarcastically.

"Hold on now. We're risking our lives here for total strangers here. We should have some sort of deal before we make any move on the bikers." Frasier explained, not wanting to help without compensation.

"As you can tell we have plenty of food left. You help us take care of the biker bandits, then we will allow a reasonable access to our food supply." Jun offered as she paced around what seemed like fully loaded aisles of food.

"Very well we will handle your biker problem in exchange for a steady supply of food." Frasier agreed. Making it clear he was only in on it for the food for his group.

"How many of them did you say there were?" Hitomi pondered as she looked out a boarded up window.

"About ten, why?" Akira questioned. Uncertain why she asked that.

"Because ten guys are coming this way." Hitomi replied. Noah and Marcus ran to the windows and looked through them. They could see ten figures walk up to the front of the store only to bang on the windows.

"Let us in. We're here for more food." demanded one of them. Jun ran to the front door and called out to them.

"But we just gave your gang some food. Please let us be." Jun pleaded as she tried to reason with them.

She tried to negotiate with reason but they said nothing. Noah watched as two of the bandits walked to their bikes and began to rev them up. The motors were very loud and for some reason the bikers didn't drive around they just kept revving them up.

"What are they doing?" Noah asked curiously.

"Maybe their bikes are broken?" Ryou suggested.

"No... they're attracting Them." Frasier said a few feet behind the group who was peering out the window.

"How can you be sure?" Ryou asked.

"Because the infected hunt by sound, and what's a better way to attract Them then to rev a loud motorcycle?" Marcus responded. Just recently realizing the biker's intentions. Now it seemed like they didn't have very many options at this point.

"Let them in. I'll just give them some food. If they start anything you guys step in." Jun instructed as she began to unlock the doors.

The fighters nodded and hid behind an aisle as Akiko, Akira, Yuki and the old man all stood out with cans of food ready to surrender over to the bikers.

Frasier, Marcus, Hitomi, Rhys, Ryou and Noah all remained in the shadows of the store since the bikers weren't aware of their existence.

Noah felt his heart beat quicken as Jun let them in. They pushed her aside and walked around, snatching everything the survivors offered them. They looked at the cans and tossed them aside.

"What is this crap? Where's the real food? Stop holding out on us! Or do we need to show you what happens when you piss us off again?" one biker threatened.

Noah gripped the crowbar as tight as he could. He desperately wanted to silence that coward, but knew he couldn't give his position away just yet.

Suddenly he realized something... the one talking was the same kid who bullied him and Kohta on his first day at the academy. He was part of the biker gang and was threatening more innocent people again. Before Noah knew it, the biker raised a wooden baseball bat, ready to strike at his new allies.

Noah was the closest one and rushed out with his crowbar. As the bat came down, Noah lifted the crowbar catching the bat in the hook.

Something was different inside of the youngest of the trio. Something inside of him was driving him to fight. All he could think of was fighting and protecting these innocent people.

At first the bikers were surprised to see him stand up to them, but then the bully from school recognized him.

"Ah, so the weakling from the academy has made it this far." said the bully with a grin.

"I will not let you hurt now before this gets ugly!" Noah warned in an angered tone.

"Well what do you plan to do about it? There's ten of us and only one little you!" he replied, laughing at the uneven odds in his favor.

Suddenly the melee fighters attacked and caught the bikers by surprise. In a mere five seconds eight bikers dropped to the ground dead.

Only two remained as Frasier held one in a tight chokehold.

"Looks like your math is off douche bag. I just see two bikers up shit creek and without a paddle." Marcus said with humor in his voice, Yuki could be heard giggling as the bully noticed he was beyond screwed.

"Bet your not so tough without everyone else around to do it for you kid." said the bully ironically.

"Funny... you seemed far more confident when you had eight of your friends backing you up. But I'm stronger than you think. Last time you caught me off guard." Noah replied as he tossed the crowbar aside.

"Noah are you nuts? He-" ("No. Let him Marcus, this is his fight now. Let's see how well his training has held up.") Marcus began to protest before Frasier interrupted, wanting to see how Noah would do this time around.

"Fine." Marcus said. Now stricken with wonder as to how Noah would perform now.

The bully grunted and accepted the challenge. He figured Noah would be no hassle since he beat him before.  
>Noah watched his every move and kept his eyes focused on those hateful eyes.<p>

As they stepped closer the bully threw a quick jab, Noah reacted by blocking it and countering with a quick roundhouse. The bully took the hit and stepped back, suddenly he began to throw his fists like a wild animal. Noah skipped back and dodged as many as he could. Eventually he hit Noah and knocked him down again.

"Looks like you lose again kid." the bully said as he lifted his foot, ready to stomp down on Noah just like last time. He brought it down on his chest pressing hard; he lifted and brought it down again. Noah coughed and gasped for air, but he knew he couldn't give up.

**{DBZ OST - Super Saiyan Vegeta Theme}**

Noah knew he had to prove himself here and now!

"No fear! No pain! No surrender!" Noah suddenly shouted in anger, remembering his fathers words.

He held up his hands as the foot came down for the finishing stomp. Noah gripped the foot as tight as he could and quickly stood up pushing the bully into an aisle shelf with his hands still holding the foot. Noah then lifted his leg up in the air and brought his foot up.

With all his strength, Noah shot his foot forward into the bully's exposed groin. The punk coughed and spat all over himself in agonizing pain.

Noah let his leg go and head butted the coward's nose feeling and hearing the cartilage break on impact. The bully's nose gushed blood as Noah stepped back, bouncing back and forth between legs like a boxer ready for the bell to ring.

The bully threw a desperate swing only to be blocked and punched back and forth as Noah went to town on him. Punching the boy in the face as if he were a hanging punching bag.

It was finished; this coward was down for the count and at Noah's mercy. Everyone watched as Noah raised his arm in the air, showing he was the victor.

**{}**

"Go ahead... go on and gloat. It doesn't matter since my friends will be here once they know I'm not back. And when they get here, you're all fucked!" the bully said as he laughed, getting his own blood all over himself.

"Then let's send you back in a body bag!" Rhys growled.

"Perhaps in a shopping bag?" suggested Ryou as he drew his sword.

"No! This is Noah's kill, he will decide what to do with this coward." Frasier snapped at them. Causing both of them to back off. Noah slowly ran out of adrenaline and fell back into reality.

"What do you mean Frasier? You want me to kill him?" Noah asked uncertain. Frasier then picked up the crowbar and tossed it to Noah.

"That is entirely up to you, brother." Frasier replied. Not wanting to influence Noah's choice.

Noah caught the crowbar and gripped it hard, he wanted nothing more then to slay this coward where he kneeled. But he just couldn't do it. He was unarmed and of no threat to anyone. Noah lowered the crowbar and looked at his brothers.

"I can't do it... he's unarmed and defenseless. I won't become the thing I hate. He can leave the store alive." Noah said as he walked away, being the better man.

The bully immediately took off without any hesitation whatsoever. He pushed the doors open and quickly began to pull out his keys in desperation as he stood over his bike.

*BANG*

A loud gunshot could be heard, the bully gripped his chest as the bullet punctured his heart. He slowly slumped over his motorcycle, dying before he hit the ground.

Everyone turned to see Frasier with his arm extended, holding Noah's hybrid out as the barrel was still smoking from being fired.

"Why did you do that?! I spared him!" Noah exclaimed in anger over his brother's actions.

Frasier remained silent as he walked over to the other biker and placed both hands over his face. A horrid crunching noise could be heard as the neck bones snapped from a sudden twist, causing everyone to flinch in disgust and shock at the brutal execution. The last biker dropped down to his knees then slumped over dead before he could even touch the ground.

"He got out just fine, he left the store Noah. He was alive until he went outside."

"Bear in mind, I warned him not to bully anyone ever again. You got what you wanted, I got what I wanted, nuff said. Letting him live would only come back to bite us in the ass." Frasier explained with no remorse over his actions.

Apart of Noah felt sorry for him, but he then realized his brother did warn the bully that he wouldn't be so gentle next time.

"Well... looks like we're going to have some company." Rhys commented, reminding everyone the bikers would want vengeance for this.

"I'll get the tea." Hitomi remarked as she pulled the pump back on the shotgun.

"I'll get the popcorn." Marcus added, both of them smiling at their comments.

Marcus then rubbed his stomach and stood at the doorway. He could see that the sun was going to set very soon.

"Alright everyone we need to take control of the situation! Ryou, Rhys, and Marcus! I need you three to go scout out the local area and come back with a detailed map. Look for key advantage points for us." Frasier ordered, sparing no time to take command.

"Everyone else set up defenses. We will need to be ready for an imminent attack on this store. I want everyone to build barricades to slow down whatever those bastards can throw at us." Frasier called out once the three ran outside to do their jobs.

He was so powerful and commanding with every word he uttered. Everyone scrambled around and began to dismantle the aisle shelfs, boarding up the windows. Afterwards they dragged the heavier objects to support their defenses.

-

After an hour of preparation, Noah walked out to see the sun beginning to set. The recon team ran back inside and laid the map out on a big table they dragged out. Marcus had made marks all over the local area and had his battle plan ready to explain to Frasier.

They discussed with each other what we could do in terms of defense. Frasier walked out of the pharmacy while Yuki leaned against the doorway wearing his shades.

"Be sure to come back whenever you need a quick patch up!" Yuki said before she closed the door and locked it with everyone else in the safe room the survivors established for backup measures.

"Alright, recon team what did you discover? Find any advantages?" Frasier questioned as he looked at the three he sent out.

"Not really, they're most likely going to be on bikes... so shooting them and trying to fight in a melee wouldn't be in our favor at ground level. We also are not sure of how many of them are coming either." Marcus said, shaking his head.

Frasier had a concerned look on his face. But his face changed to a grin, his tactical mind slowly developing a way to over come the dire situation.

"Then maybe it's time we get our own bikes and take the fight to the bikers." Frasier suggested.

Everyone looked at him like he was mad. Where they would even find bikes was questionable to begin with.

"He is right though... fight fire with fire." Rhys said, eventually breaking the silence amongst the group.

"Maybe we could take out a small group of bikers and take their bikes and helmets." Ryou suggested, everyone could agree to this and nodded their heads in acceptation.

"Very well, we will acquire our own bikes and I think I know exactly how to do it." Frasier said as he pulled out the rope from his backpack.

-

Minutes later they all ran outside into an ally way that was parallel to another ally. Frasier took two cans he found on the ground and set then up to explain his plan.

"Alright the cans are these two buildings, and this is where two groups will hide. When a pack of bikers drive by, we will hoist the rope up and knock them off their bikes. Everyone understand?" Frasier questioned.

"Maybe we could attract them with something." Rhys said as everyone nodded in agreement.

"But we would need something loud and obnoxious to attract them." Hitomi added.

"Or someone." Noah suggested, everyone then slowly looked over at Marcus.

"What? Is there something on my face?" Marcus asked.

Everyone laughed a little as Frasier instructed what Marcus needed to do and where to be. Noah meanwhile, helped Ryou and Hitomi set up the long rope across the street into the next ally.

One side it was Marcus, Hitomi, and Ryou on the other side it was Frasier, Rhys, and Noah.

Noah liked Rhys' company, he may be quiet around most, but it seemed he was somewhat ok with talking to him. They sat around talking about their pasts. Rhys even showed Noah his dog tag. After seeing it, Noah then showed his own dog tag.

All the men in his family wore a dog tag. They also would have their favorite animal imprinted on it. Noah's was a dog, "loyal to the end" it inscribed under it.

Noah then noticed Frasier just sat there in his own little world, looking at the picture of Saeko while everyone else waited. Suddenly he could hear the sound of motorcycles not too far off.

Marcus ran out and stood in the open road. He took two cans and started banging them together. Noah gripped the rope like everyone else, ready to pull on Frasier's signal. Marcus started to make noises and dance around like a Jester would.

Noah slowly peeked around the corner of the wall to see four bikers sitting on their motorcycles laughing at Marcus.

"Marcus, plan B!" Frasier whispered.

"Hey cock suckers check this out!" Marcus shouted out.

After saying that, Marcus then bent over and pulled his pants down mooning them. The bikers immediately revved their bikes and came at him full speed, enraged at the childish act of disrespect. As they got closer they drew their weapons out.

"Whooo! Going to be a full moon tonight!" Marcus yelled out.

"That's the safety word!" Frasier motioned to his team.

All at the once, everyone pulled the rope back at the same time and held on as tight as they could.

It was the perfect ambush. The bikers were going too fast to react in time and were caught in the tripwire. All of them fell off their bikes onto the hard pavement. Their bikes kept going for a little while they skidded along the road before crashing into a building or parked car.

Hitomi and Rhys quickly rushed them before they could recover, putting multiple kill shots into the biker's torsos. They took the helmets off and ran towards the bikes. The bikes all seemed to be ok and in working order despite crashing into whatever was in their path.

-

Everyone got onto a bike, on the first one Hitomi was driving as Marcus sat on the back. On the second bike Frasier was driving as Ryou sat on the back. Then on the last bike Rhys was driving as Noah sat on the back. About five minutes later they arrived at the front of the store.

Yuki, Akiko, and Akira stood there with helmets they salvaged off the bikers the group killed earlier earlier in the store. After the bikes were parked, those going to fight stood outside the grocery store fitting the helmets on properly.

Noah noticed that there were big red Xs on the front and back of the helmets.

"Why did you guys write on them?" Noah asked.

"So you guys can tell each other apart!" Akira exclaimed.

"Wouldn't want you guys to accidentally hit one another out there." Akiko added.

"Point taken." was all Noah could really say. All the helmets the group possessed were now black and had the red Xs spray painted on them.

"Hitomi, go inside and fire at anything that isn't wearing our helmets." Marcus instructed.

"What about you?" she asked, wanting to know where he would be going.

"You know me. I always land on my feet in the end." Marcus replied with confidence.

Hitomi ran up to him and kissed him on the lips without regret, she then walked up to Frasier.

"Don't let anything happen to my boyfriend." she ordered, her voice sounding more of a threat than a request.

"So much for keeping it a secret." Noah thought to himself as Hitomi walked inside closing the store doors behind her.

"Anyone else want to be the backup team?" Frasier asked aloud, not wanting anyone to have second thoughts on the mission at hand.

Everyone shook their heads and mounted up.

"I wanna go too!" Yuki said as she ran out with a helmet.

"No dice kid, it's too dangerous out there." Rhys argued as he lifted his hood off and replaced it with his own helmet.

"But I used to be a delivery girl! I probably can drive a motorcycle better than any of you." Yuki argued, making a valid point.

"I say we give her a chance. Besides can you even drive a motorcycle Rhys?" Ryou questioned.

"Barely..." Rhys responded in defeat, practically being forced to sit in the back seat now due to lack of experience.

"Then it's settled, Yuki take a bike and saddle up. Tonight is the night we take back this part of town from those that have chosen to make this living nightmare even worse than it needs to be!" Frasier announced.

Everyone got on a bike and was ready to roll out. Frasier, Yuki, and Marcus took the driver seats on all three bikes. Rhys partnered with Yuki, Ryou partnered with Marcus, and Noah partnered with Frasier.

The bikes they started up were loud; the sun was finally gone as the moon began to rise. Out in the distance Noah could hear the bikers, then he could see the lights on their motorcycles. There were so many compared to his group. But all of them stood firm and were ready to fight back.

"Everyone prepare! This is the night we bring back justice to these lawless lands! This is the night we ensure freedom of the innocent! This is the night we fight to the last man!" Frasier yelled out in a ferocious yet inspiring tone.

"Let's show these cowards what a real fight is!" yelled out Marcus. As he said that, their bikes rushed forward driving out of the parking lot. They kept in a spear formation. Frasier in the front, while Yuki and Marcus drove at his sides.

-

As they approached the biker gang, they quickly made a right turn on a street. Both Marcus and Yuki raised their middle fingers as the group left the bikers in the dust. They followed us in full force, the chase was on!

The three bikes drove down the empty streets, the bikers followed in waves so they wouldn't all crash into each other or get in each other's way.

The first wave drive the group's sides, Ryou was the first to engage. He simply sliced at the gas canister in a bike. The katana caused sparks, igniting the bike on fire which quickly spread to the riders. Marcus sped up as the bike soon exploded behind him and Ryou.

Two bikes then lined up besides Yuki, she slowed down giving Rhys the perfect line up. He drew his Glock 24 and fired a quick burst killing the drivers. They fell off and the bikes crashed into the curbs. Their bodies were tossed along the road like rag dolls. "Woooohhoooo!" shouted out Yuki as she sped back up.

Suddenly a biker and his rider cruised past Frasier and Noah's wingmen and began to swing their weapons at them. Noah blocked their lead pipes with the crowbar as best he could. He swung back, disarming the passenger, while Frasier grabbed the pipe from the driver and tossed it between their wheels.

Their bike quickly spun of control and crashed into a nearby bus. Noah knew that crashing at this kind of speed was a death sentence. Soon the second wave approached. All of them had bikers at our sides. Noah could hear Rhys fire off his pistol in an attempt to hit something.

Meanwhile Ryou was hacking and slashing at anything that got too close. One biker tossed a chain around his forearm.

"Get ready to turn." Frasier shouted, giving a heads up to his team. He went faster as they barely made the turn without crashing.

The biker that had Ryou in his chain was knocked off and now being dragged in the streets. Ryou laughed as he then cut the chain, sending the biker sliding along the road into a lamppost.

"Another one bites the dust!" yelled out Marcus.

A bike drove past Noah and Frasier; it then pulled an 180 degree turn and came right at them.

"Looks like a good old game of chicken!" Frasier shouted in an almost excited tone.

He sped up as Noah held onto him tightly, knowing that he was not going to back down for anything. But to his surprise (and to some extent the bikers), he moved to the side only to have Rhys come up from behind and strike the driver in the skull with his bat.

Noah gave Yuki a thumbs up as she did the same. They were destroying these bikers one by one as they raced down the streets. But there were still plenty to go around.

"Hey guys heads up we have more than just bikers to worry about now!" Yuki shouted as she pointed ahead.

He didn't even notice until now that there were bundles of infected in the path they were taking.

"Break off get ready to turn!" Frasier ordered.

"No wait! Don't break off keep going! Trust me we can handle it!" Marcus interrupted.

"Marcus don't be a fool if we get stuck or crash we'll be fucked!" Ryou argued.

"Just trust me on this one!" Marcus pleaded.

The group drew closer and closer to the oncoming hordes. With each passing second the team was still unsure of their next course of action. Frasier's mind raced between both choices, having to pick one and soon.

"Now or never Frasier!" Rhys shouted impatiently.

"Alright... Full speed ahead! Let's see how those bikers handle a few bumps in the road." Frasier ordered as they approached the infected.

They hissed and groaned as they limped towards the noisy bikes. Noah figured they must have been attracting all the infected within a mile with all this noise.

He closed his eyes as their bikes barely dodged the infected crowds; Noah slowly opened them to see that they were driving along Them in perfect formation.

So far it seemed both Yuki and Marcus were doing fine as well. Rhys and Ryou would smash and slice at whatever infected would dare reach for them. The bikers didn't give up however, they kept going at their pace following the group with the same intention as always.

When the bikers reached the hordes at least ten bikes crashed sending the drivers into the crowds of hungry undead. Their screams were barely heard as those who did make it drove on. These bastards were very persistent in their pursuit, these were the bikers that had potential.

Noah knew the group couldn't rest until all of them were dead. One drove up besides him and Frasier, the driver grabbed his shirt and started driving towards a group of infected. This crazy bastard was trying to take them out even if it meant him dying in the process.

Frasier however was having none of this and drew his machete slicing the hand off the lone biker. He screamed in pain as he held his stub. Frasier kicked the bike away from them sending it straight into the infected. The biker was quickly swarmed and consumed by the infected.

The bikers hand was still attached to Noah's shirt. He quickly pried the hand off and tossed it aside.

"I'll have to hand it to you Noah, that was close." Frasier said jokingly.

"Oh great now your becoming like Marcus." Noah said, laughing out loud.

"And what's so bad about that?" Marcus yelled out from behind them.

Noah and Frasier had a good laugh as the bikers one by one would fall to the group's overwhelming skills. The battle was nearly over as only one bike remained.

This was no ordinary biker, this one coming at them with a striking streak of confidence. The lone driver was skilled as he drove at high speed still dodging the infected; his had two twin swords on his back. He drew them as Yuki and Marcus lined up on each side trying to take him out.

The swordsman blocked everything Ryou and Rhys tried to throw at him. Whoever the masked biker was must have been the leader.

"We can't take much more!" Yuki yelled out as she barely dodged another swipe.

"This guy is too fast!" Marcus called out before he attempted to fight back again.

"Everyone break off! I'll handle this one." Frasier announced.

Yuki and Marcus (with great hesitation) pulled away, still avoiding the infected as the biker leader ignored them and came right for Frasier and Noah.

Noah knew they were the ones the leader wanted. He watched as the driver drove off a ramp and landed besides them. The masked biker began to swing both blades at them, Noah and Frasier both raised their weapons blocking the onslaught.

It took all of Noah's training and reflexes to deflect whatever the man could throw at them. As they clashed weapons, he noticed the movements in the man's swings were similar to how Frasier would swing his machete.

The biker leader then swung his blade at down Noah's forearm. Noah felt the blade tear through his leather jacket and into his flesh. Noah cried out in pain as Frasier quickly broke off all engagement.

"Noah!" Frasier shouted.

The young boy felt the blood trickling down his left arm. The pain and intensity was far too much for him to handle. Frasier gripped the handle bars, unable to stand seeing his little brother in pain.

"Noah this is too dangerous for you, get out of here!" Frasier yelled out.

"What about you?" Noah asked, unsure how his brother expected him to get off the fast moving vehicle.

Frasier sped up going further out keeping distance between them and the biker leader.

"I'll handle that one myself, let's just say that guy and I have meet before." Frasier explained as the biker leader drew closer and closer to them.

"Noah take the handles." Frasier instructed as he began to slow down.

At first Noah had no idea what he meant, but then Frasier began to sit up in his seat. Noah then realized his crazy brother was going to jump! He quickly grabbed the handles just in time.

Meanwhile Frasier landed on the lead bike. Not expecting the irrational behavior, the biker leader had to fight to maintain control as Frasier began to viciously punch at his helmet. Both soon crashed and rolled along a grassy hill near the highway they almost went on.

Noah barely managed to get control as he watched Frasier take that crazy bastard alone. Marcus and Yuki soon caught up and escorted him over to where the bike crashed.

He got off the bike and ran over to see the battle. Noah watched as Frasier was slowly walking back up the hill already. All that could be seen behind him was the wreckage of the bike but no body of the biker leader.

"What the? Where's the other guy?!" Marcus asked, scanning the area for any remains.

"He got away, but I don't think he will be bothering us again. Let's get out of here." Frasier ordered as he brushed grass and dirt off of his shoulders.

-

The ride home was filled with glory as the group spared no time to get Noah to Jun. Their bikes roared loud and proud as they returned to the grocery store center.

They all kept the helmets on until they ran inside; Jun took Noah's hand and had him laid out on the medical cot. She gave him some morphine to ease the pain; Noah felt his eyelids become heavy as his last thought was that they did the impossible. They won against a fully armed biker gang... with the help of a few new friends of course.

-

**2 Hours Later**

Noah's eyes opened slowly as he saw a bright light. He held his hand out to block the bright light shining above him. Next thing he knew he could hear Jun's voice.

"He's waking up! Someone go get Frasier." Jun ordered.

Noah's eyes continued to blink a little as he sat up and looked around the room to see Rhys and Yuki looking right at me.

"What's up buttercup?" Yuki asked in a playful voice.

She then sat on a counter, swinging her legs back and forth waiting for a response.

"Are you always this cheerful?" Noah asked as he tried sitting up again.

She hopped off and hugged Noah unexpectedly. His cheeks instantly turning bright red from being naturally shy.

"Do you have a problem with that?" Yuki asked in a more firm tone.

"You did good out there Noah, glad to see you made it." Rhys said as he folded his arms.

Noah smiled a bit, feeling rather proud of himself before he noticed multiple stitches in his arm. He then remembered the biker that did this to him. He was tougher than most they weren't even kill him. He even managed to get away and is probably out there somewhere seeking revenge.

He put that thought in the back of his mind as he looked at the clock in the room. It had been two hours since Noah and his ragtag group of survivors had ensured that a motorcycle gang was wiped off the face of the earth. He then looked over at Rhys.

"Hey Rhys did anything happen while I was out?" Noah asked.

"Not sure, I stayed in here to make sure you were ok." Rhys said as the hooded boy shrugged his shoulders.

"And wherever Rhys goes, I go!" Yuki added cheerfully. Rhys sighed as he got up.

"C'mon Noah, let's go see what your brothers are up too." Rhys suggested as he began to walk away.

Noah nodded and followed him as Yuki stayed behind looking at something, he wasn't entirely sure what but he also didn't really care. Rhys kept quiet as they walked through the grocery store. Everyone seemed to be off doing their own thing. As Noah walked by they would smile and tell him they were glad to see he was ok.

"You're not from Japan are you Noah?" Rhys asked while they exited the store.

"No. Believe it or not I'm from the U.K. Why you ask?" Noah questioned after shaking his head in response to Rhy's question.

Even with his hood up, Noah could see Rhys smile a little.

"Just asking... good to know I'm not the only stranger to this part of the world." Rhys said softly.

-

Before Noah could say anything else, he saw his brothers and Hitomi walking towards him. They were talking at first but all stopped as soon as they saw Noah.

"Noah, good to see your alright. How's the arm?" Hitomi asked.

Noah held his arm up to reveal to them the stitches Jun had given him.

"Nice." Marcus commented.

"Good to see your ok Noah. Alright so who's coming back to the hotel?" Frasier asked aloud.

"Aren't we all sticking together?" Noah asked, unsure why Frasier would want to split up the groups.

"While you were out, everyone agreed that we split up into two groups. You know divide and conquer." Marcus answered for Noah as everyone began to line up outside the store..

"Well whoever Jun goes I go, I owe her my life and will protect her and anyone I can." Ryou stated.

"And this pharmacy has most of what we need for medical supplies, so I'll stay at the store." Jun added.

Ryou and Jun then stood to the left side of the line, indicating those in that line would be staying behind.

"Anyone else want to stay?" Jun asked, making sure everyone had a say in things.

The old man then slowly walked over to the left side of the two groups.

"I'm too old to be moving around town, so I'll take my chances here." the old man explained, making a valid point.

"No stay here! The bikers are gone now." Akiko stated.

"No chance! Just because those assholes are gone doesn't mean the infected are." Akira argued.

Both of them continued to argue until they ran out of breath.

"If you guys are really worried about security then I'll stay." Hitomi offered.

She walked over to the left side of the line.

"Me too." Marcus quickly added.

"No, your brothers will need you Marcus. Don't worry about me remember I'm the cop." Hitomi explained.

"Yeah I guess you're right." Marcus admitted with a deep sigh afterwards.

Marcus walked up and kissed her passionately on the lips. He then turned his head to Ryou with a serious look on his eyes most people never see.

"Don't let anything happen to my girl." Marcus ordered before he walked away from the store.

This now was the second time they openly have shown their love in front of Frasier. Noah walked up to him to ask him about it.

"So you're fine with them being together?" Noah inquired.

Frasier looked at him and smiled. Almost as if expect Noah to ask him about that.

"Of course I'm ok with it, why wouldn't I be?" Frasier asked.

"Well it's just... I thought you would disapprove because of the age difference or something. I mean he's sixteen and she's nineteen." Noah explained, shrugging his shoulders as he looked down at his feet.

Frasier began to walk, motioning Marcus, Noah, Rhys, and Yuki to follow.

"Noah, age doesn't mean anything in a relationship. As long as two people love each other very much and actually mean it then I see no problem with it. Marcus is not a little kid anymore, besides who am I to judge?" Frasier explained as they walked through the parking lot.

I looked up at him confu

"What do you mean?" Noah asked, looking up at his elder brother confused from the last statement.

He sighed and looked at the carnage the streets of this town have endured.

"You think his age difference is bad Try having feelings for someone you've known since you entered a foreign country, since you've trained with her for three years. Then before you ask her if she will be yours the apocolyose happens." Frasier said softly as if he has given up on everything.

"I'm sorry brother... I'll let it go." Noah said apologetically .

Frasier then smiled and tussled Noah's hair.

"And Noah... next time you mimic my voice try to be more fluid with your words." Frasier suggested before walking ahead of the group.

-

Monent later, Yuki laughed and nudged Rhys arm playfully.

"What about you? Don't you have a special girl?" Yuki asked in a friendly tone.

Rhys kept walking and remained silent. She pouted and shrugged her shoulders; Rhys seemed distant about this subject. He was just like everyone else, he must have gone through so much during the outbreaks.

"Hey does anyone have a light? Can't see a damn thing." Marcus announced, squinting his eyes as he observed the map.

Noah then remembered the lighter they've had the entire journey. He pulled it out and ignited it. The flame gave Marcus enough light to see where they were going. As they walked through an ally, the wind blew the flame closer to Noah's hand.

He felt the flame burn the tip of his thumb and dropped the metal lighter on the ground. It made a loud *tink* *tink* as it impacted the concrete.

Everyone looked over at him, then Frasier and Rhys drew their weapons. At first he did not know why but then Noah could hear the infected groan. They must have heard it and we're coming this way.

Frasier and Rhys however didn't wait around for Them to show up. They both rushed out into the streets to engage Them. Noah could hear the sound of Rhys' metal bat smash the skulls of the infected. Then he could hear Frasier's machete slice the limbs and heads off of the infected. Yuki took his hand and led Noah to a nearby fire escape.

-

They climbed to the top of this one story building and watched as the hooded boy and my older brother tore through the infected crowds. There must have been at least twenty of Them in the streets. Noah looked at Rhys watching him use a combination of martial arts and his trusty metal bat.

He side kicked an infected woman to the side as his bat smashed the teeth of another. Even in the heat of battle he kept his hood up, suddenly Noah saw an infected man fly through the air knocking down several others. His vision turned to see Frasier cut down multiple infected with quick decisive cuts.

"Man those two are good at this." Yuki observed.

Noah nodded in agreement as Rhys and Frasier went back to back. They were beginning to fight in unison now. He felt useless up here but his injury would have only made him a liability.

More kept coming as the two fought side by side, it was as if they were brothers even. Rhys was suddenly grabbed by one and pulled aside. He viciously tried to fight back but the infected man had a good grip on his sweater. They fell down to the ground, Rhys held the bat up in time to block the hungry teeth. He shook the bat around tossing it and the infected man aside.

"Hungry? Eat this!" Rhys shouted as he yanked the bat back before he brought the bat down, smashing the head like a rotten pumpkin.

The three on the rooftop watched the brains splatter all over the street. Rhys and Frasier were both coated in blood as they destroyed all in their path.

"Man they're ripping through them like wet toilet paper!" Marcus exclaimed.

"Who do you think is better?" Yuki asked.

"Hard to tell both are skilled fighters... let's just be glad they're on our side." Noah responded, find it arbitrary to compare them.

-

During the fight Rhys was disarmed and tried to fight hand to hand. He could knock them down but they kept getting back up.

"Rhys!" Frasier shouted.

He then threw his machete through the air directly between the eyes of the closest infected to Rhys. As the infected girl fell over Rhys pulled the blade from her skull and held it in both hands.

"What about you?" Rhys asked as he cut down another infected.

"Don't need it, besides I like a challenge!" Frasier exclaimed as he slammed his fists together.

Rhys went into a frenzy as he began to slice and dice the infected that dared go near him. Noah almost felt bad for the infected, it clearly was a slaughter. His attention then turned to Frasier as he began to actually fight the infected with his bare fists.

His strikes were very unusual, nothing the other two brothers have ever seen before. But whatever he was doing was working just fine.

His kicks and strikes were slow but deadly. Marcus' teeth grit as he could hear those strikes break and shatter bones.

"Who is this?" Yuki asked.

Noah looked over at her and nearly died from shock. Because in that girl's hands, was the picture of Saeko that Frasier has kept since this all began.

"How the fuck did you get that?" Marcus asked in a confused tone.

"Answer my question first knucklehead." Yuki said un-phased by his question.

Marcus then noticed that the picture was actually ripped at the edges on the right side.

"That's Saeko Busijima... why do you care?" Noah answered.

Yuki then paused for a moment before continuing.

"Oh... so he's taken?" Yuki asked curiously.

"Well... not really but its best you give it back." Noah quickly suggested.

"What's the worst that could happen?" Yuki asked.

"Hmm no idea... oh wait maybe that!" Marcus replied sharply as he pointed to Frasier holding and infected man in the air.

He then held his knee out and slammed the poor bastard down breaking its back. The sound was bad enough, the pain made Noah's mind boggle.

"Point taken, I'll just be sure to put it back as I carefully took it." Yuki said.

Soon more infected began to show up. Both Rhys and Frasier were beginning to run out of breathe.

"Can't take much more." Frasier warned.

"Perhaps we should retreat for now." Rhys suggested.

"Agreed." Frasier replied as they ran towards the ally.

-

They ran over to the fire escape only to see the infected were blocking the ladder. That was not a problem though. The two fighters instead ran up a wall. Both of them leapt off it and managed to grab onto the safety rail.

With no time to waste, they quickly climbed up the fire escape to join the rest of the group.

"Holy crap are you guys ninjas?" Marcus asked.

They both were breathing heavily and sat down against the wall.

"It's called Parkour Marcus, its lets me go just about anywhere." Rhys responded.

"It's a very useful skill to learn when you are surrounded by those abominations." Frasier added.

Rhys nodded and handed him his machete back as Frasier handed Rhys his bat.

"Wait I dropped this how you get it?" Rhys questioned.

"I managed to grab it as we decided to retreat." Frasier replied.

"Well that's great and all but we still need to get home. If They don't kill us the damn weather will!" Marcus brought up

-.

As soon as he said that Noah's body started to shiver a little as the cold air breezed by him.

"What's wrong little brother? You're a son of the U.K. ! Cold is our element." Frasier reminded Marcus.

Marcus grumbled as he looked at the map dismissing that statement.

"So how much further till we get to the safe house?" Yuki asked shivering, her teeth chattering.

Marcus then pointed towards the hotel which was actually in view now funny enough.

"Right up there, but I'm not sure how we will be able to reach it." Marcus answered.

"Well that's where Parkour comes into play." Rhys suggested.

"I'm not sure if they're ready for that." Frasier interrupted.

"Then what do you suggest?" Yuki questioned.

Frasier grinned as he opened his backpack up and pulled the satchel out. He unzipped it and revealed three frag grenades.

"Guess now is a good time to use one huh?" Frasier suggested.

Everyone of them nodded and stepped back as Frasier wrapped his index finger around the ring.

"Pull the pin... count to three... throw and get your ass down." Marcus murmured, that was how their father taught them about grenades.

"Get ready to run... once this goes off every abomination in town will hear it." Frasier instructed. He then pulled the pin out, it made a loud *click* letting the user know its primed to detonate.

"Fire in the hole!" Frasier shouted as he threw the grenade into the alley filled with the undead.

He took a few steps back waiting for it to go off. Suddenly a loud explosion rang out as Noah saw the alley way fill up with light for a second from the initial explosion. Smoke then climbed up to the sky as the infected in the alley were no longer groaning.

"Go, go, go!" Frasier ordered as he and Rhys descended to the street as fast as they could.

As Noah climbed down the stairs, he noticed the entire alley was covered in dismembered limbs and eviscerated corpses. A large black mark was where the grenade initially gone off. Blood was splattered all over the walls along with shrapnel imbedded into the brick walls.

"Holy Santa Claus shit." Marcus exclaimed as he saw the carnage.

Yuki giggled as the three ran, catching up with Rhys and Frasier. They jogged as they were still running, they may be tired but they were still faster then the younger group members.

-

Noah watched Yuki quickly slid Frasier's wallet in his backpack with him none the wiser. She was very good at being quiet and sneaky.

However, it didn't matter as they soon reached the hotel. Even more infected were here than earlier that day. The moon was high as the infected ruled the streets.

"See any rocks?" Marcus question, looking around for some to distract Them.

"How do we get inside?" Rhys asked curiously.

"We sneak by them." Frasier responded.

The rest of the group looked at him like he was insane. The infected were far too close to effectively sneak around.

"Everyone take your shoes off and put them in Marcus's backpack." Frasier instructed, his voice now a soft hush.

Despite the suicidal plan, everyone followed his orders and did as he said.

"Ok now what?" Yuki asked curiously, wiggling her toes impatiently.

Frasier held both hands in a weird way as if creating a symbol.

"Stay right behind me and do not panic." Frasier instructed.

He then began to slowly walk towards the crowds of infected rather then around. Everyone's hearts were racing as they seamlessly walked through the crowds.

The infected groaned and stood there with vacant expressions. Their breath was so vile Noah nearly threw up. However knowing that if anyone made a sound it would be all over for everyone. That was more than enough incentive for him to hold it in.

-

After two minutes of this hell the group finally made it to the top of the stairs. Rhys carefully opened the door and held it open while the rest of the group walked in. When the doors were closed Frasier gasped for air and fell to his knees coughing.

Everyone let out a sigh of relief and patted him on the back as he got up.

"What the hell was that?" Rhys asked in an unsure tone. Frasier coughed again and smiled at him.

"I figured They were so loud with their wheezing and groaning that we could simply walk by without detection. They can't smell, see, or feel so all we had to do was be quiet and we were since we had no shoes on. " Frasier explained.

"Well don't do it again... things are scary enough as it is." Rhys requested as he began to walk through the lobby.

-

Minutes later, the group finally reached the top of the stairs and walked into the brother's suite.

Frasier walked to the kitchen and unzipped his bag setting up what looked like a radio.

"Whoa where you find that?" Noah asked, clearly intrigued by the device.

Frasier began to twist the knobs and tweak the frequency on it.

"We found it while you were getting your stitches. How do you feel?" Rhys answered before asking a question.

"I'm doing much better now... where you learn to do that Parkour thing?" Noah asked after answering the question.

"I learned it along time ago, I grew up alone in a harsh world... my parents were both killed in a car accident. My older brother lost his battle with cancer. I had to be a survivor." Rhys explained in a saddened tone.

Marcus could be seen in the background playing an invisible violin as him and Frasier both tried not to laugh at the pitiful story. Noah rolled his eyes, not realizing they suffered far worse during their training with their father. The mental shattering drills and tactics they've faced, living on the streets sounded like a cake walk to them.

"Well you have us now. We could be your family Rhys, we have plenty of room for you to stay. There is also plenty of food now that the grocery store is available to us." Noah said, taking pity on Rhys.

Rhys just stood there and smiled under his hood.

"I'd like that Noah... even in this hell you're somehow able to remain optimistic about things." Rhys said, slightly smiling under his hood.

Noah then looked at the clock and noticed the time. It was now 12:00 AM. It had officially been one week since the beginning of the end of the world. To when all of civilization fell to Them.

-

**Z-Day+7**

Rhys walked over to Frasier and tapped his shoulder. Clearly something was on his mind if he were to interrupt Frasier's tampering with the radio.

"What do you need?" Frasier asked, setting the screwdriver down on the table. Rhys sat down beside him with a look of need.

"I want to know how you were able to kill Them with your bare hands." Rhys requested.

Frasier stopped messing with the radio and fully turned towards Rhys.

"I've been training with some of the greatest fighters from around the world. It's not something you can master in a single day." Frasier explained.

Rhys gripped his fists in what seemed like however didn't phase Frasier even remotely.

"But I need to know! Sure I can smash and shoot Them, but tonight was way too close when one grabbed me. Please... teach me your ways... I can teach you Parkour even." Rhys pleaded, starting to beg at the end.

Frasier stood up and began to pace back and forth. He then stopped and looked at Rhys sternly.

"I can't teach you the deadliest of my training. I made sacred oaths to my sensei. However, I will teach you the basics of other skills and techniques I've came across which will be enough to get you by." Frasier offered.

Rhys nodded and stood up.

"When do we begin?" Rhys asked.

"In the morning, but Rhys I expect you to do something for me in return. I won't need training in Parkour... however my brothers can't say the same. That skill will come in handy for them, if you teach them I shall teach you. Agreed?" asked Frasier bargained.

"Yes... I guess I should get to bed then huh?" Rhys asked, unsure why he did soon afterwards.

"Yes, tomorrow will be rough and brutal. Best you get some sleep now. We begin in six hours." Frasier explained as he returned to his radio.

Rhys nodded and went to his own room. Not saying another word after that. Noah then approached Frasier after overhearing the conversation.

"Brother, do you think you can teach Marcus and I those techniques as well?" Noah asked curiously.

Frasier once again put his hands down and turned to Noah. The look in his blue eyes were calm yet intimidating, just like their father.

"I will if you both will take it seriously." Frasier replied, speaking in a tone with no room for humor.

Noah nodded and looked as the radio suddenly began to light up. Frasier smiled and held up the mic.

"Base 2 this is Base 1 can you read me? Over." Frasier announced in the little mic. A few seconds passed as the radio responded.

"This is Base 2 we hear you. This is Jun, how are things on your side? Everyone make it in ok? Over." Jun asked over her side of the radio link.

"Yeah we all made it, had a little skirmish with the undead but everyone is ok. Over." Frasier answered honestly.

-

It seemed things were starting to become more organized for the group. Marcus suddenly ran over and shook their shoulders.

"Hey you guys got to come see this!" he said in a frantic tone. All three ran out to the balcony and watched as two military helicopters flew by.

"Looks like there's still some military presence after all!" Noah exclaimed.

"Yeah but where are they going?" Frasier pondered. He then ran back to the radio to alert the other group of survivors.

"Base 2 we just saw two military helicopters fly by can you see anything? Over." Frasier asked.

"No nothing yet... we are sending Ryou up on the roof to see if he can spot anything. We will get back to you on that one. Hold tight. Over." Jun responded.

"Understood, over and out." Frasier said as he sat back in the chair.

The rest of his group all stood around him. Awaiting for him to say something.

"Seems like there is an open opportunity to get out of here after all." Marcus commented.

"Yeah. But don't forget we're just civilians. Let's not get our hopes up yet." Frasier warned.

"It's really late, we should get some sleep." Yuki suggested as she stretched her arms out.

Everyone else knew she was right, in a few hours they would need to be at their maximum strength for Frasier's training. 


	15. Act 5: Roads Part 3

**Act 5 Roads Part 3**

**Z-Day+6**

"He's waking up! Someone go get Frasier." Jun ordered the moment she noticed Noah was just now waking up. His eyes blinking rapidly as they adjusted to the sudden light entering through them.

Noah sat up and looked around the room to see both Rhys, and Yuki looking right at him.

"What's up, buttercup?" Yuki questioned in a playful voice. She sat on a countertop, swinging her legs back and forth, waiting for a response.

"Im not sure... It was all just a blur." Noah shyly responded.

"Aww. Wanna talk about it?" Yuki asked in a motherly tone. Wrapping her arms around Noah the moment he walked past her.

"You did good out there, Noah. Glad to see you made it." Rhys complimented.

Noah nodded and gave him a thumbs up. As he lifted his arm, he noticed multiple stitches in it. Noah then remembered the biker that did it to him.

He was tougher then most hostile survivors. They didn't even kill him in the end. He managed to get away and probably is out there somewhere, seeking revenge.

Noah put that thought in the back of his mind as he looked over at the clock in the room. It had been four hours since him and his rag-tag group of survivors had ensured that a motorcycle gang was wiped off the face of the earth. Noah then looked at Rhys.

"Hey, Rhys. Did anything happen while I was out?" Noah asked in order to remain filled in on the current news on his group.

"Not sure. I stayed in here to make sure you were ok." Rhys responded as he shrugged his shoulders.

"And wherever Rhys goes, I go!" Yuki added cheerfully.

"C'mon, Noah. Let's go see what your brothers are up too." Rhys suggested after letting out a deep sigh.

Noah nodded as he followed him closely. Yuki stayed behind, looking at something with very keen eyes. Noah wasn't entirely sure what but he also didn't really care either.

Rhys kept quiet as they walked through the grocery store. Everyone seemed to be off doing their own thing in the meantime. As Noah walked by, they would all smile and tell him they were glad to see that he was ok after all.

"Your not from Japan are you Noah?" Rhys asked as they both walked out the boarded up store.

"No. Believe it or not I'm from the U.K. Why you ask?" Noah replied after shaking his head to the question. Even with his hood up, Noah could see Rhys smile a little.

"Just asking. It's good to know I'm not the only stranger to this part of the world." Rhys said softly.

-

Before Noah could say anything else, he saw his brothers and Hitomi walking towards him. They were talking amongst themselves, but all stopped in their tracks as soon as they saw Noah was up.

"Noah, good to see you're alright. How's the arm?" Hitomi asked as she inspected the delicate stitching. Noah held his arm up to reveal the multiple threads that sealed his wounded flesh up.

"Nice." Marcus commented.

"Good to see you're ok, brother. Alright, so who's coming back to the hotel?" Frasier asked as he began to address the rest of the people around him.

"Aren't we all sticking together?"

"While you were out, everyone agreed that we split up into two groups. You know divide and conquer." Marcus explained as Frasier stood before the rest of the survivors before him.

"Well, wherever Jun, goes I go. I owe her my life and will protect her along with anyone I can." Ryou announced. Showing his gratitude to the doctor that saved his life.

"And this pharmacy has most of what we need for medical supplies. So I'll stay at the store." Jun stated. Choosing the logical option she calculated. They both smiled at each other as everyone assembled in a line to be sorted out.

Ryou and Jun stood to the left side of the line to signify those whom decided to stay behind.

"Anyone else wanna stay?" Jun asked curiously. The old man responded by slowly walking over to the left side of the two groups and remained in place.

"Im too damn old to be moving around town. So I'll take my chances here." he announced for all to hear. Making it clear it would be too dangerous for him to be on the move.

The survivors then looked over to see Akira and Akiko both arguing over the subject.

"No stay here! The bikers are gone, it's safe." Akira suggested to her twin sister.

"No chance! Just because those assholes are gone doesn't mean the infected are." Akiko objected. Both of them continued to argue until they ran out of breath.

"If you guys are really worried about security then I'll stay." Hitomi offered. She then proceeded to walk over to the left side of the line.

"Me too." Marcus added as he followed.

"No. Your brothers will need you, Marcus. Don't worry about me, remember, I'm the cop." Hitomi explained. Hating to see the hurt look presented in Marcus' eyes when she told him that. He soon gave a reluctant nod and sighed.

"Yeah. I guess you're right." Marcus admitted eventually.

Before anything else could be done or said, he walked up and kissed her passionately on the lips. Marcus then turned his head to Ryou with a serious look on his face.

"Don't let anything happen to my girl." Marcus instructed before returning to his brother's side.

This now being the second time they openly have shown their love in front of Frasier.

"So you're fine with them being together?" Noah questioned as he looked up at Frasier. His elder brother just looked at him and smiled warmly.

"Of course I'm ok with it. Why wouldn't I be?" Frasier asked curiously. Noah just shrugged his shoulders and looked at the floor.

"Well it's just... I thought you would disapprove because of the age difference or something. I mean he's sixteen and she's nineteen." Noah explained, trying to come up with a reasonable point.

Frasier didn't respond at first, he just began to walk away, motioning Noah, Rhys, and Yuki to follow close by.

"Noah, age doesn't mean anything in a relationship. As long as two people love each other very much and actually mean it, then I see no problem with it. Marcus is not a little kid anymore, besides who am I to judge?" Frasier said as they walked through the parking lot.

"What do you mean?" Noah inquiries. Not entirely sure by what Frasier meant by that last statement.

His elder brother just sighed and looked at the carnage the streets of this town have endured.

"You think his age difference is bad? Try having feelings for someone you've known since you entered a foreign country, a girl you've trained with her and under the guidance of her own father." Frasier said softly as if he had doubts at his chances with her.

"I'm sorry brother. I'll let it go." Noah responded with concern in his voice. No longer wishing to poke at a sensitive matter. Frasier then managed smile as he tussled Noah's hair.

"And Noah... next time you mimic my voice try to be more fluid with your words." Frasier suggested. Completely surprising Noah that he could hear the entire conversation from earlier.

-

Yuki laughed and began to nudge at Rhys' arm.

"What about you? Don't you have a special girl?" Yuki asked in a friendly tone. However, Rhys kept walking and remained silent.

She pouted and shrugged her shoulders at the lack of response. Rhys seemed distant about this touchy subject. He was like everyone else here, but for all they knew, he could've have gone through so much more before the world came to a halt.

Marcus held the map up and squinted his eyes.

"Hey. Does anyone have a light? Can't see a damn thing." Marcus requested as he finished unfolding his map only to realize he had little to no light to read it.

Noah remembered the lighter they've had the entire journey. He pulled it out and spared no time to ignite it. The flame gave Marcus enough light to see where they would be going.

As the group walked down an ally, the wind blew the flame closer to Noah's hand. He felt the tiny flame burn his thumb, forcing him to drop the metal lighter on the ground.

It made a loud *tink* *tink* as it impacted against the concrete. Everyone looked at Noah with shock, but then Frasier and Rhys drew their weapons. At first the others did not know why but then they could hear some nearby infected groaning.

It was quite clear to everyone that the local infected heard the sound and were heading this way.

Frasier and Rhys however didn't wait around, side by side, they rushed out into the streets. Noah could hear the sound of Rhys' metal bat smashing the skulls of the infected.

Then he could hear Frasier using Marcus' machete, hearing him slicing the limbs and heads off of the infected. Yuki took Noah's hand and led him to a fire escape.

The two younger siblings climbed to the top of the one story building and watched as the hooded boy and their older brother tore through the light amount of infected lingering in the streets. There must have been at least twelve of Them.

Noah looked at Rhys, watching him use a combination of martial arts and his trusty metal bat.

He side kicked an infected woman to the side as his bat smashed the teeth in another. Even in the heat of battle he kept his hood up.

Suddenly, Noah saw an infected man flying through the air, knocking down several other infected corpses. His vision turned to see Frasier cutting down multiple infected with quick, decisive cuts.

"Man, those two are good at this." Yuki commented in awe.

Noah and Marcus nodded in agreement as Rhys and Frasier went back to back when more of Them showed up. They were beginning to fight in unison now. Noah felt useless up here but his injury would have only made him a liability.

-

Soon even more infected entered the fray, coming in slowly as the two survivors on ground level fought side by side.

Rhys was suddenly grabbed by one and pulled aside. He viciously tried to fight back but the infected man had a good grip on his sweater. They fell down as he barely held the bat up in time to block the decaying teeth. He shook the bat around, tossing it and the infected man aside.

Rhys ran towards it and yanked the bat from its teeth only to bring it straight down, smashing the head like a rotten pumpkin. Noah watched the brain matter splatter all over the asphalt. Rhys and Frasier were both coated in blood as they destroyed all in their path.

-

"Man, they're ripping through the infected like wet toilet paper!" Marcus exclaimed.

"Who do you think is better?" Yuki asked as she sat back.

"Frasier, no doubt about it. He's been trained by the best." Noah responded.

"Really? Rhys seems pretty good too." Yuki questioned.

"Rhys looks like he's been living on the streets. He seemed dirty before this whole outbreak started. Frasier on the other hand has been trained to fight since he was six. He's obviously going to be more disciplined and experienced." Marcus explained. 100% certain that his elder brother was far superior to Rhys.

-

During the fight Rhys was disarmed and tried to fight hand to hand. He could knock them down but they kept getting back up.

"Rhys!" Frasier shouted to call his attention. He threw the machete through the air directly between the eyes of the nearest infected to Rhys.

As the infected girl fell over Rhys got the message and pulled the blade from her skull, holding it in both hands.

"What about you?" Rhys asked as he cut down two infected. Noah then looked over at Frasier as he slammed his fists together in anticipation.

"Don't need it. Besides I like a challenge!" Frasier replied with an unsettling grin on his face.

Rhys went into a frenzy as he began to slice and dice the infected that dared go near him. Noah almost felt bad for the infected, it clearly was an unfair fight. His attention then turned to Frasier as he began to actually fight the infected with his bare fists.

His strikes were very unusual. It nothing Noah had ever seen before, but whatever he was doing it was certainly working. Frasier's kicks and strikes were slow but deadly.

Marcus' teeth grit as he could hear those strikes breaking and shattering bones.

"Who's this?" Yuki demanded.

Noah looked over at her and nearly died from shock. Because in that girl's hands, was the picture of Saeko that Frasier has kept since this all began.

"How the fuck did you get that?!" Marcus asked in a confused tone.

"Answer my question first, knucklehead." Yuki sternly replied. Making it clear they has to play by her rules.

Noah then noticed that the picture was actually ripped at the edges on the right side. Striking fear into his heart at the thought of Yuki destroying something so valuable to Frasier.

"That's Saeko Busijima... why do you care?" Noah answered. Yuki paused for a moment

"Oh... So he's taken?" Yuki curiously asked.

"Well... not really but it's best you give it back. " Marcus quickly suggested as he took a moment to look back to see if the fight was still going strong.

"What's the worst that could happen?" Yuki pondered.

"Hmm no idea... Oh wait, maybe that!" Marcus replied sharply as he pointed to Frasier holding and infected man in the air. He then held his knee out and slammed the poor bastard down breaking its back. The sound was bad enough, but the thought of pain made Marcus' mind boggle.

"Point taken. I'll just be sure to put it back as careful as I took it." Yuki responded. Just now realizing her mistake.

-

Soon more infected began to show up. Both Rhys and Frasier were slowly beginning to run out of breathing space.

"Can't take much more." Rhys announced.

"Perhaps we should retreat for now." Frasier suggested. Despite the fact he hated the idea of running off from a fight.

"Agreed." Rhys responded as they ran towards the ally.

The rest of the group ran over to the fire escape only to see the infected were blocking the ladder. That was not a problem though. Instead, Rhys and Frasier ran up the walls. Both of them leapt off it and barely managed to grab onto the safety railing.

With no time to waste they quickly climbed up the fire escape to rejoin the shocked survivors.

"Holy crap! Are you guys ninjas?!" Marcus asked in astonishment.

They both were breathing heavily and sat down against the wall. Hardly able to utter a single word.

"It's called Parkour, Marcus. It allows me go just about anywhere." Rhys responded in nearly a gasp.

"It's a very useful skill to learn when you are surrounded by those abominations." Frasier added, his stamina quickly regenerating back to a stable condition.

Rhys nodded and handed him his machete as Frasier handed Rhys his bat.

"Wait, I dropped this. How didyou get it back?" asked Rhys.

"I managed to grab it as we decided to retreat." Frasier replied with a confident smirk.

"Well that's great and all but we still need to get home. If they don't kill us the damn weather will!" Marcus complained suddenly.

As he said that Noah's body started to shiver a little from the cold air that breezed by.

"What's wrong, little brother? You're a man of the U.K.! Cold is our element." Frasier taunted as he . Marcus grumbled as he looked at the map dismissing that question.

"So how much further till we get to the safe house?" asked Yuki. Marcus pointed towards the hotel which was actually in view now.

"Right up there, but I'm not sure how we will be able to reach it." Marcus answered.

"Well, that's where Parkour comes into play." said Rhys.

"I'm not sure if they're ready for that." Frasier noted. Almost certain that Yuki wouldn't be agile enough to make that big of a jump.

"Unless you can pull a grenade out of your ass, we won't have much of a choice." Marcus responded as he estimated the large gap while Rhys had already decided to jump over to the next rooftop.

"Do you have a grenade?" Noah questioned Frasier.

"Not exactly." Frasier replied as he now saw no other way out.

"Then I guess jump it is!" Marcus responded as he got a running start. Leaping the gap and just barely able to keep himself from falling over backwards into the alleyway full of Them.

Yuki then took a deep breath and did the same. Rhys and Marcus both grabbed her hands as she nearly missed the jump.

"Can I do it too?" Noah asked with excitement in his voice.

"I suppose so." Frasier replied as he paced back and forth. Feeling the cold air nipping at any exposed flesh he didn't cover up.

Noah smiled and quickly bolted to one end of the roof before he sprinted at full speed towards the gap. His legs pressed off and launched him over the infected. Half of his feet making it. Luckily the others anticipated it and pulled him to safety.

Frasier let out a sigh of relief before he too jumped over to the next rooftop. Leaving the infected behind to fester and rot in the alleyway while everyone else made their way to street level. Running into the darkness that was barely illuminated by the street lights that were still working.

-

"Ok, so I've been thinking... If the undead hunt by sound. Why don't they tear each other up?" Noah questioned as the group ran while they still had adrenaline to spare.

"Oh that's a good one! Hmm my guess is they let off a unique odor of smelling like compost heaps." Marcus suggested.

"But they don't attack by scent." Frasier brought up.

"Maybe that wheezing and groaning they always do is their way of saying 'Hey! I'm a zombie, so don't tear me up!'." Yuki suggested as everyone then proceeded to have a good laugh at the unusually funny subject.

Noah watched Yuki quickly sliding Frasier's wallet back into his backpack with him none the wiser. She was very good at being quiet and sneaky. However it didn't matter as they soon reached the hotel.

Even more infected were here than earlier today. The moon was high as the infected ruled the streets. Constantly wandering the area for a potential meal.

"See any rocks?" Marcus whispered in a soft hush.

Everyone looked around for a few moments but could find none to help distract Them. Every time an infected corpse would pass by the group would freeze up to avoid making any noise to create unneeded attention.

"How do we get inside?" Rhys questioned.

"We sneak by them." Frasier responded.

All looked at him like he was insane. The infected were way to close to effectively sneak by. Most would simply bump into one another and move on like it was nothing.

"Everyone, take your shoes off and put them into Marcus's backpack." Frasier instructed humorously. With no other options left they followed his orders and did as he said.

"Ok, now what?" Yuki whispered curiously.

"Don't draw attention to yourselves. Just walk like they do and don't panic." Frasier vaguely instructed before he began to walk with a limp, just like one of Them.

Everyone's eyes widened as they watched him enter the mob of infected. They were even more astonished when they didn't instantly shred him up like a meat grinder.

Instead, they would just bump into him and continue along their path, still in search of their next meal.

The group took it as a miracle and were slowly following right behind him as the infected just stood around aimlessly, unable to detect the living amongst their pack. Everyone's hearts were racing as they were face to face with what felt like hundreds of infected.

They groaned and stood there with vacant expressions. Their breath was so vile Rhys nearly threw up. However knowing that if anyone made a sound it would be all over in an instant. That was more then enough incentive for him to hold it in.

-

After two minutes of this new hell, the group finally made it to the top of the stairs. Rhys carefully opened the door and held it that way while the rest of the survivors walked in. When the doors were closed Frasier gasped for air and fell to his knees coughing.

Everyone let out a sigh of relief and patted him on the back as he got up.

"What the hell was that?!" Rhys demanded in an unsure tone. Amazed Frasier would risk their lives so easily.

"It's called having a pair. You should try it sometime." Frasier replied as he then looked over at Rhys with a smirk on his face.

"Hahaha, I was gonna say that!" Marcus chuckled as he then cracked open a bottle of water.

"Whatever." Rhys grumbled as he stormed off to claim a room for himself.

"So this is where you guys live?" Yuki asked in awe at the sight of the very fancy suite.

"As of yesterday... yeah it is where we live." Marcus replied proudly.

"Awesome!" Yuki exclaimed.

Noah and Frasier chuckled at their banter as Rhys remained silent under his hood. Avoiding any social interaction with anyone else.

Frasier then walked to the kitchen and unzipped his bag setting up what looked like a radio.

"Whoa where you find that?" Noah asked while Frasier began to twist the knobs in attempt to tweak the frequency on the radio.

"We found it while you were getting your stitches. How do you feel?" Rhys explained before changing the subject.

"I'm doing much better now. Where you learn to do that Parkour thing?" Noah asked with wonder in his voice as he turned to face Rhys.

Rhys leaned against a wall and looked at his fake dog tag he made from bottle caps.

"I learned it along time ago. I grew up alone in a harsh world here. My parents were both killed in a car accident. My older brother lost his battle with cancer. I had to be a survivor." Rhys explained in a saddened tone. Marcus and Frasier both trying not to snicker at the sob story they were overhearing.

"Well you have us now. We could be your new family Rhys. We have plenty of room for you to stay. Plenty of food now that the grocery store is available to us." Noah suggested, ignoring his older brother's in the background.

"I'd like that Noah... even in this hell your somehow able to remain optimistic about things." Rhys from beneath his hood.

Noah then looked at the clock and noticed the time. It was now 12:00 AM. It had officially been one week since the beginning of the end of the world.

**Z-Day+7**

Rhys walked over to Frasier and tapped his shoulder while he was tampering with the radio still.

"What do you need?" Frasier questioned in an approachable tone.

"I want to know how you were able to kill Them with your bare hands." Rhys requested as he sat down besides him. Frasier stopped messing with the radio and turned to Rhys to give him his full attention.

"I've been training with some of the greatest fighters from around the world. It's not something you can master in a single day." Frasier explained. Rhys gripped his fists in what seemed like anger.

"But I need to know! Sure I can smash and shoot Them. But tonight was way too close when one grabbed me. Please... teach me your ways... I can teach you Parkour even." Rhys pleaded. Trying to barter with Frasier with an offer.

Frasier stood up and began to pace back and forth in thought. He then stopped and looked at Rhys.

"I can't teach you the deadliest of my training. I made sacred oaths to my sensei. However, I will teach you the basics of other skills and techniques I've came across which will be enough to get you by." Frasier offered. Giving Rhys a slim portion of what he was expecting.

"When do we begin?" Rhys asked curiously. Wanting to start as soon as they could.

"In the morning, but Rhys, I expect you to do something for me in return. I won't be needing training in Parkour. However my brothers can't say the same. That skill will come in handy for them in the long run. If you teach them, then I shall teach you. Agreed?" Frasier offered, giving Rhys a fair choice.

"Of course. I guess I should get to bed then, huh?" Rhys questioned. Frasier nodded as went back to work on his radio.

"Yes. Tomorrow will be rough and brutal. Best you get some sleep now. We begin in six hours." Frasier explained sternly.

Rhys nodded and went to his own room to instantly catch up on some much needed rest. Not wanting to disappoint his new master on the first day.

"Brother... do you think you can teach me and Marcus those techniques also?" Noah asked as he approached Frasier slowly.

"I will if you both will take it seriously." Frasier replied with a serious voice as he put the radio down. Looking at Noah with a calm yet intimidating look. Reminding the younger brother of their father.

Noah just nodded and looked at the radio as it suddenly began to light up. A bit of static crackled through the s speakers as Frasier held up the mic.

"Base 2, this is Base 1. Can you read me? Over." Frasier announced into the little mic. A few seconds passed as the radio then responded.

"This is Base 2, we hear you. This is Jun. How are things on your side? Everyone make it in ok? Over." Jun's voice questioned, canceling out the static.

"Yeah. We all made it, just had a little skirmish with the abominations but everyone is ok. Over." Frasier explained as he sat back in his chair.

It seemed things were starting to become more organized now. Marcus ran over and shook Frasier's shoulders.

"Hey, you gotta come see this!" Marcus said in a frantic tone.

Frasier (along with everyone who was still up) ran out to the balcony and watched as two military helicopters flew by.

"Looks like there's still some military presence still!" Marcus gladly exclaimed.

"Yeah, but where are they going?" Yuki questioned while Frasier ran back to the radio.

"Base 2, we just saw two military helicopters fly by, Special Defense Force from what I can tell. Can you see anything? Over." Frasier asked.

"No. Nothing yet. We'll send Ryou up on the roof to see if he can spot anything. We will get back to you on that one. Hold tight. Over." Jun responded.

"Understood. Over and out." Frasier said as he sat back in the chair. We all stood around him waiting for him to say something.

"Seems like there's an open opportunity to get out of here." Marcus announced.

"Yeah. But we are just civilians. Let's not get our hopes up yet." Frasier replied in attempt to keep things in perspective.

"It's really late, we should get some sleep." Yuki suggested before she let out a yawn.

Noah knew she was right, in a few hours they would need to be at their maximum strength for Frasier's training. 


	16. Act 6: Hard Times Ahead Part 1

**Act 6 Hard Times Ahead Part 1**  
><strong>Z-Day+7<strong>

" Brother, get up. It's time for your training." Frasier announced as he stood over Marcus.

Marcus slowly rubbed his eyes and stretched both arms out. He then looked over to see that it was 6:00 AM.

"Christ. It's so damn early. Can't I have five more minutes to wake up?" Marcus requested as he tried to keep his eyes open.

"No." Frasier responded sternly as he then motioned Marcus to follow him.

After a few minutes of walking they were standing on the roof of the hotel. It was real empty for such a big place. Other than the air conditioning unit and air vents of course.

Marcus then saw Noah and Rhys standing side by side waiting for things to begin. He stood besides Noah and looked at Frasier as he stood before all of them.

"Very well, everyone is now here. Before we begin are there any questions?" Frasier asked aloud.

"Shouldn't we be wearing training outfits? Not just the clothes on our backs?" Noah asked as he raised a hand.

Frasier shook his head and began to pace back and forth.

"No. You must understand that in this world a fight can come to you at any moment. You must be ready to fight at any second. You wear what you wear everyday so you will be used to it in combat." Frasier explained. Making a very excellent point in his lecture.

"Let us begin!" he then announced in a powerful tone when no other questions were raised.

He lifted his knee and then extended his leg straight into the air without even needing to stretch.

"Do as I do." Frasier ordered as he calmly continued the exercise at his own pace for the group to follow.

Marcus couldn't go nearly as high or straight but neither could Noah. Rhys however seemed to be able to keep up fine, his technique only slightly off.

-

After three hours of drills and combat techniques in close quarters combat, Marcus felt ready to puke. Him and Noah sat against the air condition unit, both of them breathing heavily.

Meanwhile, Rhys and Frasier both kept going on and on with practicing the grappling and power strike movements Rhys was so eager to learn.

"Good... Now Rhys, tell me something. What makes you angry?" Frasier questioned.

"When people talk down about my family. Why?" Rhys responded. Uncertain why Frasier would need such information.

"Oh no particular reason. Just curious as to why your pathetic family couldn't be here for you. What's it like, Rhys? To grow up alone and without anyone to love you? Must be a shitty life if you ask me." Frasier suddenly taunted. Speaking in a somewhat unusual tone. Clearly trying to anger Rhys for whatever reasons he had.

Rhys gripped his fists and immediately dashed at his mentor. Ready to strike him down and beat him to a pulp. Frasier just laughed as he took a combat stance. Swatting Rhys' fists aside only to then knock him back.

Rhys dashed at him again, throwing reckless punches like a wild animal. Showing no discipline or thought in his strategy. Frasier easily dodged and blocked everything thrown at him like it was child's play.

"You need more then that to defeat me!" Frasier exclaimed as he suddenly swept his leg, tripping Rhys onto his back.

However, Rhys quickly got back up throwing more savage kicks and punches. Wanting to get at least one hit in before backing off.

"Control yourself, Rhys. Let your hatred and anger be your tools not your masters. Perform the unexpected!" Frasier instructed as he leapt back. Rhys nearly landed a good punch but could never hit without risk being hit himself.

Rhys then let out a cry of rage and started to become sloppy in his techniques. Slowly draining all of his energy the more he pursued Frasier.

"Rhys, you must control your anger and let it inspire you to fight harder!" Frasier ordered. Suddenly Frasier caught both of Rhys' fists and held them tight.

"I'm using my emotions but nothing works!" Rhys growled in disappointment.

"No! It's your emotions that use you!" Frasier corrected before twisting Rhys around and kicked him back.

Rhys tumbled yet again and took a deep breath. He then went on the offensive again, but something was different. Rhys was actually keeping Frasier on the ropes this time.

Suddenly, Rhys blocked a roundhouse kick and threw a quick hook punch hitting Frasier in the jaw. His head turned as Rhys jumped back to avoid any retaliation. Marcus could see a small drop of blood coming from the side of Frasier's mouth.

"Very good." was all Frasier said as he licked the blood off of his lips. Smiling at the satisfaction of getting Rhys to bend to his whim.

He the. went out of a combat stance and took a bow. Rhys however scowled and did the unthinkable. He suddenly kicked straight up towards Frasier's face, showing no respect whatsoever.

Marcus and Noah both had looks of shock as they watched Frasier grasp Rhys leg at the very last second. They then watched Rhys being flipped into his back with Frasier knee pressed up against his neck.

"You were doing good up until now. I won't accept that kind of shit when we train, Rhys. That was a bow of respect, don't ever disrespect me like that again." Frasier warned in a scolding tone as he then stood up and allowed Rhys to regain some breathing space.

"Christ that hurt. Ill bare that in mind." Rhys grunted as he tried to sit up.

"Anger is when a man is most vulnerable and usually when he shows bad judgement. If you learn to control it you will be far ahead of the competition." Frasier explained as he paced back and forth along the roof.

"So... you didn't really mean all that... right?" Rhys asked to clarify things.

Frasier however remained silent as he began to walk down the stairs. Leaving Rhys speechless before Marcus and Noah approached him.

"C'mon let's go see how everyone else is doing." Marcus suggested as Frasier was out of sight. Noah and Rhys followed him as all of them were now beginning to regain their energy from the intense training.

-

When they got inside the suite they looked to the radio and noticed Frasier was already checking in on the other group.

"Base 2 come in. Over." Fraser said. The radio remained silent for a few awkward seconds.

"Base 2 come in! Somebody pick up. Over." Frasier repeated. The others stood around and suddenly heard a response.

"Base 2 here. Still no new information yet. How's everything on your side? Over." Hitomi's voice asked.

Marcus suddenly grabbed the mic out of Frasier's hand and pressed the button so he could talk.

"Everything's alright. Little lonely but just fine baby. How's my girl doing?" Marcus asked lovingly. He got no response and waited, taping his foot against the floor.

"You need to say over." Noah whispered as he nudged his older brother.

"Over." Marcus added before nodding in acknowledgement to Noah.

"Everything over here is ok. For now. Let's save the personal chatter for later. Need anything else? Over." Hitomi responded in a professional tone.

"We will call in if we do. Have you guys dealt with any infected yet? Over." Frasier questioned as he snatched the mic from Marcus.

"Only a few stragglers, nothing to big nor important to worry about. Food and water supplies are high so I think we will be ok. Anything else? Over." Hitomi answered.

"Negative. Base 1 over and out." Frasier replied before he put back the mic and sat against the chair.

"Alright Rhys, take a few minutes to rest up then take everyone to a secure location to begin their training." Frasier instructed as he wiped the sweat off his brow.

Rhys nodded and went to go tell Yuki whom was still sleeping in at this point. Leaving the brothers the room to themselves.

"Aren't you coming with us?" Noah asked as he looked over at Frasier.

Frasier shook his head and opened up the fridge, rummaging around for something to quench his sudden thirst.

"Someone needs to be here to monitor the radio. Just in case something happens." Frasier replied as he continued to search for a drink.

-

Yuki and Rhys walked out to the kitchen, waiting for Marcus and Noah. Frasier then popped open a bottle and took a few sips. He quickly spat it out all over the sink and looked at the bottle.

"Ugh what is this?!" Frasier asked as he glared at the bottle. Yuki turned the bottle to see it was labeled 'Saki'. Rhys laughed a little as if there was an inside joke or something.

Frasier kept on spitting the alcohol out and rubbing his tongue with a damp cloth. Everyone had a good laugh as they walked out the suite, slowly going down the hotel stairs.

"So whatcha gonna to teach us?" Yuki asked with great curiously in her voice.

"Parkour." Rhys responded as he lifted his head up.

"Par-wha?" Yuki questioned in an confused tone.

"That... ninja thing Frasier and I did last night." Rhys responded in an exasperated sigh.

"We get to be ninjas?!" Yuki said excitedly. Rhys remained silent as Marcus and Noah carefully opened the front doors in the lobby.

Only a few infected were there but it would've been a better option to avoid any open confrontation. The group carefully sneaked around Them.

When they were clear they had Marcus pull out the map of the local area he had in his backpack.

"Where should we go?" Marcus asked Rhys. He took a few moments to look at the map and pointed.

"Right here, this place seems to have low buildings." Rhys answered.

Marcus nodded and led the group in the right direction. They took any paths they could that would get them around any large groups of infected that blocked their path. It wasn't long until they reached where Rhys recommended to train.

-

"This will do. Everyone keep an eye out. Use your environment to your advantage. Now follow me." Rhys ordered as he began to run towards a wall.

The group followed not to far behind him. As Marcus got closer and closer he expected to just run straight into the wall.

Rhys then pressed his feet running up the wall and leaping off it. To Marcus' surprise however, when he got to the wall he managed to actually go up a few steps up before needing to jump off.

Yuki and Noah on the other hand stopped before reaching the wall. Both panicked at the very last second.

"Don't be afraid of the wall. Use it to your advantage!" Rhys instructed as he walked over to instruct the group.

This was gonna be a long day. Three hours later and the sun was now high in the sky. Heat bearing down the heat on the survivor's backs.

Marcus watched Yuki, she was currently attempting to jump between two buildings. She nearly made it but slipped and lost her footing. Rhys quickly scaled up a wall and leapt out catching her at the last second.

"Gotcha!" Rhys said as he landed with her in his arms. Yuki held onto him tightly.

"My hero." Yuki playfully teased as she kissed his cheek. Rhys looked away and set her down.

She turned his fave and her head slowly entered his hood. The brothers didn't see it but they could definitely hear their lips touching.

Suddenly the sound of steel could be heard clashing against flesh and bone. Rhys quickly broke off from Yuki and looked around.

"Anyone else hear that?" Noah questioned as he looked around for the source of the sound.

"It's coming from that direction." Rhys answered as he pointed to the east. They all began to run to see what the commotion was about.

All of them quickly scaled a nearby fire escape and leapt roof to roof to see five men fighting with katanas and spears. They were fighting a small group of Them in the streets.

"For the Takagi Militia!" one shouted. All of them dressed in the same with blue, buttoned up uniforms.

"Takagi Militia? Isn't that the group Frasier was in before he found us?" Noah brought up.

Rhys nodded as they watched the squad working together, slicing and impaling the infected expertly. All working as a team to keep the infected's superior numbers from overwhelming them.

-

When it was over they sheathed their weapons. Noah stood up to call out to them but Rhys quickly pulled him back.

"Wait. Hold on, Noah." Rhys whispered as he pointed to a nearby tunnel.

As their eyes focused on it, they saw a figure emerging from it with two swords on his back. This guy creeped Noah out.

**{Breaking Point - Mute**}

His face was blank and devoid of any humane emotion. The militia squad certainly noticed him as well and decided to approach him. One man walked up to him as he passed by.

"Hey kid! Need any help? We're out on patrol to find and-" the man explained as he was cut off as the menacing figure drew his blade, slicing across the poor soldiers neck.

Blood sprayed out onto the street as the man fell to the ground, gasping for air as he could only choke on his own blood.

The other squad members took notice and drew out their weapons again.

"You little bastard!" one of them shouted as he charged the murderer. The young man grinned and blocked with one blade as he suddenly sliced at the second soldiers' stomach with his secondary blade.

The soldier coughed up blood as he fell to the ground with his entrails spilling out. The crazed menace began to laugh and run towards the rest of the militia men.

He jumped out and swiftly cut all three down despite their efforts. The survivors watching all felt fear as they just sat there, helplessly watching this monster tear and slice up the squad like they were nothing.

Something else was wrong about this guy. It was how he was fighting, his blade movements were exactly how Frasier would use a blade. When he finished the last soldier his laughter sent chills up their spines.

He then looked up at the group as he sheathed his twin swords. They all quickly ducked but it was probably too late to avoid detection.

Marcus peeked over to see if he saw them after all. When he observed the same spot the figure was gone. His heart started racing as he turned in time to see a sword swing by. Out of reaction his body ducked and jumped out of the way in time to avoid decapitation.

This guy was fast, he kept swinging those swords as Marcus kept stepping backwards in attempt to avoid being sliced up.

Suddenly, he saw Rhys grab him from behind in attempt to disarm him. The crazed psychopath chuckled at Rhys' feebly attempt and threw his head back, breaking his captor's nose on impact.

Rhys released him and watched as Marcus and Noah saved him just in time by pulling the man's arms in two separate directions.

"Quickly! Get those swords away from him!" Marcus shouted as he tried his best to restrain their attacker.

"As you wish." the fiend chuckled as he then dropped both blades. Kicking forward, sending Rhys flying back like he was nothing as he then slammed both brothers into one another.

Rhys quickly darted back in time to punch the lunatic downwards. His recovery was quick though as he stood back up grinning. He then stood in a combat stance, the exact same one Frasier stood in earlier.

This guy stood at about 5'11, his brown hair short trimmed. A small yet noticeable scar ran across the right side of his cheek. His eyes were golden but filled with pure hatred. He was a ruthless man gone rogue from his humanity.

"Let's see what your made of!" he shouted out in a cynical tone. As if expecting a challenge from Rhys. They both rushed into each other and began to fight.

Rhys quickly attempted to throw a fury of punches but the rogue would block them as if child's play. Whoever this guy was, he certainly was no random biker or thug.

When punching did nothing, Rhys then threw a quick round house into his ribs. The rogue took the hit only to hold Rhys' leg tight, he then swept his foot tripping Rhys.

Luckily, Rhys learned from when Frasier tripped him and extended his free leg out in time. His kick was perfect and sent the rogue back.

Rhys quickly got up as the rogue gave him hardly any time to recover. Both their fists collided into each other making loud cracking noises. Rhys couldn't help but cry out in paints it felt like he was punching solid concrete.

This was a real tense fight, there was no sign of the rogue letting up. Suddenly he caught Rhys' fists, putting them into a deadlock.

However, Rhys' unexpectedly threw his head back only to bring it back it into the rogues' skull. Instead of sounds of pain this guy started to laugh at the enthusiasm. The rogue then returned the head-butt. Rhys gasped in pain as the rogue repeatedly returned the head-butt three fold.

Rhys' head was spinning as the rogue then let go and kicked him aside. He coughed and tumbled along the flat rooftop. The rogue slowly walked towards him

Marcus was laying against the hard rooftop, looking over to see Yuki running over. Shielding Rhys as he laid there in pain.

Marcus and Noah knew they had to help. Both looked at each other and nodded as they quickly charged the psychopath with his back turned to them.

At the same time they threw everything they had at him. At first the caught him off guard and managed to land a few decent hits, but he was much too tough to be taken down so easily.

The rogue soon blocked and took everything the siblings could give him. Marcus felt his cold hands gripping around his neck, lifting him in the air. Noah suffered the same fate as he held them both up.

He slammed them together again and tossed the wounded kin off to the side. Noah felt all his senses of pain going off at once as he could barely move.

The rogue then began to walk to Rhys again. Yuki continued to shield Rhys though. She shook him in hopes he would arise again.

"Get up! You have to get up!" Yuki pleaded as Rhys' was still trying to pull himself back together.

"Out of the way, doll." the rogue ordered The rogue ordered. Kicking her aside as he laughed.

"Yuki..." Rhys softly said as he gripped his fists tight.

"YUKI!" Rhys then suddenly shouted out. He was now enraged and ready for round two. The rogue rotated his neck and waited for Rhys to make his move.

Both clashed in full on combat. Rhys took another beating but refused to give in to the pain. He was actually keeping the rogue at bay.

His punches now seemed to be fast yet effective. The rogue kept his cool but was no longer in full control. Both staggered back but quickly recovered and kept going at it.

Rhys was giving all he had and more, throwing flawless punches and kicks. The rogue was knocked down and now on the defense. Rhys grabbed his collar and lifted the rogue up with one arm while the other was held back. Sparing no time to waste, he then delivered a powerful hit to the jaw sending the rogue to the edge of the building.

He quickly got up and rubbed his jaw before the sharp pain became nothing more than a soft ache.

"Hehe, not bad. It's been awhile since I've been able to get the blood pumping. I think I'll allow you to go just this once. But if we ever meet again, you won't be so fortunate." the rogue warmed as he scooped up both blades. Sheathing them in their rightful place.

**{}**

He then leapt off the roof and left the group to dwell on the threat. Most only had a few bruises and shattered prides, but Rhys was heavily breathing and hardly able to remain standing after being wailed on so hard.

-

Marcus slowly got up, feeling a massive pain in his chest. Noah soon stood up as well while Rhys made his way to Yuki and held her tight.

If the brothers didn't know any better, those two were starting to become very attached to one another.

"You alright? Jesus that guy was twisted!" Marcus commented as he limped over to Noah.

"Yeah... We should tell Frasier." Noah responded as he held his wounded arm. Feeling like he had already felt the sting of those blades before.

Marcus nodded in agreement as Rhys walked over with Yuki riding on his back.

"Let's get back to the hotel. We need to regroup and let the other base know of this new threat." Rhys ordered. Both brothers acknowledged him and began to walk the long way home. Wanting to heal and forget this ever happened. 


	17. Act 6: Hard Times Ahead Part 2

**Act 6 Hard Times Ahead Part 2**

**Tokonosu City, Japan**

**Z-Day+7**

The walk back home was rough. For once, the group didn't win a battle. They survived the outbreak at school, they killed almost any infected they had encountered on the streets, and they even defeated a biker gang; but here, they lost to only one man.

Everyone's mind was on edge, keeping watch for any movements in the otherwise empty streets. They were all tired and badly beaten up.

Rhys got the worst of it though. Without him, Marcus and Noah wouldn't have lasted very long in that fight at all; Yuki wouldn't even have lasted a second.

What should have taken thirty minutes, ended up taking two long hours they got back to their new home. The sun was still high in the sky as the group began their approach to the hotel.

To their surprise, the entire street was littered with corpses. Mutilated limbs and bodies were scattered everywhere before them.

"Well, it looks like Frasier had some fun." Marcus said in an attempt to lighten the mood.

This was good though, the group didn't have to sneak inside this time. They just simply walked across the street and up the stairs making their way inside, safe from the harsh world for now.

Rhys let Yuki down as they stumbled into the suite. Of course, Frasier was there to greet them. When he almost instantly noticed his wounded kin, he immediately got up and rushed to them, brushing right past Rhys and Yuki.

"What happened?!" Frasier demanded as he checked Noah to see if his stitches had been damaged or loosened.

"W-we were attacked. He was too powerful…we almost didn't make it." Noah stuttered weakly. He then collapsed on the ground exhausted. Frasier quickly picked him up and set him out on the couch to recover slowly.

"Marcus…who did this?" Frasier asked him, nearly speaking in a growl, trying to hold in his anger.

Marcus slumped by the radio, breathing heavily; his head and chest throbbing as if he were about to throw up. Frasier then roughly shook his shoulder to get the info he wanted.

"GODDAMMIT, MARCUS! Who did this to you guys?!" Frasier demanded once more, wanting an answer despite what he was doing to get it.

"I don't know! All I know is... he fights like... like you. I don't know how, but it's just how he was moving. If it wasn't for Rhys, we wouldn't have made it out alive." Marcus explained as he coughed and groaned in agonizing pain.

Frasier sat down and had a look on his face that could only be described as fear, as if he knew exactly whom his younger sibling was talking about. At first he said nothing, but then he picked up the radio.

"Base 1 to Base 2. Can you read me? Over." Frasier said into the mic.

The radio remained dead silent, making the tension increase every second as no response was made. Marcus sat up and glared at the radio, hoping someone would pick up on the other side.

"Base 2, come in! Over!" Frasier shouted into the radio as he was starting to lose his cool, almost as if he could see things were slowly coming apart and that it was too late to stop it.

"Something must be up. They always have someone at the radio." Marcus commented as he could now sense something was off as well.

Suddenly gunshots in the distance could be heard. Marcus' heart was racing and pounding against his chest. He immediately thought of one thing: Hitomi was over there and could be in potential danger. He grabbed the binoculars and managed to muster enough energy to stand at the balcony, his worst fear coming true as he looked through the binoculars.

"Oh, God, no..." Marcus muttered as he felt Frasier taking the binoculars from him only to witness the same thing.

Hundreds of infected corpses could be seen littering the parking lot. A long line was pouring into the store as the others would pound against the wooden barricades barely keeping Them at bay. The gunshots the brothers heard earlier suddenly ceased, making it clear that the survivors inside were in trouble if not dead.

Everything was silent now. Despite the sea of grey figures in the distance, the brothers were in complete silence, both of them visibly shocked to see things going downhill so fast. If it weren't for the infected, the view and lack of noise would've made things seem almost peaceful.

"Holy shit... We have to help them!" Marcus finally blurted out, breaking the silence and sending Frasier back into reality. Frasier however just stood there and sighed.

"What's going on? I could've sworn I heard gunshots." Noah questioned as he then saw the grey mass converging on the store.

"Christ... Is there even anything we could possibly do to help them?" Noah then asked, certain that there was little to no chance for them to be able to do anything effective.

Marcus shot him an angry glare for his lack of faith before looking back to Frasier for an answer, knowing that if anyone could help those people, more importantly Hitomi, it would be Frasier.

"Well... I did manage to find a parking garage while you guys were out. I didn't go too far in since there could've been plenty of infected inside. I'd rather not try to face all of Them alone. We could try to see if any vehicles are left inside and working." Frasier suggested, giving Marcus a spark of hope to cling on to.

"Then what the hell are we waiting for? Lets go!" Marcus announced, managing to block out the fear and worry with pure adrenaline that pumped through his very being.

They quickly grabbed what weapons they could and rushed out the door, leaving Rhys and Yuki to watch the suite as the brothers went down the stairs and made their way to the parking garage Frasier mentioned earlier.

He took point and was carefully opening the door until it made a loud *creak*, alerting any infected within the parking garage of his presence.

"Fuck it." Frasier said as he kicked the door in, swinging it wide open for all three brothers to enter before it closed behind them.

Marcus flipped on the light switch to watch rows of lights turn on across the entire parking garage. An infected man nearby suddenly groaned and viciously snarled at the trio.

Frasier fired an arrow between its eyes and walked to retrieve it while Noah and Marcus went for the nearest vehicle available. Marcus momentarily pulled his sweat stained white t-shirt off only to wrap it around his hand for protection.

He began to rapidly punch into the glass until it shattered on the tenth punch, his hand completely unharmed by the broken glass as he then reached in to see the pickup truck was already unlocked.

"Figures." Marcus grumbled as he put his shirt back on while Noah brushed the glass off of the driver's seat.

Marcus pulled some wires out and began to hold them close together in attempt to hot-wire the car, trying to get the ignition started so they could hurry and go save Hitomi and anyone else that was still alive in the grocery store.

Noah fired two shots from his hybrid pistol before an arrow went past his face and hit an infected man he must've not see coming.

"Thanks!" Noah said as Frasier ran over and shoved an infected man aside, retrieving his arrow just in time before the engine to the truck turned on.

"Now we're in business!" Marcus announced as he then mounted the seat before him. Frasier forced him into the passenger seat and put his seat belt on.

"You two rest for as long as you can. You'll both need to recover if I'm to bring you two inside with me." Frasier lectured as he then ran over the two infected corpses that startled him when they threw themselves onto the hood of the truck.

He drove the truck down the parking garage and rammed through the wooden barrier at the check in, the vehicle now speeding over the massacre Frasier was responsible for outside the hotel doors.

He flipped on the windshield wipers to clean off the blood that now painted the windshield, obscuring his vision. Noah kept his eyes closes and tried his best to recover. Marcus however was far too pumped up and concerned for Hitomi's safety to possibly be thinking about resting.

His eyes watched and observed everything they passed by. Tears welled up in his eyes as he tried to believe that Hitomi would be all right, that by some miracle she wouldn't be dead or worse. Frasier suddenly slowed down which instantly caught his attention.

"Hey, whoa, whoa! Why are we stopping?" Marcus snapped, as he didn't want to waste any time.

"We need to be careful. With that many infected, it could cause us to flip over. We also have to plan things out." Frasier explained as the car remained in place.

"What's there to plan? We just go in there and kick ass as always!" Marcus replied.

"We've never fought that many of Them before, and in such tight quarters at that. We'd be swarmed in seconds." Frasier objected, pointing out the flaws in Marcus' plan.

"Well, they've been bottlenecking through that one door in the front. We can park the truck just right so we could be able to block Them from getting inside." Noah suggested as he sat up, feeling some of his energy returning to him.

"Yeah. That could work." Frasier agreed as he then switched out of park and into drive.

The truck rammed through the light packs of infected corpses, the tires crushing and smearing the former humans against the parking lot to the point they were nothing but a bloody pulp.

After taking a few moments to attract the majority of Them, Frasier did a few laps around the parking lot until he could safely ease the truck in front of the automatic doors, successfully blocking the infected from getting in and out of the store.

"Move out!" Frasier ordered as he opened the driver's side door, storming out of the truck and into the wrecked store, the infected within already converging on their position.

Frasier fired an arrow at one, and then tripped another with his leg. He began to continuously bash the infected woman's skull in with the butt of the crossbow, his eyes becoming wide and bloodshot as he enjoyed the sound of her head being caved in, unable to stop himself from pummeling the infected corpse till there was nothing left.

"Hey, watch it!" Noah shouted as he fired the last three shots in his chamber. Two infected corpses tumbled over and slumped beside Frasier as he snapped back into reality.

"Hitomi?!" Marcus shouted out throughout the store as he cleaved and slammed the machete down on any of Them that dared stand between him and her.

The steel blade got wedged between the jaws of an infected man that reached out and strangled Marcus.

"Rargh! Get out of my way!" Marcus roared out as he pulled the decaying arms down and kneed the infected man in the jaw, yellow, rotten teeth flying out as blood gushed out onto the already bloody floor.

He pried the machete out and slammed it down over and over until his arm grew tired. Marcus then shoved it aside then barged his way into the next room.

**{Silent Hill 4: The Room OST – Room of Angel}**

Marcus held the swinging door open to see the security room was pitch black. His hand reached for the switch, only to for him to regret it seconds afterwards. Everything around him became distant as he slowly dropped to his knees, slowly crawling towards a fallen figure in the center of the room: Hitomi, her torso bearing several large, bloody gashes like from a blade, leaving her lying in a pool of her own blood. Marcus could feel the tears flowing down his face, as he got closer to her, seeing already that her wounds were beyond help. There was no avoiding it. Hitomi was dying if not dead already

"N-no... No, Hitomi…you c-can't leave me. The first girl that ever made this world make any sense to me can't just go! Not like this." Marcus sobbed as tears instantly continued to trickle down his cheeks.

His chest and throat felt like they were burning as his entire body trembled at the sight of her, his emerald green eyes overflowing with pain and sorrow. Marcus' heart crumbled to dust the closer he got to her, both eyes widening as they observed the fatal lacerations in Hitomi's torso over and over again, as if refusing to accept this as anything other than a horrible dream.

Crimson colored blood painted the white tiled floor from where she lay. Her soft eyes gently fluttered as she looked over to see Marcus at her side.

"Marcus... H-how bad is it?" Hitomi questioned as she felt a spark of hope at the sight of him, unable to physically reach out to hold him.

"Beautiful as always. You're going to be okay, Hitomi. Everything will be okay." Marcus replied softly. It was obvious to both of them that he was trying to delude the pain for Hitomi if not himself.

"You're a terrible liar, Marcus." Hitomi softly explained as blood seeped past her lips, instantly able to pick up how bad things were just by looking into Marcus' eyes.

"I'm not lying! Everything will be okay! I just... I just need to... Oh, God, Hitomi..." Marcus said in attempt to deny the horrible truth, desperately trying to think of a way to save her.

"Hey, it's okay. I can see how bad it is just by looking into those cute eyes of yours. Those eyes…tell me everything. I'm not going to leave this store... Let alone this room. That…that much is clear" Hitomi explained as she then began to violently cough blood into her chest, a few drops landing on Marcus' face.

"No! Don't say that, dammit! Please…please don't say that. I can't lose you, Hitomi. I can't imagine doing any of this without you. Right when things seem to get better... It's just not fair! I love you and I did nothing wrong! You did nothing wrong! You don't deserve this!" Marcus cried out as he felt his body looming over Hitomi's figure.

"Shhh. You have to be strong for me... for both of us, Marcus. Your brothers will need you…and I can't stand to see you like this. Please, continue to be the strong man I've come to know…a-and love." Hitomi requested as her fingers weakly grasped around his hands.

"I... No, Hitomi. You can't leave me... not like this. I just... Hitomi, please." Marcus sobbed with a fresh set of tears, unable to accept the harsh reality before him.

"Marcus, please! We can't deny it anymore... We both know this is the end of the road for me! I'm okay with it…now that you're here. I can die happy…knowing that you're here, so I…I can at least…s-say goodbye." Hitomi explained as her eyes began to slowly close, her heart fighting to maintain a proper beat.

"I love you so much." Marcus said, unable to say anything else as he watched the life drastically fading from Hitomi's face.

"I... love... you too... Marcus." Hitomi replied in a frail tone, as her eyes did not open again. Her grip on his hands became stiff as all breathing came to an immediate halt.

"H-Hitomi... No... No, no!" Marcus cried out in pain as his ear rested against her bloody chest, trying to desperately hone in on a heartbeat.

Marcus remained where he kneeled, frozen in place like a gargoyle in broad daylight, his lips trembling as his body quivered, refusing to accept that Hitomi was now gone, that there was still an alternative way to avoid accepting what was right in his face.

"Come back, Hitomi…please." Marcus pleaded as he sat back up to see if Hitomi would respond.

**{}**

Minutes later, Noah and Frasier entered the room, both remaining in place as they watched Marcus talking to himself over Hitomi's corpse, clearly shaken up and devastated by his great loss.

"Oh, no…oh, God…Oh, I'm so sorry, Marcus. I just…no one could've seen this coming." Noah sympathized as he slowly kneeled besides his older brother, placing a concerned hand on his shoulder.

However, Marcus remained silent as he just stared at Hitomi, unable to break concentration for even a moment, his mind struggling to wrap around the loss of someone he was so close to.

Frasier on the other hand, just walked by, keeping his distance as he began to tamper with the security tapes, leaving Marcus to handle his emotional breakdown on his own.

"Frasier? What are you doing? Can't you see what's going on here? Don't you think we should at least be helping Marcus feel better?" Noah questioned as Frasier kept his back turned to them.

"Don't even bother, Noah. Frasier doesn't care. He doesn't care about Hitomi. Hell, he only claims to care about Saeko first, and then us. God forbid that Frasier shows even an ounce of sympathy if it even remotely involves someone else! But no, he's not the one who just lost somebody he loved... FUCK ALL IF HE COULD UNDERSTAND EMOTION OR HUMAN EMPATHY!" Marcus suddenly lashed out, his voice becoming increasingly angrier as he gripped his fists tight, looking over at Frasier furiously.

"You're right, Marcus. Deep down, I really DON'T care about anyone else in the long run. Hitomi's death is unfortunate, but in the end, who cares? What makes her so special from anyone else out there? It was bound to happen sooner or later anyway. Don't let your loss cloud your judgment." Frasier replied as he continued to tamper with the security systems, not even granting Marcus the respect of eye contact.

"OH, FUCK YOU, FRASIER! JUST BECAUSE SAEKO ISN'T THE ONE WHO JUST DIED IN A POOL OF HER OWN FUCKING BLOOD, DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN'T EVEN PRETEND TO GIVE A SHIT, YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!" Marcus cried out as he began to storm towards Frasier.

He suddenly felt a rough set of knuckles backhanding him, knocking him out of his temporary breakdown just long enough to hear what Frasier had to say next.

"Get over yourself, Marcus. You only knew that woman for a few days. I knew Saeko for three years. Three whole years of loneliness and solitude whenever she wasn't there for me. I just want you to stop and think about that for a moment."

"It's a big fucking difference you little shit. I know it hurts, and the emotional damage is potentially killing you. But more importantly, I also know that being the way you just were will only get us all killed. So tough it out, be a man, and forget about her." Frasier explained in a very chastising tone of voice, leaving Marcus to his thoughts, as Noah was in tears at the sight of them in physical confrontation.

Marcus just stood there conflicted in thought. A tiny part of him understood most of Frasier's reasoning, while the rest of him simply wanted to beat the ever loving shit out of him for his lack of fraternal compassion, right when he needed it the most. Eventually he regained enough control to compose his thoughts.

"Guys... Please stop fighting... It's tearing us apart." Noah pleaded as he just remained on his knees, as if able to see the rift between Marcus and Frasier with his very own eyes.

"Calm down. We won't split apart, Noah. We just need to keep a level head right now." Frasier responded as he motioned then to come look at the security tapes he was accessing to show what had happened to the store.

On the screen, the brothers watched, as it revealed none other than the same man that attacked Noah and Marcus earlier. He was opening the doors to let the infected inside the store. They all watched as he then began to go about the place, cutting down anyone in his path of destruction.

"Oh my God... This guy is beyond ruthless. Look at the way he enjoys the pain he inflicts." Noah commented as he stood there in shock.

"Calm yourself, Noah. Don't let him intimidate you. He'll never hurt you so long as I stand." Frasier explained as they continued to watch the slaughter playing on the screen.

'Too bad you can't say the same for her.' Marcus thought bitterly as they suddenly noticed a group of kids their age.

But what caught their attention most of all was the girl with a steel katana and purple hair. Her movements were fluid and precise as she cut down many infected before having to retreat with her group.

"Saeko..." Frasier muttered as he stared at the screen, unable to deny what was playing before him.

"Oh whoop-dee-fucking-doo! I'm SOOO glad YOUR woman is alive! That's the only thing that matters, isn't it?!" Marcus announced with bitter sarcasm as he then walked away to be with what little of Hitomi he had left.

Frasier ignored his brother as his hand pressed against the screen, a look on his face as if all hope was rejuvenated instantly. Noah then noticed something on another security feed.

"Hey, rewind that one two minutes back." Noah ordered as Frasier began to rewind the footage.

The two observed the video carefully and noticed a small red-haired girl running into the women's bathroom. They then fast-forwarded until the security camera gave them a live feed. The door never opened again once she entered it.

"Looks like we've got a potential survivor." Noah commented, wondering what his bother's approach would be towards the new situation.

"What? Who is it?" Marcus questioned as he stormed over to see what Frasier and Noah were looking at. When he saw the image of the young girl he had already made up his mind.

"I say we take her in." Marcus commented in order to break the dreary silence in the room.

"Count me in." Noah added in before they both turned to look over at Frasier.

"Well? What do you think we should do?" Noah inquired, knowing that Frasier's word held most power in the matter.

"Oh, this should be good." Marcus muttered through his teeth, speaking once more in a bitter tone, as he instinctively knew Frasier would condemn the poor child to survive on her own.

"I say we talk to her and see if she needs our help." Frasier finally answered, leaving the room with Noah while Marcus stayed behind for a moment to collect Hitomi's badge and shotgun.

"We'll get that motherfucker for this. I promise." Marcus whispered to Hitomi as he gently ran his hand down her eyes, lightly sealing them shut as he then left her to rest in what little peace she had left.

The brothers stood before the women's restroom and all took a moment to prepare for the worst, just in case the girl was infected and would attack them as any of Them would.

"I'm gonna stay out here." Noah said as he checked his chambers to be certain he wasn't going to need to reload when the time came to fire.

"What? Why not?" Frasier questioned.

"Because... That's a restroom for ladies." Noah said in a shy tone, clearly not wanting to break an old tradition he'd known his entire life.

"Fine. Just stay safe." Frasier requested as he set the crossbow down and entered with Marcus following behind him with the shotgun in hand.

Frasier took a moment to slowly look around the clean restroom. What was most notable was that there were no windows, so there had to be someone inside.

Frasier then began to open each stall while Marcus had his back, aiming down the sights, ready to fire if that little girl showed any signs of being infected. When all but one was open, the brothers knew she had to be inside it.

"Do it." Marcus whispered as he watched Frasier taking his time to prepare himself to open the stall door.

**{The Walking Dead Game OST - Alive}**

As the door was opened all they way, they could see a little girl sitting alone with her knees up to her chest.

Her hair was short and red with a purple hair-band set in it. She immediately flinched and tried to scoot away from them when she noticed both strangers staring at her.

"Put your weapon down, Marcus. We don't want to scare her." Frasier instructed with a hand motioning downwards.

Marcus complied with the order and slowly set the shotgun down to show they were friendly. The small child slowly began to notice this and sat up to observe what they'd do next.

"It's okay kid. We're not going to hurt you. What's your name?" Frasier questioned as he squatted down to be on the same level as her.

"A-Alice. Alice Maresato" the small child responded timidly, visibly shaking as she was still uncertain whom these two strangers were and what they wanted.

"Hello there, Alice. My name is Frasier, and this is my brother, Marcus. The infected are gone for now. Where's your family?" Frasier asked as he had a genuine look of interest on his face.

Alice looked up with tears in her big purple eyes, shaking her head back and forth.

"I don't know. I ran away when the monsters began attacking everyone. I got scared." Alice answered in a regretful tone.

"It's okay, Alice. Everyone is afraid of something. There's no shame in that." Frasier said reassuringly.

"Really? What are you afraid of?" Alice questioned, as she stood up from the seat, curious as to what someone as big as Marcus and Frasier could possibly be afraid of.

She slowly reached out and took his hand. Frasier laughed a little and replied: "I've yet to find something to give me real terror. Maybe one day we'll find out together." Frasier answered as he could not think of anything at the moment.

"Not even the monsters?" Alice questioned with doubt in her voice.

"They're deadly, Alice, but he's deadlier." Marcus added in, speaking from experience from all the times he witnessed Frasier butchering one of Them.

She was at least seven years old from what they could tell. Alice was all that was left from the slaughter. Everyone else was either dead, reanimated, or was able to escape.

"So you want to come with us? We can protect you until your group shows up. If they show up that is." Frasier offered as he stood back up, towering over Alice.

"But they told me that if we ever get separated then I need to hide and wait until they find me!" Alice explained, not moving another inch from the stall.

"Hmmm, a good idea to have. But we can't stay here for very long." Frasier replied, slowly rubbing his chin in thought.

"So what do you suggest we do?" Marcus questioned as he leaned against a stall.

"I have an idea." Frasier answered as he grabbed Marcus' machete and began to carve into the stalls.

Alice and Marcus just watched as he took a minute to scratch in a message for Alice's group against the stall door:

'We've found Alice. She's in no danger and we intend to keep her safe under our watch until you return to pick her up at the local hotel. Room 221.'

"Why did you do that?" Alice questioned as Frasier peeled away the loose paint chips.

"This way your group will be able to pick you up when they come back here to look for you." Frasier explained before handing the machete back to Marcus.

"Keep it. I've got this now." Marcus responded as he picked the shotgun back up.

"Fair enough. So what do you say, Alice?" Frasier asked again as he offered his hand to her.

At first she was reluctant, but then she nodded and took his hand. Something about these two strangers made her feel safe. Besides, it wasn't like she had very many options anyways.

**{}**

Noah stood there vigilant with his pistol, waiting for his brothers to return. As soon as the two stepped out of the women's restroom with Alice, Marcus quickly briefed him on the new addition to the group.

"Hey there Alice, I'm Noah. Nice to meet you." Noah said as he held his hand out to shake Alice's hand. She was shy at first but soon shook his hand in return.

Meanwhile, Marcus looked at Hitomi's badge then held it to his chest.

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to save you." Marcus softly whispered in regret. Pain filled his heart, but anger and vengeance fueled his very existence. All Marcus could think of was how to kill that psycho. It wasn't long before it would become an obsession to him.

As the group walked out towards the truck, they instantly stopped in their tracks.

"No way in hel... heck we are going to be able to safely drive through Them." Noah said, having to correct himself in Alice's presence.

"We could take the back entrance. Plenty of those things to avoid, but even more are outside in the front. I say we go this way." Frasier suggested as he already began to head towards the back of the store whether anyone agreed with him or not.

Suddenly the sound of thunder could be heard. Out the windows and through the cracks of boards, droplets of rain could be seen falling. This caused Alice to step back as the brothers were just about to head out into the cold

"We can't go out there. Not dressed like this!" Alice announced as she refused to move an inch forward.

"What? Why not?" Frasier questioned as he looked over to her. She looked up at him defiantly and crossed her arms.

"Because we don't have rain clothes! Plus it'll be cold." Alice explained, her body already beginning to shiver from the cool breeze blowing through the open door before her.

Frasier rolled his eyes and kneeled down as he took his sage green jacket off, slowly putting it on Alice. The entire jacket covered her small body, making her look like a hooded priest.

"What about you? Aren't you worried about getting sick and freezing?!" Alice asked in an innocent yet concerned tone.

After packing the guns securely in his backpack to avoid them from being ruined, Frasier smiled and had her sit on his shoulders, handing the backpack over to Noah.

"Don't worry about me, Alice. Where I come from, it rains nearly everyday. If anything, I welcome the rain. It's my element." Frasier explained as the group began to head out the doors.

"Element? So kinda like a Pokemon?" Alice asked curiously as Noah couldn't help but chuckle. Marcus however remained dead in thought, not even smirking at the innocent question.

"Shhh! Let's save the laughs for when we get to the hotel. Alice, everything okay up there?" Frasier instructed before he checked to see if she was uncomfortable on his shoulders.

Alice nodded and played with Frasier's wet hair as they silently walked around the infected that would occasionally pass by them in the back of the grocery store.

After a few close encounters, they all made it out of that damned parking lot without alerting any of Them.

When the group was all clear, Frasier gave the thumbs up to talk. But nobody was really in the mood to be talking right now, not after what just happened.

Marcus and Noah soon pulled up their hoods as the rain began to pour even harder. Thunder cracked out as the sky darkened even further. Night was probably upon them right now, but no one could really tell with the dark clouds in the sky.

"You're shivering." Alice said to Frasier as she could feel his body tremble whenever the wind breezed by them.

"I-I'm fine. Don't worry about me." Frasier replied as he had to fight to keep his teeth from chattering.

Luckily they were just now entering the hotel that was heated and instantly caused Frasier's body to return to its normal temperature levels.

"You guys live here?!" Alice gasped in amazement as she hopped off of Frasier's shoulders and began to explore the lobby.

"Yeah... You could say that." Noah responded, just now realizing as to why such a place would hold such interest to Alice.

To the brothers it was just where they went to sleep and used for shelter. But to her, a child, this place was a fortress. Her innocence was somewhat comforting to the group. It gave them all a purpose: to protect and ensure her safety. No matter the cost.

"Wow. I've never been in a hotel before! It's so big." Alice exclaimed as she ran through the hallways with unlimited freedom. It was as if her childlike behavior made her completely forget about the end of the world.

Noah then opened the door to their suite as the rest of the group slowly walked inside. There was a note left on the fridge. Marcus pulled it off and read it aloud for all to hear.

"I'm not good with goodbyes, but I can't stay here. I need to go out in the world and help anyone I can, not sit around in some tower. I'm sorry I can't stick around with you guys. I don't want to become too attached and just end up losing you to the infected or that damn rogue. Yuki insisted she come along with me. I tried to tell her no, but we all know how that went down. Hopefully one day we will see each other again. Stay safe!  
>Rhys and Yuki 3"<p>

Noah ran and started checking every room to be certain. When he came back, he had a sad look on his face.

"They're gone. They really are gone." Noah said sadly.

"Whatever, we don't need that coward. If he wants to go out there, then let him! I never did like him anyways." Marcus grunted, showing no approval for the lack of loyalty to standby the group.

Noah and Rhys were slowly becoming good friends, but now he had abandoned them. Noah sat against the wall and kept his head low. Alice walked over and sat beside him for comfort.

She gently hugged Noah around the neck and put Frasier's hoodie on him to warm him up. She then ran off to the T.V. and turned it on.

"Trying to watch something?" Frasier asked observantly. She nodded and held up the remote trying to find a kids channel.

So far it was nothing but local news channels. All of them were empty though because the infection had spread so fast that no one was able to stay safe and gather accurate information in time.

Eventually all channels were either dead or an automatic emergency warning broadcast was still going.

"Well I guess that's all there is to watch. Sorry, Alice." Frasier said apologetically.

She shrugged her shoulders and walked out to the door onto the balcony, looking out at the rain observantly.

Frasier then walked over and sat beside Marcus on the couch. They both just watched the long line of emergency warning on the screen, each one either repeating or being cut off by another. But there was one that stood out and killed a little bit of hope for each of them: **_'THE END IS VERY FUCKING NIGH!'_**


	18. Act 6: Hard Times Ahead Part 3

**Act 6: Hard Times Ahead Part 3**

**Tokonosu City, Japan**

**Z-Day+7**

**All was qu**iet within the hotel room 221. Suddenly, a faint sneeze could be heard from within, instantly breaking the eerie silence that loomed over it.

"See? I told you! I knew you would get sick from the rain!" Alice lectured to Frasier as he continued to sneeze and cough against his will.

Marcus and Noah walked over to see Frasier resting on the couch with Alice kneeling besides him like she was his own personal nurse.

"I'm fine, kid. I just need some rest. You should get some too, Alice. It's very late." Frasier instructed as he tried to play things down as usual.

"Okay. But if you need anything, let us handle it, okay?" Alice requested as she held him tight, kissing his cheek before she ran off to find herself a vacant bed. Frasier softly chuckled and coughed a little before looking over at his brothers who were both snickering at what they just saw.

"She your girlfriend now?" Noah teased as Frasier rolled his eyes.

"Bite me." Frasier grumbled before groaning from his body temperature being indecisive between hot and cold.

"Take it easy; I'm only messing with you. So are you really sick?" Noah asked in a more concerned manner.

"It would appear so." Frasier replied as he slipped his socks off slowly.

"You weren't bitten or scratched, were you?" Marcus questioned, uncertain what type of sickness they were talking about.

"No. It's just the damn flu. I just need to rest and get it out of my system." Frasier responded before resting his head against the pillow beneath him, softly letting out a sigh as it felt like his head was throbbing.

"Alright. Luckily, we're strong and have great immune systems. You'll be on your feet in no time!" Noah announced with great optimism while Marcus kneeled besides Frasier, placing a damp cloth over his head to help elevate the changing temperature.

"Noah and I can track down another pharmacy and grab you some medicine." Marcus offered.

"No. Everyone needs to remain inside the hotel's perimeter. Just wait until I've recovered." Frasier ordered, making it clear that he didn't want to be away from his brothers.

"But what if you can't recover on your own? Please hear me out on this." Marcus requested while Frasier was weighing the options.

"If you really want to gather medicine, then you and Noah can search the other hotel rooms. You're bound to find something in one of them." Frasier suggested in an attempt to give Marcus an alternative task.

"We'll start searching right away!" Marcus announced before he stood up, heading right for his gear.

"Wait till the end of the storm. You'll need your senses about you if you're going to be searching the hotel without me." Frasier responded as Marcus knew he was referring to the thunder that occasionally rang out every now and then.

"All right. I'm just going to go lay down then. I think I need some time to think things out." Marcus replied, unwilling to negotiate with Frasier while they were both in a bad condition.

Marcus slowly found his room and slumped into his bed. He was barely able to handle a single night without Hitomi at his side, but to now face an entire lifetime without her was creating a void in his very being.

Every breath he released was a sigh of sadness and regret. His mind filled with nothing but a burning fire that scorched him each time he would try to think of anything other than Hitomi.

Tears streamed down his cheek, as he was barely able to get himself to sleep. His chest ached as he tried to hold the tears back but it was a fruitless attempt. Both hands gently grasped around the blood-stained badge that had once adorned her uniform.

**Z-Day+8**

Hours later, everyone was asleep and waiting out the storm. Noah eventually woke up to get a drink of water.

He stumbled his way to the sink only to then realize that the rain had stopped temporarily. Noah walked out to the balcony to enjoy the twilight of morning as well as the eye of the storm.

He enjoyed the peace and serenity it radiated despite the ugliness and reality of the new world outside of it. Noah then grabbed the binoculars when he could suddenly hear gunfire not too far away.

He panned over to see a female survivor popping off rounds like they weren't short in supply. Noah zoomed in but couldn't make out any striking details about the female. His body leaned against the wet railing while continuing to observe her combat capabilities.

Whenever the infected would move any closer to her she would back up. It was quite clear to Noah that this survivor was only efficient when out of range from the infected.

Noah then noticed another figure, male, wielding a short katana. This one was strangely familiar to him, clearly not the rogue (since he only had one blade) but he certainly was familiar.

Noah darted into the kitchen to grab a flashlight and a laser pointer he normally kept in his pocket. He bolted back at a pace that wouldn't wake anyone up when he moved.

When Noah looked through the binoculars they were both finishing off the remaining infected. The woman holstered her guns and began to walk with her arms crossed over her chest. It must have been cold out there; Noah raised the laser pointer and pressed the little button to activate it.

After a few seconds of moving it around, Noah was able to see where he was aiming it. He tried to move it around their surroundings to grab their attention, knowing he probably shouldn't, Noah aimed for their eyes.

When he managed to get the laser into their eyes, they stopped walking and lifted their hands. Both looked around and seemed confused at first, Noah then held the flashlight up and began to turn it on and off like a beacon.

Their heads turned to his general direction. The woman then held up her hand and waved at Noah. He shook the light around to let her know he could see her. She began to make her way over to the hotel; it would take at least ten minutes from where they were standing.

Noah walked back inside and grabbed the shotgun, just in case they weren't friendly after all. He taped the flashlight to the shotgun and quietly walked out of the suite without making a peep.

Noah jogged down the stairs, nearly tripping over his shoelaces multiple times. His mind kept thinking on whether or not this was a good idea. On one hand, they could be survivors willing to join and help out. On the other hand, he could have been putting everyone's lives in peril.

Now that he thought about it, he probably should have told someone what he was doing, but he also couldn't just let them freeze out there in the rain. Thunder rang out as he opened the front doors, no sign of the infected to be seen.

Most of the gore and blood was washed away from Frasier's "relief" session while the rest were doing Parkour training.

As Noah walked out the front doors, he noticed two figures approaching from the shadows of the building across the street. He aimed the shotgun up, shining light in their general direction.

The light revealed the same people seen earlier, the woman instantly held up her hands as the male looked like he was going for his blade in defense to the sudden act.

"Whoa, there! I'm friendly, kid." The woman shouted in response as she held both hands up. Noah slowly lowered the gun, feeling confident about them. She slowly walked forward so Noah could finally see what she looked like up close.

She wore combat boots that went up to her knees; she was in all black from her leggings all the way to her hoodie. She had what looked like an FN P90 in her hands; when she walked up face to face, Noah could see her eyes under her hood. They were dark brown with a few hints of red.

"Is it just you, kid?" the woman asked in a more calm voice.

"I certainly hope not. Or else things are just as bad here as they were at the grocery store. Isn't that right, Noah?" a familiar voice questioned when the male finally spoke up.

"Ryou? Is that you?" Noah questioned, as he was shocked to see him alive and well after what they saw on the cameras yesterday.

"Yep. I'm glad to see that you're doing well in what I assume is your fortress." Ryou responded as he looked up to see the hotel before him.

"It's only safe because the infected never come inside. So far at least." Noah responded in a somewhat defensive tone, motioning them to follow him as he began to walk back into the lobby.

"Nice place you've got here. Is everyone here doing okay?" Ryou questioned as he took a moment to observe the area.

"Rhys and Yuki bailed on us. Frasier is currently sick and we found a survivor when we came to check up on you guys." Noah answered as he led them up the stairs.

"Really? Who did you find?" Ryou inquired, certain that no one could've survived for long at that grocery store.

"A little girl named Alice. Luckily we found her, and we're planning on protecting her until we find her group." Noah replied while he felt safer knowing Ryou was with this mysterious woman.

"So who is your friend by the way?" Noah asked out of curiosity as they continued scaling the many stairs.

"My name is Julie Chen. Nice to meet you-Noah, was it?" the woman responded before checking to confirm she overheard his name right just moments ago.

"That's me alright. So where on Earth did you manage to acquire a gun like that?" Noah said with a smile.

"You're awful curious, aren't ya?" Julie replied, uncertain why Noah was being so inquisitive.

"To be honest you've got the best gun at the moment. I thought it would be nice to get us something fully automatic also." Noah responded before they arrived at room 221.

"You guys need to be super quiet. My brothers are asleep and might overreact to me bringing you two in without a heads up." Noah brought up before he cautiously opened the door, slowly entering first and setting the shotgun besides the couch.

Frasier was still fast asleep on the couch. When he coughed, Noah's heart raced as he thought they had woken him up. Julie chuckled softly as she walked into Frasier's bedroom. Noah and Ryou figured she was to claim that bed for now.

Hours later, Noah sat up and felt like hammered shit.

Suddenly, a little figure sat up next to him. It was clearly Alice, but he still hadn't been expecting her to be there! Noah quickly turned his head and ended up spitting all over himself. His body shook in disbelief in what he just did, Alice cocked her little head confused.

"Are you sick too, Noah?" Alice asked in a concerned tone.

Noah just shook his head and ran to the bathroom, wiping the sludge off his face and sleeves.

'Ugh, that was so disgusting—how, or better question, why was Alice in my bed in the first place?' Noah thought to himself before he noticed her in the doorway.

"I'm sorry I scared you! Here take these." Alice apologized as she held up some tissues for him. He smiled and took them from her, wiping up the rest of the muck.

"It's all right. Why were you in my bed anyway?" Noah asked in a half-awake voice. She sat on her hands and looked down at her feet. A look of shame forming across her face.

"Well-I had a bad dream and the thunder scared me. I ran into the nearest room and I guess it was yours. You're not mad at me, are you?" Alice asked with tears beginning to form in her eyes. Noah shook his head and smiled.

"What? No, of course not, Alice! It's okay, even the big kids get nightmares sometimes." Noah replied, trying to reassure her. She wiped her eyes and hugged Noah's sides.

"R-really? Even you guys do?" Alice questioned.

"Of course. I'm terrified of spiders, Marcus can't stand total silence, and Frasier..." Noah answered before he couldn't bring himself to finish his sentence.

"What is he afraid of?" Alice asked, now that her curiosity was greater than her childish shame.

"I'm not 100% certain. Whatever it is though, we should all fear it." Noah responded before the room became silent once more.

"Can we go get some breakfast?" Alice asked in a more calmed down voice, rubbing her growling stomach.

"Yeah! I'll race you there!" Noah suggested in attempt to take her mind off of it.

She laughed and got a good head start; the little bugger was much faster than Noah had anticipated though. He ran after her and nearly caught up, but she managed to touch the fridge first.

"I win! I win!" Alice exclaimed, feeling more then proud of herself. She smiled a little while Noah pretended he was out of breath.

"Phew. You must have been the best runner in your class!" Noah said as he opened the fridge up. Alice giggled and sat at the table, swinging her legs back and forth. Noah set the milk out on the table as Julie walked out, stretching her arms.

She was no longer wearing her hoodie. She was now in a black tank top. Her body had some very smooth curves and her chest was bigger than most. Julie caught Noah looking at her chest and shot him an irritated look.

"Gah! Watch the eyes, son! You don't want to get on my bad side already, do you?" Julie warned.

Marcus walked out to suddenly realize an intruder was in the room. He then realized Noah was casually talking to her.

"Noah?! Who the hell is this?! Why the hell does she have a gun?!" Marcus announced in shock.

Suddenly, Frasier's eyes shot wide open before he rushed out from the couch and pinned Julie against the wall. His forearm pressed tightly up against her neck, a clear look of shock on Noah and Marcus' faces to see him move at such speed despite him being ill.

"What are you doing here?! State your name or I'll break your goddamn neck right here!" Frasier growled as he glared her down, uncertain how she got into the perimeter thus far.

"Name's Julie Chen, and I was invited here. Better let me go or else big boy." Julie replied confidently as she motioned him to look down.

"Hrm?" Frasier grunted as he looked down to see Julie had a pistol ready to fire on him. She was so fast and quick about it, he hadn't even noticed it. He then looked back up to see her gaze meet his.

"You're good, but I'm better." Frasier responded as he then motioned her to look down.

Julie shifted her line of site to realize that Frasier had popped the ammo clip out and the safety was now turned on. She then looked up to see he was now the one confidently grinning.

"Alright... Just a setback is all. I still got one in the chamber. Ball is still in my court." Julie replied in attempt to maintain the upper hand.

"You've got one bullet and the safety's on. By the time you're able to fire that one shot, my forearm will have already crushed your throat. Still want to try me?" Frasier replied as he pressed down to show he wasn't fooling around.

"Not bad. Alright, I'll be a good girl." Julie teased before dropping her pistol to the floor.

Frasier gently stepped on it then kicked it behind him as he lowered his arms. He then looked at Noah as if he knew it was him who let her in. Noah looked away, fully aware they'd be having a long discussion about it down the road.

"Explain yourself. Who are you?" Frasier questioned as he stood before her.

"Just your typical daughter of—well, that doesn't matter right now. What matters is that you can trust me. Not to mention I was here hours before you woke up. So that means I could've killed all of you in your sleep, yet here we are." Julie explained, making a valid point.

"Very well..." Frasier said, inconclusive about his thoughts on Julie as he let her go.

"You can stay as long as you don't start any trouble." Frasier finished as he then proceeded to walk back to the couch, heavily coughing.

"So that's the oldest brother, hmm?" Julie asked Noah curiously. Noah nodded as she looked over and whispered into his ear in case Frasier was listening in on them.

"Hmm-and he's over eighteen, right?" Julie asked with a smirk on her face.

Noah wondered what she was getting at only to remember that it didn't matter, seeing how Frasier was already mentally committed to Saeko. Especially after seeing that footage of her the other day.

But Julie looked like she could throw a decent punch so Noah kept his mouth shut, not wanting to be the one to give her the bad news.

After a few moments of silence, Ryou suddenly walked out, earning a look of shock and surprise from both Marcus and Frasier.

"You're alive?! Where the hell have you been?!" Marcus demanded as Frasier got back up once again, giving Noah a fierce look before having to get up once again.

"Maybe we should take a step back and relax." Frasier suggested as he motioned Marcus to settle down and let Ryou explain what happened at the grocery store.

"I was just sitting alone, thinking about the militia, when I heard gunshots and screaming. Obviously something was wrong so I ran out and was welcomed by several of Them."

"After killing as many as I could, I tried to find anyone I could and simply get them out. There was not much time to make any long term decisions."

"It was clear the store had become a lost cause. It was either fight or flight. That hellhole was definitely not a fight situation. Things only became worse as the infected poured into the store while a man with twin blades began to slaughter infected and survivors alike. He was one twisted freak. My instincts told me to get out while I could."

"So I did just that and managed to get Jun, Akira, Akiko, and a few others out of there in time. Hitomi stayed behind to hold that monster back as we made our escape. The infected overwhelmed the front of the store, but we had good luck by going out the back."

"I was the only capable fighter there, so I took charge and quickly escorted our group as far as I could take them. After a few hours of walking and losing a few survivors to the infected, we ended up at a mall. It was in a section of town without power but that really didn't matter."

"Remember those military helicopters we saw? Luckily, they were on patrol and spotted us just in time. The remaining forces were able to airlift everyone who was left in the group."

"However, I stayed behind since I knew there would be people who would need my help out here. So after a few fights here and there with the infected, I soon stumbled into Julie, then Noah arrived to bring us into your home." Ryou explained, earning looks of shock from the trio.

While Noah and Frasier were silent and trying to process what happened at the grocery store, Marcus felt his bottled rage being directed towards Ryou all at once.

**{Fullmetal Alchemist OST – Pathetic} **

"You son of a fucking bitch!" Marcus cried out as he suddenly punched Ryou across the face, sending him flying over the kitchen table. The radio was knocked off and shattered into several dozen pieces upon impact with the floor.

"Marcus! What's gotten into you?!" Frasier demanded as he pulled his enraged brother's arms back to restrain him.

"That cocksucker fucking abandoned her! I gave him ONE instruction! JUST ONE FUCKING ORDER: 'KEEP HITOMI SAFE,' AND HE JUST FUCKING ABANDONED HER THE FIRST CHANCE HE GOT! HE'S THE ONE WHO SHOULD BE FUCKING DEAD AND ROTTING, NOT HITOMI! Gggrrarrgghh! GET OFF OF ME!" Marcus roared out in rage before he threw a flurry of elbows back into Frasier's solar plexus, effectively knocking the wind out of him just enough to escape the hold he had on him.

"I did what was best for the group!" Ryou tried to explain as he tried to pull himself up, blood trickling past his lips and down his chin.

"LEAVING THE WOMAN I LOVED TO DIE WAS BEST FOR THE GROUP?! LIAR! LIES! NOTHING BUT THE LIES AND EXCUSES OF A FUCKING COWARD! SHE DIDN'T DESERVE TO DIE, BUT YOU DO! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU, YOU PIECE OF SHIT!" Marcus cried out in uncontrollable, psychotic rage as he grabbed the shotgun resting besides the couch.

Marcus then flicked the safety off and fired at Ryou. The first shot barely missed as he ducked under the turned over table, a massive chunk of wood flying off from the force of the pellets.

When Marcus pumped the shotgun a second time he aimed only for Frasier to grapple him for it. The gun went off course and blasted a hole in the ceiling; bits of drywall began to shower down as both brothers struggled for control.

"Run! Get out of here!" Frasier shouted to Ryou, as he had to focus his dwindling energy on keeping Marcus from getting the shotgun back.

Julie took Alice into the next room for safety as Noah just stood there in awe, shocked at the sight of both his elder brothers fighting against one another. Tears ran down his cheeks as Ryou was heading for the door without hesitation.

"GET YOUR FUCKING HANDS OFF ME, FRASIER! Stay out of my WAY!" Marcus announced as he paused mid sentence to swerve the shotgun around and bash Frasier across the jaw with the butt of it.

Marcus then pumped the shotgun, expelling the empty shell as a new one was loaded into the barrel. His sights slowly being aimed to where Ryou was going to be.

Frasier saw this and quickly swiped his leg against Marcus'. His younger brother, however, anticipated more interference and managed to land in a prone position. He quickly recovered and was already aiming once again.

"Enough!" Frasier ordered as he kicked the shotgun just enough to cause Marcus' shot to miss by a few inches as Ryou fled the suite.

"NOOO! GODDAMN YOU, FRASIER! YOU LET THAT FUCKING COWARDLY TRAITOR ESCAPE!" Marcus shouted as Frasier yanked the shotgun away and quickly dismantled it to the point Marcus would have to put it all back together again.

"You've fucking lost it, Marcus! Look at what you've become! Shooting at a friend, and for what? Some dead police girl you barely even knew? She's dead and gone, and you're just using her death as an excuse. Quit acting like a whiny little brat and get the fuck over it." Frasier said in a scolding, superior-like tone as he pulled Marcus up by the back of his collar like a misbehaved dog.

However, Marcus quickly spun around and punched Frasier across the jaw, sending his elder brother crashing back into the couch with great impact. Frasier coughed and felt a sharp pain in his jaw.

Before he could get up to retaliate and restore his form of order, Marcus jumped over the couch and got on top of Frasier, proceeding to slam his fists into Frasier's face repeatedly, too fast for him to get a hand up to block. Marcus' punches grew harder and more savage with each word he shouted.

"GO! FUCK! YOURSELF! FRASIER! WHERE THE FUCKING HELL DO YOU GET OFF?! HITOMI DYING DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING?! I'M USING HER AS AN EXCUSE?! GET OVER LOSING THE FIRST WOMAN I EVER GENUINELY FUCKING LOVED?! FUCK YOU!" Marcus shrieked as he wrapped his hands around Frasier's throat, squeezing as tight as he could as Frasier tried to pry his hands off.

"AND IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT HER! IT'S BECAUSE OF YOU TOO, YOU FUCKING BASTARD!" Marcus growled through his teeth, as he increased the pressure, no longer caring about openly defying Frasier. At this point, he didn't even care what Frasier would do to him as a result. As far as Marcus was concerned, nothing mattered anymore, Frasier least of all.

"I looked up to you, idolized you, and always aspired to be just like you, Dad's clear favorite, the one who never backed down from anything. There was not a day went by where I didn't want to be you. Even a single second would've been enough!"

"When the world ended, I felt safe and secure because you were on my side. I felt confident that you would never let anything happen to Noah or me. That you would be a good brother and always be there for me no matter what!"

"But what do I get instead? I get a self-centered, cold, heartless bastard who cares about nobody but himself and his fucking girlfriend! You know what, Frasier?! You say Hitomi dying doesn't mean SHIT?! WELL I HOPE THAT FUCKING WHORE SAEKO IS DEAD, ROTTING, AND BURNING IN HELL WHERE SHE BELONGS! WHY DON'T YOU 'GET THE FUCK OVER THAT' TOUGH GUY! INSTEAD OF A LOVING, PROTECTIVE BROTHER, I GOT SOMEONE WHO TREATS ME LIKE AN INSUBORDINATE CHILD WHENEVER I'M JUST TRYING TO COPE WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN GOING ON WITHOUT LOSING MY FUCKING MIND! SOMEONE THAT-" Marcus cried out in pain, releasing his emotional turmoil before Frasier suddenly pulled his leg forward and socked him across the face.

However, he had already lost too much energy to have any physical dominance over his younger brother. Marcus just laughed and turned his head with a smirk on his face.

"That's it? What's the matter, Frasier? Not so tough when you're fighting someone who can actually defend himself? You get so much fun out of mutilating Them and defenseless living people, you can't stand up when fighting someone who actually knows how to FIGHT BACK?! YOU'RE THE ONE WHO'S REALLY LOST HIS FUCKING MIND, FRASIER!" Marcus noted as he punched Frasier in the stomach, causing his older brother to go wide eyed as he leaned forward in pain.

"I fucking HATE YOU, Frasier. I'm just…I'm just fucking DONE taking orders and any other shit from you." Marcus whispered to Frasier before gripping the pressure point in his shoulder, effectively knocking out his older brother just as he did to him on the evacuation bus just a few days ago.

"Marcus..." Frasier groaned before he lost consciousness, his body falling back over to the couch.

**{}**

Noah slowly walked over and felt Frasier's neck to be sure he wasn't dead. He felt a faint pulse and let out a sigh of relief before he stood back up.

"So... Now what do we do?" Noah asked in a somewhat uncertain voice.

"I-I don't know. I guess we can head out and see if we can find anything of use out there. We should probably go tell Julie and Alice things have changed." Marcus replied in an exhausted tone, his voice clearly showing strain after exploding at Frasier like he did.

Marcus walked over towards the door and gave it a light knock before opening it to see Julie huddled in the corner with Alice. The young girl was in tears as Julie comforted her through the fraternal dispute.

"Is it over?" Alice questioned, as she couldn't stop sobbing.

"Y-yeah. It's over. Sorry about that. I've just been keeping so much bottled in, I just couldn't take it anymore, I just had to let it out. I don't know how to explain it, but it's definitely over, so it's okay to come out now." Marcus explained as he kneeled to Alice, making it clear that he wasn't going to hurt her or Julie.

"Did you shoot that guy?" Julie asked as she glared at Marcus, now having second thoughts about this group.

"No. He's still out there. But just a heads up, if I do see him I won't hesitate." Marcus said to make things crystal clear.

"Did he do something bad to you?" Alice questioned as they began to walk out the room with Marcus.

"That's a bit of an understatement, but yeah, he did." Marcus replied as he began to gather pieces of the disassembled shotgun off the floor.

"What did he do?" Alice asked curiously as she helped pick up the pieces that obviously belonged to the shotgun.

"I'd rather not talk about it." Marcus responded in a distant tone as he tried to keep calm after his emotional breakdown.

"Okay." Alice responded, as she wanted to avoid being intrusive on Marcus' feelings, knowing that if he'd want to talk about them, he would do it when he was ready to.

Julie walked over to see Noah pulling a blanket over Frasier and trying to place a pillow beneath him for support, tending to his sick brother, yet showing no resentment to Marcus for what he did. It was quite clear Noah was neutral in all this and was able to look at both sides without being considered biased.

"Is he...?" Julie questioned, unable to finish her sentence at the thought of Marcus going as far as she thought he did.

"Dead? Not even close. It'll take a lot more than a little nerve pinch to kill him. He's survived through some rough shit, believe me." Noah explained as he then walked away to stand what was left of the table back up.

Julie just stood there and stared at Frasier's unconscious figure. His breathing was heavy yet his face appeared to be in a tranquil state. She figured it was all for the better seeing as he was sick and would need plenty of rest in order to recover.

"Hey, Julie. Get your gun, we're going out to scavenge up some medicine." Marcus ordered as he pumped the shotgun and began to load up on shells.

"Really? After all that, you want to go out and scavenge?" Julie questioned as she raised an eyebrow to Marcus.

"Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it." Marcus responded as Noah grabbed the crowbar and hybrid pistol.

"What about him?" Julie asked as she motioned towards Frasier.

"What ABOUT him?" Marcus questioned in a bitter tone.

"We can't just leave him there like that." Julie explained as she loaded her FN P90.

"We can if we hurry. Besides, that dick can take care of himself. Don't let his current appearance fool you." Marcus responded as Alice put on Frasier's jacket.

"You coming too?" Noah inquired.

"Mhm. I want to be there for when you need to feed your guns." Alice explained as she leaned against the door.

"Feed the guns?" Noah questioned as she began to play with the zipper to the jacket.

"Yeah. When you guys shoot the monsters enough times, the guns won't shoot no more. Then that's when I give you gun food!" Alice explained as she held up spare ammo she found lying around the suite.

"Ohhhh, I get it now. Well, okay. If I need 'gun food' I'll be sure to come to you." Noah replied in an understanding tone. More than happy to play Alice's little game.

When the group was set to go, Marcus was the last one out. Before he closed the door he looked over at Frasier one last time. A soft sigh escaped his lips before he locked the door. He did NOT regret his actions even a little bit; he'd only wished that things had gone smoother then they did.


	19. Act 7: Fraternal Mending Part 1

**Act 7: Fraternal Mending Part 1**

**Tokonosu City, Japan**

**Z-Day+8**

After an emotional confrontation between the brothers, Marcus led the group down the stairs and into the parking garage. Luckily most of the infected had aimlessly wandered out seeing how no one bothered to close the garage doors.

Marcus evaluated his options of vehicles and decided to take the tow truck that had a corpse hanging from the side window. His neck and right arm were hanging outside the truck lifelessly. Alice stayed behind as Noah and Marcus opened the door wide open, only to jump back in complete shock at the sight before them.

In the passenger seat was an infected man who was feasting on the guts of the corpse they were trying to drag out, the stretching, glistening red intestines being shredded by the rotten, yellow teeth of the undead fiend.

"Christ!" Marcus gasped as Noah suddenly lunged over the seat, slamming the crowbar straight down on the infected man's skull, splattering the putrid contents all over the seat it was occupying.

"That was way too close." Noah commented as he felt the adrenaline rush fading away, wiping the blood off the crowbar onto the back of the mutilated corpse that was at their feet.

"Is everyone okay?" Alice asked out of concern, looking worried when she heard the fighting just moments ago.

"Yeah, we just had a little accident is all." Marcus responded as he set his jacket down in an angle to cover the seats stained in blood.

Alice remained silent as Julie pulled her up onto her lap while claiming the middle seat. Noah sat in the passenger seat while Marcus flipped the sun visor down to find a set of keys inside of it.

"You know how to drive?" Julie questioned as she looked over at Marcus.

"Ummm kinda. I can only drive automatic." Marcus replied uncertain of his ability to drive manual.

"You only drove that one time and crashed that car into a pond. How the teacher didn't find out, I'll never know." Noah commented as he reminisced a part of their past together.

"Well, maybe I should've known better than to expect you not to panic when I said 'Take the wheel I've got an itch'." Marcus responded before Julie unbuckled herself.

"Okay, cowboy, switch spots." Julie requested as she was already moving over Marcus before he could respond.

"I can drive now. I've had lessons." Marcus explained as he scooted over.

"Too late, already buckled in." Julie replied as she turned the keys to turn the ignition on.

Alice sat in Marcus' lap as he grumbled at being kicked off the wheel. He then pulled the seatbelt over as Julie cautiously drove down the dark tunnels, the headlights giving just enough light for her to see where she was going.

When the tow truck finally emerged from the parking garage, the group was able to relax and only had be on the watch for any bundles of infected that could bring them to a screeching halt.

Noah rested his head against the window while he observed the tranquility of being on the road. Marcus was deep in thought, trying to plan things out before sundown. Alice just closed her eyes to think of happy thoughts while Julie simply focused on her driving.

After just a few minutes of driving, Julie pulled over and parked outside a liquor store. Marcus snapped out of his trance and shot her an irritated look.

"Hey, what gives? This isn't the pharmacy." Marcus questioned as Julie got out of the truck.

"Thanks Sherlock, I figured that much on my own." Julie responded as she walked towards the facility.

"We need medicine, not something to get your whistle wet at happy hour." Marcus argued as he unbuckled himself.

Julie continued to ignore him as he then got out after her with Noah and Alice following him. Marcus then pushed the door open to see Julie was already over the counter; clearly she was searching for something.

When the rest of the group entered the room, they had to adjust to the low lighting in the store. Entire rows of alcohol and wine could be seen laid out for anyone to take. They then noticed Julie was standing behind the counter-top, scrounging through any behind the counter items.

"What are you looking for?" Alice asked, wanting to help Julie search for whatever it was she needed.

"Ethanol." Julie replied as she continued her search.

"Why? What does it do?" Alice asked as she curiously observed all the various bottles before her.

"It can be used for a disinfectant should the need arise. We can use it for medical purposes." Julie answered as Marcus and Noah helped out now that they understood what she was searching for.

Suddenly the sound of tires screeching against the road could be heard from outside. Everyone turned towards the front of the store to see the silhouettes of four figures moving by the windows.

"What do we do?" Julie whispered to Marcus as he was uncertain how they should handle the situation.

"Take Noah and Alice to the back of the bar if I snap my fingers. Lets see if these guys are friendly first, though." Marcus replied as he watched the door swing open.

All four of the survivors that were entering all stopped the moment they saw Marcus' group.

One was average sized and was wearing a baseball cap. Another had long, tangled up hair with a somewhat intense look in his eyes. The one in the middle was somewhat thin yet seemed to have a very social type. The last one was fat and was the last one in.

"Well, damn. I guess we're not the only ones still kicking it around here." one of the four men commented as the others observed the four before them.

"I guess not. Care to introduce yourselves?" Marcus replied as he noticed these guys weren't carrying anything particularly heavy duty.

"Right, right, of course. Well, this 'thin' fella here is Takuma; bit of a knucklehead, but knows how to throw down. The guy in the baseball cap is Daiki; tends to have temper problems, but I'd say he's got it under control all right. The dude with the buck knife is Seiji; so long as you're not one of Them, then you're fine. And you can just call me Haru." the smooth talking man explained.

"I'm Marcus, over there is my younger brother, Noah. This kind lady is Julie, and the little girl is Alice. We're trying to reunite her with her old group." Marcus replied, keeping the introductions short.

"Y'know, to be completely honest, I didn't expect to run into so many survivors when Daiki suggested we go snag some liquid gold." Haru chuckled as his group began to feel more comfortable around the store.

Takuma and Seiji wandered around the store while Haru and Daiki stood before Marcus. They pulled up a spare chair before cracking open a bottle of Sake.

"Things sure have been rough out there. After the police abandoned the cities and the government collapsed, nothing has been the same. Especially not when all the power mysteriously went out a few miles from here." Haru explained as he leaned his forearms on the countertop, taking a sip of Sake before looking over to Marcus.

"Yeah. It's been a week and there's no signs of civilization returning anytime soon." Marcus responded as he was looking over to see Seiji looking over his knife, as if trying to find some kind of smears or scratches on it the way a father would look over a precious trophy.

"We're from a larger group of 30 that came down from the North. It was a mess up there. We heard rumors that there was a local militia keeping things safe around here." Haru explained, giving some background information on his group.

"We're trying to go to England. No infected there from what we've heard." Marcus replied, trying to not give too much information away.

"Whoa, for real? England? You're such a long way from home, kid." Haru explained as he took another sip, leaving the group silent for a few moments before he opened his mouth up again.

"So, we saw your truck out there. It doesn't seem like you guys are hunkering down here. You got a place to hold up?" Haru questioned, clearly having observed Marcus' situation closely.

"Nah, just moving on through. Just like you guys." Marcus replied.

"Huh. But your clothing seems pretty clean. Not to mention that you guys don't reek of sweat like you've no doubt noticed we do. Is there, like, a hotel or apartment complex or something you guys been chilling at? Because we were moving into town to get away from Them, but this place is no different from what we've seen." Haru explained as he could tell Marcus was lying.

"We could always just look on a map. I'm certain something that big would be marked down if we couldn't see it from the outside. What about that map Takuma found at that gas station yesterday?" Seiji suggested as he walked over to join the conversation.

"Damn." Noah muttered, just loud enough for Haru to hear.

"Shh." Marcus hushed as he shot Noah a look of disapproval, feeling his stomach turn as an unsettling smile form on Haru's face.

"Noah, was it? You think you could tell me more about this hotel of yours." Haru then asked before earning a look of anger from Marcus.

"We've said enough." Marcus interjected, gripping his fists angrily.

"Hey, whoa, calm down there, man. There's no need to get so mad, and there's even less need to start staking claims here. We could be able to help you all out. We could pull our weight. Pool our resources and manpower together." Haru suggested, desperately trying to find some reason to earn Marcus' trust.

"Sorry, but it's not my call, and it's crowded enough as it is." Marcus responded as he felt something was off about these people.

"Ah, c'mon dude. I thought we were getting along just fine here. I thought we were friends." Seiji commented as he leaned against a wine rack.

"We don't even know you people." Noah commented, clearly showing distrust towards Haru's group.

"No, no, no, Seiji…He's right... He's absolutely right. At this point, it's only natural for them not to trust new people. I mean, why wouldn't they? They don't know anything about us. Besides, we all know what it's gotten like out there. What we've had to do to survive, the shit we've witnessed, the things we do to get by the day without going insane." Haru spoke in a distant tone, slowly going off on a rant as he then snapped back when he saw the looks on their faces.

"Maybe we should all come on down to this hotel of yours and check it out. Get to know each other a little better so no one needs to be concerned with trust." Haru suggested with a far too friendly smile on his face.

"I'm sorry, really, but it's crowded enough as it is. Things have been really rough lately, and more people would only make it worse. You're better off going back where you came from." Marcus responded. There was no way in hell he would let people like this come anywhere near the hotel.

"Are you serious?!" Daiki questioned in an irritated and impatient tone.

"Calm down." Marcus replied as he looked over to see tension was building between the two groups.

"Don't you tell me to calm down, don't you ever tell me to calm down!" Daiki snapped as he made a threatening stance. Alice stood behind Julie and had a frightened look on her face.

"Whoa, guys, settle down! No need to raise our voices now." Haru said as he intervened, holding his hands up to motion both sides to chill out.

"It's your friend who needs to settle down." Julie commented as she narrowed her eyes at Haru.

"Alright…fair enough. Why don't we break out the good stuff? Something to help get everyone's minds off all this nonsense?" Haru suggested as he then pointed to a fancy looking bottle behind Marcus.

Marcus slowly grabbed the bottle only to intentionally drop it on the floor. *Crack* The bottle shattered and poured its liquid contents all over the floor.

"Darn. Butterfingers." Marcus exclaimed as he then snapped his fingers to play along with his charade.

He then crouched down to make it seem like he was picking up the pieces off glass. But he was really just picking up the neck of the shattered bottle, keeping it hidden under the counter as he stood back up.

"Hey, where are they going?" Takuma questioned as he watched Noah, Julie, and Alice walking into the employee's only section if the store, never once taking his eyes off of Alice.

"Don't worry about it, tubby. You still got me." Marcus taunted, knowing that creep was not to be left alone with defenseless children.

"Hey, best not to insult adults, friend. So let's just backtrack and talk about this hotel. Take a break from all this tension." Haru suggested before yet again bringing up the hotel.

"Again, I'm sorry, but you guys will just have to find somewhere else to go." Marcus replied, showing no regret in his choice.

"You make it sound like there's so many places left standing. Where do you suggest we go?" Haru questioned as his overly friendly tone began to fade.

"No idea. I hear Nagano is nice this time of year." Marcus suggested as he kept an eye out for any sudden moves.

"Nagano? Funny—that's funny, this kid's really funny…." Haru chuckled at first, before he suddenly pulled out a pistol, completely unaware of Marcus' training.

"No!" Marcus shouted as he grabbed Haru's arm, bending it down. Haru's entire upper body slammed against the countertop with a loud *wham*.

The pistol fired from the sudden force. The bullet hit Takuma in the right lung, causing him to go tumbling back against a rack of wine bottles, choking on his own blood as he died a slow, painful death.

Marcus then took the broken bottle in his left hand and brought it down on Haru's exposed neck. A geyser of blood spurted out from the fatal wound, painting the countertop in a thick, crimson liquid.

Seiji lunged over and tried to stab Marcus with the buck knife. However the young teen saw it coming and narrowly evaded it by moving to the side. He then brought his knee up on one side and brought his elbow down on the other, clamping down on Seiji's arm.

The man screamed in agonizing pain as it felt like his forearm had been snapped in two on the inside. Marcus caught the buck knife in midair then threw it into Daiki's left eye as he tried to aim a bolt-action rifle. The large knife slid through and caused him to pass out from the shock and pain.

Marcus spared no time for them to recover. He grabbed the pistol from Haru's stiff hand and fired every last bullet in the clip. Two bullets caused Seiji's skull to blow out from the back while Daiki's baseball cap went flying off, a bullet sized hole in the bloody hat.

Marcus was breathing heavily as he dropped the gun. The adrenaline was now gone as he was left with the slaughter before him. His eyes widened, as he didn't feel remorse for doing what he did. Both hands trembled as he looked at them, realizing he had just taken the lives of four living, breathing human beings.

"Marcus? What have you done?" Noah asked with a look of shock as he walked out when all was silent, looking at the carnage that his older brother was responsible for.

Marcus remained completely silent though. He hardly even reacted when Noah placed a concerned hand on his shoulder. All Marcus could feel now was the conflict within himself. It wasn't long ago when he criticized Frasier for slaying the living without showing mercy. Yet here before him were four men all dead by his own two hands.

"I-I'm fine, Noah. Let's just get out of here. Can't stand this fucking place." Marcus finally responded.

Noah simply nodded and picked up the bolt-action rifle along with multiple rounds from Takuma's corpse, knowing that he certainly wouldn't need them anymore.

Minutes later, the group was back on track and driving down towards the pharmacy as originally planned. Luckily, Julie covered Alice's eyes while leaving so she didn't have to see the traumatizing scene at such a young age.

"So what do we tell him?" Noah asked Marcus.

"What?" Marcus asked as he looked over with a confused look.

"What do we tell Frasier?" Noah restated, making his question less vague.

"I don't know. Who cares though? If anything, he'd approve of what I did. He doesn't care about us as brothers. To him, we are nothing more than a couple of soldiers at his disposal." Marcus answered as Alice keenly listened into the conversation.

"True. But isn't that what we were intended to be?" Noah questioned, remembering their father's intentions to make them the best of the best.

"Yeah, when were 18." Marcus replied before the tow truck came to a slow halt before the pharmacy building.

Everyone entered and cautiously checked for any signs of movement, ready to fight whatever they may stumble upon. Be it living or dead, nothing would get in their way.

"So what if Frasier wakes up before we get back?" Alice asked as she was walking with Julie.

"Before leaving, I set a two way radio down beside him. I carry the other one so if he were to use it, he would be directly linked to us." Julie explained as they then walked behind the counter to find the best medication available.

"Is that so? Hey guys check this out." Marcus said, trying not to chuckle to himself as he held up the radio to his lips.

"Uuuuuuugggghhhh." Marcus groaned into the radio, trying to imitate one of Them.

Noah and Julie both laughed a little while Alice tried to ignore it. She didn't like it when people fought with one another. She then looked at something under the counter.

"Hey, what does this button do?" Alice asked, pointing to a red button under the counter-top normally where a cashier would be standing.

"Don't know. Let's see what it does." Marcus suggested as he placed the radio on the counter top, his right index finger slowly pressing against the shiny red button.

***Click***

Suddenly, an alarm went off, followed by a large metal security gate sliding down from the ceiling, not only crushing the radio in its path, but also sealing the four survivors off behind the cashier's counter.

"What the hell did you guys do?!" Noah asked in a startled voice.

"Alice hit a button. I think it triggered the security system." Marcus responded.

"No! That was-" Alice corrected before Marcus slipped a candy bar into her hands from underneath the counter, quickly causing her to forget what she was going to say.

"Nice one, Marcus." Julie said sarcastically as she rolled her eyes in disapproval.

"So now what? Any ideas on how to get out?" Noah asked as he looked around to see if any of Them had heard the alarm from outside the store.

"Not that I can tell. The release must be somewhere else." Marcus estimated as he checked under the counter, finding no other buttons or switches that could help lift the gates back up.

"We should call Frasier! He'll save us!" Alice suggested before she gnawed on the candy bar.

"No way! I'm not going to be caught dead begging for HIS help!" Marcus quickly snapped, clearly denying any help Frasier could possibly give.

"Even if you wanted to, the radio's smashed to pieces." Julie brought up, pointing to the scraps littered on the floor.

"Shut up! Let's just find a way out." Marcus grumbled out of irritation.

After a few minutes of scrambling and searching for a way out, the group sat against the wall in silence, at least until Julie stood up slamming her fist against the metal gate in anger.

"Calm down please. We'll attract the monsters if we make noise." Alice pleaded, remembering everything her previous group taught her about Them.

"I think we would be seeing plenty of Them by now after activating that security fence. So try not to worry about that, Alice." Noah said in hopes of reassuring the timid child.

"Undead or not, we're still trapped in here! We need a way out and now." Marcus announced as he stood up and checked his surroundings for a way out.

At first he couldn't see any way out, but then he noticed something he didn't think of before. He looked at the A.C. unit bolted into the wall behind them. He quickly looked at the bolts, then tried to twist them off with his bare hands.

Unfortunately, his fingers just slipped off and made no progress to his freshly hatched plan.

"Marcus, what are you doing?" Noah asked curiously as he stood up to investigate what his older brother was up to.

"If we could take out these screws then we could crawl through the air ducts and escape. I just can't get these fu-darn screws off." Marcus explained in frustration, barely managing to correct his words before slipping up in front of Alice.

"Well maybe instead of trying to twist them off with your fingers we could stick something in to twist the screws out." Julie suggested after overhearing the conversation.

"Like a bullet?" Noah question.

"Oh yeah like a bullet will fit!" Marcus replied sarcastically.

Noah frowned and let out a sigh before leaning against the wall. Alice suddenly let out a terrified gasp as she stepped behind Julie's legs, gripping at her cargo pants in fear of what she saw.

"What's gotten into you kid? You look like you've seen a ghost." Julie teased yet keeping a vigilant mindset incase there actually was any real danger about.

"Over there... by the window." Alice explained, her trembling finger pointing towards one of the windows at the side of the store.

Julie, Marcus, and Noah all looked over to the window to see a hulking figure standing by the window. The figure wore a black torque, white shirt, work boots, and a black jacket with black pants. A large hunk of flesh was missing in the figure's shoulder.

"It's okay, Alice. It's just one of Them..." Noah commented, somewhat relieved it wasn't anything he hadn't seen before.

"A really fucking big one of Them." Marcus added, clearly intimidated by the sheer size of the brute.

Julie shot him an annoyed glare and elbowed his side. Marcus jolted back a little out of reaction.

"What?! Look at the size of that thing! Must be at least 150 kg of pure muscle!" Marcus hissed, doing his best to keep his voice down, not wanting to dare attract the brute towards the group.

"I knew that man. His name was Shimada-san. He was a survivor at a mall my group was staying at for a few days. He tried to do a bad thing, but later on he did a good thing, just before..." Alice attempted to explain before breaking up into tears, remembering everything that happened to him and Officer Asami not so long afterwards.

"Shh, it's okay, sweetie. I'll just end him nice and quick." Julie offered as she began to raise her gun up only for Marcus to push it down.

"Don't be stupid! No way your bullets are going to pass through this stupid security barrier. You'd probably end up hitting one of us with a ricochet bullet. Plus the noise would draw his attention if not all its undead buddies possibly lurking around outside." Marcus explained.

"Then what do you suggest?!" Julie asked in an annoyed tone, jerking her gun back.

"I suggest we continue with our current plan and just sneak around that... thing. I doubt even Frasier could take that monstrosity on directly." Marcus answered as he then checked the window to see Shimada was still looming outside the store, almost like a predator stalking it's prey.

Noah then pushed a button on the cash register that caused the slots of cash and coins to slide out. Everyone looked over to him, unsure of the young teen's motive.

"Noah, what are you doing?" Alice asked as she peered over the counter to check and see if Shimada was still where she last saw him.

"I figured maybe one of these coins could fit the slots in those screws. If I'm right, then we can easily escape and get back to the hotel before Frasier knows we're gone." Noah explained as he compared different coins to the screws.

After finding the closest match, Noah placed the coin inside and managed to loosen the first one until the screw fell out. Marcus quickly caught it in case Shimada were to hear the tiny *tink* noise it would've made if it hit the ground.

After three more unfastened screws, Noah motioned Marcus to help him lower the A.C. unit quietly. Both brothers began to sweat and curse under their breath as they carefully lowered the heavy A.C. unit to floor level.

Julie then stood on top of it and peered inside of the ventilation shafts. To her dismay, it seemed far too small for her to enter.

"Way too small for us, even Noah couldn't really squeeze through." Julie noted before Alice stood up besides her.

"I'll do it. I can fit in tiny spaces, I used to be really good at hide'n'seek!" Alice explained, gladly volunteering herself for the job.

"As much as I hate to say it, Alice is right. Only her small frame could maneuver around in there." Julie admitted, hating the idea of having to send in the innocent little girl through a presumably filthy air duct, not to mention the late Shimada wandering on the loose with no opposition.

Marcus carefully lifted Alice up into the air vent, watching her boldly crawl into the unknown, slowly fading from his sight. The group then listened in as they could hear Alice moving about. Moments later they heard a loud *clang* most likely one of the loosely fitted gates breaking off.

Noah then turned his head to see a horrifying sight. When everyone had turned away, no one had noticed Shimada had moved away from the window to god knows where.

"Oh fuck! Guys, look! Shimada's gone!" Noah announced in a panicked tone as he shook Marcus' shoulder.

Julie and Marcus immediately spun around to view the horrid nightmare was no joke. Before they could even begin to wonder where he went, Alice let out a high-pitched scream.

The little girl immediately bolted through the doors positioned right next to where the three survivors were trapped. Tears could be seen streaming down her face as Shimada suddenly burst through the doors, nearly breaking them off their hinges.

Shimada, unlike the normal infected, did not wheeze or groan. His body was far more larger and dense than most of the average infected, his vocals instead gave out a terrifying snarl just border-lining a ferocious roar.

Marcus, Noah, and Julie immediately jumped back, all frozen in terror at the sight of the infected behemoth in such close proximity. Shimada was far larger up close than what they saw outside from a safe distance.

"Help me!" Alice cried out as she ran as fast as her tiny legs could take her.

Shimada snarled viciously as he continued to chase her around the multiple aisles of the store, his work boots even making a loud stomping noise with each step he took.

Julie quickly pushed Noah and Marcus back, aiming her FN P90 at Shimada's head. She had to do something, there was no way in hell she could just stand by helpless with a little girl's life on the line.

***Bang* **

She fired a single round, only for it to deflect off the security gate and bounce off until it dug into the wall behind her. It was useless trying to shoot, her sights were properly adjusted but the security fence made any effective shots useless.

"Run! Get out of here, Alice! We'll try to distract that large mother!" Marcus shouted as he began to swing Noah's crowbar against the metal fencing, in hopes to distract Shimada.

Noah and Julie immediately began to follow his lead. Julie began whistling as Noah roughly pounded his fist against the security gate, hoping Shimada would fall for it.

"Hey ugly! Over here!" Noah shouted.

"Oi! Pick on someone your own size!" Marcus added in.

However, the brute was far more concerned with Alice. His body swayed against a shelf, knocking the other aisles over. This forced Alice to run out into the open, she tried to run, but quickly found herself cornered against a wall with no hopes of getting away this time.

Shimada slowly limped towards her, ready to tear the defenseless child limb from limb. Marcus, Julie, and Noah did all they could but were now forced to watch the unbearable.

"NO! GO AWAY!" Alice screamed out in terror as Shimada loomed over her.

As his rotten, decrepit, grey, hand reached down for her, it was quickly pinned to the wall by a fast moving blade. Shimada let out a petrifying roar almost as if he could feel his hand being impaled against the wall. Alice slowly looked up to see a familiar machete sticking out from the wall, blood slowly dripping from the sides.

"Hey you! Over here!" shouted a very powerful, yet equally angered voice.

Shimada's head (along with everyone else in the room) turned over to see Frasier standing sideways at the doorway to the store. Both fists gripped tight as he stared down the behemoth before him.

"I was enjoying my first day off in a very long time. Until some flat footed, undead behemoth woke me up! You're going to regret this you freak... I'LL SEE TO THAT PERSONALLY!" Frasier announced, his voice becoming increasingly louder until it exploded at the end.

**{DBZ OST - Beyond Belief}**

Without needing to go on, Frasier sprinted towards the infected brute head on, still maintaining his predator like aura despite his illness.

Shimada let out a vicious snarl as he pulled his hand free; the machete remained in place as it tore through the weak, grey flesh. A massive gapping hole in Shimada's left hand was now visible to all after pulling himself free. His hulking figure lumbered towards Frasier.

Alice crawled away as Frasier uppercut Shimada, managing to actually cause the massive abomination to slightly launch into the air from the intense force. Shimada swung both arms in attempt to knock Frasier back.

However, the eldest brother rolled backwards only to spring forward again. He didn't want to risk Shimada going after Alice again in case the brute of an infected lost interest in him.

Shimada then raised both arms, bringing both of them down upon his prey. Frasier quickly caught Shimada's wrists; the sheer force caused him to go down. Shimada was far more powerful now that his physical strength was no longer hindered by his mind.

The three behind the security fence watched in awe as Frasier began to stand back up, slowly pushing Shimada's arms back up.

"I don't believe it, even when he's sick he can handle Them with his bare fists." Noah said in a somewhat admirable tone.

"It's just one, Noah. Nothing we couldn't handle. Besides, Frasier might start coughing or something. Let's just see how this ends." Marcus said, trying to remain distant to supporting his elder brother.

Just as he had predicted though, Frasier's illness had eventually caught up to him. He began to cough as his movements became sluggish. His techniques flawed, his breathing heavy. It was only a matter of time before he made a mistake and was bitten.

Suddenly, Shimada gripped one of Frasier's fists. The grip tightened to the point escape was impossible, Frasier quickly tried to punch with his other fist but Shimada ended up grabbing it with his deformed hand.

The group watched as Shimada lifted Frasier off of the ground and into the air with his arms extended out.

"Oh shit..." the three behind the cage muttered.

"Oh no..." Alice whispered as she turned away unable to watch what would happen next.

"Perfect." Frasier said unexpectedly, grinning to himself as if he wanted Shimada to put him into this position.

**{}**

**{DBZ OST - Weird Circus}**

Frasier tucked his knees into his chest then extended both legs out instantly. His boots slammed into Shimada's rotten face, arching his back until it completely locked out. Frasier then began to pull back as hard as his body could go.

Shimada began to groan and snarl as his rotten, yellow, teeth, tried to sink into the heavily reinforced boot, but it had no success whatsoever.

"That's it you big freak. Just where I want you!" Frasier shouted with confidence.

*Snap* *snap*

The rest of the group watched in horror as Shimada's arms were dislocated from the ball socket joints, a brutal crunching noise with each second that passed by.

But Frasier was far from being finished. His arms flared and flexed as the weak, grey flesh and bones were unable to withstand the intense pressure.

"Even for a monster, you've proven to be very resilient." Frasier commented, almost as if he were making conversation with Shimada.

"Uughhhgh." Shimada groaned as he continued to gnaw at the boots that were cracking his rotten teeth.

"Yes! That's right! NEVER SAY DIE!" Frasier erupted at the end as he pulled with all his might.

Everyone watched in horror as both of Shimada's forearms were savagely torn off, only leaving stumps with shreds of flesh on them. Shimada's body slowly stumbled back into an aisle he knocked over earlier.

**{} **

**{DBZ OST - Vegeta's Theme}**

Frasier chuckled to himself as he slowly pried Shimada's hands off of his fists. He then tossed them aside like they were nothing and looked over at his brothers and Julie. His face and attitude were completely insane.

"That was quite a fight, big guy. Too bad your body is far too easy to pull apart. Still, you did put up quite the challenge." Frasier said to Shimada.

He then walked over towards the machete still wedged into the wall; with a single tug it was free.

He slowly walked over to Shimada's infected corpse. He kneeled down, wedging the blade between its eyes, killing the infected brute on the spot.

Frasier then sheathed the machete and let out a deep sigh of relief. He looked over to see Alice crouching in another corner of the store, her hands covering her face. All he did was slowly approach her only to offer her his hand.

"It's alright, Alice. It's over now; you're safe. No one will hurt you so long as I'm still standing." Frasier said in a reassuring voice, his personality making a complete 180. Alice slowly looked up at him and slowly took his hand.

Alice walked into him and wrapped her tiny arms around his neck. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she sobbed quietly, unable to say anything at all.

Frasier stood up carrying her with one arm. He then walked over towards the others still trapped behind the security fence. All of them were utterly speechless after witnessing what just happened.

"Had enough fun for one day, Marcus? It's only been one hour and you've nearly managed to get Alice killed. I don't even want to think about what would've happened if I didn't show up in time." Frasier scorned as he gently rubbed Alice's back reassuringly.

Noah and Julie looked down in shame as they avoided eye contact. Marcus however had a defiant look then leaned against the wall behind him.

"It was an accident, you fucking prick. You think I actually wanted this to happen? You think I enjoyed having to sit back helpless as Alice was nearly killed?!" Marcus responded in an enraged tone.

"It doesn't matter how you feel about it now. What matters is that you screwed up, and that you have gone out of your way to jeopardize the mission. And next time you wanna knock someone out, move your grip two inches to the left." Frasier replied before he began to pace back and forth.

"Whatever, I should've known better than to expect you to understand. So are you going to let us out now or what?" Marcus asked impatiently.

"I don't know. You guys seem to have forgotten who's in charge around here. Who calls the shots." Frasier replied sharply.

"You can't just leave us in here like this, Frasier!" Noah stated, practically on the verge of crying.

"You're right, Noah. I can't do that. My mission in life now is to get you two boys back home. But it won't happen if you guys keep rebelling and running off like you did today. Now listen closely brothers, you two are coming home with me, one way or another, even if I need to break your legs to do so. Understand?" Frasier explained in a tone so cold it sent chills down their spines.

"And you. You watch it, lady. I will not let you compromise my mission. When we get to the hotel, I want you out." Frasier said in a sharp, relentless tone to Julie.

"Okay-I'm sorry, Frasier. I really am." Julie said in a heartbroken tone, looking away in disgrace.

"So you'll let us out now? My ass is freezing." Marcus said as he rubbed his arms.

"I suppose so." Frasier replied as he carried Alice to the room she ran out previously as Shimada chased her out.

**{}**

**{The Walking Dead Game OST - Alive}**

Both doors to the 'employees only' section of the store swayed back and forth as Frasier and Alice entered through them. When they were fully closed, Alice lifted her head up to look at Frasier.

"Did you really mean all of that stuff back there?" Alice asked, unsure why Frasier was being so dark and cold to his own family.

"No. I could never do any of that to them." Frasier replied in a softer tone as he checked his surroundings.

"Then why did you say all those mean things if you wouldn't really do it?" Alice asked curiously as he set her down.

"Because they need to know I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get them to safety. I can't maintain control and order if they decide to do whatever they please at the first sign of weakness in my leadership." Frasier explained, kneeling down to Alice's level to explain himself.

"But you're not just the leader to them. You're also their big brother. I know you guys said you were meant to be soldiers, but I don't think they're ready to be soldiers just yet." Alice replied, recalling the complaints she had overheard from them earlier.

"That's... true, but the times are changing, so we must as well. I know it may seem tough out there, but we must remain even tougher if we are to survive!" Frasier lectured, as if trying to convince himself more than he was trying to convince Alice.

"But... big brothers are supposed to protect their younger brothers and sisters. They shouldn't be yelling and threatening them to help them. It just makes no sense." Alice responded, confused by Frasier's logic.

"It's just how we were raised. Power is what decides who leads, and who leads is whom we follow. You don't question who you follow, you just do it." Frasier attempted to explain.

"Does that mean you have to be mean about it? What if you used your power to be a nice leader? Maybe that way they would follow and be happier." Alice suggested to Frasier.

"Hmm…well…I suppose I could try it like that for awhile. It's just hard to be nice though when we meet other survivors out there. All that can happen from that is we risk our group being killed or worse. It's usually best to just avoid anyone we meet out there." Frasier argued, always able to find a problem with being peaceful about things.

"Well... If my group thought like you did... I wouldn't be here today." Alice replied as she remembered how they rescued her from that oncoming horde just a few nights ago.

"Hmm…I suppose I should have a talk with them then. Maybe being nice WOULD raise morale around here." Frasier pondered aloud as he then stood up to continue with what they were doing, earning a smile from Alice at the change of heart.

"I think I found the button to let them out. I was about to press it but then Shimada came through that hole over there." Alice said, pointing towards a massive hole in the wall and half of a truck sticking through it, indicating how Shimada managed to get inside in the first place.

"Alight, let's give it a go then." Frasier said as he stood over the button, trying his best not to cough in case more of Them were outside.

He pressed the button and could hear the security fence retract from outside the room. Alice then tugged at his sleeve.

"C'mon, let's go see if it worked." Alice said with enthusiasm, leading Frasier outside and back into the store to see the others were now free.

**{}**

Once they saw Frasier, they looked at him with uncertainty. It was hard to determine what was going to happen now.

"Don't think this changes a fucking thing." Marcus grumbled as Frasier approached him.

"Relax. Julie, take Alice outside. My brothers and I need to talk." Frasier replied in a far more approachable tone of voice.


	20. Act 7: Fraternal Mending Part 2

**Act 7: Fraternal Mending Part 2**

**Tokonosu City, Japan**

**Z-Day+8**

Alice and Julie slowly exited the pharmacy story after gathering all the medication they'd need (along with a coloring book to pass the time), leaving the brothers alone once the door closed all the way.

"So what now? Aren't you going to tell us off? Tell us how you're always right and we're always wrong?" Marcus questioned in bitter spirits.

"No." Frasier responded in a somewhat distant tone.

"Then what!?" Marcus demanded, his temper increasing as his patience was already running thin. Noah however remained silent and neutral in all this as always.

"I'm sorry." Frasier muttered as he hung his head low.

"Sorry? Why are you sorry?" Noah questioned as both younger siblings had looks of surprise on their faces at what they'd just heard.

"For how I've been…for what I've done. For everything…just hear me out, brothers." Frasier requested as he locked eyes with them.

"Alright... We're listening." Marcus responded in a more approachable tone as he paused to consider that Frasier had somehow changed after their emotional breakdown from earlier.

"It's taken awhile for me to realize the error of my ways, but I can now see it crystal clear. This entire time I've been so rough on both of you, especially on Marcus when he was just handling the end of the world in his own way. Hell, his way is actually healthy compared to mine now that I think about it."

"When things got tough, I treated you guys as if you were as trained and as hardened as me. I treated you two like soldiers rather than what I should've all along, as my brothers."

"My judgment has been clouded and diluted by my obsession for Saeko, I realize that now. It even led me to the point where I ended up losing all those survivors because I was far more concerned about a girl I didn't even know was alive until now. We all could've just held the place down like a fort together, but I could never bring myself to be concerned over the lives of others who weren't family nor her."

"When Hitomi died, I should've had grief, I should've felt bad, but I was too busy being disconnected from the reality of it all to be there for you, Marcus. I chose not to be there for you when you needed me most, and for that, I could never be able to apologize enough. I can't imagine the kind of pain you were going through, and I especially can't imagine how much worse my previous attitude must've made it for you. I've done you a wrong I intend to make up, somehow."

"I'm sorry, my brothers. I truly, truly am. Saeko can take care of herself for now; you guys are my sole priority and my only responsibility though. Things are going to change, despite the world coming to an end, we will prevail."

"Not because we're strong, not because we're smart, but because we're together and united. Because we're brothers!" Frasier said in a passionate and sincere voice. Tears trickled down all three brother's faces as they all held each other tight in a fraternal embrace.

"What about your-unusual behavior?" Noah then questioned as Marcus remained in total silence, only able to express his emotions through tears and the fraternal embrace he shared with Frasier at the moment.

"As for my shift in behavior when fighting-it was something I've faced a long time ago, before all of this. When I beat that kid who was wailing on Marcus three years ago, I could feel it for the first time, a seemingly uncontrollable force that took over me. All I could do was watch as this unstoppable rage would destroy and release all these pent up feelings. It felt so good and so damn right, the pleasure it sent through my being as I fought."

"When I was first sent away, I met Master Busujima. I was bitter at first and refused to accept his offer to train under him. But after my defeat at the hands of his daughter, I was able to control this rage, this…inner demon they called it, and its power soon had nothing over me. For the longest time, I could finally consider it a peaceful mindset. Only for the seal to break the moment the dead stopped dying."

"I've killed so many people I've lost count. I can't come back from this; I know that for certain. Somewhere deep inside…I'm a monster. I can feel that very same rage inside of me, just waiting to take control again. But I am still, somewhere inside of me, more than that. Better than that. I know I am, and I know I can be." Frasier explained as he expressed how he was uncertain why he was like this.

Both Noah and Marcus remained virtually silent, until Marcus suddenly raised his head to look Frasier in the eyes.

"I guess that side of you is for the best. Killing the dead is no trivial task for me. After seeing what the dead have done, what They are capable of, I wouldn't hesitate to kill one of Them."

"But earlier today... I ended up killing not one, not two, not three, but four survivors we encountered earlier. They just wanted to find shelter, some kind of safe haven from all that madness out there. They wanted to come to the hotel we're staying at. I don't know, maybe they wouldn't have been dangerous if we'd just let them move in, or maybe they would have. All I could think the whole time was that letting a single one of them go could've compromised our safety, Alice's safety."

"In the heat of the moment, I was nothing more than reflex and memory from all our training. But when it was over, I felt-I felt like I had won a game. That by taking the lives of others, I had only extended our chances of surviving." Marcus explained in a grim tone, remembering the exact motions and movements when he killed those men.

Frasier was silent at first, uncertain how to approach the situation. He wasn't surprised that Marcus was able to kill; he was trained to do so ever since he was 8. What stumbled him was that Marcus was conflicted about it.

"You did what was best for the group. It's not easy making the hard choices but you've done what you had to do in my place. I killed the living not because of my sick, twisted pleasure, but because I would always envision them to return one day. That they would end up killing someone I loved because I didn't have it in me to do so back then." Frasier said in attempt to let Marcus know that he wasn't wrong to do what he did.

"All those terrible things I said to you…how I wailed on you while you were sick. I-I'm sorry, brother." Marcus apologized as he accepted Frasier's change of heart.

"Don't be. It's good to let those feelings out rather than keep them pent up. Now let's go home." Frasier announced before he noticed something beneath the countertop.

The re-established leader of the trio reached down, picking up a bright pink bottle with a blue cap on it. After taking a moment to read the instructions he twisted the cap off and took a small sip. His face reeled back in disgust from the aftertaste.

"You know nobody said it would taste like candy." Marcus commented as Frasier re-sealed the bottle.

"Yeah-no kidding." Frasier responded before they exited the building to see Julie and Alice awaiting further instruction.

"Are we going home now?" Alice asked as the rain was beginning to ease up.

"Yeah, we are. Things are all better now. Thanks to you." Frasier replied as he tussled Alice's hair, earning a light giggle as she then followed the brothers back into the pickup truck.

Frasier took the wheel as Marcus and Noah sat in the passenger seats. Alice sat on Marcus' lap as he pulled the seatbelt over them. Julie however remained outside the tow truck and hung her head low.

"You coming or not?" Noah questioned as he looked out the window on his side.

"I can't. This group is too crazy for me. I think it's best we go our separate ways for now." Julie explained as she stood before the brothers.

"If you're certain, then I wish you the best of luck." Noah said as he then watched a smile form across Julie's face.

"Worry about yourselves, kids." Julie smirked.

She began to walk in the opposite direction the tow truck was facing, soon becoming a speck on the horizon in the rear view mirrors. Frasier turned the engine on and began to slowly drive down the road.

On the way home, the group was very quiet. With the departure of Julie, it was hard to start up another conversation, at least until Marcus' greatest fear, silence, got the better of him.

"So Alice, how did your group get around? Did you guys just walk everywhere?" Marcus asked in a somewhat nervous tone, trying to find any reason to keep talking.

"We had a big car. It was really big and could run over a bunch of the monsters without stopping." Alice answered as she flipped through the coloring book.

"Really? I didn't see it in the security footage back at the grocery store. Do they still have it?" Noah questioned as he was starting to form an idea in the back of his head.

"No. It stopped working so we had to walk ever since. I miss that big car." Alice reminisced as she looked up to see Frasier run over an infected man that lingered in front of the truck.

"Do you recall where you left it?" Noah asked, quickly scrambling to pull out the map of the city.

"We left it on a highway. I don't know which one though." Alice answered as she watched Frasier reverse and run over the same infected man again.

"Hmm, where did you go after that?" Noah inquired, very determined to find this vehicle the child spoke of.

"We found this mall. You know... Where Shimada-san got bitten." Alice explained as she tried to forget how everything went downhill when the infected broke through.

"You mean Taiei Shopping Town?" Marcus questioned as he recalled the broadcast message on Asami's radio from several days ago.

"Mhm." Alice hummed before she went back to the coloring book.

"Frasier-" Noah began before the tow truck began to suddenly zoom forward causing everyone to jolt a bit.

"On it." Frasier replied as he continued to speed up, racing towards their next destination like there was no tomorrow.

Roughly an hour later, the group found themselves on the highway Alice mentioned. At first, it seemed like a complete waste of time and fuel, but then at the last second, they all found it. Abandoned and left for anyone to find, was a Humvee jeep.

"Damn. So they just left it here for anyone to claim? Alice, what's wrong with it?" Marcus asked with a skeptical mindset, searching for a reason why the previous owners would ditch such a powerful vehicle.

"It just stopped moving, so we started walking." Alice responded as she kicked a nearby can off the highway.

"That's it? Hey Noah, think you can find the problem?" Frasier questioned as he kept his crossbow unholstered, ready to fire in case any infected began to come their way.

"If we can drag this beauty back to the parking garage, then I think that can be arranged." Noah replied as he then hooked the tow truck up to the back of the Humvee.

The youngest brother flicked the switch on the tow truck. Everyone watched as the cable dragged the Humvee along the road until it was lifted behind the tow truck.

"Alright! Lets roll out!" Frasier ordered as he motioned the group back to the tow truck when he spotted a large pack of infected being attracted by the loud noises they were making.

Minutes later the group found themselves driving through the parking lot of the Taiei Shopping Town. Frasier slowed down and stepped out to observe the scene before him.

The majority of the parking lot was destroyed; massive chunks of the road were blown up with HE (high-explosive) rounds, presumably from a tank or helicopter. Infected corpses could be seen slaughtered in rubble and debris.

The rest of the group got out and stood by Frasier's side, taking in the scene all the same, their faces showing nothing but shock.

"A mall. How original." Noah commented just before they all heard a low groan emit from nearby.

All three quickly crouched down and took aim in three separate directions, their eyes scanning for any nearby corpses that were on the move. It was unsettling to hear one nearby despite knowing the majority was wiped out.

"Twenty meters. Between those cars." Frasier suddenly whispered, motioning his siblings and Alice towards the source of the sound.

All three slowly crept over to see an infected corpse with a bullet-sized hole in its head. There was dried blood that seeped out from the exit and entrance wounds.

"But that groan..." Frasier thought before he noticed another figure lying down besides it.

A small female figure wearing a police outfit could be seen. Her chest was slowly rising and descending, as her eyes remained shut. A small groan escaped her lips, as she remained motionless.

'I don't believe it…its Asami...' all three brothers thought. Alice however had a look of terror, almost like she was looking at a ghost.

"Holy shit! It's Asami... What's she doing here?" Noah asked as Frasier quickly turned her over and placed his ear to her heart.

"This is the Taiei Shopping Town. I remember it was where her superior officer ordered her to go last." Marcus commented as he then checked the surrounding area for Them.

"Is-Is she dead?" Noah asked in a concerned voice as Frasier checked Asami's vitals.

"She's still breathing... Oh wait, here's the problem." Frasier replied as he brushed the hair out of her face, spotting the source of her damage to be a graze from the bullet that killed the infected corpse behind her.

"Well?" Noah asked anxiously.

"Bullet graze. It must've knocked her out from the shock or pain. We need to get her out of here and try to patch her up. She won't last long out here." Frasier explained as he tore off the sleeve of her uniform and tied it around her head to prevent any more blood from escaping the faint wound.

"Marcus, you take point. Noah, cover our flank. We can't stay here any longer or we risk having to fight more of Them." Frasier ordered as he pulled Asami's body over his shoulder.

"Me? You want me to take point? You always take point though." Marcus replied in a confused voice, feeling he had misheard his older brother's instructions.

"I know, but I trust in your abilities to take the lead. After our discussion, I believe it's time I return the faith you've both placed in me to survive all this. So where do we go now?" Frasier explained before addressing Marcus as the temporary leader of the trio.

Marcus took a deep breath then holstered his shotgun, pulling out the police baton that Asami had dropped along the parking lot.

"We can't afford any loud noises. Switch to melee based weapons." Marcus ordered in a whisper as they began to traverse through the empty gaps in the parking lot.

Asami would occasionally let out a groan under her breath whenever Frasier would have to readjust her position so she wouldn't slip off. Her eyes suddenly began to softly flutter as her vision blurred from the pain.

"K-Khota..." Asami softly muttered as she remembered what had just happened before the brothers discovered her.

"Did you say something?" Frasier asked as he looked back to Noah, almost certain he had said something.

"No. I've been silent this entire time." Noah replied as he then pulled out a water bottle to quench his thirst, slowly draining the entire bottle in a single chug, water dripping past his cheeks.

"Hmm. It won't be long until we return to the hotel. Hopefully we can patch up Asami and see if she can tell us what the hell went down in that mall." Frasier announced as Marcus continued to guide them back to the tow truck.

Frasier slowly opened up the tow-truck and set the unconscious Asami down. He had a look of sadness when he saw her so critically wounded. She didn't deserve to die out in the streets. He then returned to the driver's seat as Alice sat besides Asami.

"You sure about this?" Noah questioned as Marcus opened up the Humvee, seeing how there was no room in the tow-truck now.

"Yeah. It looks comfy in there. Better than being squished between you and Frasier." Marcus responded as he claimed a seat for himself.

The tow-truck slowly pulled up into the parking garage. This time the group took time to close up the garage doors, sealing any passing infected outside the hotel.

The Humvee was disconnected from the tow-truck and set up near the front door to the hotel. The group spared no time and quickly rushed upstairs to tend to Asami's head wound.

Marcus unlocked the door to room 221 as Alice and Noah made sure to keep the path clear for Frasier. He set the unconscious policewoman down on what was left of the table and unwrapped the headband to see if she was still bleeding.

"Will she be okay?" Alice asked as she tried to stand up on her toes to check on Asami's condition.

"I'm not sure. I want to clean the area and check for any fractures. She certainly isn't going to bleed to death." Frasier explained as he began to rub a damp cloth along Asami's wound.

The once white cloth was slowly turning a light pinkish color when the blood came off. Frasier set it aside only to let out a major sigh of relief.

"She's gonna be okay. That graze was so light that it barely even qualifies as a graze." Frasier observed as he then stood back.

"Good to know. Asami is a good person. It would be a shame if another good soul were to be taken from us." Marcus commented, as he then remained silent in thought of Hitomi.

"Don't worry, Marcus. We'll find him." Frasier responded as he put a hand on Marcus' shoulder to help reassure him.

"How long do you think she's been out there in the street?" Noah questioned as he continued to observe Asami.

"Can't be more than three days. Otherwise she would be dehydrated by now." Marcus answered as Alice suddenly jolted away from the table.

The brothers turned to watch Asami slowly rise back up, her eyes twitching and adjusting to the bright light she accidentally looked into.

"Uuughhh." Asami groaned as she sluggishly propped herself up.

"Is she dead?" Alice whispered, judging by the sound Asami was making.

"No clue. Are you dead Asami?" Frasier responded before addressing the young policewoman, his hand resting on the handle of his machete, just in case she had turned in the end.

"F-Frasier? What are you-doing here? Asami thought-you guys didn't want to come with her to the mall?" Asami questioned in a dry voice. Noah then handed her a cup of water.

"Things have changed. We found you unconscious in a parking lot outside what's left of that place." Frasier explained, filling her in on how they found her.

"W-What happened to the others? Are they alright?" Asami asked as she suddenly began to look around only to be disappointed. She then noticed Alice and nearly fell off the table.

"You! Asami remembers you! Are they alive?! Is Khota still-?" Asami suddenly asked in a burst of questions.

"Whoa, relax! You two know each other?" Marcus intervened, wanting to know more about their past together.

Asami took a deep breath and managed to calm down. She took a sip from the cold water Noah brought her, ready to explain herself to them now that her throat didn't feel so dry.

"There were seven, including Alice. One of them was an average looking kid who also happened to be the leader. I believe his name was Komuro Takashi. He usually made the tough calls for any situation that came up from what I remember."

"After him, we have Miyamoto Rei, a spear-fighting girl. Asami didn't really get to know her, but she'll be sure to do so next time they meet."

"Asami remembers Takagi Saya was the self-proclaimed genius. She knew just about everything, but had quite poor social skills as a result. Then again, Asami is one to talk."

"Then there was him... Hirano Khota. He was everything wonderful in a man. Sweet, caring, handsome, somebody that could make a difference in a woman's life—a-anyways, he was also the best shot Asami had ever seen."

"They had a nurse with them, Miss Marikawa Shizuka, bit of an airhead, but she could always finish the job when things got serious."

"There was also a small dog by the name of Zeke. Personally, Asami isn't too big a fan of dogs, but this one was alright."

"Then last but not least, there was Busujima Saeko. She was quite cold and calculating, her skills with the sword were near flawless. Asami remembers she wouldn't want to ever be on her bad side."

The group was completely silent at first. It was somewhat astonishing to them to hear that some of those people were still alive, seeing how the brothers knew most of them at one point.

"So…has Saeko ever mentioned me before?" Frasier questioned Asami, breaking the silence over the room.

"No... Why do you ask?" Asami answered.

"Because he loves her." Marcus commented, sparing Frasier no privacy.

"Oh, Asami is so sorry, Frasier. So, so sorry." Asami apologized as she placed a gentle hand on Frasier's shoulder.

"What? What's wrong?!" Frasier demanded as he had a worried look on his face.

"She... Shows feelings for another. Asami is sorry for your pain. She understands it far too well." Asami explained out of experience, remembering how Khota had broken her heart.

Frasier remained completely still though. His face had a look that showed he was drained of all hope now. He hung is head low and gripped his fists tight, it felt like being stabbed to hear such a thing.

"Excuse me. I need to go to lie down. Feel free to make yourself at home, Asami." Frasier muttered in a crushed tone, speaking like he truly had little to nothing to live for now. Everyone just watched as he exited the room.

"Poor bastard. I would've really let him have it if we were still fighting." Marcus commented before Noah punched him in the arm, shooting him a look of annoyance.

"We should let him be and get started on that Humvee. Things will be much easier once we can start driving around." Noah announced as he then began to walk towards the door.

Asami and Marcus soon followed as Alice decided to stay behind. She just stood before Frasier's door and let out a soft sigh, hating the fact she'd be unable to help him at this time.


	21. Act 7: Fraternal Mending Part 3

**Act 7: Fraternal Mending Part 3 **

**Tokonosu City, Japan**

**Z-Day+8**

Alice sat in the parking garage while Marcus and Noah continued to work on the Humvee, using the power tools they managed to find in a utilities storage closet on the first floor of the hotel. She enjoyed watching as they worked together to pull pieces out and put them back in again.

"Hand me a monkey wrench." Noah requested as he was laying flat on his back beneath the large jeep.

"It's been awhile since he's said anything. Think we should go talk to him?" Marcus questioned as he handed Noah the monkey wrench from the toolbox.

"I wouldn't. Now that he's back to his full strength, I wouldn't want to remind him that the woman he loves is with someone else. It can only lead to trouble. I think we should sit this one out." Noah suggested as he then pulled out from under the car, his normally white t-shirt now coated in black smudges and stains.

"I think I'm gonna go shower. Afterwards, we can test the Humvee out." Noah said before he left the parking garage, leaving Marcus and Alice nothing but each other's company.

"Hey Marcus, how come Frasier got all quiet when Asami said Saeko liked somebody else?" Alice questioned with a curious look on her face.

"He's had some very deep feelings for her long before all this. I remember the day he began speaking very highly of this one woman, just after his defeat at this Martial Arts Tournament." Marcus explained, informing Alice of their past.

"Whoa, they knew each other before?" Alice asked with wide eyes, astonished at this new piece of information.

"Indeed they did. But now I think a part of him died after hearing all that. To know someone you've cared about for so long doesn't feel the same about you. C'mon, lets go inside and grab something to eat." Marcus explained before wanting to change the subject.

Minutes later, the group was standing in Frasier's room, everyone attempting to get through to him, wanting to keep him from going into a depression after hearing that the one he loved was spoken for.

"C'mon, man, I know it's tough but you've gotta try and move on." Marcus explained in attempt to get through to his elder brother.

"It's all my fault. I waited so long to tell her. So long to let her know... and now I've lost my one and only opportunity." Frasier muttered in a lifeless tone, hardly able to speak loud enough for anyone else to hear.

"Hey, with any luck, that guy could end up dead. The average life expectancy has gone pretty far down these days." Noah brought up, trying to be optimistic about things.

"That's just-Wow, so not expected to be hearing that from you." Frasier commented, visibly shocked at Noah's remark.

"The truth hurts sometimes. But yeah, he could just be walking then BAM! Zombie bites his face off. Problem solved." Noah responded before going into further detail, causing everyone in the room to go wide eyed and cautious of his new attitude.

"Alright then... Perhaps we could use some fresh air then." Marcus suggested, earning a respective nod from Frasier and Asami.

Minutes later, the entire group was standing before the Humvee, ready to go out to see if the massive jeep could even properly start.

"You fixed it up, right?" Frasier questioned as he stood over it.

"Sure did. We'll be able to run over entire packs of Them in this beauty." Noah responded with a confident smile before he sat in the passenger seat.

"Good, I need to blow off some steam." Frasier announced as he took the driver's seat.

"Oh boy, buckle up guys!" Marcus warned as he could see that intense spark Frasier had whenever he was about to go on an infected killing spree.

In the middle of the day, while the sun was at its very peak. The infected littered the streets, unopposed and free to roam as they pleased, aimlessly wandering about until someone or something would make noise.

An infected child wandered into the street. It let out a low groan as the sound of a loud engine could be heard approaching at incredible speed. Drool began to drip from its tiny jaws in anticipation of a new meal.

**{Thin Lizzy - Boys Are Back In Town} **

Out in the distance, a Humvee could be seen zooming down the road. Multiple infected corpses that dared get in the war were either sent flying aside or completely crushed under the heavy tires. As the massive jeep drew near, the infected child continued to wander towards it.

*Screech*

The Humvee suddenly came to a screeching halt before the infected child. It was now facing sideways in the street as the small grey skinned fiend let out a wheezing gasp through what was left of its lungs.

As its frail hand reached out to claw at the vehicle, the side door swung wide open, effectively causing the infected child to go rolling down the road, tumbling against the hard asphalt before a figure could be seen leaning out the window of the Humvee.

"I'm gonna fuck your shit up! Blam!" Marcus shouted at the top of his lungs before firing a single round from his shotgun into the infected creature. A single shell casing dropped onto the road only to roll away by the wind.

The shot echoed out and caused roughly thirty infected that were skulking in alleyways and abandoned stores to come out of hiding. This however did not stop the fun.

Marcus quickly sat back down just in time to buckle back up as Frasier slammed on the gas pedal. The Humvee's engine revved up and sent the car right through the bulk of the infected pack.

"Is this all really necessary?" Asami questioned as she gripped the seat beneath her tightly while Alice had the complete opposite reaction.

To Alice this was like a ride at an amusement park. Her face showed nothing but pure joy as Frasier made evasive turns, hardly ever noticing the occasional limb being torn off its original owner and sent in the opposing direction.

"Faster! Faster!" Alice announced as the wheels where causing the corpses beneath them to gush blood everywhere, painting anything the Humvee passed by.

"Can I try? That kinda looks like fun!" Noah asked as he leaned over Frasier's shoulder.

"Do you even know how to drive?" Frasier inquired before he drove away from the infected crowd and pressed down on the brake pedal.

"Sure, plenty of experience!" Noah responded confidently as they switched seats.

"Grand Theft Auto doesn't count as experience you know." Marcus taunted as he buckled in extra tight now that Noah was driving.

"Oh ha, ha, ha! At least there aren't any lakes to crash into!" Noah responded before he began to immerse himself with the layout of the Humvee.

"Better to learn while the going is good." Asami added, as she was able to relax now that Frasier wasn't running over the infected to the point they were nothing more than a red paste on the road.

"Okay, you've got your clutch, gas pedal, and brake. Memorize those." Frasier began to instruct, spending the next few hours teaching Noah how to drive.

**{}**

Soon it was sunset and the Humvee was now beginning to run low on gas after the lesson. Noah had managed to run over three stop signs, twelve infected corpses, and a bus bench.

"Asami still can't believe this thing hasn't been reduced to a tin can." Asami commented as she observed how the Humvee barely had any noticeable damage contrary to what had happened during the driving lesson.

"It wasn't all that bad. Everyone is still in one piece." Noah exclaimed before he parked the near-drained Humvee besides a gas station.

"Wonder what it runs on? Go for the largest type available?" Marcus questioned, trying to find the appropriate fuel for the Jeep.

"I don't know. I guess we're rolling the dice here." Frasier commented as he hooked the pump up to the Humvee.

"I'm bored. Can we turn the radio on?" Alice questioned as she sat in the driver's seat, pretending she was tearing up the road and everything in her wake with the Humvee.

"If you can find a station still active then be my guest." Marcus responded while Alice began to twist random dials.

Eventually the determined girl managed to find something that immediately caught the attention of the rest of the group. A song was picked up by the radio and began to play through the speakers.

**{HoTD OST - Cold Bullet Blues}**

"I don't believe it." Frasier muttered in disbelief.

"Must be on a loop. I can't possibly imagine anyone wanting to be holed up in a radio station all day long." Noah commented as he then began to pick up random items off of the ground.

"What are you doing?" Alice asked as she observed Noah's actions.

"I plan on making a scope for that rifle I picked up. It will be easier to fire from a long distance." Noah answered as he picked up a tin can.

Alice then offered a magnifying glass to him, causing the youngest of the trio to smile as he then took a roll of duct tape.

"Does anyone have a permanent marker?" Noah requested as he looked outside of the gas station for one.

"Asami will go check inside to find one!" Asami offered as she ran inside on her own with a police baton in hand.

Moments later she returned out of breath, her police baton had blood at the tip of it as she then tossed a black sharpie pen to Noah.

"Everything okay in there?" Frasier questioned when he noticed the blood on the baton.

"Just... ran into a few of Them." Asami answered as she took a moment to compose herself.

"Really? All on your own? Last time we met, you were so timid and hesitant to kill one of Them." Marcus noted as he looked over to the former police girl.

"A lot has changed since then. I've become stronger and know what I have to do now." Asami responded in a tone that dwelled on her rough experience at the mall, leaving everyone silent for a few moments.

Everyone just stood around the Humvee and enjoyed listening to the song on the radio station. Frasier deployed a ladder that was setup along a utility truck, climbing up until he was able to sit on the roof of the nearby gas station.

Marcus noticed this and determined now would be a good time to console his elder brother. He scaled the ladder, sitting besides him. It was an awkward silence at first (excluding the music playing behind them) but Marcus soon spoke up.

"I'm really sorry about Saeko. I'm sure if she knew you were alive things would be-different." Marcus reassured as he sat besides his elder brother who was keeping over watch of the group while they were all having a good time.

"Don't be sorry, Marcus. You only apologize when you do something wrong. You've done nothing to me." Frasier responded as he continued to keep an eye out for any of Them or worse.

"Well I did attack you while you were sick. I wasn't in the right state of mind. After what happened to Hitomi-Well you know the rest. " Marcus said as he remembered how violent and explosive he became at his breaking point.

"Don't kick yourself over it. You deserved better and in the end everything worked out. I've been alone for eighteen years, I can handle it for the rest of my life if I have to." Frasier responded, as he was able to form a genuine smile when he saw how happy the rest of the group was down bellow.

Marcus smiled and gave a slight nod of understanding as he began to descend down the ladder to re-join the group. Frasier remained vigilant over all of them and knew that things would be all right in the end.

**{}**

"Fore!" Marcus announced before he swung a golf club he found nearby and sent a golf ball flying into the distance.

*Smash*

The sound of a window being broken could be heard in the distance. Noah aimed down his composite scope and zoomed in to see where it landed.

"Nice one! I'd say that's a couple hundred yards." Noah estimated as he then set the rifle down.

"Window, 10 points!" Alice exclaimed as she and Asami both enjoyed watching from inside the Humvee.

Noah climbed onto the roof of the Humvee and began to line up his golf ball. He just stood there as if waiting for something to come his way.

"You going to swing or what?" Marcus questioned as his patience began to run thin.

"Just lining up my shot." Noah responded before he wound his arms back.

***Thwak* **

Everyone watched as the ball went soaring off into the distance. It was easy to track in the sunset before them. A grey figure in the distance could be seen lingering out in the open road. It slowly fell over when the golf ball struck it with extreme precision.

"Monster hit... 30 points!" Alice announced; taking a moment to remember the point system she made up only seconds ago.

"I'm going to assume it was because the wind was really strong that it fell over." Marcus commented in denial after witnessing the perfect shot.

"Let's go test that theory." Frasier announced as he slid down the ladder, making his way towards the infected corpse Noah hit.

Marcus and Noah both followed before they stopped to see the infected man had a dent in its head from where the golf ball struck. The white ball had a splotch of blood on it as it rolled down the street.

Marcus handed Frasier the shotgun. His elder brother fired two shots, blasting the legs off of the infected man. Despite the grueling injury, the infected fiend refused to give up as it crawled towards the brothers, dragging what was left of it towards the trio.

"How many points for killing one of Them?" Frasier questioned as he then held the shotgun upside down.

Before they could answer, Frasier swung the shotgun like a golf club. Effectively smashing the front of the infected man's head in. Bits of brain matter splattered all over the butt of the shotgun and into the gutters.

The infected man's hand dropped down slowly and remained completely motionless. Noah picked up the golf ball then smiled.

"Hole in one." Noah commented before all three brothers walked back to the Humvee, each one smiling to themselves at yet another infected corpse slain by their group.

"Ready to go?" Asami questioned as she sat in the drivers seat.

"Yeah. We're done here." Frasier responded as they boarded the Humvee, ready to head home.

On the way back to the hotel Frasier was constantly looking down as if deep in thought.

"You alright? Looks like you've got something on your mind." Alice noticed as she nudged his shoulder with a gentle hand.

"I've just been thinking about... That guy who attacked everyone at that grocery store we found you in." Frasier responded in a grim tone.

"Who're you talking about?" Asami asked as she continued to drive.

"We found this grocery store at one point full of survivors. But all was lost when this psychopath let the infected in and killed innocent survivors. We fought once, he really messed Noah and I up. I can still feel his sting." Marcus replied as he gripped his fists tight, remembering the wicked grin the rogue had on his face.

Asami had a visible look of shock on her face, unable to reply to what she just heard. The mere thought of the person Marcus described sent a tremor of terror down her spine.

"His name is Kraven." Frasier added, causing everyone in the Humvee to look at him with looks of surprise to how he could possibly know.

"Y-You knew him? How?!" Marcus demanded as his entire body began to shake.

"We used to be friends. Trained under Master Busujima himself, along with his daughter, Saeko Busujima. It was just the three of us, the elite of his classes. Always able to surpass and go beyond his teachings."

"About one year in, he went berserk and lost it. I don't know why or how. Haven't seen him since, at least until now. He's just as deadly as I remember." Frasier explained as he recalled how things weren't always so bleak between them in a time long ago.

"I see... Do you know where he lives?" Marcus asked out of curiosity, his intentions more than obvious to his brothers.

"Don't even think about fighting Kraven! He's just as deadly as I am, maybe more. You better be packing one hell of an Ace up your sleeve if you are to ever have any hope of defeating him." Frasier scorned, making it clear that Kraven wasn't some random thug off the streets.

"But we have you now. If you're both equal in terms of fighting, then by simple addition: You+Us=A royal ass kicking." Noah added in, trying to convince Frasier that they had a clear advantage.

"It doesn't work that way, Noah. Say we were to all fight Kraven at once, he wouldn't hesitate to use you two against me. Both of us are trained to seek out an enemies' weakness to maintain the dominance in the battlefield. You guys being there would only hinder me, no offense." Frasier corrected, explaining how truly ruthless Kraven was.

"Well... We have guns though. Last I checked, he didn't have any firepower on him. Just those two swords." Marcus brought up.

"So unless he's bullet proof, I'd say we could just shoot him." Noah suggested.

"Judging by his description, Asami doesn't think Kraven will just stand around and let you guys shoot him so easily." Asami interjected, throwing her opinion into the conversation.

"We'll see once we find him." Marcus responded as he looked out the window, imagining thousands of ways to subject Kraven to horrendous torture.

"We don't find Kraven. Kraven finds us." Frasier responded before the Humvee came to a complete halt.

Everyone slowly stepped out to see what appeared to be a settlement completely burned to the ground. Multiple bodies could be seen scorched by flames that had yet to die out. Asami covered Alice's innocent eyes as the rest of the group could do nothing but take in the tragic scene.

"Christ. This place was a massacre. Who would've done such a thing?" Noah questioned as he began to shed tears for the fallen scattered all over the ground.


	22. Act 8: Crossroads of Destiny Part 1

**Act 8: Crossroads of Destiny Part 1**

**Tokonosu City, Japan**

**Z-Day+8**

The five survivors stood in complete and total awe at the destroyed settlement. The flames continued to burn as the sun was now setting. Tears pattered against the ground when small figures could be identified as mere children.

"Could it have been Kraven?" Asami asked as she brushed the tears from her eyes and struggled to a maintain strong stance.

"No. None of these bodies have lacerations. They all seemed to have either been burned up or shot. The blood is fresh though, so keep your guard up. Whoever was responsible for this might still be somewhere nearby." Frasier answered as he examined the cause of death on the fresh corpses.

Suddenly, a low groaning sound could be heard near some rubble. Frasier raised his crossbow, motioning the group to follow him to the source.

However, instead of finding an infected corpse, they stumbled upon a survivor of the attack: a man in his late forties could be seen buried beneath a fallen support beam. An uncertain look on his face could be seen as he saw the group approaching him.

"What happened here? Who did this to you?" Frasier inquired as he holstered the crossbow and knelt besides the pinned man.

"My youngest daughter convinced us to take in a young fellow. He was hurt, but we tended to his wounds. When he helped out around here, we trusted him, letting our guard down so easily. The next day, he brought his group in, and they attacked so fast and with no warning."

"We were a peaceful group. Our ways were not of violence. It was a total massacre. I've been loyal to the teachings of Buddha for as long as I can remember, never letting anyone or anything stray me from my faith. And here is what I have to show for it." the trapped man explained as he then spoke in a weakened voice, somewhat beginning to doubt himself in terms of faith.

"Where did they come from? How many were there?" Frasier asked as he tried his best to lift the debris off of the pinned man.

"They came from the East. I think they're held up in a construction site. I recall some of them were wearing construction apparel." the only survivor of the attack explained.

"I can't get him out. The debris is too heavy." Frasier grunted in defeat, as he was unable to lift the rubble.

"Forget about me. There's no point in saving an old man. I'm in God's hands now." the man responded as he then began to cough.

"Is there anything we can do for you? Before you... you know." Noah offered, as he felt saddened by the death of someone so passive.

"What my heart desires most I dare not say, because it is not the Buddhist way. Even as I die here... I cannot cross that line." the man explained in a weak, raspy tone, choosing to cling onto faith over life.

"We will find the ones responsible, and avenge your group. I promise you that much." Frasier vowed, knowing exactly what the man wanted merely by looking into his eyes.

"Thank you—may Buddha guide the-way." the dying man thanked, struggling to say his final words before he could no longer speak. His eyes gently closed as he let out a deep sigh of relief, knowing that not all hope was lost before he died.

**{Clutch - Regulator} **

Everyone was silent at first, and then a small breeze blew by. Ashes and embers were coasting along the wind currents. The fires slowly going out and turning into thin streams of smoke. As if a candle was blown out.

Frasier gently ran his hand down the dead man's face, closing the open eyes that were now at peace. The rest of the group was surprised that he was showing empathy for anyone outside of his bloodline.

"What's the plan?" Noah questioned as he broke the momentary silence.

"Plan? Heh, we put them in the dirt, what else?" Marcus responded as the entire group began to march off towards the east, slinging his shotgun over his back as the survivors all walked side by side, moving through the darkness together as they kept a vigilant eye out for any sudden movements.

The sun slowly descended behind them, as they all knew what had to be done.

Roughly one hour later, multiple survivors patrolled and monitored the perimeter of an abandoned construction site. All were armed with basic revolvers (most likely looted from dead police officers) and pump-action shotguns, excluding the ones on the higher levels who were equipped with basic hunting rifles.

Trashcans full of paper and books were set on fire to give them heat and light for when the cold, dark nights came. Broken glass from used up liquor bottles littered the rough dirt they treaded on, crunching whenever someone would step on them.

Suddenly, a single figure could be seen walking towards the entrance to the construction site. Four of the patrolling survivors at the front entrance approached him, all keeping their weapons aimed at him.

"Turn back kid. Nothing here for you to see." one of the men warned as he flicked the safety off.

However Frasier, visibly armed with only a machete, just formed a sinister grin. He slowly raised his hand and made a gun shape with his thumb and right-index finger.

"Bang." Frasier announced with a grin as he moved his thumb down, pointing at the man closest to him.

Suddenly a loud crackling noise could be heard in the distance. The man Frasier was pointing at suddenly fell over backwards; a rifle round had pierced his throat, causing him to choke in a pool of his own blood.

The other three besides him were visibly shocked and stood there frozen at the sight of their friend in a bloody mess. His warm crimson liquid splattered against their faces and clothing.

Suddenly out from behind a nearby truck, Asami and Marcus rushed out, both of them firing their weapons off in short, controlled bursts. Two more men before Frasier dropped dead instantly.

The last one was able to react now, raising his shotgun at Marcus only to feel a sudden pain in his stomach. He dropped his gun only to look down to see a machete had pierced right through him. The man coughed up blood, desperately trying to pull the machete out.

However, Frasier continued to press the blade deeper, slowly rupturing the man's insides when he twisted the blade around. When more of the construction bandits could be seen running towards the commotion, Frasier kicked the man off his blade then grabbed his shotgun.

"Cover!" Frasier yelled out as the construction bandits began to open fire on their position, all three of them ducking behind a concrete road barrier.

Marcus popped out and fired a single shell from his shotgun. One of the construction bandits was sent flying back as the barrage of pellets nailed him in the chest.

He then ducked back down just in time to avoid a volley of pistol rounds being fired at him. The shots would either embed or skid off of the heavily reinforced concrete.

"Flank them!" one of the construction bandits ordered before another shot in the distance echoed out. He then looked up to see one of the men above him come tumbling down to the ground.

"And find that god damn sniper!" the same man ordered as he tried to see where those shots were being fired from.

On the rooftop of an office building, Noah could be seen lying down besides Alice, aiming down the composite scope he made, picking off construction bandits like it was child's play. Most were either out in the open or were too slow to retract into cover whenever he fired a shot.

"It's feeding time!" Noah announced to Alice who stood with rifle cartridges, ready to hand it off whenever Noah needed to reload.

"Here!" Alice replied as she gave Noah a fresh clip, smiling as she remembered how she used to do the same for the previous marksman from her old group.

Asami ran through a small gap between the concrete barrier and a large stack of concrete drain tubes. She began to carefully shoot at the tether restraints, watching as the massive tubes rolled out of place and towards the construction bandits.

Most were caught off guard in their charge and ended up being crushed like bugs. Those fortunate enough to avoid being flattened by the concrete tubes were instantly killed in a hail of gunfire the Markle brothers unleashed, all of them firing in unison, just the way they were taught so long ago by their father.

"Cover me, I'm reloading!" Marcus requested as he sat against cover, quickly sliding more shells into his shotgun.

He then looked up to see a construction bandit standing over him with a pistol aimed at his face. In the blink of an eye Marcus watched as the man's hand suddenly fell off with the pistol still gripped tightly.

The man let out an agonizing scream of lament before Frasier gripped the collar of his shirt, slamming the bandit into the ground besides Marcus.

"Fuck you! No one hurts my brothers! No one!" Frasier roared out as he began to pummel the man's face in repeatedly before ending the bloody beat down by simply slitting the bludgeoned man's neck with the machete in his other hand.

Marcus had a look of horror on his face as he realized how vicious his elder brother truly was, that he truly became something else when his family was in danger. He felt the exact same way when the men at the bar intended to hurt Noah and the rest of the group.

"Try not to announce you're reloading for everyone to hear." Frasier suggested in a friendly tone, his personality making a complete 180.

"What about teamwork? Isn't that what father always taught us?" Marcus questioned as he sat up to fire off a fresh round.

"True. But I keep count of the shots you fire." Frasier replied as he then quickly looked over to see the infected were approaching from the back of the construction site.

"Frasier! We need to leave now!" Asami interjected as she fired off all the shots in her chamber.

"Not just yet. Wait until those fools realize it too." Frasier responded as he noticed how the construction bandits were so focused on their group that they hadn't even noticed the infected horde approaching from behind.

"We've got another problem." Marcus added as he pointed towards the ground.

Frasier and Asami both looked down to see a small trail of gasoline traveling towards them. One of the nearby construction vehicles had been hit, leaking out its petrol all over the ground.

"No. This is just another advantage." Frasier responded as he then noticed they were no longer being fired at. He then grinned when he could hear the sounds of the construction bandits screaming and just now realizing the infected were upon them.

"Let's go home." Frasier ordered as he confidently stood up and began to walk away triumphantly.

Asami and Marcus however bolted from cover to cover, watching their backs and listening to Frasier as he began to hum to himself, flicking the lighter on and off before he tossed it behind them.

The tiny spark instantly turned into a massive flame, completely cutting off any hope of escape to the construction bandits now.

**{}**

Moments later, Asami, Frasier, Marcus, and Noah stood together as they watched the infected feasting upon those that didn't throw themselves into the fires. Each one of the Markle brothers had no signs of emotion on their face, showing no regret for what they did.

Asami too had a similar look of determination, but she also was visibly disturbed by the fact that she had just assisted in killing fellow living people. Regardless of whether they were lawless bandits or not, being a police officer, she knew the law, and she knew the difference between right and wrong. While this was for a justifiable cause, that didn't make what they did completely right either. She tried to steel herself as these thoughts ran through her head, almost as if trying to force herself to accept that this was about survival, not about maintaining the law and order she was originally meant to uphold.

"Good riddance." Asami commented as she walked back to see Alice quietly sitting on the roof of the Humvee, completely unaware that it was the living the four survivors had just killed.

"Father would be proud, brothers." Frasier complimented as he then walked away to join Asami.

"Nobody fucks with the Union Jackasses." Marcus commented, deciding to use the name Hitomi made up in honor of her. He then walked away, leaving Noah to his have his say.

However, Noah remained completely silent. Despite being the youngest of the trio, he showed no remorse. He then spat into the fires that crackled before him, listening to the sizzling sound before he then nodded to the sky, knowing that the religious man and his group had been avenged.

It was a quiet drive home. As Alice colored in her book, everyone else was silent, thinking over what would become of their group now, curious if any retaliation would be made if those construction bandits were allied with another group.

"So what do we do now?" Asami asked Frasier in the hotel lobby as Marcus and Noah ran off ahead of the group.

"We stay here until our food supply runs low. Once we drain all resources from this area we'll move onwards to the next. If any group gets in our way, then we kill every last one of them." Frasier explained as he spoke in a cold, brutally calculating voice.

"Asami doesn't think we should be so hostile. Is that what we want to teach Alice?" Asami questioned as they walked up the stairs of the hotel.

"This is FOR Alice. I don't want to risk her safety all because-" Frasier began to explain before he came to a complete stop in the middle of the hallway.

"Frasier? What is it?" Asami questioned out of concern as he had an intense look on his face, pulling out his crossbow as he narrowed his eyes towards a figure standing in the shadows.

"Get Alice out of here now. Run and don't turn back." Frasier ordered in a whisper as his eyes looked down the narrow hallway they stood in.

As Asami grabbed Alice and rushed down the stairs, all the doors opened up to reveal multiple figures had been hiding behind them, all wearing cloaks and hunting gear.

Frasier however fired his crossbow down the center towards the figure behind all of them. He watched in shock as the figure reached out and managed to grab the oncoming arrow with perfect finesse.

Before he could load another arrow, one of the several figures that were hidden had already closed the distance. Frasier narrowly dodged the hunting knife that came at him and bashed his adversary across the face with the butt of the crossbow.

Two more jumped onto his back in an attempt to bring him down. This however only enraged Frasier as he ran back into a wall, crushing the two attackers into the dry wall.

"Taser! Use the taser!" one of the figures ordered as another quickly aimed the small device for the enraged survivor.

***Zap***

Frasier's body instantly froze and began to cringe as his entire body became extremely tightened. His teeth grit as he tried to fight the urge to give in and topple over in defeat.

"You guys call yourselves Hunters? This is pathetic," a familiar voice announced as the figure that caught the arrow walked before Frasier.

"Wouldn't you agree, old friend?" the figure questioned with a wide grin, watching Frasier's eyes widen with fear.

"Kraven-" Frasier muttered before he suddenly felt a heavy fist slam into his stomach, forcing him onto his knees as his body was momentarily stunned from the taser.

"Glad you can still recognize me. I'm flattered, really. Tie him up with the others." Kraven said to Frasier before turning over to instruct one of the Hunters standing besides him.

Minutes later, Frasier woke up in a daze. The entire room was spinning until he could focus to see that he was tied up in a chair besides Noah and Marcus.

"Ah, you're finally up! I'm glad I didn't hit you too hard. Actually had me worried there for a second." Kraven announced as he pulled up a chair, sitting before Frasier.

"What are you doing here? Who're you working for?" Frasier questioned in a mumble, just barely getting over the affect of the taser.

"'With,' working with. And just two groups with a vendetta against you." Kraven corrected before giving an answer.

"But why are you involved? You can't handle me on your own so you have to resort to help? Hahaha." Frasier questioned before he began to laugh at how desperate Kraven had become.

"Shut up!" Kraven growled before he backhanded Frasier, silencing the laughter so he could think straight.

"Now Kraven, is that any way to treat a prisoner?" another voice questioned from across the room.

**{HoTD OST - Shido's Scheme}**

The three brothers turned their heads to see a tall, lanky man with short black hair and sharp, yellow eyes hidden behind a pair of sophisticated reading glasses. He wore a finely pressed-looking black pinstripe suit to go with his leader-like appearance.

"No way! Shidou?!" Frasier and Marcus thought as they both narrowed their eyes at the shady character.

"I don't understand! Who is this guy?!" Noah asked, confused and afraid that this weak-looking man would draw such a reaction from his older brothers.

"He's a teacher from back in Fujimi Academy. A total creeper too." Marcus replied, venom lacing every word as he glared up at Shidou with nothing but contempt.

"What the hell do you want with us?" Frasier demanded as he glared down Shidou, ready to tear at his throat if given the opportunity.

"Why, power of course. With my charisma and the skills of those I lead, the better of a chance I-WE have to survive! I originally hoped you'd be able to join us again, but unfortunately you've proven to be very unstable. Your brothers however will make fine additions once they've been assimilated into our growing family." Shidou explained as he paced about the room, speaking like a cult leader would.

"So what do you say, boys? Care to join me? Or will you choose to be as stubborn as your elder brother?" Shidou questioned as he stood before Noah and Marcus.

"You want to know what I think of that offer, Mr. Shidou?" Noah questioned as he jumped in his chair until he was face to face with the creepy teacher.

"Of course. It's only fair you get to say your opinion in all of this." Shidou replied as he looked down at Noah.

"Very well... Ahem... Fuck you, fuck your mother, fuck your suit, fuck your haircut, fuck your grin, fuck Kraven, fuck those dumb fucks following you, and to top it off, fuck the very ground you walk on!" Noah announced in protest as he then began to breathe heavily after such an unexpected outburst.

Shidou had a complete look of disgust and rage in his eyes as he then gripped his fists tight. Marcus, Frasier, Kraven, and even some of the Hunters began to laugh at Noah's response.

"Hahaha! And that's coming from the youngest of us! Face it, Shidou, you're out of your league here." Frasier taunted as he then watched Shidou's face twitching with boiling rage.

The former teacher pulled his hand back, ready to backhand Frasier across the face for his insolence. As the hand came forward it was suddenly stopped in its tracks. Everyone in the room had a surprised look on their faces as they saw Kraven holding Shidou's hand back.

"No. That one is mine for when the time comes. Anyone who hits him will greatly regret it." Kraven explained as he then tossed Shidou's hand down.

"Very well. I'll let you have your fun once we depart. Take the younger ones to the car and then you can do as you please with the elder brother." Shidou instructed as he calmed down, slowly walking out the room as Kraven and the Hunters began to carry Marcus and Noah out of the room despite their protests.

"No! Fuck you! Let us go! Frasier!" Noah cried out as he tried to do his best to struggle.

"Ughh! No! I'll kill you all! Son of a bitch!" Marcus shouted as he tried to make it hard as possible to be carried out.

Frasier however remained entirely silent as he looked down, his teeth gritting as he could feel his very blood boil. Only one of Shidou's followers was left alone to keep an eye on him. He had light brown eyes and plain brown hair; his attire simply consisted of the standard school uniform of Fujimi Academy.

"What's wrong? Can't stand the fact that you've lost?" the only boy from Shidou's group questioned as he stood before Frasier, slapping his face back and forth knowing Kraven would never be able to hear of it.

"You were so tough when you killed Them outside the bus. But here you are, tied up like a helpless bitch." the student continued to taunt as he then punched Frasier across the face, a small line of blood trickling down his lip.

"Hehe, no. So tell me, what's your name?" Frasier asked as he suddenly began to chuckle to himself, his fingers gripping the arms of the chair as his nails dug into them.

"Mimura. Why do you even bother asking? You're a dead man anyways." Mimura questioned, as had a puzzled look on his face.

"Because-I like to know the name of the man I'm about to kill. Hahahahahaha AHAHAHA!" Frasier explained as he looked up with a look of pure insanity, his eyes as wide as they could possibly go, his smile one of a pure maniac as he began to laugh maniacally, sending pure fear into Mimura's heart.

"Shut up! Stop laughing!" Miura demanded as he suddenly kicked forward, sending Frasier onto his back to momentarily break the terrible laughter.

All was quiet at first; Mimura began to breathe heavily as he could feel himself beginning to sweat. He then watched as Frasier's head slowly looked up at him.

"Now you're in trouble. Wait until Kraven sees you've knocked his trophy down." Frasier taunted as he had a wide grin on his face.

"Oh shit!" Miura gasped as he instantly ran back to set Frasier back upright.

**{DBZ OST - Destruction}**

However, Frasier rocked forward at the last second and was now standing on his feet with the chair still attached to him. With no warning he suddenly ran backwards, slamming Mimura into the wall behind them.

"Argh!" Mimura cried out in shock and pain.

Frasier however took no pity on him as he walked forward only to slam backwards again. Over and over he would slam the chair into Mimura until he was no longer restrained by it.

"Please-stop! No more!" Mimura begged in agony, only to be ignored as the chair continued to pound into him.

Frasier's eyes kept twitching every time he slammed back into the wall, his hands gripping the chair as tight as he could. The ropes slowly unraveled as the wooden chair shattered in all directions.

Frasier slowly walked forward as he brushed himself off, turning around to see Mimura collapse to the ground, still breathing despite most of his ribs being broken from the brutal force. He then knew that no loose ends could be left lying around now.

He then grabbed a broken leg off the floor. In a savage fit of rage, Frasier began to stab with the jagged edge of the broken chair leg in his hand, into the back of Mimura's skull, laughing to himself as the blood splattered onto his face and jacket.

When it was all over he stood up, his face now back to normal. He left the chair leg imbedded in the back of Miura's skull as he walked towards the door, only armed with a kitchen knife now. Deep down inside, Frasier felt an unpleasant cold in the pit of his stomach. Despite the overwhelming adrenaline rush he had just experienced while killing Mimura, this cold feeling deep inside wouldn't let up ever since he'd regained his senses. It was a feeling he recognized, but refused to stop and acknowledge. He'd only ever felt it whenever Marcus and Noah were in danger: pure, unadulterated FEAR. But this time, it wasn't fear for his brothers, but rather fear for himself.

"Don't get up. I'll let myself out." Frasier announced to Mimura's corpse as he walked out the door, ready to confront whomever else was left to stand guard over him.

**{}**

Frasier slowly walked down the hallways with the knife in hand, moving his feet in a motion technique that made them silent as a church mouse despite the fact he was wearing boots.

When he reached the stairs, he cautiously peered around the corner to see the hunters and Kraven talking down bellow in the lobby.

"Where did the policewoman go? I saw her and the kid take off when we apprehended Frasier." Kraven inquired as he stood before several hunters.

"She got away, but I think the kid is still here. No way she could've run off so fast while carrying a child," one of the Hunters explained as Kraven began to look around the room.

"Spread out and find her. We wouldn't want her to miss out on all the fun now would we?" Kraven instructed before leaving the building to rejoin Shidou's group.

"You got it, boss." the same Hunter replied as the rest began to spread out in search for Alice.

Frasier gripped the handle of the kitchen knife, ready to takedown any Hunter that dared turn the corner. His ear then noticed something behind him; he quickly spun around to see it was Alice before him.

"Oh... it's you, Alice. Where's Asami?" Frasier questioned as he lowered his weapon.

"She ran, but they were catching up. Asami-san opened up an air vent and had me hide in it. She said not to come out until it was safe. Then she distracted those people following us and ran away. Is she okay?" Alice explained before she asked about Asami's safety.

"I don't know. I just overheard those bad men saying they couldn't find her. Let's get out of here and try to find Asami." Frasier answered before he turned his head to see a Hunter with a machete in hand.

Alice let out a high-pitched scream as Frasier ducked down in time to avoid being decapitated. Before the Hunter could pull the machete out of the wall, Frasier plunged the kitchen knife into his ribs and kicked him over the railing.

"Holy fuck, there they are! Get them!" a Hunter called out as they all began to run up the stairs of the hotel to apprehend the two survivors.

"We gotta go!" Frasier ordered as he pulled the machete out and carried Alice with him.

Frasier slammed the suite door behind him and dragged the refrigerator out until he could prop it to stall for time. Alice just watched, as he remained entirely calm the entire time.

"Are you scared?" Alice asked as she watched Frasier grabbing all the forks, spoons, and knifes in the kitchen drawers.

"No. I'm just doing what I do best. Now stand back." Frasier responded as he wrapped his jacket around his fist.

***Crack* **

In one solid punch, he managed to shatter the microwave door wide open. Frasier quickly shook the glass off his jacket then began to stuff the microwave full of metal eating utensils. He then pulled the oven out as far as could, cautiously unfastening the gas cable until he could hear a leak.

Both then turned their heads as they could hear the Hunters banging on the door. Frasier knew it wouldn't be long before they broke down the door. He quickly set the timer for one minute before hoisting Alice over his shoulder.

"Trick-or-Treat, you sons of bitches." Frasier muttered to himself before he carried Alice towards a laundry chute.

"No, not in there!" Alice protested the moment she saw how dark it was. Clinging tightly to Frasier's neck.

"Don't be afraid, Alice. I'll be there with you every step of the way there." Frasier reassured as he gently rubbed her back.

"Promise?" Alice asked as she looked up at him, giving him a look of trust.

"I promise. Now keep quiet, they may hear us if we aren't quiet." Frasier vowed before instructing Alice what to do.

"Okay, but don't drop me!" Alice requested as Frasier climbed into the laundry chute.

Alice slowly closed the small door to the chute and began to tear up when everything became pitch dark. Her heart pounded against her chest as she held on for dear life, listening to the sound of Frasier descending down into the darkness.

About halfway down, there was a loud rumble. Frasier smiled to himself as he then figured it would be okay to whisper.

"How are you doing, Alice?" Frasier whispered as he looked over his shoulder only to remember they were in complete darkness.

"It's dark. I don't like the dark." Alice responded in a weak tone as she wrapped her arms tighter around his neck.

"Try closing your eyes. It'll seem more natural." Frasier suggested as he then stopped to scratch his nose.

"Hey, it works!" Alice commented as she closed her eyes tight, feeling a brief sense of security now.

"Almost there." Frasier announced as he could see a small light beneath them.

"Frasier, my arms are getting tired." Alice said as her grip began to loosen.

"No, no, no! Don't let go, we're nearly there, Alice, just a little bit more." Frasier explained in a concerned voice.

"I can't!" Alice whined as her arms let go.

Frasier quickly caught her with both his arms but lost his footing in the process. Both feet gave out, and the two survivors dropped like a rock. Alice let out a scream of terror as they slid down the chute.

It was just one big drop, but they could see the light brighten at the end of the tunnel. There was a laundry container to cushion the fall but at the speed and momentum Frasier had picked up, it wouldn't be enough.

With no other choice, he pressed both boots against the wall, the friction let out a loud screeching sound as the rubber burned away. Frasier's teeth grit as the bottoms of his feet were scorched.

It was painful but they were slowing down just enough to barely stop at the opening hatch.

"Alice I want you to let go. You'll be alright, just stay calm." Frasier instructed as he noticed it was only a small drop now.

Alice nodded as he lowered her down and let go. She fell right into the container, slowly pulling herself out.

Now it was Frasier's turn. He held his arms at his sides and positioned both feet like an arrow, sending him straight down into the container. Laundry exploded all over the room as he made impact. He pulled himself out and coughed heavily from the dust that had been gathering.

"Alice, where are you?" Frasier asked out of concern.

"Over here." Alice replied after a few quiet seconds.

Frasier saw her looking out the door for any signs of trouble as he approached her. He slowly opened the door slowly and looked down at Alice.

"Wait here, Alice. If I don't come back in a few minutes, just hide in the laundry container over there." Frasier instructed in case the worst-case scenario came to be.

Alice nodded as Frasier ran up the stairs. When he reached the lobby stairs, he saw nothing. No signs of the Hunters whatsoever.

Everything seemed clear and safe to move out. Frasier quickly sprinted down the stairs, bringing Alice with him to the front doors.

"Where are we going now?" Alice asked him as he put his jacket around her, leaving him in a black sleeveless undershirt.

"I don't know, wherever we can find some decent shelter. What we really need though is to join back up with everyone else, but we won't last long in the open with those Hunters searching for us." Frasier replied, uncertain whether to search for Asami and his brothers, or to seek refuge and protect Alice until he could think of something.

Alice remained silent as Frasier walked her down the empty streets. He checked for a car or van those men could've come in, but couldn't see any traces or clues.

Frasier didn't know where he was going to go, all he knew now was that he had to protect this little girl from a cruel, and unforgiving world. He looked up at the skies then frowned to see it wouldn't be long until it started to rain again.

"God give me strength." Frasier thought as he then looked down to see Alice looking right back at him. She was smiling despite what just happened, a look that have him hope. A look that showed she had great trust in him to do what was best for her.


	23. Act 8: Crossroads of Destiny Part 2

**Act 8: Crossroads of Destiny Part 2**

**Tokonosu City, Japan**

**Z-Day+7**

A young teenage girl stood a few hundred yards away from what was left of the grocery store her group had recently discovered, only for it to be attacked by a massive horde of Them and a crazed survivor that killed many in his path. Her light brown hair was blowing in the wind as she then looked over to see the rest of her group catching up.

"Takashi, do you think anyone else made it out of there alive?" the girl questioned as she looked down at the leader of her group: a young teenage male with spiky black hair, wearing the standard Fujimi Academy uniform.

"I doubt it, Rei. You saw how bad things were back there. Luckily, Alice is smart enough to stay put, and we can rescue her when the infected move on." Takashi responded as he turned to face the grocery store, a grim look on his face that indicated he had to make a tough choice in the heat of things.

"We need to find shelter if we plan on staying locally. It may take a few hours before the infected disperse," another female voice added as she approached Rei and Takashi.

Her hair was a long, dark purple color, complimented by crystal blue eyes. She wore the standard female uniform with knee and elbow guards for extra protection. A katana sword was holstered at her hips, her hands hardly ever keeping far from the handle.

"Let's wait for Saya and the others. They didn't look so good when we had to split off from Alice." Rei suggested as all three looked back to see Saya, Khota, and Shizuka in tears at their loss.

"I can't believe we left her like that! How could you make us do such a thing?!" Saya snapped as she turned a hateful gaze over when she noticed Takashi approaching them.

"We barely made it out ourselves! And I'm more than certain she'll be waiting for us in the womens restroom once we can go back inside without being torn to shreds." Takashi explained as he tried to calm the riled up genius.

"Fine... But if anything's happened to her..." Saya warned in a deep growl before she stopped near the end to burst into a new set of tears, hating herself for not being close enough to keep Alice close by to her.

Khota slowly helped Saya onto her feet, as Shizuka remained completely silent with Zeke following behind them, leaving the infected in the dust as they poured into the grocery store.

It was rough on the group without Alice being there, almost as if there was a massive gap in their hearts now that they could only hope for the best. Saya would occasionally sniffle while Khota would try his best to comfort her sorrow.

"Don't worry. She may be young, but she's a survivor, and she's smarter than we tend to give her credit for. After traveling with us, I'm sure she's picked up a few tricks to keep her going." Khota said with great optimism.

"She's only a little girl, Khota! How the fuck do you expect her to survive on her own? She has no weapons, no maps, no one to protect her! -" Saya replied in anger before she noticed a look of hurt on Khota's face.

"I appreciate that, Khota, really I do. But I just keep thinking the worst and...I don't know how any of us could bring ourselves to kill Alice if she became one of Them." Saya apologized before she explained in a more calm manner.

"Don't think like that, Saya. It's not healthy for you. I know it's rough, but-oh shit! We've got infected at 12 o'clock." Khota explained before he noticed a small pack of Them heading towards their group.

"Must be stragglers from that bigger group we encountered earlier. Lets try and avoid drawing anymore attention." Takashi suggested as he watched Saya and Rei preparing themselves to take care of the infected.

"Now you're talking my language!" Saeko commented as she shot Takashi a look of approval before rushing off to engage the infected.

When Rei noticed this, she had an annoyed look on her face, but she knew now wasn't the time to be distracted by personal feelings.

She gripped the Springfield M1A1 Super Match in her hands, quickly charging the first infected corpse she spotted. Her feet pounded against the ground as she was going at full speed now.

Just as the bayonet at the end of her rifle was about to pierce her target, the top half of the skull was sliced off perfectly, causing Rei to stop her charge all together.

"Hey! That one was mine!" Rei protested as she shot Saeko an angered look.

"Didn't have your name on it." Saeko replied as she wiped the blood off her blade only to impale two infected at once in one clean stabbing motion.

"Show off." Rei muttered as she then dashed off, managing to kill three of Them without being interrupted this time.

When it was over, the rest of their group soon approached the two girls.

"Good job. Now lets keep things moving while we still have daylight." Takashi announced as he continued to walk down the sidewalk covered in blood and gore from the recent skirmish.

"Thanks!" both Rei and Saeko replied before they both looked at one another, nearly staring one another down before they realized the group wasn't going to wait for them to catch up.

Nearly thirty minutes later, the group had stumbled onto an empty neighborhood. No signs of the infected could be found anywhere, at least in plain sight anyways. Past experience had proven that one thing the undead were really good at was hiding.

"I think we should stop running around and set up in one of these houses. Preferably one with a wall." Khota suggested, as he looked over the options this neighborhood had.

"Agreed. We can clear out any infected inside one and then we can wait until enough time has passed to go retrieve Alice." Takashi acknowledged before he explained what they were going to do first.

"I like that one over there." Shizuka commented as she pointed to an average looking house with a decent looking wall with an iron gate to go along with it.

"That can work. Lets keep close and try to do this quietly. I want to try and conserve our ammunition." Takashi agreed before motioning everyone to follow behind him.

"He's really getting good with those hand signals." Shizuka commented as Khota nodded in agreement, following Takashi's precise movements he'd been honing since he'd been in charge of the group.

The group slowly entered through the iron gates. Khota held it open while everyone else cautiously walked into the medium sized front lawn. When the gate closed, Saya noticed they could easily keep it locked if they found the proper lock. Rei made note of that as she then stood at Takashi's side when the others reported that the backyard appeared to be clear as well.

"Alright, people, looks like this place is a good spot to set up. Once we sweep over the interior, we can begin to hunker down and see if we can finally relax." Takashi announced, sounding somewhat excited to finally be able to settle down.

"Relax? Who can you even think of relaxing when that little girl is trapped all alone in no man's land?" Saya questioned, clearly fixated on Alice's well being despite the potential safe haven they were standing on.

"We have to keep a cool head, Saya. If we rush in we'd risk losing everybody." Saeko explained in defense of Takashi.

"So that's it? We just wait and hope those things just decide to leave?" Saya questioned as she crossed her arms, hating how no one would even stop to consider Alice's safety as much as she did.

"We're all worrying about her dearly. Don't start yelling at everyone else because we can't handle it as immaturely as you are right now." Takashi scorned as he had just about had it with Saya's constant outbursts.

"Whatever." Saya grumbled as she began to pace back and forth through the yard, taking deep breaths as she tried to have a positive outlook on things.

"Alright, before we do this—Wait, where's Shizuka?" Takashi announced before stopping to look around, realizing Shizuka was nowhere to be found.

Suddenly the front door opened up. Everyone spun around to see Shizuka standing in the doorway with a bag of grapes in hand, earning a surprised look from everyone else.

"What's everyone looking at? Do I have something in my hair?" Shizuka questioned as she began to shake her head about before receiving an answer.

"Shizuka! Why the hell are you inside the house?!" Takashi demanded as he snapped at her for her reckless behavior.

"Because you guys were taking too long. So I went inside to see if the house had any food left. You guys can relax though. I checked the house myself. No zombies!" Shizuka explained in a bubbly tone, completely unaware of the danger she had potentially put the group into.

"For real? You checked the entire house for Them?" Takashi questioned in a more calm tone.

"Mhm! But we can always check the bedrooms together if you don't trust me, boys." Shizuka responded in a nod before blatantly flirting with Takashi and Khota.

"We believe you." Takashi and Khota replied as both their faces turned a bright red.

'That's what I thought.' Shizuka thought to herself as she grinned, slowly walking back into the abandoned house.

Rei rolled her eyes as Saeko chuckled at the boys. Saya and Khota remained silent as their minds were concerned with other, far more important matters. Zeke simply yawned then followed everyone else inside before the door closed behind him.

As Saya, Khota, and Shizuka chose their rooms upstairs, Saeko, Rei, and Takashi explored the first floor of the house together.

Saeko slowly bent over, exploring what contents the fridge had to offer. Takashi, who stood in the doorway, was unable to look away as he gazed at her athletically tuned butt. He then realized that Saeko was looking right back at him through the crack in the fridge door.

"You know it's impolite to stare, Takashi." Saeko playfully lectured as she slowly stood up straight to address him.

Before Takashi could respond, he felt a hand tightly gripping his arm. When he turned around, he saw Rei standing before him.

"We need to talk." Rei said to both of them before dragging Takashi into the living room.

All three of them were alone in the room. Both Rei and Saeko stood before Takashi, giving him an intense look which meant what they were going to say would be serious.

"Takashi, you need to make a choice right now! This can't work if you keep trying to balance between us. I won't share you." Rei explained, laying down her ultimatum without wasting any time. Saeko remained silent but her look certainly showed that she agreed.

Takashi stood there in complete silence. Everything in the room became black and white except for the two female companions before him. After all they'd been through, it had finally boiled down to the point Takashi had to choose between Saeko and Rei.

On one hand, Saeko was new, exciting, and even a bit dangerous. She had a much darker side to her, one that Takashi could feel himself becoming a part of as each day passed by. Someone he had made a promise to when they were both separated from the rest of the group.

Rei, however, was someone Takashi knew his entire life. She was the girl he had always imagined marrying one day if he were to be so lucky. Despite their breakup before the outbreaks, her boyfriend had died on the first day, slowly driving Rei back into his arms for emotional comfort and support.

Takashi weighed his options and could feel his mind pulsating. His gaze would constantly shift between Rei and Saeko, trying to make the best decision he could think of at the moment. He didn't want to break any hearts but they had clearly given him no choice now.

"I'm sorry, Saeko... I hate to do this, but I've known Rei my entire life... I hope you understand." Takashi muttered as he tried to hold his tears back, hating to break any possible future they could've had together.

Saeko however stood there cold and emotionless by his decision on the outside. Showing no signs of sadness or sorrow in Takashi's decision. However, her insides were roaring with pain and a heartbreaking depression that was consuming her soul.

"Don't worry, Takashi. You made your choice and I accept it. I'll leave you two be, now." Saeko replied in an accepting tone before storming off to be alone in her quarters, lips trembling as tears were slowly streaming down her cheeks when she was out of their sight.

"I can't believe it...but I actually feel bad for her. Just a few seconds ago I hated her... but after that... I think I should go talk to her." Rei suggested as she walked up to Takashi, both watching as the lonely swordswoman made a quick exit.

"She seemed fine to me. She said she was okay with my choice and everything." Takashi responded, completely oblivious to the obvious.

"Still, I think we should keep an eye out, just in case you're wrong. But thank you, Takashi. I'm glad you were finally able to come to a decision." Rei thanked as she then softly kissed his cheek, walking away to check on the rest of the group.

Takashi just stood there, his head hung low as he then wondered what would become of the group now. Whether he had made the best decision not for himself, but for the rest of the group.

Shizuka was walking down the hallway observing the pictures on the walls of the previous owners before Saeko came storming past her. Before Shizuka could even open her lips to say 'hello', Saeko had already slammed the door shut behind her.

"This can't be good." Shizuka thought to herself as she slowly looked through the keyhole to see Saeko sitting on her knees, her head hung low in shame.

The concerned nurse then placed her ear up against the door, listening in as Saeko began to talk to herself.

"Why did you have to die? We could've been unstoppable if you were here. If you were there, we may have been able to keep Alice safe. Hell, you and I could've left this group and made it on our own just fine!" Saeko sobbed as she held a small picture in her hands, clenching it tight in her hands as she kept talking to herself.

Saeko then quickly turned her head around to see Shizuka towering over her. She immediately wiped her tears away in attempt to remain strong before her former school nurse.

"What do you need, Shizuka?" Saeko questioned in a more controlled voice.

"Who exactly are you talking to? There's nobody here." Shizuka asked as she kneeled down besides the heartbroken Saeko.

"Why do you care? Nobody cares about me in the end! All I'm good for is killing and saving this group over and over again. But when all is fine, I'm just seen as a-" Saeko responded in a hostile voice before being cutoff mid-sentence when Shizuka held her tight, starting a fresh set of tears to flow down Saeko's cheeks.

"Saeko, deep down inside, you know that's not true. Nobody in this group looks down on you. We all have the utmost respect for you, even if it may not seem like it all the time. We're a family, Saeko, and we all look at you as a precious part of that family, just like everyone else. So please don't ever think that we don't care about you, because we do." Shizuka whispered soothingly into Saeko's ear, almost like a mother calming her sobbing child. Saeko at first couldn't muster up any words and could only sob into the nurse's shoulder like a little girl rather than the tough-as-nails swordswoman she'd normally proven herself to be.

"Shh, everything will be all right. You just need to relax and tell me what's gotten you so down. Lets start with why you're here in the first place." Shizuka suggested as she comforted Saeko, managing to ease the swordswoman's pain temporarily.

"Well... I'm sure all of you heard us downstairs just a few moments ago." Saeko assumed as she looked down, hating the fact that everyone knew she wasn't worthy of being with Takashi.

"Unfortunately, yes. You guys were louder than you think. But tell me what just happened now, with the whole talking to yourself bit." Shizuka responded as she then showed an interest in who Saeko was talking to.

"Why do you care? I don't see how talking about it will change anything." Saeko grumbled as she tried to deny her feelings.

"I want to help you, Saeko. You don't have to if you don't want to, but at least talking about it would make you feel a little better. I promise." Shizuka explained as she gently rubbed Saeko's back.

Saeko remained quiet for a few seconds in thought before letting out a defeated sigh, realizing no matter what she did, she couldn't get any lower than she was now.

"Fine. See this?" Saeko questioned as she held up a picture to Shizuka.

"Yes?" Shizuka replied in a confused voice as she merely observed the photo of a young boy that appeared to be Saeko's age.

"I've had deep feelings for that guy ever since we first met. We've trained together, fought together; we were the best of the best under my father's training. Not a day went by that I haven't wanted him to be all mine." Saeko began to explain before Shizuka formed a look of realization.

"Wait... I know him... isn't this Frasier Markle from the Academy?" Shizuka questioned after observing the photo more carefully.

"Yes... I was always very fond of him, but I could never consider myself worthy of him... especially not with my darker side that tries to control me. How could he love something so insane and destructive?" Saeko pondered, as she felt ready to cry again, thinking about the much more violent side to her nature that she both embraced and despised at once.

"You can ask him yourself when we find him." Shizuka replied in a much more positive outlook.

"No... I can't. He's dead, along with everyone else in Fujimi Academy." Saeko corrected before she snagged the photo back with lightning fast reflexes.

"You saw him as one of Them?" Shizuka inquired as she felt her heart sinking, knowing that Frasier was the most likely to survive this crisis given his past.

"No, but the day before the dead started to walk, he said he would help me train the very next day. When he was late, the announcements came on... when everything went to hell. I had to assume he was caught off guard and bitten or something." Saeko explained, giving her perspective on Frasier's demise.

"What if he wasn't dead to begin with?" Shizuka asked as she watched Saeko's face sink into regret and sadness.

"What are you talking about? He would've tried to find me then... I think. He may not have felt the way I do about him, but I was the only person he knew, the only one who ever could connect with him." Saeko responded, accepting the fact he would've at least tried to find her rather than turn and run to save himself.

"He had two brothers to look out for, remember? Have you ever stopped to consider that he might've simply made a tough choice to save his brothers, his family, first?" Shizuka brought up, earning a shocked look of realization from Saeko.

"I... I had completely forgotten about them! Maybe you're right after all, Shizuka!" Saeko exclaimed in a suddenly hopeful tone.

"You know what I think?" Shizuka asked as she sat besides Saeko.

"What?" Saeko questioned curiously, no longer crying or sniffling.

"I don't think you ever truly had feelings for Takashi. I think you saw a quality in him that reminded you of Frasier, thus helping you cope with your loss. Do you still feel anything for Takashi now that there's a chance Frasier's still alive?" Shizuka inquired, studying Saeko psychologically.

"I... no. I don't, now that you mention it. I... How did you even-?" Saeko questioned after thinking deep for a moment to realize Shizuka was right.

"Just call it a woman's intuition. It all makes perfect sense when put it all into perspective. If you need anything, don't ever hesitate to just ask, okay?" Shizuka explained before patting Saeko on the back.

"Thank you, Shizuka. Thank you so much." Saeko muttered softly as Shizuka left the room, smiling that she could aid Saeko in her time of need.

**Z-Day+8**

Hours later, the sun began to slowly rise. Saya was the only one unable to sleep that long night. Fueled entirely by adrenaline and constantly worrying about Alice, Saya couldn't help but stand by her window, watching the grocery store from a great distance.

"Don't worry, munchkin. We're coming." Saya vowed to herself as she began to impatiently tap her foot against the floor.

The door to her room opened up to reveal Khota standing at her door with his Armalite AR-10 rifle in hand.

"Are they ready to head out?" Saya questioned, as she didn't bother turning around to face the chubby gun lover.

"Yeah... Are you really feeling up to going? You didn't catch one wink of shuteye last night." Khota answered before showing concern for Saya's lack of sleep.

"You should be worried about Alice, not me." Saya responded before she walked past him without even making eye contact.

After a long walk back, the entire group stood before the fallen grocery store. Nowhere near as many of Them were about as there were just several hours ago.

"Before we go in, I want you guys to take these." Khota explained as he then handed everyone a small handgun.

"Like I said before, I want everyone to be able to control their own fates." Khota responded when he earned a few looks of surprise.

"Fair enough, never know how this could go down." Rei commented as she placed her pistol in her pocket with the safety turned on.

Everyone else remained quiet as they entered through the back of the store, all-looking around only to realize all the infected inside had been destroyed. All of the heads of the deceased corpses were either smashed in or sliced off.

"Seems like someone had already taken care of things around here." Saeko commented as she decided to keep her hand close to the handle, just in case those responsible where still there.

"Maybe it was that guy we saw attacking other survivors before we left?" Shizuka suggested as she observed how deep the cuts were in some of the fallen corpses.

"No, similar as they may be, they are way too thick. His blades were thin." Saeko corrected as she took a moment to observe the style used to cut down the infected. It was almost too similar for her to bare.

"It can't be." Saeko thought to herself as she then looked over to see Saya looking up and down every aisle in search of Alice.

"Alice! Come on out! It's us!" Saya shouted as she was only greeted with a silent response, her heart racing when there appeared to be no trace of the little girl whatsoever.

"Will you stop that?! You'll just attract Them into the store." Takashi explained as he snapped his fingers to catch Saya's attention, earning a death glare from the focused teenager.

"I don't think we'll need to worry about Them getting inside anytime soon." Rei announced as she pointed towards the front of the store.

Everyone looked over to see a truck was parked in a spot that made it impossible for Them to enter the building.

"Whoever cleaned up here is clearly professional. Keep your senses about you." Khota commented as he had a feeling whoever was here last shouldn't be taken lightly.

"I think we should check the security surveillance. That way we can see where Alice went." Takashi suggested as he then stood himself back up, motioning towards the door that led to the security room.

He walked with Saya and Rei to the door. All three had looks of sickness and disgust when they saw a dead police woman covered in multiple lacerations.

"Oh my God... Wasn't that the police woman that was in charge of this place?" Rei asked, as she didn't dare take another step forward.

"Yeah... Guess she didn't make it either. It never gets any easier." Takashi commented as he then let out a deep sigh.

Saya walked past both of them and began to tamper with the security feed, rewinding the tapes until she could confirm where Alice was hiding.

Soon the rest of the group walked in, hardly even reacting to Hitomi's corpse. Death had become an everyday thing for them; it would be naive now to even think otherwise.

"There!" Rei announced as she pointed to a screen that showed Alice entering a restroom.

"Before we go, let's play the tape on to see who's been here. It could give us an advantage if we ever encounter them." Saeko suggested, thinking in a more tactical sense.

Saya nodded and continued to play the tapes, yet she never took her eyes off the door Alice used last. Everyone else watched to see the infected lingering around the store, feeding on those who didn't make it.

Suddenly the truck that was outside came rolling by. Saya hit the play button instinctively. The rest of the group stood there and watched in awe as three young boys, roughly their age, destroyed all the infected on their own.

No one knew what to say, Saeko however was shocked beyond measure when she realized that one of the fighters was Frasier. At first she figured she had finally gone mad, but she then realized that everyone could see him too.

Small warmth formed in her lower abdominal. Saeko's cheeks turned red as she found herself to be excited at the sight of Frasier tearing the infected up like they were child's play. Her body suddenly heated up, almost like she was an animal in the wild going into heat.

"Dammit! Calm down, you're stronger than this." Saeko thought to herself before realizing Shizuka was looking right at her, giving Saeko a thumbs up.

Saeko was so embarrassed she could only respond with a simple nod before Saya stood up to go check the restroom out, the group following close behind her to ensure they stuck together.

"Please be there. Please be there." Saya thought to herself as she then kicked the door in.

She began by searching each stall thoroughly. But soon enough it was obvious that it was all for nothing. Saya slowly fell to her knees and began to weep, clenching her fists tight as she began to punch at the floor.

"Damn you, Takashi! I knew I shouldn't have trusted you... This is all your fault!" Saya shouted at the top of her lungs as she tried to lunge at him.

Her body however was so desperately drained of energy that she couldn't go through with it. Saya just slumped against the stall and wept in sorrow.

"Hold on... What's this?" Khota questioned as he began to read a message carved into the last stall, earning a few curious looks as well as hope for a clue on Alice's whereabouts.

'We've found Alice. She's in no danger and we intend to keep her safe under our watch until you return to pick her up at the local hotel. Room 221.'

When Saya overheard this, she slowly looked up, a slight look of uncertainty in her eyes. She adjusted her glasses and began to read it over and over again.

"W-who took her?" Saya asked, as she was greatly relieved to hear Alice was still alive and well.

"Only one way to find out." Khota responded as he helped Saya onto her feet, taking her back to the security room with the rest of the group.

Moments later, the six survivors watched as Alice walked out of the store accompanied with the ones responsible for killing the infected that were inside.

"This isn't good." Takashi commented as he felt uncertain how this new group would react when they showed up to pick up Alice.

"What do you mean?" Rei questioned as she looked up at Takashi.

"Think about it. This could be a trap. We walk in then things go downhill from there on out." Takashi explained, as he clearly didn't trust the Markle brothers.

"You're wrong. I know the oldest one, we can trust him!" Saeko intervened to defended Frasier's name.

"And what if he's changed during the past few days? Do you still want to put our lives on the line?" Saya questioned as she figured Takashi was right to be weary of a group of their caliber.

"It's a risk we have to take. I trust Noah and Frasier. I only heard about the other one but I think overall it's a safe bet." Khota added in, remembering the two brothers he met before the outbreaks.

"Hmm, very well. But we still need to find this hotel. We don't have a map or anything." Saya brought up as she then realized they had no direct route to follow.

"Guess all we can do is keep an eye out until we do find a map." Rei suggested as she then leaned against a wall.

One by one the survivors began to start moving out of the grocery store, leaving it in the past as they made the long journey home; all of them constantly thinking about whether or not this new group was to be trusted.

On the way home, Shizuka noticed a paper nailed to a wooden post. Normally it wouldn't have drawn attention but when a severed hand was holding the flyer it was quite hard to ignore. The group glared at the announcement in complete and total shock.

"Be warned that you are now in Hunter territory. Run and we will chase you; hide and we will find you. Make peace with your maker while you can."


	24. Act 8: Crossroads of Destiny Part 3

**Act 8: Crossroads of Destiny Part 3**

**Tokonosu City, Japan**

**Z-Day+9**

It was the middle of the day, the sun in the center of the sky, hidden behind the many dark clouds that loomed over the quiet city of Tokonosu. In one of the many abandoned buildings, Alice and Frasier took refuge for the duration of that morning in a simple electronics store known as Circuit City.

Alice sat besides Frasier with a wet rag soaked in sweat, trying to help keep her protector clean and comfy as he just slumped against the wall, breathing heavily after desperately trying to evade both the Hunters and Shidou's group with no rest.

"Are you hungry?" Alice asked as she watched Frasier spit halfway across the room.

"Not really. All I can think of is if my brothers and Asami are still ali-okay. I can't even tell if I'm hungry, thirsty, or in need of a restroom." Frasier answered as he then overheard several figures moving in the streets just outside of Circuit City.

Frasier cautiously peered over to see it was just some of the local infected making noise. A soft sigh of relief escaped the young man's lips as he then looked over to his even younger companion. Alice was looking down at her tummy, clearly showing signs of hunger.

"But from the looks of it, you seem to be pretty hungry yourself. I'll try to find you something to eat." Frasier offered as he then stood up on his feet, motioning Alice to tag along as he explored the store to see if anyone passing by may have left some food lying around.

The front of the Circuit City was clean for the most part. Not a single crumb could be found for the two survivors. Frasier then turned to an employee's only section of the store.

He slowly unsheathed the machete at his hip, uncertain what would be behind the next set of doors they were approaching.

With a gentle push, he entered the dark room, hardly able to see anything in front of him. His heart suddenly skipped a beat as a small light turned on.

Frasier spun around only to see Alice had a flashlight on her this entire time. He let out a sigh of relief then held his hand out for the flashlight.

"Can I hold it?" Alice questioned as her grip tightened around the small device.

"Any reason why I can't have one?" Frasier inquired as he raised an eyebrow to Alice's behavior.

"I don't like the dark. Having this makes me feel safer since I control where the light goes." Alice explained as she began to wave the light around.

"Hehe, very well. Just try and keep it steady." Frasier chuckled before making a request.

Alice formed a wide smile as she then nodded, following Frasier into the dark room, feeling like she was very important by telling him which way to go.

At first, it felt like there would be nothing of use. But soon enough, the two stumbled upon something that had the potential solution to their food dilemma: a tall metal locker that had two sets of six cubbies.

"Did you find anything?" Alice questioned as she continued to pan the flashlight around the room.

"Maybe. I can't tell, though. Shine that light over here." Frasier instructed as Alice did as she was told.

The light managed to reveal that one of the lockers had a leftover bag of chips in it. Frasier smiled to himself, only to frown when there appeared to be a lock attached to it.

"Stand back." Frasier instructed, waiting for Alice to follow his orders.

When the little girl did as she was told, Frasier slammed the machete a few times against the lock until it was cut off. He pulled the cubby wide open then turned to Alice to give her a thumb up.

Alice smiled as she held the flashlight straight up, revealing that an infected man was now standing right behind her, it's jaws wide open, ready to sink it's putrid teeth into the unaware child.

"Get away from her!" Frasier shouted in anger, as he gave Alice no indication of the impending danger.

Before Alice could even blink, she watched Frasier's arm extend out. A geyser of dark blood that spewed from the infected man's skull splashed the back of her head. Alice just stood there, motionless and in total shock at how Frasier reacted.

When his arm retracted, the infected fiend fell over backwards, landing with a loud ***thud***

"I-Is it gone?" Alice questioned as she looked up at Frasier's stone cold face, watching as he went from a look of uncontrollable anger, to a more concerned and sympathetic look.

"Don't worry about me. Are you all right? I hope you aren't afraid of how I get when dealing with... Them." Frasier asked as he kneeled down to hold Alice close to him.

"I'm okay. I'm used to seeing the monsters being killed. I kinda like watching Them die." Alice answered as she then aimed her flashlight at the locker.

Frasier was somewhat taken aback by the answer, but relieved at the same time Alice wouldn't think differently of him for being so violent when he needed to be.

He gladly reached into the locker and handed the little girl the chips as they exited the dark room, returning to the electronics store to wait until Alice had finished her snack.

"I'm thirsty." Alice commented after finishing off the last of the chips, earning a low groan from Frasier, as he knew this would be a long day.

Minutes later, the two companions were cautiously traveling down the road after washing the blood from Alice's hair and then drinking clean water from a different water fountain.

"When can we go back to the hotel?" Alice asked out of curiosity.

"I doubt we'll ever be able to return there now. Those Hunters and Shidou's group will certainly be keeping an eye on the place. It's best we just move on and find your group as soon as possible." Frasier answered as he then ducked down behind an overturned car, looking through the broken windows as he dragged Alice down with him.

Standing on the other side of the street was a lone Hunter, holding Frasier's stolen crossbow in his hands. It was clear he was scouting ahead for the rest of the Hunters.

"Is it one of Them?" Alice asked curiously as she peered her head out only for Frasier to pull her back in time to avoid an arrow to the eye.

"So much for the element of surprise." Frasier thought to himself as he then gripped the machete tight.

"Follow my lead." Frasier whispered to Alice, as he knew he had to take this Hunter down before he decided to call for backup.

"Come on out now and I'll make your death a quick one! Or perhaps you'd like to join your brothers so we can hunt all three of you at once! Don't be shy, everyone dies at some point or another!" the overly confident Hunter announced as he jumped atop the fallen vehicle and loomed over the edge to see no one was there now.

He quickly looked up in time to see something flying up in the air. Without hesitation, the Hunter fired an arrow at what turned out to be an empty chip bag.

His eyes then widened in pain as he looked down to see a machete sticking out of his chest. The Hunter's gaze then slowly looked up to see Frasier standing before him, a stone cold face that made it clear this was not the first time he had to take another human being's life.

"You first." Frasier whispered as he then pushed the blade further in until it was in as far as it could go.

The Hunter coughed blood onto himself before the machete was savagely ripped out of his chest. Frasier then wiped the blood off his machete after reclaiming his crossbow.

"Was he bitten?" Alice asked as she walked over now that things were quiet again.

Frasier was uncertain on how to explain the justification of killing to a little girl. He also didn't want to lie to her since he knew it could potentially come back to bite him in the ass.

"No. I can't honestly say that he was bitten. This doesn't upset you…does it?" Frasier responded as he holstered his weapons.

"I don't know. I mean... he was being mean by yelling at us with that weapon raised... but does that mean it's okay to kill him?" Alice pondered as she looked at the blood pouring onto the cold sidewalk.

"It's not easy to take another man's life, Alice. It's an ugly thing, really... something you can never take back once it's done. No matter what you do with yourself after the matter, you're stuck with it till you die."

"There are those who simply do it not because they want to, but because the have to. When given no other option, they do whatever it takes to keep themselves and their loved ones safe. They are able to put aside that terrible burden long enough to do what must be done."

"Then there are those who enjoy it. They get this sick, twisted kick out of it every time it's done. At first it seems benign, but soon it begins to eat away and consume everything they once were. It's just... intoxicating." Frasier explained as he had a feeling he already knew which type he was by now.

"Which one are you?" Alice then questioned as she looked up at Frasier with an uncertain gaze in her eyes.

Frasier however couldn't bear to answer Alice. He couldn't bring himself to tell her he was slowly decaying on the inside and becoming a ruthless killing machine, that his humanity was fading away each time he killed another human being, that there was an inner demon that he had less and less control over with each day that passed by.

Suddenly, Frasier felt Alice wrapping her arms tightly around his leg. He snapped out of his trance and looked down to see her eyes were closed tight as she continued to hold on.

"It's okay, Onii-chan. I don't care what you say; I know you're a good person deep down. I trust you, and I know you're only trying to protect our family." Alice whispered as she refused to believe Frasier was anything but good.

Tears slowly dropped from Frasier's eyes, as he remained speechless by Alice's words of acceptance. He then realized she just called him big brother, bringing a genuine smile to his face.

"It's best we keep moving. We wouldn't want the Hunters to catch up now would we?" Frasier asked, trying to avoid any more emotional outbursts.

Alice just nodded her head in agreement, and soon the two of them were walking down the empty street, Alice holding onto Frasier's hand for some kind of comfort.

Frasier smiled down at her, but when his gaze rose to the distance, only one thing crossed his mind now.

Right now, Frasier was only worried about how Marcus and Noah were faring against their captors. Part of him knew and hoped that the two of them would be able to handle themselves. He desperately hoped so, because he knew that if a single strand of hair were misplaced on their heads, his resulting wrath would put him onto the path of no return.

In a dimly lit room, both Marcus and Noah were tied up facing back-to-back. It was quiet at first; they just sat there, planning what to do if given an opportunity to escape their captors.

"You awake yet?" Marcus muttered for the twentieth time, usually hearing no coherent response from his younger brother until now.

"Yeah... I-I'm up now. Where are we?" Noah finally responded, as his senses were a bit slow.

"No clue. Haven't heard much on the outside of this room, though. Just talk about some big hunt." Marcus answered as he then looked over at the door to see shadows moving underneath the cracks.

"Someone's coming, try to remain calm. If they were gonna kill us, we wouldn't be having this conversation." Marcus observed as he then hung his head low.

A bright light filled the room as two figures entered the room, their faces hidden behind white face wraps.

"So are these the ones?" one of the Hunters questioned as he stared at Noah and Marcus who simply returned with glares of anger.

"Yeah, they're the ones, all right. Heard there was a third, but he's proven to be a bit more advanced, so they sent Jaeger after him." a Huntress explained as they both just observed the two brothers.

"You give us such little credit. I just hope you guys know what you're in for." Marcus chuckled as he looked up at the two Hunters with confidence.

"Oh? Is there something we should know about you?" the Hunter questioned as he had a curious look in his eyes.

"You could say we're sons of a military captain, trained by our father in the art of war." Marcus explained, hoping to sink fear into their hearts.

"Hmm, so we managed to capture two military boys with hardly any effort? I'd say we're pretty badass if that's the case," the Hunter noted as he practically caused Marcus' plan to backfire.

"Fuck." Marcus muttered under his breath.

"Hehe, you think you guys are tough? You guys are just playing with the small fishes." Noah chuckled as he then spit across the room, unfazed by their captors or their current position.

"Oh yeah? Then who do you suggest we hunt then?" The Huntress questioned Noah as she placed her boot on the edge of his chair.

"You may have us, but you don't have our oldest brother. He could kill you with both arms tied behind his back." Noah answered as he grinned at her.

"So if we were to capture this brother of yours, then hunting you three would be more challenging? Interesting." the Huntress commented as she was now envisioning the thrill of the hunt.

"You think so small. Not us, but two survivors who are equally as powerful as him." Noah corrected as he gazed into the Huntress' red eyes.

"You've got my full attention, boy." the Huntress grinned, her faces inches away from Noah's.

"Seek out Saeko Busujima. She wields a blade capable of cutting right through that armor, and you've already met Kraven. Put all three together, and you guys will be put to the ultimate test." Noah explained as he could see that the Huntress showed great excitement in her eyes.

"If what say is true, than I think we should re-arrange our terms with Shidou's group." the Huntress announced as she then stormed off to speak to her leader.

"Noah! What the fuck was that?! You just betrayed Frasier! Do you have any idea what he'll do to you when he finds out you just set these psychos loose on his girlfriend?! What's gotten into you?" Marcus asked in complete and total shock.

"They were looking for him anyway. Besides, with enough luck, those fools will actually try and hunt Kraven. That's a win-win scenario I think." Noah whispered in case someone outside was listening in on them.

"Ah, I get it now. The enemy of my enemy is my friend." Marcus realized as he then smirked at how devious Noah could be.

"Exactly. With any luck, both groups will wipe each other out." Noah commented with high optimism.

"What about Saeko? You pretty much sent the Hunters after her group now. They're so screwed." Marcus brought up as he tried to pry his hands free from the ropes that bound him to the chair.

"If she's as good as Frasier says, then it's the Hunters who are screwed." Noah responded as he then became silent, deep in thought to think out another way to hinder the Hunter's operations from the inside out.

"Well, you'd better pray that you're right. Otherwise their blood is going to be on your hands if we live through this." Marcus replied, his attitude a straight divide between optimism and anxiety.

Both Alice and Frasier continued to wander the streets together, venturing into the unknown, until Frasier could sense they were being followed.

"Do you think things will ever be the same again?" Alice asked Frasier, noticing that he had stopped dead in his tracks.

"Shhh. We aren't alone, Alice. Isn't that right?" Frasier whispered to Alice before he shouted at whoever was stalking them.

"What a keen perception you have. I'll admit I'm somewhat impressed. And here I thought I was doing such a good job at stalking my prey." commented a strong male figure wearing leather armor and armed to the teeth with various knifes attached to his armor.

His black hair was cropped, both yellow eyes entirely focused on the two before him. There was a noticeable scar horizontally going across the bridge of his nose. A few wrinkles could be seen, indicating he was at least 40 years old, his body appearing to be very athletically fit.

"Care to introduce yourself? I feel you already know me, yet I know nothing about you." Frasier requested as he crossed his arms, watching for any sudden movements.

"I'll raise you double and explain the whole story since I figure you won't last long enough to tell it." announced the well-armed man.

"My name is Jaeger, and I'm second in command of a very prestigious group known these days simply as The Hunters. But I believe you've already seen what we're capable of." Jaeger chuckled as he then awaited Frasier's response.

"So why us? Kraven said your group has a vendetta against me. Why?" Frasier questioned, as he wanted to have all knowledge at his disposal.

"You may not have been aware at the time, but during your fight with the group encamped at the construction site, we were watching. Little did you know we planned to hunt them that very day... only at night. You stepped in on our territory, and that's unacceptable, not to mention you've proven to be far more worthy prey than they ever could have been." Jaeger explained as he was pacing back and forth to keep the blood flowing.

"Hmmm, so you not only hunt, but you hunt the most dangerous game of all: man." Frasier commented as he recalled reading that story long ago.

"Correct. You see we all were quite highly skilled at hunting before the outbreaks. We were comprised of many skilled hunters from all across the globe. Before the dead decided to get back up, my group was here for a hunting competition; to compete and show that we were the best! At least…until the undead showed up."

"My group and I were lucky enough to be armed at the time, so you could say we've had quite the advantage. But soon enough, the infected proved to be little in terms of challenge. One day, our leader decided it was time we took the next step: to hunt down those unworthy of being hunters like us." Jaeger announced as he somewhat enjoyed telling Frasier how powerful his group had become.

"Interesting, but I don't understand why you guys work with someone like Shidou. His group is beyond weak!" Frasier questioned as he had a feeling Jaeger wasn't alone.

"Such ignorance, but then again, that's what we thought at first as well. I was there for that hunt. It was simple: grab a couple of them, and then let the rest panic until we decided to end their misery as well. However, none of us accounted for one of them being able to fight back." Jaeger answered as he then went into a flashback, remembering how things went downhill fast for that hunt.

**Z-Day+5**

Jaeger peered over a ledge to see Shidou's group sound asleep in the safety of a nearby department store. None of them were to be considered a threat, especially seeing how none were aware of their presence.

Jaeger and the other four Hunters accompanying him quietly crept into the store, deciding which ones to take for tomorrows hunt, and which ones to drive insane when they wake up to see their group is missing people.

'This will be easier than I thought.' Jaeger thought to himself before he looked over to see one of his Hunters jump back in shock when she unzipped a sleeping bag.

"What's wrong?" Jaeger whispered as he began to suspect something was not right about this place.

"It's filled with pillows... You don't think it's a-" the Huntress questioned before all the windows and the only door out of the store became sealed by a metal security fence.

"It's a trap!" Jaeger announced to the other Hunters, all of them looking around, ready to react to any counter attack.

***Clap* *clap* *clap* **

That was all the Hunters could hear at first, but then the lights suddenly turned on to reveal Shidou standing with his group behind a countertop with the security fence around it.

"Such a tragic yet ironic tale. The hunters have now become the hunted!" Shidou chuckled as he taunted the Hunters who glared at him.

"Well played, but when we cut through that fence it won't be so funny!" Jaeger threatened as he gripped a foot-long knife in hand.

"Really? I'd love to see you try!" Shidou urged on, wanting the Hunters to come forward.

"Wish granted!" one of the Hunters announced as he stormed towards Shidou.

Before he could even come near the confident teacher, one of the sleeping bags shuffled until Kraven popped out behind the unaware Hunter.

"Behind you!" Jaeger warned, his heart racing with fear, as he hadn't anticipated such resistance from such a small group.

But it was too late, as the Hunter turned around Kraven had placed both his hands around the man's head.

***SNAP***

In one savage twist, Kraven broke his neck with ease, dropping the dead Hunter like he was nothing more than garbage.

"You'll pay for that!" a female Huntress growled as she drew a hunting bow and aimed an arrow at Kraven.

"Sounds like fun!" Kraven laughed as he dodged the first arrow by moving to the side.

When the Huntress fired a second arrow, Kraven drew out a blade, deflecting the fast moving projectile with perfect flow. The third arrow was then blocked as Kraven unsheathed his second katana.

"My turn!" Kraven chuckled before letting out a terrifying roar, dashing towards the Huntress at lighting fast speed.

The Huntress tried to remain calm as she fired arrow after arrow. Kraven continued his charge, swatting the arrows aside like they were nothing.

The rest of the Hunters stood there, completely helpless, watching as Kraven ducked down when he closed the distance, slicing off the Huntress' hands in the first swing before decapitating her on the second swing, her head slowly rolling on the floor as the rest of the body crumpled like a house of cards.

"Now who else would care to fight me?" Kraven questioned as he turned his gaze to Jaeger and the rest of the Hunters. All of them remained petrified and silent.

"No one? Hmm, fine by me. Since you guys aren't saying anything, I'll presume you guys are listening still. There are three of you left; only one of you is leaving this building alive. Be sure to make it good." Kraven explained as he then tossed one of his blades in the center of the three.

All three Hunters had looks of shock as they looked down to see that he meant every word of it. They then all looked at each other, knowing there could be only one.

**Z-Day+9**

"I had to kill two of my own to survive. When I told our leader, he didn't call for revenge. No, he was impressed and decided to form an alliance with this Shidou character instead." Jaeger explained as he snapped back to the present, shuddering at his first encounter with Kraven.

"You guys are playing with fire." Frasier warned, as he took no pity on Jaeger for his unfortunate encounter.

"Shame you aren't willing to do this quietly. Guess I'll have to explain to the others how resistant you were, and that I had no other choice but to kill you." Jaeger explained in a low tone.

**{Drowning Pool- Told You So}**

Suddenly, Jaeger tackled Frasier without warning, somehow managing to catch him off guard as they both rolled in the empty street.

"Hide, Alice!" Frasier ordered as he then punched Jaeger across the face, his body turning with the momentum.

Alice darted away from the battle as Frasier began to jump up to attack, only to be tackled by Jaeger. Both of them rolled around on the ground once more until Jaeger was kicked off.

"Weak!" Frasier growled as he grabbed half of a knocked over stop sign, swinging it over his head with all his might towards Jaeger, smashing the car besides the experienced hunter, glass shattering everywhere as Frasier then released the heavy object.

"Pathetic!" Frasier commented as he ducked down to avoid a punch, slamming his knuckles into Jaeger's back before leaping back to avoid being backhanded.

"Waste of life!" Frasier finished as he then drew his machete, Jaeger barely having enough time to block the oncoming blade with his own machete. He then found himself being thrown against the hard asphalt.

"Hunters!" Jaeger shouted, calling in for the backup hiding amongst the shadows.

Alice watched as two more Hunters jumped down from the surrounding rooftops to join the fray. Both male Hunters, one burly while his counterpart was somewhat lean, were equipped with the same leather armor Jaeger wore, along with their own personal arsenal.

Both however were holding a mechanical gauntlet with a spinning buzz saw at the end of it. Mechanical gears and complex circuitry kept the sharpened saw blade going.

"Come here, girl!" the thin Hunter snarled as he then began to pursue the fleeing child.

Before the lean Hunter could even come anywhere near Alice, Frasier threw himself right at him, slamming the small framed Hunter against a car as he managed to give Alice time to hide.

Jaeger tried to kick Frasier's jaw, however the seasoned warrior caught his foot then punched at Jaeger's lower thigh, causing him to fall to his knee. As the lean Hunter tried to continue his pursuit for Alice, Frasier extended his arm out and hit him with a clothesline attack, his muscular arm wrapping around the neck like a Boa constrictor.

When Jaeger attempted to help the small Hunter, Frasier responded by kicking his leg back, sending Jaeger flying into the larger Hunter behind him. When the Hunter in his arms tried to cut Frasier with the saw blade attached to his wrist, Frasier let go only to kick the Hunter forward.

"There is another group worthy of the hunt hidden in this city! The girl can lead us to them." Jaeger announced as Alice peered over her hiding spot to see what was going on now, feeling terrified now that Frasier was completely surrounded.

Frasier grunted as he spun around, knocking Jaeger back with his machete, cutting across the heavily padded chest piece. The lean Hunter suddenly leapt forward at the key opportunity, punching Frasier across the face and into the large Hunter's massive hands.

The burly Hunter gripped the back of Frasier's head firmly, hardly flinching as the lone warrior threw an elbow back into his face. With the fail of the desperate attack, the Hunter holding him began to saw into a section of Frasier's sports armor beneath his armpit.

Frasier barely managed to pry himself free in time to use his forearm armor to block against another oncoming saw. Sparks flew everywhere as the force applied had pushed Frasier back, causing him to lean against the larger Hunter for balance.

He then felt a rough set of knuckles backhand him towards the lean Hunter. Frasier desperately grasped the man's neck in attempt to crush his throat. However, he was forced to let go when the small Hunter countered by pressing his saw against Frasier's breaking armor.

Now outnumbered and overwhelmed, Frasier was losing his concentration. As he tried to swing his machete at Jaeger, he watched in shock as he was picked up off his feet and body slammed into a nearby car.

When he stumbled to get back up, Jaeger kicked him across the face. Spit and blood came flying from Frasier's mouth as he staggered back in pain. Everything around him felt like it was spinning now.

"Frasier!" Alice cried out in tears, watching as he was battered back and forth between the three Hunters.

After the beat down, Jaeger disarmed Frasier, and then stabbed his own blade into his shoulder. The armor just barely prevented Frasier from begin stabbed by his own weapon. Jaeger then kicked Frasier down the road, watching as he rolled down the slope.

"Is this futile effort really worth that of a single life?" Jaeger questioned as Frasier was now down on one knee, breathing heavily as blood dripped from his mouth and onto the ground.

"Come on! Get up!" Alice begged Frasier as the three Hunters closed in on him, only able to watch, as Frasier had little to no energy to pick himself back up.

'What's wrong with me? It feels like I've been completely drained. Surely I have more energy than this.' Frasier thought to himself, his vision beginning to blur up.

"Hopefully Saeko Busujima will prove to be more of a challenge. This one was somewhat disappointing." the burly Hunter commented in a somewhat bored tone, expecting Frasier to put up more of a fight than he did.

"What was that? Did you just say 'Saeko?' How dare you mention that name-IN MY PRESENCE!" Frasier growled in a painful remembrance before he suddenly cried out in pain, ignoring all physical pain as he stood up only to continue yelling out in a completely uncontrollable rage.

All three Hunters shuddered at the low-pitched screams. Before any could even consider shutting Frasier up, another sound could be heard. A light groan slowly emitted from behind them. They turned around just in time to see the infected heading towards them.

"Where the hell did They come from?!" Jaeger demanded as he looked around to see more of Them showing up with each passing second.

"Must've been all that yelling and fighting. We should go before this gets out of hand." the lean Hunter suggested in a cowardly voice, knowing that this many infected could prove to be an issue.

"Agreed. Let fate decide what will become of them." Jaeger responded as he began to retreat with the other two Hunters.

"But what about the girl? How will we find the other group now?" the burly Hunter questioned.

"We'll just have to do things the old fashioned way." Jaeger responded as they were now out of the streets and on the rooftops, leaving Alice and Frasier to fend for themselves against the increasing amounts of Them entering the area.

"Get up! You have to get up!" Alice wept as Frasier suddenly dropped to his knees, unable to move away from the oncoming infected.

"Leave me, kid. Save yourself." Frasier ordered as he lifted his crossbow up in a last ditch effort to fight back, ready for a last stand.

However, his arms weren't even able to lift the crossbow up. Frasier dropped it as he then slumped over, completely drained of any spare energy to save him and Alice, not even enough adrenaline to drag himself to safety. He could feel his body tense up as his heavy breathing became rapid.

To his surprise however, Alice had refused to abandon him to a terrible ending. She quickly grabbed the crossbow and managed to hold it up just long enough for her to pull the trigger.

Frasier watched as the arrow missed the first of many infected, passing by Them as it struck a car window, the glass shattering as the car alarm instantly went off.

***BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP***

All the infected averted their heads, turning around to move towards the loud noise. It wasn't long before the small pack managed to throw themselves onto the vehicle, simply clawing and bumping into it, uncertain what to do with it now.

"C'mon, we need to get out of here." Alice whispered to the now unconscious Frasier.

However, the little girl was hardly able to get him moving at all, seeing how he weighed nearly four times her weight it was merely a pipe dream at this point.

'You can do this!' Alice thought to herself as she pulled with all her might, barely managing to move him two inches.

It was now clear to Alice that she would burn herself out long before she could drag Frasier anywhere to be considered truly safe. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she was forced to decide between leaving Frasier to save herself, or to stay by his side and hope that someone would find them in time.

"I'm sorry Onii-chan, but I just can't do it." Alice apologized in a tearful sob as she then threw herself over Frasier, refusing to abandon him.

She then noticed one last opportunity to keep them safe from any infected that may pass by. Alice suddenly began to roll Frasier on his sides until he was lying beneath one of the many cars abandoned during the outbreak.

Alice quickly rolled under until she was curled up at his sides, watching as the occasional corpse would casually pass by, ignoring them entirely. Tears trickled down the little girl's cheeks as she pulled Frasier's arm around her for a secure feeling she so desperately needed.

"Please wake up soon, Onii-chan. We can't stay here forever." Alice sobbed as she clenched her eyes tight, remaining there as raindrops began to sprinkle down, soon picking up to the point it was yet another rainstorm.

Meanwhile, Kraven entered the Hunter's lair after transferring Marcus and Noah to Shidou's hideout, being instructed by Shidou himself to do so. His yellow eyes looked around the warehouse for any signs of life, brushing the rain off of himself before taking another step.

"Hello? Where the fuck is everyone?" Kraven questioned as he looked around for the Hunters that were normally preparing for a hunt or returning from one.

"Guess everyone must be out." Kraven pondered as he was expecting somebody to be here to greet him, seeing how they were the ones who called him in the first place. It didn't take long before he lost his patience.

Lightning struck in the distance, and in the brief flash, Kraven realized he wasn't alone after all. His hands quickly unsheathed the katanas on his back, clattering in the darkness as he realized the Hunters were closer than he thought.

"So it's come to this? I should've known you cowards would pull a fast one on us." Kraven growled as he could hear the sound of metal chains rattling against the cold concrete floor he stood on.

Suddenly, all the lights to the warehouse turned on, momentarily blinding Kraven long enough to where two Hunters could lash out at him with chains, constricting his movement as both arms were now constricted.

"RELEASE ME!" Kraven demanded as he roared out viciously at the several Hunters before him. Both his swords dropped to the ground with a loud *clang*.

"Not a chance. After much discussion and planning, we decided that you'd be a part of the great hunt that is to come. Unfortunately, you'll be the hunted for this scenario, once we collect the other two of course." announced a raspy yet powerful voice standing before Kraven as he struggled against his chains like a ferocious animal.

His hair was black with a few strands of grey in them. He had orange eyes that resembled that of a true predator, which were backed up by his extremely powerful looking body despite his age. Scars could be seen along his forearms and shins while the rest of his body was covered by protective armor made entirely of forged scrap metal.

"Orion... You'll pay dearly for this! Mark my words!" Kraven vowed as he then stopped struggling against the chains, watching as the surrounding Hunters began to move in to restrain him.

"We'll see, Kraven. We'll just see. Restrain him." Orion responded as he walked back to sit on his makeshift throne. The bones of the hunted decorated the wooden chair he comfortably sat in when looking over his group, clearly branding himself as a patriarchal figure.

Kraven cried out in agonizing pain as he was jabbed with a cattle prod, feeling his body being overtaken by the numbness that followed.

Again and again he would be jabbed and beaten with the painful device. But not once did he give in. Every step of the way, Kraven fought back and continued to defy the Hunter's dominating will.

"You will make an excellent trophy when this is all over." Orion commented as he enjoyed watching Kraven being tortured like a helpless child.

"N-no!" Kraven shouted out in a last ditch effort as he gripped one of the chains, pulling with all his remaining strength.

**{Matrix OST - Burly Brawl}**

One of the Hunters holding the chains was flung towards him like a rag doll. The Hunter besides Kraven raised the cattle prod, ready to bring Kraven down to his knees.

However, Kraven anticipated this and countered it by wrapping the loose chain around the Hunter's arm until he had no more control over it.

*Snap*

The Hunter cried out in pain as Kraven snapped his arm out to the point bone could be seen sticking out of the devastating wound.

Kraven kicked the incapacitated man aside only to be pulled back by his other restrained arm. He turned his head over only to see three Hunters were now effectively pulling him back while more Hunters rushed in with non-lethal weapons to bring Kraven down. It was quite clear that they wanted to keep him alive. Unfortunately for them, Kraven did not share the same sentiments.

He began to twist and turn, narrowly dodging the various objects swung at him. Kraven kicked forward, sending the nearest Huntress back as he then ducked below a set of brass knuckles directed for his face.

While he was ducking low, the three Hunters restraining him pulled at the perfect moment, causing Kraven to loose his balance and disgracefully dragged beneath the many Hunters and Huntresses around him who took pride in kicking him as he went along the hard concrete floor.

In a sudden burst of energy entirely fueled by his rage, Kraven managed to spin around with his legs extended out, just effective enough to kick everyone around him back while he got onto his feet.

Sweat trickled down his face, as he then knew there was only one way he would have any chance at taking these crazed yet skilled survivors on and live to tell about it. He needed to grab at least one of his blades.

In a powerful tug, Kraven yanked the three Hunters pulling him back forward. Sparing no time to waste he dashed forward only to be pulled back by the determined Hunters that were the only thing keeping him from tearing into the rest of the Hunter's.

"Nearly there!" Kraven groaned to himself, as his fingertips were mere inches away from the handle on one of his blades. The now recovered Hunters moved in to intercept him for a quick takedown. Their sheer numbers would prove more than enough to bring him down if he was unable to reach it in time.

Kraven's entire face was turning dark red as it felt like his head was going to pop from the intense strain. With no time left, he held his breath and just barely grasped the handle of a katana.

***Wa-ching* **

In a single swipe, the chain holding his right arm back was completely disconnected. The three Hunters holding him back all fell over backwards as Kraven was now completely unrestricted. A wicked grin formed along his face as he stepped back with the first blade raised high.

In a matter of five seconds, Kraven impaled two Hunters in a single stab. When he ripped the blade out, effectively shredding their innards, he then decapitated them both before slicing the throat of another that attempted to swing a cattle prod at him. Blood began to paint the walls and floor around him as he cut down attempt after attempt.

"Enough of this! The hunt is on now!" Orion called out, giving his group the signal to use lethal weapons now.

Kraven knew that even with his swords back, he'd only last a few seconds against the Hunters using guns and arrows. He quickly snatched his second blade before dashing towards a window.

***Smash* **

Kraven daringly jumped through, breaking the glass that cut into his uncovered arms and cheeks, leaving a trail of blood as he retreated into the streets crawling with Them, using the infected to cover his tracks while the Hunters merely waited back at their lair, wanting to catch all three of their targets at once.

Back in the house Takashi's group had found, the survivors spent most of their free time fortifying the building when not searching for Alice out in the ruins of Tokonosu.

Windows were secured with iron bars, the door was heavily reinforced with a far more secure one, and an empty bookcase was tipped over and used to store any spare ammunition and weapons found.

While everyone was downstairs trying to cook up a decent meal from what little food they could scrounge up, Saeko sat alone in her room, meditating deep in thought, trying to calm her mind with peaceful thoughts with each deep breath taken.

"Enough of the huffing and puffing already. You'll put me to sleep." announced an all to familiar voice to her.

"Frasier?" Saeko questioned as her eyes began to shift around the room, desperate in search for the source of the voice.

"Who else? I'm all you've got now. After the way Takashi disgraced you before everyone and devalued you, I'm surprised you choose to stick around with these guys." Frasier's voice commented in a somewhat disappointed tone.

"It's a group effort. Without them, I would've lost it out there on my own. Without you to be there for me, I was crumbling deep down." Saeko explained as she looked down in a painful remembrance. A painful pinch formed in her chest when she thought of Frasier becoming one of Them during the outbreaks.

"Don't give me that! Without you, they wouldn't survive a day out in the new world!" Frasier suddenly snapped out, being quick to correct Saeko.

"But that's not entirely true. Khota has proven to be quite useful with the guns we've collected." Saeko brought up, certain they'd need him as well.

"Very true, at least until he runs out of ammunition. Then what? He can't swing a sword like you can. Once the bullets are gone, he's just as useless as the rest of them." Frasier questioned before complimenting her.

Saeko however remained silent. She was unable to find the proper answer for his question. Her head hung low as she began to see how bad things would or could've been without her.

"Come with me, Saeko. You don't need these people anymore. It will just be you and I, the way it was always meant to be." Frasier suggested in a dead-serious tone that sounded too good to be true for Saeko at this point.

"I couldn't do that to them. I like these people, and I don't want to just abandon them after all we've gone through. They'd fall apart within days if not hours." Saeko explained despite her mind second-guessing what to do.

"Oh, bullshit, Saeko! You honestly expect me to believe you still LIKE these people? Even after the way they've treated you? Using you to do all of the up close fighting and keeping their hands clean? Or how Takashi picked Rei over you like it was some contest?" Frasier asked, his words inadvertently tearing into Saeko's heart.

"I don't know…maybe you're right...but even if I wanted to...how would I find you? How do I know you...the real you...is even alive?" Saeko questioned as she was now considering leaving the group to join up with Frasier.

"Everyone saw me on the security tapes didn't they? I'm certain that's a clear indication I'm still kicking it. Just keep your eyes sharp and your blade sharper." Frasier responded as his voice became more and more distant from Saeko.

"No! Come back...please don't leave me again." Saeko begged as she began to burst into tears, hating the feeling of being abandoned by him once again.

Suddenly, the door to her room swung wide open. Saeko immediately wiped her eyes off and turned around to see Rei standing before her.

"Hey…you need something?" Saeko questioned as she remained on her knees, looking over at the concerned Rei.

"Yeah... Is everything all right? Who exactly were you talking to just now?" Rei asked as she walked over and sat besides Saeko to see if everything was truly okay.

"Why do you care? Shouldn't you be with HIM?" Saeko responded in a somewhat venomous tone, clearly wanting to avoid talking about herself.

"Well…I actually kinda wanted to talk to you about that. You see…I'm sorry it went down the way it did, and I wish things could've been smoother than they were." Rei explained, only for Saeko to shoot her a sideways glare, clearly showing some very hard feelings were still there.

"Look, Saeko…I understand what you must be feeling right now. I may even just be wasting my breath right now, but regardless, I'm going to say what I need to say just so that you'll at least know what my feelings are on this whole thing. Afterwards, you can go ahead and hate me as much as you want. Even though you may hate my guts right now, I want you to know that over the past few days, I've come to cherish the bond that I've formed with you along with everyone else."

"You see, even though there may have been times before when I was jealous of you, almost to the point that I hated you, it was only because I was afraid you were trying to take Takashi away from me. I felt that if you took him, I'd be all alone again."

"On the first day when this all happened, my boyfriend, Hisashi, was bitten, and when he died, Takashi was the one to put him down when I couldn't. I felt so helpless and alone, and Takashi ended up being there for me when nobody else could have been. I felt safe with him, and that need for emotional support and comfort ended up making me see you as some kind of obstacle."

"But as the days went by, while I may not have ever really shown it, I began to gain some serious respect for you, not only as a fighter, but as a person. I used to think you thought you were superior to the rest of us just because you were the best fighter among us, but I've come to realize now that you're nothing like that. You don't act like you're above us; you treat all of us with the utmost respect, just as we do with you. I know that you're a very kind, caring person, even if you may seem like you want to hide that part of you, as if we'd think less of you if you didn't. But really, that couldn't be any further from the truth."

"I personally think more of you because you're a good person at heart, and that just makes me feel worse for acting so hostile towards you before. I hate the fact that I caused you this kind of emotional pain by forcing Takashi to choose like I did. In a time like this, we need each other in order to survive, and acting like a jealous child like I did doesn't help anyone. So I'll say it again, I'm sorry about hurting you like I did, Saeko. I don't want us to be enemies…in fact, this may sound crazy after what had just happened, but…I hope there could be a point somewhere down the road, where we could even be…friends."

Rei stopped at that moment, to see if any of what she had just poured out from her heart had reached the swordswoman at all. For the first few moments, Saeko continued to stare straight ahead out the window, as if she hadn't listened at all. But then, she slowly started to turn her head in Rei's direction, and what she saw, she had never expected, even despite what she had just told her.

For the very first time since they'd first met, Rei actually saw Saeko crying, at least as much as someone like her could at the moment. A single tear was running down Saeko's face as she made direct eye contact with Rei.

At first when Rei had started to talk, Saeko didn't want to hear any of it, as if she'd wanted to just hold onto her burning anger for as long as she could. But as she had continued, more and more of what she was saying had started to get through to her, and soon her anger had quickly died out and was instead turning into a kind of happiness that was bringing tears to her eyes.

It was true. Deep down, Saeko felt that if she ever showed anything other than her toughened warrior side to her fellow survivors, it would make her look weak. At the same time, she didn't want to scare them off by seeming unsocial or impolite, so she always did her best to be as respectful as she could be, just as her father had taught her throughout her life. To hear that she wasn't being looked down upon for showing her less violent side brought a kind of relief that Saeko didn't even realize she desperately needed at the time.

She could actually feel her heart beginning to warm up again as she listened to her once-considered rival confessing her heartfelt sympathy and respectful feelings to her. Soon, this unexpected pouring out of emotions proved just too much, and Saeko soon felt as if her life in this post-apocalyptic world had just gotten that much easier to deal with, knowing that she now had someone new to consider as a true friend to rely on.

As Saeko looked at Rei, she slowly brought a hand up, wiping the tears from her eyes as a warm, respectful smile slowly spread across her lips.

"I'd like that, Rei. I really would." Saeko finally replied, watching as Rei's face brightened up to know that Saeko was actually accepting her apologies.

"I'm glad, Saeko. I don't want some stupid, petty little drama to put a rift between us, especially after everything we've gone through together. So…friends?" Rei explained in a genuine and caring voice before asking Saeko if she still wanted to be considered friends with her, even extending her arm to her with her pinkie finger raised.

Saeko looked at Rei as she made this childish gesture to her and tried to restrain a giggle as she locked her pinkie finger with hers.

"Friends." Saeko responded with a smile before looking out the window to see Takashi and Khota were setting up something in the front yard.

Rei stood besides her, looking at her expression as she stared out the window. Saeko looked less like she was watching Takashi and Khota, and more like she was deep in thought about something.

"Is something on your mind?" Rei asked curiously as Saeko just glanced at her to show she acknowledged her question.

"Yes…I just need a little time to myself to think things through." Saeko replied as she continued to stare out at the expanse of the city that stood before them.

"Mind telling me about it, friend?" Rei questioned with curious intent in her voice.

"I'm just thinking about someone from my past. I don't want to go into detail right now, but he'd certainly be able to keep this group safe from Them and any other nut jobs we encounter." Saeko explained as she then went to exit the room with Rei not too far behind her.

"Really? Why haven't you ever mentioned him before?" Rei asked as she walked with Saeko down the hallway on the second story.

"It's personal. Now please, Rei, let's just leave it at that for now." Saeko answered, wanting to keep her more personal matters secret from the rest of their group at the moment.

"Well...all right, I guess. Just be careful, okay? We should really be focusing on finding Alice right now." Rei explained as they were both now entering the kitchen to see Saya and Shizuka preparing to head out into the rain.

"Ah, good, you're both here. We're going to search for Alice again in five minutes so be ready." Saya instructed as if she wasn't going to take no for an answer. Clearly nothing else mattered more to her than finding Alice.

Hours after his battle with the Hunters, Frasier soon awoke to find himself resting beneath a car. His gaze slowly turned over to see Alice using his jacket as a blanket as she had his left arm over her.

"Psst. Wake up!" Frasier whispered in a hiss, gently nudging Alice to wake up from her rough yet tranquil slumber.

At first Alice was slow to react, but when she saw that Frasier wasn't dead after all, a massive sense of joy overtook the little girl.

"Onii-chan! You're alive!" Alice exclaimed gleefully as she held into him tight.

"Stop calling me that already. It doesn't feel right since we aren't blood." Frasier requested before he realized he could've said that better than he just did.

He looked down to see Alice had a devastated look on her face, completely heartbroken at what he just said. Tears instantly began to well up in Alice's eyes as she looked away sadly.

"Christ... What I meant was: Don't call me that, because only my little brothers should call me that. I'd rather you call me by my first name, okay? It's just what I'm used to back home." Frasier corrected as he watched Alice brushing her wet face off.

"Oh... I didn't know. I'm sorry about that." Alice apologized as she then just rested her head against Frasier's scratched up body armor.

"Don't worry about it, I should've been nicer about it. I guess I'm just pissed off about everything else. I'm sorry, Alice." Frasier explained as he then looked around to see his crossbow and machete were still in his possession.

"It's okay. So can we get out of here? I don't like being under cars. It's stinky." Alice requested as she then clenched her nose with her fingertips.

"Yeah, just let me clear out any of Them before you get out." Frasier instructed as he then rolled out from beneath the car with the crossbow in hand.

After rolling out, he quickly sat up only to see that all the infected had moved on, leaving little to no trace as to where they could've gone. Frasier let out a sigh of relief as he then motioned Alice to follow him.

"C'mon, lets get you out of this damn rain." Frasier said as he jogged at Alice's running pace.

"Ohhhh, you said a bad word! You'll need to put money in a swear jar, mister potty-mouth!" Alice commented as they entered through an alleyway system.

"Oh, so Marcus and Noah get to swear, but I don't?" Frasier asked, pretending to be insulted.

"You're the biggest, though. You're supposed to be setting an example." Alice replied with a teasing smile, causing Frasier to roll his eyes amusedly.

"Fair enough. Put it on my tab." Frasier playfully responded before he checked his corners like he was trained to, expecting resistance at every step they took.

Suddenly, multiple gunshots could be heard through the pitter-patter of the pouring rain. Frasier motioned Alice to stop as he began to listen in on the sound of infected groans being silenced by a series of headshots.

"Alice!" Saya's voice shouted out between gunshots.

"Frasier? Is that my group? I think it's my group!" Alice questioned with a burst of excitement to finally be reunited with them once more.

"Not sure, let me check." Frasier ordered as his heart began to race at the thought of it being more Hunters.

Frasier just stood there in the alley, keeping Alice close to him. He slowly peered around the corner to see another group wandering about in the rain, trying to locate something or someone.

He couldn't recognize three of them, but he could certainly identify Shizuka, Khota, and Saeko. A sharp stinging pain pierced his heart the moment he noticed Saeko there. Surges of jealousy and regret then began to hit him where it hurt most.

"Well? Is it them?" Alice whispered, her little feet tapping, anxious for an answer.

"Yeah, it's them alright." Frasier replied softly, looking down at the smile that formed across her face the moment he confirmed her hopes to be true.

"Then what are we waiting for? Lets go!" Alice announced, barely keeping quiet about things.

She began to roughly tug at his hand, trying to drag him out of the filthy alleyway. When he didn't budge an inch, she stopped pulling to look back at him.

"What's wrong? Is everything okay?" Alice asked out of concern, noticing a look of hurt forming across his otherwise stone cold face.

"I'm fine... you go out there first, Alice. They might think I'm holding you hostage or something. I'll wait back here." Frasier said convincingly, knowing he couldn't be honest with her.

"Oh... all right. I'll go get them!" Alice announced as she sprinted out of the alley and into the open street.

With her footsteps echoing out, feet splashing in the puddles, it didn't take long for the group to notice Alice running at full speed towards them.

"Alice! Hey, guys! It's Alice!" Rei announced aloud for everyone to hear, practically ecstatic to see the little girl unharmed.

Saya immediately sprinted past the rest of the group in tears, dropping to her knees as she wrapped her arms tightly around Alice, never wanting to let go of the innocent child she had become so accustomed to.

"Munchkin! Thank God you're all right! Where have you been?! I told you to stay put!" Saya scolded, angry with Alice for disobeying specific instructions, yet beyond relieved to see she was all right.

"I know, but a nice group found and rescued me. Some of them even know you guys already!" Alice answered, showing that she was sorry for her disobedience.

"They do huh? Where are they?" Takashi asked out of suspicion, unsure if this was a good thing or not.

"Well, they're split up right now. But the one in charge is just in that alley." Alice explained, turning around to point at the alleyway from earlier.

"Hey you. Come out nice and slow. We know you're there." Takashi called out, his voice carrying through the wind.

However, no response was given in return. Nobody called back or walked out from the alleyway. Everybody then looked down at Alice, unsure if what she said now was true.

"No one is there, Alice." Saya noted, raising an eyebrow to the now confused child.

"I don't think he can hear us. Come on, I'll show you guys!" Alice announced, running out of Saya's arms and towards the alleyway.

"Alice, wait!" Rei called out as the group ran after her, not wanting to risk her being split off from them again.

They watched as the little girl stopped at the entrance to the alley. She just stood there, tears beginning to form in her soft, innocent, purple eyes.

"No! Where is he? He said he'd be right here!" Alice sobbed to herself in a saddened tone, nervously looking around for any signs of Frasier.

"Alice, nobody is there." Shizuka explained as she placed her hand on Alice's shoulder.

"He said he would be here!" Alice shouted out in a painful cry, now full on crying, as she felt somewhat betrayed.

"Who said they would be here?" Shizuka questioned as she kneeled down besides the little girl.

"Was it this person in the photo?" Saeko asked, showing the picture of Frasier she secretly kept in her bra most of the time.

Alice nodded her head, slowly trying to wipe her tears away with her soaking wet sleeve. Saeko let out a soft sigh of relief and began to walk through the alley to search for any clues she could find of his whereabouts.

"We should keep moving; take some time to recuperate at the safe house and think of the next place to go." Takashi ordered, motioning his group to follow him.

One by one, the group followed him away from the alley, everyone but Saeko that is. Rei turned around to see Saeko was still searching for clues.

"Saeko, what are you waiting for? We should go." Rei announced to the distracted sword wielder, concerned as to what it could've been that had grabbed her friend's attention.

"You guys go on ahead. I'll catch up later. I'm going after him." Saeko replied, her sudden defiance causing everyone to turn back. Takashi walked up to her, somewhat irritated by all this.

"What are you doing? We have Alice, now let's get back to the safe house and plan out our next move." Takashi repeated, angered at her for disobeying orders.

"I need to find him, Takashi. This is a personal thing, all right? Besides, it's not like you cared about me anyways." Saeko replied in a spiteful tone.

"Alright, just be careful." Takashi requested in an overly concerned voice as he began to walk away with everyone else, slowly taking Rei's hand along the way. Rei hesitated at first, watching Saeko concernedly before she was forced to follow everyone else back to their safe house.

Saeko let out a sigh of disgust, wishing Takashi would just leave her alone. It was bad enough he was the reason her pride was shattered and disgraced before the group she could now call her family.

After calming her mind, she then examined the alley once more, managing to find a light trail of boot prints leading to a door to one of the nearby buildings.

She began to follow it until it led her into a clothing store. She slowly looked around, scanning the area for any signs of life.

"Frasier? You there?" Saeko whispered, wishing for some sort of reply from him.

Unfortunately, the only sound to reply was the sound of the freezing cold winds breezing by a busted store window. Saeko slightly shivered in her raincoat, rubbing her hands together for warmth. She then wandered through the front doors to see multiple infected corpses wandering about.

Saeko slightly grinned to herself as she reached for the handle of her katana. There was nothing more satisfying than plunging her blade into the skulls of the infected, to be the decider between life and death.

In a single dash, she managed to decapitate three infected. The bodies dropped and slumped over in the streets as their heads rolled around in the gutters.

"Saeko..." two voices muttered from a distance, watching the swordswoman fight the undead with a burning passion to kill.

The sound of steel slicing through flesh and bone sent shots of adrenaline through her veins. The rush and excitement fulfilled her twisted hunger. Her eyes widened as she impaled an infected man on her katana. She took a moment to gaze into its lifeless white eyes.

It let out a weak groan with its putrid jaws wide open. Saeko replied by letting out a sigh of satisfaction. Afterwards, she took a step back, pulling the blade out only to swipe it in a horizontal swing. The cold steel split the head perfectly, the top half flying aside as the rest just crumbled to the ground like a rag doll.

Saeko could then hear footsteps approaching from behind. It couldn't have been infected because of how smooth the sound pattern was. Saeko smiled and turned around in hopes of seeing Frasier standing before her.

However, it was Kraven that approached. Saeko instantly went for her blade but Kraven was already on the attack. He slapped the butt of the handle out of her hand, the blade  
>flung aside, skidding across the pavement.<p>

His strong hand then gripped her neck and hoisted her up in the air. Saeko gasped for air as Kraven's deranged yellow eyes met her crystal blue ones.

"I'm so glad I was able to find you, Saeko. Once I finish squeezing the life out of you, I'll be able to find Frasier and finish what I started. Too bad you won't be there to see it." Kraven taunted as Saeko desperately tried to kick and struggle out of his death grip. Kraven however stood there like a statue, unhindered by the desperate attacks.

Kraven let out a taunting laugh before gripping tighter. Saeko felt her lungs burning as her throat closed up. Tears filled her eyes as her face began to turn red from lack of oxygen.

"Goodbye, Saeko!" Kraven announced, confident that she would die here and now, ready to increase his grip to the point Saeko wouldn't survive for more than a few seconds.

Just as Saeko had felt it was over, a black combat boot suddenly swung around and smashed against Kraven's jaw. His hand instantly released Saeko as he rolled hard against the solid pavement. Saeko fell to her knees coughing and gasping for air.

As she rubbed her neck, she looked up to see the real Frasier and not some hallucination standing in front with his back turned to her, both arms crossed over the other. Her heart began to race as she admired him for saving her, despite it nearly being too late.

"Ah, Frasier. So nice of you to join us." Kraven grinned as he wiped the blood from his mouth off.

"You'll spill no Busujima blood this day." Frasier announced firmly as he stood against Kraven, his eyes never blinking once.

"Frasier..." Saeko thought to herself as she realized something was different about him. His combat stance wasn't an offensive stance as usual. This time it was a defensive stance.

"So how will we do things now?" Kraven questioned as he began to pace back and forth in the street like a wild animal stalking its prey.

"Your fight is with me now. Saeko is no longer of your concern." Frasier replied; making it clear he was disappointed by Saeko's failure to even fight back.

Saeko looked away, disgraced once more. She hated herself for being so reckless, foolhardy, and distracted by emotions. Suicide was even beginning to cross her mind now.

When she looked back, she saw Frasier grip Kraven's oncoming punch. When Kraven threw his other fist Frasier caught it and refused to let go. Both were at a stand off now. The only sounds they made were grunts and growls of anger that echoed throughout the streets.

Saeko slowly grabbed her sword and propped herself back up with it. She walked over towards Frasier and Kraven. Watching the two struggling for the alpha male title, settling their old score. All she could think of was killing Kraven and proving herself to Frasier in hopes of some redemption.

She raised her arm high, ready to bring the blade down upon Kraven's skull. However, a low, familiar, groan echoed throughout the streets. All three turned to see not one, not two, not twenty, but over a hundred infected corpses limping towards them.

"That's a lot of bodies. Well I guess I'll just have to kill you guys another-" Kraven announced as he began to head the opposite direction only to be interrupted by the sight of another fifty or so approaching from the other end of the street.

"We're surrounded." Saeko whispered as she looked around for an exit route.

Both Kraven and Saeko had looks of uncertainty on their faces. Frasier, however, had a slight smirk on his face.

"Why the hell are you laughing?!" Kraven snarled as he gripped Frasier's collar.

"Only a hundred slow, stupid, infected corpses that are scattered apart? If we work together-" Frasier questioned before trying to suggest something.

"Oh no! I'm not going to help you assholes. I'd rather let the infected get me before that." Kraven interrupted, barely maintaining a silent hush.

"Suit yourself, that just means you don't get to kill us then." Frasier said with a smirk on his face.

Kraven stopped to think things over, conflicted by the thought of helping them or letting something that wasn't him end his two rivals lives. He eventually gave up and let out a sigh of defeat.

"Here." Kraven said to Frasier, tossing him one of the two katanas he drew out.

Frasier caught the handle, observing the blade before looking back at Kraven with a raised eyebrow.

"Your little machete won't cut it. If we're to win, we all need to be equal in terms of power and equipment." Kraven explained, watching as Saeko stood before them smiling.

"I'll take the lead. Try and keep up, you two." Saeko ordered as all three began to stand in a triangle formation. Their hands held the blades at the same angle; their breathing became slow as their eyes closed to focus themselves.


	25. Act 9: New Blood Part 1

**Act 9: New Blood Part 1 **

**Tokonosu City, Japan**

**Z-Day+10**

**{HoTD OST - Track 4}**

In the center of the closing horde, Saeko, Kraven, and Frasier all stood at the ready. Eyes remained closed while their breathing began to synchronize in a deep, yet tranquil harmony. The elite training they received from Master Busujima would now dictate their every move for this rare unity.

All the katanas were poised at the exact same angle, the trio of warriors managing to stay entirely focused despite being severely outnumbered by Them. The infected slowly drew closer and closer with each passing moment.

"Remember all three steps. Fight as one!" Master Busujima's voice echoed in their minds.

The thunderstorm reached its high point as the freezing cold rain pattered against the warm skin of the three survivors; thunder booming in the distance, creating an ultimate backdrop for them.

"ONE!" All three shouted in a ferocious roar when the closest of the undead reached out for them, then the mighty three suddenly slashed forward within the blink of an eye.

All of the infected in front stood there motionless at first. Their rotten jaws dropped to release the standard groan only to suddenly split in two, right down the center, entrails slowly falling out of place. Tainted blood gushed out into the streets only to be washed away by the rain.

"TWO!" they shouted as they began to slowly walk forward, Frasier and Kraven copying Saeko's exact movements just as she did them.

The three blades in their hands would slice in all directions at lightning fast speed, steel cutting through the infected flesh so quickly the blood had little to no time to attach onto it. All the infected before them were cut down by what appeared to be a seismic wave of energy being directed from the three sword wielders, the water on the ground forming waves when the shock waves went by.

Separated, they would've simply been screaming into the wind, but their combined efforts were powerful enough to manipulate the very air itself. Body after body dropped in their path of destruction, but eventually the infected from behind caught up to them.

"Get ready to split up." Saeko instructed as all of them stopped in their tracks, suddenly swiping their blood soaked blades outwards.

Everything suddenly slowed down around them. The raindrops casually moved at a decreased speed as Frasier, Saeko, and Kraven all felt their hearts beating at a low pace. A small gust of wind swept by, sending chills down all their spines.

"You and your girlfriend try and keep up." Kraven teased as his eyes singled out targets.

"Not my girlfriend." Frasier grumbled in response, wishing deep down that he could've been wrong about it.

Saeko gripped her handle tighter as she was only fueled by the intense passion to slay the undead with no mercy, and even less remorse. She then grinned when an opening could be seen.

The infected nearby appeared to be frozen in place as some were slowly reaching towards the trio, their grey fingers twitching in anticipation

"THREE!" all of them shouted to one another, time flowing normally again for them as they dashed in opposite directions. All the infected corpses within the circle instantly began falling to pieces from the sudden force.

Saeko sprinted into a crowd, her body never once stopping. With simple flicks of the wrists, her katana would seamlessly decapitate entire packs at once. Her feet dashed across the soaking wet street, managing to keep her balance as she performed with perfect finesse.

Her dark side was being released more and more with each kill she claimed. The blade in her hands waved through the air, the grey flesh being cut like warm butter. Saeko's eyes widened, her entire body trembling with vibes of pleasure with each stroke of the sword.

Frasier and Kraven soon became overwhelmed by the infected they were tasked with, their bodies still somewhat drained by their individual encounter with the Hunters earlier.

It wasn't long until they were back to back, defending one another whenever the other showed weakness, taking all of their willpower to not strike out at one another when given the perfect opportunity.

"Kraven, we may be allies now, but after this, I'm going to tear you limb from limb for what you did." Frasier commented as he felt his body surging with rage and adrenaline from his blood rush.

"I'm looking forward to it. Bring your girlfriend with you so we can get it all out of the way." Kraven responded enthusiastically as he then punched one of Them across the face, quickly plunging his sword down its throat, enjoying the sound of it gargling on the tip of the blade.

"For the last time, she's not my girlfriend! Will you just shut the fuck up?!" Frasier shouted out in anger, unable to keep himself concentrated with the thought of Saeko being with someone else, his own insecurities getting the better of him.

"You expect me to believe that? I remember the way you guys looked at each other back in the old days." Kraven announced, instantly catching Saeko's attention as she listened in on them while fighting.

"Just shut up and kill Them!" Frasier shouted as he sprinted towards a line of Them.

The enraged teen kept his blade held out to the side, using only momentum and sheer force to cut the infected legs off. Torso after torso landed on the ground with a *plop*, the legs falling over backwards as the upper halves would try to crawl onwards.

Saeko noticed the clever tactic then began to run in his path to join with Frasier in battle. She held the blade down low at the perfect angle, the steel sword cutting into the mutilated infected that Frasier ever so kindly left behind him.

When Frasier turned around for a second run, he had a look of surprise to see Saeko chasing after him. He noticed how her eyes were wide open and was visibly taking pleasure in killing Them.

"Damn." Frasier thought to himself as just stood there, watching as Saeko suddenly stopped before him, her sword going past his face.

"Uugghhh." an infected corpse groaned from behind Frasier before it was killed from Saeko's sudden stab.

"Good to see you're sharp as ever." Saeko commented before watching Frasier's eyes meet hers, a soft blush overtaking her face as she missed seeing his gaze meeting hers. His arm suddenly extended out past her face only to impale an infected woman standing behind her.

"I'm glad to see you've made it this far. Hope you plan on surviving this." Frasier responded as they both spun around, mangling the two corpses they had at the ends of their katanas.

A geyser of blood splashed around them, both survivors looking at one another. Instead of seeing a monster only capable of destruction and pain, they simply saw someone suffering from the same curse that made it hard to feel human afterwards.

'H-he has that spark as well?' Saeko thought to herself as she could see the fire raging in Frasier's eyes.

"That look... It can't be!" Frasier muttered as he could see the thrill from Saeko's expression.

"Feel free to help any time!" Kraven shouted from where he stood, leaping back as an entire row of infected lunged for him.

Saeko and Frasier broke out of their trance to aide their temporary ally, both feeling somewhat closer knowing that the other had inner demons within.

"TOGETHER!" all of them roared out in a last ditch effort, charging towards the remaining infected, and all three with looks of pure bliss on their faces, feeling their bodies cringe and twitch with unearthly pleasure whenever adding a new kill to their record.

**{}**

Minutes later, the elite trio stood side by side, each one gasping for air after such tremendous output of energy and pent up feelings. The streets and nearby buildings were covered in the bloody remains of the infected that dared to attack them. Organs and entrails began to pile up in bundles from the flowing rainwater while the blood slowly washed away.

"That was..." Kraven began to comment as he bent over to balance on his knees, slowly taking deep breaths.

"Interesting?" Frasier questioned as he held Kraven's spare sword out to let the rainwater cleanse the blade of tainted blood.

"Amazing?" Saeko added, brushing the soaking wet hair out of her face to see Frasier before her. Her cheeks turned red as she couldn't help but adore him, slaying the undead with the same intense vibe she had, feeling more than certain that they were meant to be together now.

"All of the above." Kraven replied with a smirk, holding his hand out to Frasier for his weapon back.

Frasier looked at the blade then to Kraven. There was great hesitation in his mind. There was no telling if Kraven would try anything funny with him the moment he returned the blade to his nemesis.

But before he came to a conclusion, Saeko suddenly grabbed the handle, taking the blade from him only to set it into Kraven's hands.

"Relax. I think Kraven can hold off on killing us for a moment." Saeko gambled, turning her head back to Frasier with a warm smile on her face, completely taking her eyes off of Kraven.

Kraven suddenly gripped one blade and held it up to backstab Saeko, knowing he could easily take Frasier if she was out of the picture.

However, Frasier saw this coming from a mile away. He dashed forward and shoved Saeko aside only to let out an anguished shout of pain as the tip of Kraven's blade cut right through the sports armor and into his shoulder.

Saeko reached out and pulled Frasier down by his collar, blood dropping from the tip of the weapon. While the blade slid out his shoulder, Kraven swiped his other blade against the back of Frasier's right leg. The tip of the steel blade made short work of the navy blue jeans, leaving a nasty cut in his leg.

Kraven let out a low laugh of victory as he stood over both his enemies, ready to plunge his blade straight down and kill both of them at once.

With one last ounce of strength left, Frasier quickly pushed off of Saeko and threw his good leg back into Kraven's groin. Kraven grunted in pain as his blade swerved away from them, planting into the cement ground. Frasier then spun around to hit with a single palm strike in the chest.

Kraven coughed up blood, as it felt like his ribs had all been shoved back an inch. His lungs felt like they had been completely decompressed of air. He gasped for what little air he could maintain before grabbing his blades and making a hasty retreat, leaving Frasier and Saeko alone at last, the rain and thunder going strong as ever.

With the imminent threat gone, Frasier dropped to one knee, holding his shoulder and wounded leg. His breath became heavy and winded.

When Saeko saw the blood, she immediately rushed to Frasier's aide. She kneeled down and placed her soft hand on his back, trying to see how deep the cuts were.

"Oh my god! Frasier... I-I'm so sorry! Let me see your wounds!" Saeko demanded, shaken by seeing him so badly wounded over her.

"Get off of me! I can handle it!" Frasier scorned, barely able to push himself back up onto his feet. His legs wobbled and trembled at first, but he soon managed to walk with a bad limp.

Saeko stood up and walked at an approachable distance from him. She kept her hands out, ready to brace Frasier if he were to fall again.

He began to groan and curse under his breath. His vision dazed for a moment. The wounded leg gave out, causing him to fall over onto the sidewalk, water splashing everywhere from the puddle he landed in.

Saeko once again tried to help him up. Frasier immediately responded by trying to brush her off of him, his strength fading away so fast he barely managed to look over at her.

"Go away. I don't need you. I don't need anyone!" Frasier growled, venom seeping into his words as Saeko tried to hold her tears back.

"I'm just trying to help you..." Saeko replied in a somewhat apologetic voice.

"Help?! You think giving that maniac his weapon back was help? Or how you were foolish enough to let your guard down... twice?!" Frasier roared out before he suddenly felt a stinging sensation in his cheek.

Saeko had given him a hard slap across his face, causing him to become silent from the shock. Saeko then gripped his collar and made him look her straight in the eyes.

"Listen! I'm not taking 'no' for an answer. You're hurt and slowly bleeding out. I'll be damned if you end up dying over your uncalled for anger against me! I don't know why you're being so negative to me... I know I screwed up, but let me make it up to you. Frasier, you're all I have now..." Saeko roared back, her voice slowly becoming more gentle and concerned at the end.

Frasier looked into her burning blue eyes, knowing every word she meant was true. He knew it was pointless to waste what little energy he had left trying to protest against Saeko's help. If he were ever to see his brothers again, he'd have to put his petty jealousy aside for now.

"Take my hand?" Saeko then asked, lowering her hand to him.

"Okay... maybe I have been a little rough on you. Losing a lot of blood will do that to you." Frasier said in a softer tone, realizing he shouldn't chastise Saeko for trying to help him survive.

{Journey – Open Arms}

Frasier felt Saeko's back underneath his right arm. She slowly stood up, letting him use her as a brace to stand up. Then she took a small step forward, leading him onwards. Frasier slowly moved his wounded leg forward and winced at the sharp pain he felt.

Saeko however managed to keep him up on his feet so he wouldn't tumble over again. She smiled to herself when her hair began to cover her face. He may have been cold to her earlier, but his body was acting quite the opposite. The warmth it provided made her cheeks turn red, her heart began to pace faster and faster with each passing moment.

Every once in a while, she would look up at him to gaze off into his blue eyes. Saeko then remembered the first time she met him: that fateful day where she stood in her father's martial arts dojo. How he learned to fight just like her so easily, despite being foreign. Watching him fight and train his way to rival even her skills when it came to hand to hand combat.

Then she reminisced about how she had a crush on him ever since he fought Kraven in the dojo, just to protect even the lowest of the students.

Saeko snapped back into reality moments later, hoping he didn't notice her blatant staring. Last thing she needed to do was push him away any further.

Meanwhile, Frasier was thinking about that day they faced off in the ring at the martial arts tournament finals: the lights shining down upon them, the crowds of people watching as they battled, how she managed to beat him in combat, breaking his sense of invulnerability as well as his pride.

However, he didn't resent Saeko for beating him. If anything, he admired her for it. After that day, he always thought of Saeko, how she had managed to catch his attention when no other girl could at any point in his life, and how she had a fiery passion when she was fighting.

Suddenly, the cool, harsh winds blew against them. It caused a chill to go down Saeko's spine. She let out a soft gasp of distress, shivering underneath her rain outfit.

Frasier noticed this and took pity on her. He seamlessly moved closer to her body, pressing his back against her chest to let some of his heat transfer over to her. Saeko couldn't help but blush at what he was doing, despite the fact he was injured because of her.

"Frasier?" Saeko whispered into his ear softly, feeling his back jolt a bit for her warm breath going down the back if his neck.

"Y-yeah?" Frasier replied, his voice echoing throughout the streets as thunder crackled in the sky once more.

"Shhh. Our voices are going to be carried along the wind if we're too loud. Use your bedroom voice." Saeko said in a hush, her lips barely scraping against his ear lobe.

"Fair enough... Now what were you going to say?" Frasier replied, keeping his voice down now.

"I want to take a look at your wounds. You'll bleed out if we keep going like this." Saeko warned, spotting a nearby house they could use if nobody else inhabited it.

"I hate to admit it... but I think I'm done for." Frasier groaned softly, leaning against the brick wall as Saeko sliced the padlock off of the wooden gate.

"Don't give up so easily. You'll make it. You couldn't have lost that much blood already." Saeko said with denial in her voice, unable to even fathom the possibility of him dying.

"It's not how much blood I lose... it's what's in the blood. Kraven cut me with his blades." Frasier said, scanning the empty, abandoned rooms as Saeko tried to find a suitable place to set him down.

"So? He just cut you with... Oh God..." Saeko said in shock as they made their way up to the second floor, just now realizing that those blades were used to slice and carve up the infected moments before.

The likelihood of him being contaminated was very high right now. All it took was one drop of blood from the infected and it was game over for whoever allowed it to enter their bloodstream.

Saeko kicked in the door to the master bedroom, not even caring about alerting the infected that could be lurking inside. She gently set Frasier down on the large bed, his leaking blood seeping into the blankets and sheets underneath him.

"I'm going to need to remove your clothing." Saeko explained.

"Alright." Frasier replied, feeling lightheaded from the loss of blood, knowing that Saeko was going to do this whether he wanted her to or not.

He could see the concern and worry in her eyes as she pulled his shattered sports armor off bit by bit. Then she took off the blood drenched t-shirt, tossing it aside before pulling his jeans off in haste. Saeko turned a bright red as she took a split second to look at his body, barely covered up by his undergarments.

"How bad are they?" Frasier groaned as Saeko began to observe the two sword wounds.

"I'll need to stitch them up. Wait here." Saeko replied, quickly rushing off to go search the medicine cabinets in the bathroom.

She walked into the white tiled room and flung the small door wide open, rummaging through someone's medicine cabinet until she found exactly what she needed. She had a sad look of regret on her face though when she approached Frasier.

"Did you find anything?" Frasier asked, looking up at Saeko as she saw the color being drained from his face.

"There's good news and bad news." Saeko replied, sitting down besides him.

"The good news?" Frasier questioned, wanting to ease in for the bad news.

"I managed to find the tools needed to stitch you back up." Saeko answered softly as she looked at the slight smile forming along his face.

"And the bad news?" Frasier questioned, unsure what could make things any worse on him.

"I couldn't find any medicine that would act as an anesthetic or force you into slumber." Saeko answered, feeling hurt when she saw the look of terror on Frasier's face.

"So that means..." Frasier said as he began to put the pieces together.

"I'll have to stitch you up while you're awake and able to feel every moment of it." Saeko finished, hating the fact that to save his life she would have to hurt him immensely to do so.

"So be it. Just promise me this, Saeko." Frasier said in acceptance before he closed his eyes.

"What is it?" Saeko asked, looming over his figure.

"If I end up as one of Them... put me down... find Marcus and Noah... and protect them with your life." Frasier pleaded, desperately trying not to shed a tear before Saeko.

"I promise. You have my word." Saeko replied, sitting back to attach the surgical needle to the tiny thread.

"Do you even know how to do this?" Frasier questioned as Saeko mentally prepared herself to stitch up his leg.

"Shizuka taught me a thing or two before I left to find you." Saeko replied, sliding the needle under Frasier's skin.

His teeth began to grit as she pulled the thread through the pinhole she made in him. Both fists gripped the blood soaked sheets as Saeko made hole after hole. She noticed the intense discomfort when she looked at his face.

"It's okay to scream Frasier. I know this hurts you." Saeko said, almost speaking in a sadistic tone at the end.

"I... won't... scream... I... won't..." Frasier groaned, trying to fight the irresistible urge to yell until he could no more.

Frasier finally cried out, shouting not in pain but defiance. Every stroke of her wrist meant feeling another pin sized hole in his tender flesh.

Tears slowly formed up in Saeko's eyes, as she felt sick from it all. It broke her heart to be the one responsible for making him cry out like an injured animal, but deep down she knew this was for the best, to have him suffer just a bit more so he could live another day.

His body was soon nerve wracked from the experience to the point he couldn't even muster the energy to struggle or pull away. All he could do was lay there and feel every last bit of thread sealing his skin back up. Eventually his voice gave out and he could no longer scream in pain and misery.

"There we are." Saeko announced, letting out a massive sigh of relief, taking a moment to inspect her handy work, making sure she had patched him up appropriately.

"It's over?" Frasier questioned, unable to even lift his head up to meet her gaze.

"That was just your leg. We still have your shoulder to work on." Saeko said regrettably. Frasier's jaw slowly dropped as he rolled his eyes back.

Roughly an hour later, Saeko had finally finished stitching up the shoulder wound. Frasier had passed out from the excruciating pain in the middle of it all, making it much easier for Saeko to operate on him.

Knowing he would be all right for now, Saeko walked downstairs to see if there was anything in the kitchen. It had been hours since she last had something to eat, but even then it wasn't that much.

The house they were in was quite small, yet it had enough rooms for a small family to live in. Saeko stopped for a moment to observe some of the framed photos. They showed a young couple, not much older than her or Frasier.

After staring long enough at the image, Saeko's mind began to replace the people in the photos with herself and Frasier. She shook her head and managed to snap back into reality before entering the kitchen.

A bloodstain could be seen on the fridge door as well as the floor. No traces could be seen of the infected or the victim though. This gave the calm sword wielder a sense of suspicion since this house appeared to be abandoned earlier.

However, Saeko figured if the infected were anywhere nearby, they would've shown up by now, seeing how Frasier's screams were nearly enough to attract Them for miles.

After taking a few moments to search the kitchen for anything edible, Saeko could only find a note on the counter that said:

"Takeo,

Don't forget to buy groceries today!"

Saeko tossed the note aside and made her way back up the stairs, entering the room quietly to check on Frasier's current condition.

She sat at the foot of the bed, watching how his chest would rise and fall as he breathed very slowly. Saeko tried to be polite by not staring, but her female urges were proving to be more than a challenge for her now.

His condition hadn't changed since she had left him, and she took this moment to regard him in more detail.

Her eyes wandered over his chest, studying every muscle. In the close proximity, she could discern a faint odor arising from him; an intoxicating scent that she couldn't attribute to anything in particular, but still seemed to draw her even closer.

She placed the tip of her finger along his abdominal areas, slowly tracing them out. Her gaze followed the journey of her fingers until it drifted down to the hem of his boxer shorts. In the dim light of the room, she could just make out the shape hidden underneath.

She bit her lip as her hand hovered over his crotch, and a battle of wills raged in her head. Eventually her curiosity won over her resolve and she hooked a finger under the hem of his boxer shorts and eased them off. Saeko's eyes widened in shock as the rest of Frasier's body was revealed.

Even flaccid, his member was visually intimidating and she felt familiar warmth begin to spread in her lower abdomen as she imagined what it would look like erect. Fearing she would lose all self-control, Saeko retreated to the bathroom where she sat with her back pressed up against the closed door.

She tried to forget everything she had just seen, but the image of Frasier's pulsing member filled her mind. The warmth between her thighs continued to spread and despite her attempts to stifle the thought, the picture of Frasier penetrating her pushed her over the edge.

Her better judgment was set aside and Saeko began to strip. Removing her shirt, elbow and kneepad armor, she began to grope her own breasts under her bra while she slipped out of her skirt.

Left only in her black bra and panties, she moved the fabric aside to better reach the flesh underneath.

Tweaking a nipple with one hand, she teased herself with the other. Already wet from the mental images of Frasier, Saeko easily slipped into her womanhood. Ignoring the rest of her surroundings, she began to pump her fingers in and out of herself at an increasing pace.

Within moments, she was already panting and her body was covered in sweat. An entire life of sexual starvation had heightened her sensitivity beyond common levels.

After only a few minutes, she had reached her limit and climaxed, moaning into the cool rainy air. Satisfied, Saeko stood and pulled her bra and panties back into place.

She slowly dressed back up into her uniform and refitted her armor pads. Saeko turned to the door handle only to see something was terribly wrong. Frasier was no longer in his bed.

"Frasier?" Saeko whispered as she began to scan the room for his whereabouts.

She then grabbed her katana in case he had turned into one of Them after all. Her heart began to pound against her chest as she began to wonder how long she had actually been in the bathroom.

She then could hear a *thwack* *thwack* coming from outside. Saeko immediately bolted down the stairs to intercept the strange noise. The door that led outside swung wide open as Saeko burst through.

"Frasier!" Saeko cried out as she stood there in complete and total shock at what she saw before her.


	26. Act 9: New Blood Part 2

**Act 9: New Blood Part 2**

**Tokonosu City, Japan**

**Z-Day+10**

Saeko stood in the backyard, expecting to see a zombified version of Frasier before her. But when he turned around with a cherry blossom tree branch, he appeared to be completely fine.

"Keep it down. You want to attract Them? Or worse?" Frasier whispered as he continued to hack at the branch.

"Worse? What could be worse than Them?" Saeko questioned as she walked over to help Frasier back inside, watching as his right leg was limping.

"The living are far worse. With the dead, at least you know their intentions... My group encountered another group calling themselves the Hunters. They're a bunch of twisted nut-jobs that hunt other survivors for sport." Frasier answered as he had flashbacks to when he fought with Jaeger.

"Is Kraven working with them too?" Saeko asked as she gently sat Frasier down on the chair to the living room of the house they were in.

"Not just the Hunters…he's also been working with Shidou's group as well. One of them has my brothers hostage, and I won't stop until I save them... or die trying." Frasier explained, as he was more than willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for his family.

"You're very brave, I hope you realize that." Saeko complimented as she placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, earning a somewhat hopeful smile from him.

"Thank you, Saeko. That means a lot coming from you. Now let's get out of here before Kraven comes back for more." Frasier suggested, earning a nod of agreement from Saeko before they started to head out through the front door.

After only a few minutes of walking, Saeko began to shiver from the cold winds. Her body heat was waning with each second she was outside. Frasier noticed this and looked up at her while she helped him walk.

"You okay? You're shivering." Frasier questioned in a concerned voice.

"Ugh... It's f-freezing cold! How can you stand it?" Saeko muttered as her teeth began to chatter.

Frasier could feel her entire body shivering from the rain, her face showing great discomfort. He knew he'd have to find her a warm place soon.

"We'll just have to wait it out. If we get lucky, we can travel through the eye of the storm." Frasier answered as he then began to pull at a car door, motioning Saeko to get in.

Saeko nodded in response as she then eagerly crawled into the small car that was luckily undamaged in comparison to most cars. She wrapped both arms around her sides in an attempt to maintain what little body heat she had left. Her eyes were soon focusing on Frasier as he sat beside her, shutting the door behind him and sealing them both together. A soft sigh escaping his lips as his breath was visible from the intensely chill weather.

"You sure you want to stop here? We'd cover much more ground if we kept going. I know how much it means to you to find your brothers." Saeko said as she spoke in a concerned tone, fully aware of Frasier's primary concern.

"Your body can't withstand the temperatures outside for very long. You'd catch hypothermia if we kept going." Frasier responded, showing that he was willing to put Saeko's needs before his own goals.

"It's very sweet that you'd wait for me. I want you to know that means a lot to me." Saeko replied as she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"I really hate to admit this... but I need you, Saeko. Though I may be able to survive the intense cold... I can barely walk and fight." Frasier said in a soft tone, causing Saeko's heart to beat faster.

"So...that's the only reason you need me? Because you can't walk or fight without me by your side?" Saeko inquired as she gazed into his eyes, knowing there was more to it than just that.

Frasier was silent at first, his mind deep in conflict. All he wanted to do was tell Saeko how he felt about her, that she was one of the only reasons he managed to survive for so long. But then that painful reminder of her having feelings for Takashi popped back into his mind. A look of jealousy forming in his eyes.

"Saeko... I can't talk about this right now. So much has been going on lately, I can barely even think straight. Let's just wait here and hope this damn storm clears up soon." Frasier suggested as he turned away from her. Trying his best to remain emotionally distant from her for as long as he could.

"Don't look away. I can see it in your eyes. There's more to it than what you say." Saeko commented. His eyes indeed showed much more than a simple dependence for survival.

"Why do you even care? It's pointless now." Frasier responded in a jealous tone, trying to be distant the more he dwelled upon it.

"Is that jealousy I'm sensing?" Saeko questioned as her temper was starting to run thin now. Annoyed at the fact he was keeping her out.

"So what if it is? Why should it bother me if you're with someone else?" Frasier snapped out in an increasingly angered tone, wanting Saeko to drop the subject altogether.

"What? You think I'm with someone else?" Saeko asked with a raised eyebrow as she had no clue where he could have possibly put that together.

"I know about you and Takashi. Now leave me alone!" Frasier demanded as he reached for the door, no longer able to look Saeko in the eyes without shedding a tear.

Saeko just sat there and watched as he began to limp away. It wasn't long until he slipped in a puddle and slammed into the ground, scraping his elbows on the asphalt. The physical pain however was nothing compared to the emotional devastation he was feeling right now.

Frasier slowly pushed himself up and rested on his elbows. Rage flowed through him as he felt disgraced and ashamed to be seen like this. He then began to see his father in a puddle before him, a stern look of disapproval could be seen on his face.

Suddenly, a red line streak crossed his mind, creating an empty void inside of him. Nothing mattered to him now, not even Saeko or his brothers.

"No. No more! I don't care!" Frasier cried out as he smashed a fist against the puddle, no longer concerned with failure. He then clenched both fists tight, blood slowly trickling down his hand and into the street. Nothing in life mattered to him as he could no longer keep his anger and emotion under control, tears flooding his eyes while he laid there in agony.

He could then feel Saeko pulling him straight up to his feet, holding him in a warm embrace to comfort his inner pain. Before he could pull away, he felt her warm lips unexpectedly pressed against his, both their eyes closed tight. His clenched fists slowly loosened up as more tears began to gently trickle down his face, allowing Saeko to see a side he never showed anyone else: sadness. Both their hearts were racing as they just stood there in the rain. Nothing else in the world mattered at that moment to them. Their lips slowly parted when neither could draw another breath.

"Saeko... I-" Frasier began to say before she put a finger to his lips, effectively silencing him.

"Hush. Before you say another word, you need to know that I'm not with Takashi. If I knew that was why you were being so moody towards me, I would've said something sooner. Now is there anything else you want to say?" Saeko explained before she gave Frasier a chance to speak.

"I love you." Frasier softly whispered, as he felt lost in her beautiful eyes, unable to look away for even a second, causing Saeko to form a wide smile as her cheeks turned red.

"I love you too. Now c'mon, you'll catch a cold out here." Saeko teased as she gently ran her hand across his cheek before grasping his hand, leading him back into the car.

Frasier felt himself slammed against the passenger seat. His head felt like it was spinning from hitting the roof of the car. Before he could even begin to react to the minor annoyance, he felt Saeko sitting down in his lap, making all his attention focus unto her.

"You remember how I told you about that man who assaulted me four years ago? How I beat him to a bloody pulp, barely showing him mercy?" Saeko asked as her head rested against Frasier's chest.

"Yes, why do you ask?" Frasier responded, curious as to why she would bring that up now of all times.

"Because I want you to know what you're dealing with before you make any commitments with me... with us." Saeko explained as she felt warmth when his arms wrapped around her for comfort.

"You can tell me anything. Go ahead." Frasier said with encouragement, making Saeko feel much more comfortable with the delicate subject.

"When I managed to gain the upper hand…I couldn't stop hitting him. The rush and power I felt that moment was an ultimate bliss, something I became addicted to ever since then."

"When you arrived a year later, I became stable. Something about you controlled this immense desire to inflict pain on others. I don't know what it was, but it was enough to keep me contained. The thought of losing you during the outbreaks broke the seal. There were no boundaries to keep me in check anymore." Saeko explained, as she held onto Frasier as tight as she could, expressing to him her inner demon.

Frasier remained completely silent, looking down at her in total shock, realizing that she too had that inner power that took over for the ultimate feeling of supremacy and dominance. Instead of a sympathetic look, he just began to softly chuckle to himself, earning a raised eyebrow from Saeko.

"And here I always thought I was the only one with a dark side." Frasier chuckled, his laughter soon becoming sadder and sadder as tears formed in his eyes again.

"I have the exact same problem...before I came here, I was in a fight with a kid who was picking on Marcus. It didn't take a genius to know I was more than a match for the bastard. But when I claimed my victory... I didn't stop. I couldn't bring myself to."

"Something deep inside me was set free after years of intense training under my father. A destructive nature that made every fiber of my being tingle with pure pleasure. The ultimate fighting rush."

"When the infected showed up, it was like a dream come true... But it wasn't long before I had to kill another human being, a living one to be precise. It was far different from killing one of Them... I did it out of reasons that would normally seem just, but deep down…I enjoyed every second of it."

"It was scary when I finally snapped out of it; the smell of fresh untainted blood filling my nose, as I could taste the blissful aroma. It made me feel right...and that's what terrifies me the most, to become so dependent on such a feeling. If I was alone it wouldn't be so bad, but with my brothers around, I can't lose control even for a split moment. There are just times I felt I was nothing more than a monster, a walking demon amongst men... but after hearing it coming from you, I... feel at home." Frasier reminisced before he felt Saeko gently wiping the tears away, a look of pure connection and love in her eyes.

Suddenly, he felt the tip of his own machete pressed up against his chin. Saeko had silently unsheathed it and was now holding it to his neck.

"Saeko... W-what are you doing?!" Frasier gasped as his eyes became wide at the intense look on her face. Her eyes widened as she had a twisted, all too familiar smile on her face.

"I want you to promise me something I've only asked one other person who failed to do so. And don't lie to me! I'll know if you are." Saeko demanded, speaking in a somewhat insane voice.

"Anything." Frasier responded, speaking in a fearless tone, showing that he had no fear of Saeko's darker side.

"I want you to always be there by my side in battle, to watch my back as I watch yours. Fighting with and for me to protect my life and honor, as I will do for you. My expectations require your utmost loyalty. I am yours and yours alone!" Saeko said, giving Frasier her ultimatum.

"Is that all?" Frasier asked, wanting to leave no details out of the promise.

"There's one last thing- I want your seed, Frasier. I want to bear your children and have a family together! To breed you the ultimate warriors!" Saeko explained as she began to rub the handle of the machete against Frasier's inner thigh, watching as he began to slowly breath heavily.

"So long as you can promise me something." Frasier responded in a gasp as he managed to keep Saeko from tearing his jeans apart to claim what she so desperately wanted.

"Anything for you, my love." Saeko responded in a soothing voice.

"I want you to wait for me... for us. Having a child is dangerous, and it would put our lives at risk. Plus, as much as I love you, it feels wrong to be in a relationship with my brothers in danger. I promise myself to you and your requests once they are safe and we are back in my homeland, back in England. Think you can handle it?" Frasier requested as he hoped Saeko would be reasonable about things.

"Very well. I'll wait for now. So long as you are mine from here on out, I will be at peace. Just watch my back, as I'll be watching yours, lover boy." Saeko finally accepted after moments of deep thought.

Frasier let out a soft sigh of relief as Saeko gently slid the machete back into its sheath. She then shot him a wicked glance before grasping his groin tightly, applying a sensual rubbing motion before letting go to tease him, letting out a soft giggle when she could feel him bending to her dominating will.

"Not funny." Frasier groaned, as he knew she was simply toying with him for now.

"Oh, it's fitting. I just want you to know that if you ever try to do more than kiss me, then all bets are off, got it?" Saeko questioned with a lustful look in her eyes, making it crystal clear she would jump his bones if given the chance.

"Yeah... I'll keep that in mind. Let's get out of here" Frasier responded as she slowly let go. Both of them noticed the rain had finally passed on, or at least temporarily for all they knew.

Nearly an hour later, the two had finally traversed the streets and stood before the iron gates. Saeko began to tap on it with the handle of her blade before being greeted by the rest of her group, all shocked to see her actually bringing someone along with her.

'Well I'll be, she actually found him.' Rei thought to herself before realizing the two bandages on Frasier's torn up outfit, causing her to wonder whether he'd be any good in a fight now.

"You made it. I knew you would. But who's this?" Takashi said with a warm smile before looking over at Frasier who was now breathing heavily.

"Never mind the formalities, just let us in before it starts to rain again." Saeko requested as she began to feel the strain of lugging Frasier around town.

"Just you. He'll have to stay outside." Takashi suddenly said in a dead-serious voice, earning a look of surprise from the two survivors before him.

"I go where he goes. If he can't come in, then neither will I." Saeko explained as she kept Frasier supported against her.

"He can't come in. I just can't risk it." Takashi explained as he earned mixed looks from the group.

"You can't be serious! He'll die out here if left alone. He's barely in any condition to fight, let alone fend for himself." Saeko explained as she stood by Frasier's side, refusing to let him be abandoned on their doorsteps.

"Takashi, maybe you should reconsider. Saeko trusts him, and she would never do anything that she'd know would put the rest of us at risk. If she trusts him, then I trust him." Rei whispered, knowing that she had to support Saeko's choice, as Saeko would've done the same for her.

"The risk is too damn high! Lets say he is nice for a few days. Then the next thing you know, he's slitting our necks as we sleep." Takashi explained, clearly thinking ahead of everyone else, planning for a worst-case scenario.

"So you'll let him die based off of your own fears? Is that it?" Saeko questioned as she narrowed her eyes, showing nothing but a fiery rage within them.

Suddenly, thunder cracked out not too far away from the young group. A few seconds later, rain began to pour. Everyone but Frasier tried to cover their heads from it.

"Go inside. I'll be okay." Frasier muttered, instantly earning a look of defiance from Saeko.

"I can't! I'd never abandon you, especially in the condition you're in now!" Saeko exclaimed, as she held on tighter.

"Don't worry. I'll just camp out in one of these other houses or something. Trust me, okay?" Frasier requested as he suddenly pulled away from her, slowly stepping back to put some distance between them.

Takashi slowly opened up the gate, watching as Saeko eventually walked through, shooting him an insanely pissed off glare. However, Takashi hadn't noticed this, seeing how he was entirely focused on Frasier, watching his every move since he arrived.

After Saeko passed by, Takashi slowly let go of the gate, watching as it slowly slammed itself shut. He then just watched as Frasier let out a gruff sigh before making his way towards a suitable house only to feel his right leg giving out on him.

Everyone watched as Frasier slowly collapsed to the ground, water splashing around him as he had hardly any energy left to push onwards, almost as if his willpower was no longer enough to see him through his obstacles.

"Takashi...please?" Rei begged, as it was obviously painful for Saeko to be seeing this.

"Rei...what if you're both wrong about him? What do we do then?" Takashi questioned as he looked down at her.

"I think Takashi is right to be wary of strangers...but he isn't a stranger to most of us. I knew him and his brothers before the outbreaks. They're good people." Shizuka commented as she stepped into the conversation now.

"What about you two? Do you really think it's a good idea to let him into our group?" Takashi asked Saya and Khota as the pressure was starting to get to him, knowing he needed someone to back him up on this fragile subject.

Saya and Khota both began to whisper to one another, debating whether or not it was a safe bet to let Frasier into their group.

"Yeah, we trust him... for now anyways. But just keep an eye on him in case you're right." Khota answered, entrusting Frasier to be a levelheaded and helpful member to the group.

"So you all really trust him, huh? Well, all right I guess. I hope you're all right on this one. There are no second chances out here." Takashi responded in an understanding tone, realizing his mistake, seeing how everyone was against his idea of keeping Frasier out.

Takashi reluctantly opened the gate back up and walked over to where Frasier was lying down, watching as he looked up with an annoyed expression on his face. Takashi however remained friendly as he offered a hand to pull him back up.

"What is it with you? First you won't let me in, now you're offering me your hand." Frasier grumbled as he looked up at Takashi.

"The others are convinced you're alright, so I'm going to give you a break. Now c'mon, on your feet." Takashi explained before he hoisted Frasier over to lean against him for support.

Everyone watched as Frasier and Takashi both entered through the front gates, a smile on all their faces, knowing Takashi could be reasoned with. The iron gate slowly closed behind the group as they entered their safe house.

Takashi slowly lowered Frasier onto the couch to rest while Shizuka went off to find her medical bag, knowing she'd be having to work on Frasier's wounds to make sure they were properly taken care of as soon as she could.

"You should get some rest, you look exhausted." Takashi suggested as he looked over his shoulder to look at Saeko.

"I'm fine, don't worry about me." Saeko responded in a cold tone as she moved to be closer to Frasier, slowly kneeling by his side.

"He's right though, you will need your strength for the Hunters when they eventually turn up." Frasier explained to her, somewhat agreeing with Takashi.

"Alright, but if you try walking again, I'll be on you like a hawk." Saeko explained as she suddenly kissed his cheek without warning. Frasier just nodded as he watched her getting up to slowly walk up the stairs. She stopped one last time to look back at him before vanishing from his sight.

Everyone else had a surprised look on their faces, completely unaware of their relationship. Takashi was shocked most of all, his face then forming into one that was somewhat jealous of Saeko's affection.

"So what was that about hunters?" Khota suddenly asked as Shizuka had already begun to inspect the stitches on Frasier's leg.

"In a nutshell, these guys are hunting live humans for sport. They jumped my group consisting of Alice, my brothers Marcus and Noah, and apparently someone you guys knew as Officer Asami." Frasier explained as he tried to not let out a yelp of pain when Shizuka would rearrange the thread in his flesh.

However, everyone now had an even greater look of surprise and shock, especially Khota. He just stood there, hands trembling as tears instantly began to form.

"No. You're lying! That can't be the same Asami... It just can't!" Khota suddenly burst out, unable to accept the otherwise good news that he didn't kill her after all.

"Woah, relax! Can somebody explain to me what I'm missing?" Frasier requested, as he wasn't expecting such an outburst of emotion from Khota.

"We were living in a mall, and Officer Asami was the only police officer there. She was the only source of law and order that place had. Over that time, Khota and Asami became very close. When it was overrun, we were forced to flee before it was too late. In the parking lot, Asami and another survivor, Shimada, had risked their lives to save another survivor."

"Unfortunately, Asami was cut off and made one last request: to die as one of us, a human. And only Khota could make the shot."

"We all watched her fall after he fired; afterwards he had an emotional breakdown. It must've been somebody else you were talking about, there's no way she could've survived that shot." Rei answered as she and Saya put a hand on Khota for emotional support.

Frasier was silent at first, amazed at how much Asami went through to become what she had after finding her in that desolate parking lot. He then knew that he had to confirm all of this.

"She speaks in the third person, was timid and unsure of herself when you met her, thought very highly of another officer... Matsushima was it? Stop me if I'm wrong." Frasier said as he could see every word he uttered was sinking deep into Khota's heart.

"Where is she?" Khota asked in a low, emotionless tone that was somewhat unsettling to everyone around him.

"We found her unconscious in that parking lot by the shopping mall. Luckily, that shot of yours merely grazed the side of her head and killed the infected corpse behind her. We took her back to our place and she told me everything about you guys I needed to know. When the Hunters attacked us, I had her flee while I held them off, so with any luck she's still alive. But as to where she is, I'm afraid I have no clue." Frasier answered before Khota simply nodded and left everyone to their thoughts.

"Man, this day just keeps getting weirder and weirder." Takashi commented as he watched Khota vanish upstairs, most likely to inspect their guns and reserve ammunition to keep his mind off of Asami.

"So how long have you guys been here? This place doesn't look very fortified. How many weapons and ammunition are available?" Frasier noted as he observed his surroundings.

"Are you scouting us out?" Takashi questioned with an unsure look on his face, feeling that Frasier was now searching for any weaknesses in his group.

"No, just observing our situation. The way I see it, we're two groups working together for now. When I get my brothers back from those twisted bastards, I'll be in charge of them, but seeing as this is your safe-house, we'll play by your rules." Frasier answered as Shizuka had just finished patching him back up.

"Sounds like a fair deal. I say we do it." Saya said in agreement as she knew it was a good plan to keep the groups separate.

"So what happens after you find your brothers?" Takashi questioned, as he knew their groups couldn't merge unless more food was found.

"Move on and head to the only place left that the infected don't already own. Things appear to be safe in my homeland of England, so with any luck I can find a boat or something and get us out of here." Frasier explained, giving those before him his plans for the future.

"What about Saeko? Will she be leaving with you too?" Takashi inquired in an overly curious tone, clearly showing that he wanted her to stick around.

"It's her choice. With any luck we can all go, but if not, I want to make this clear: my brothers are my number one priority. Everything else comes second." Frasier explained as he spoke in a dead-serious tone, making it clear what his angle was in things.

"I think we should give our ally some rest. He needs to rest if he intends to get any better." Shizuka suggested as she motioned everyone to move into the kitchen, leaving Frasier to his thoughts.

"They're so dead... I just hope the Hunters miss them entirely." Frasier thought to himself, realizing how screwed everyone would be if they were to face the Hunters, almost as if his hope was completely broken now.

Hours later, Saeko woke up from her slumber and began to walk towards the door only to see Rei entering to check up on her.

"Oh, hello, Rei. Is everything alright?" Saeko asked as she they both looked at one another.

"Yeah...can we talk about your friend?" Rei requested with a concerned look in her eyes.

"Is there a problem?" Saeko asked in a somewhat unsettling tone.

"Not at all. I'm just curious about how you two know each other. He seems to be distant from most of us, but around you I see...I see a connection. Did anything happen while you two were alone?" Rei inquired, wanting to know more about their past.

"To be honest, I don't know if I'm comfortable with giving the exact details." Saeko replied, as she couldn't help but blush.

"Aww, come on! You can tell me anything, I promise it'll be just between us!" Rei requested as her curiosity was piqued.

"Oh, alright... If you must know, we kissed and made a very sacred promise to each other that one day we'd be together…and have a family together." Saeko said, slightly hesitant at first.

"What?! Are you joking? You and him did all that?" Rei asked with a surprised look on her face.

"Oh, believe me, he took some serious 'convincing'. But, really, it was so obvious he wanted it too, so I had to push him into it... and by God was it worth it!" Saeko exclaimed as she recalled those events.

"For such a strong, gruff man, he was so tender! So passionate! He even opened up and let himself cry in front of me! He's always trying to hide his feelings, but there's no denying them now!" Saeko then exclaimed as she felt her cheeks turning red.

"Wow, I've never seen this side of you, Saeko. He must really mean a lot to you if he's able to make you this giddy!" Rei commented as she formed a warm smile, knowing her close friend was finally able to find someone to make her happy again.

"God, I love him so much, Rei! And he's all mine! I can't wait to rock his world!" Saeko commented as she felt her heart racing just thinking about it.

"Woah, there, one step at a time, girl!" Rei explained as they both began to burst into a light laughter afterwards.

Meanwhile, Takashi was standing at the other end of the hall, trying to listen in on the conversation the two girls were having before a hand grasped his shoulder.

Takashi instantly spun around to see Khota standing before him with a smirk on his face, knowing what his friend was up to.

"C'mon, best not to eavesdrop on those two. Besides, we've got work to do!" Khota explained as he motioned Takashi to follow him downstairs.

"Right, lets get out there and see if we can set up that alarm system you were talking about yesterday." Takashi responded as they walked past Frasier while he was deep in rest, his body making rapid recovery thanks to Shizuka's secret ointment.

"Can I come with you guys?" Alice asked as she looked up at them with hope in her eyes.

"Sorry, kiddo, but I don't think that's such a good idea given prior events. Besides, Saya's really missed you. Why don't you go see what she's up to," Khota suggested as he explained that Alice needed to stay at their safe house.

Alice slightly pouted but knew Khota was right in the end. Accepting that she couldn't go with them, she ran off to see where Saya was at the moment.

When Alice was out of sight, Khota and Takashi made their way out the house and into the front yard. Khota carried a small backpack and his favored sniper rifle while Takashi simply carried his shotgun for lightweight support.

Khota quietly closed the gate behind them as they exited the safe house, ready to head out into the unknown. It was real quiet at first, there wasn't very much to say, at least until the two soon felt they were not completely alone.

"Do you get the feeling we're being watched?" Khota whispered as he looked up at the nearby rooftops, almost certain he'd seen movement.

"Not that I'm aware of. Besides, any infected up there wouldn't be able be any harm to us anyways." Takashi replied as he noticed where Khota was searching.

"It's not the infected I'm worried about." Khota explained as he then noticed a moderate pack of infected before them, all wandering aimlessly behind a chain-link fence.

On the other side of the street was a small convenient store that appeared to be untouched. No broken glass or signs of the infected to be within. After what had occurred in the past few days, it was to be considered a mirage, but too good to pass up at the same time.

"Looks safe from here. Lets go grab what we can." Takashi suggested as he already began to head for it only for an arrow to whiz by his face.

Khota suddenly let out a yelp of pain as an arrow struck him in the shoulder. He dropped his gun and fell to his knees, his face in agonizing pain as he tried to pull it out.

"Khota!" Takashi announced as he rushed back, pulling with all his might to drag Khota behind a nearby car while arrows continued to fly past them.

"Oh god... I can't feel my arm... Ugh, son of a bitch!" Khota groaned as he leaned back against the car door.

"This must've been those Hunters Frasier was talking about. Can you take them out from here?" Takeshi asked while peering over the hood of the car, quickly having to duck back down in time to avoid an arrow to the face.

"Even if I had my rifle, I still can't fire with an arrow in my damn shoulder." Khota groaned as he felt like he was going to be sick from the shock.

"Damn... I guess we'll just have to find another way out." Takashi muttered aloud before realizing that the arrows couldn't penetrate all the way through the car.

Suddenly, an idea popped up into his head. Takashi quickly crawled beneath the car, searching for the brakes cable. After a few attempts, he managed to loosen them up just enough for the car to start rolling down the street they were on.

"Keep moving. We can use this car as a shield until we're out of their range." Takashi explained as they were already moving along with the car. Arrows were still flying over the roof of the car with each step they took, the infected on the other side of the chain-link fence hardly noticing a thing.

When things seemed to be in favor of the two survivors, the car came to a slow halt. Both of them began frantically searching for a reason why. Khota looked over the front of the car to see an infected corpse blocking the way.

"Think I found the problem. Help me out here!" Khota requested as he began to pull at it, trying to unblock the car's path.

Takashi grabbed the shoulders and pulled as hard as he could, completely disregarding the arrows being aimed right for him. He suddenly jumped back as the infected corpse lunged at him, still alive just enough to snap at him with its putrid jaws.

Takashi fell back and watched as the car slowly rolled over the infected corpse, the wheel slowly squishing the head into a red paste. He spared no time to get back up as he let off a deep sigh of relief.

"C'mon, we're nearly there!" Khota announced in anticipation before the car rammed into another car. Both of their alarms suddenly went off, causing the nearby corpses to become riled up.

In a matter of seconds, the fence was torn down and the infected were heading straight for Takashi and Khota as the Hunters suddenly ceased firing.

"Shit! Lets get out of here!" Khota announced as they raced down the street, now out of the Hunter's line of sights. But little did they realize that that was exactly what the Hunters wanted them to do.


	27. Act 9: New Blood Part 3

**Act 9: New Blood Part 3**

**Tokonosu City, Japan**

**Z-Day+11**

Noah slowly opened his eyes to see he was in what appeared to be a basement. The moment he tried to move his hands, he heard a rattling sound. From the corner of his gaze he realized his hands were cuffed against the support beam his chair was facing away from.

Upstairs he could hear the sound of someone being punched, most likely to be Marcus. Tears slowly streamed down Noah's cheeks as he overheard the continuous torture. His elder brother however remained strong and would only let out a soft grunt with each hit taken.

"What do I do now? We can't escape like this, and joining Shidou is out of the question. C'mon, Noah, use your head like father taught you to. Think..." Noah muttered to himself, now deep in thought as his tears began to dry up.

He then looked up and watched as a battered and bloody Marcus was dragged downstairs by two of Shidou's followers, Tsunoda and Kurokami. Marcus remained motionless as they tied him up besides Noah.

"Hey, look, this one finally decided to wake up." Tsunoda commented as he looked over at Noah.

"Yeah, but he isn't crying anymore. He's just sitting there. Kinda creeping me out if you ask me." Kurokami said when he looked at Noah more closely.

"I wasn't asking, so stop your whining. This little pussy can't do anything from where he's sitting. Isn't that right, pussy?" Tsunoda asked as he stood before Noah.

"Cuntsayswhat." Noah replied with a smirk, speaking so fast his words slammed together.

"What?" Tsunoda questioned as he had a puzzled look on his face.

"Nothing." Noah then said in a more understandable tone.

"That's what I thought." Tsunoda replied before he spat in Noah's face, only to retract in disgust as Noah licked up the spit on his cheek.

"You're fucking sick." Tsunoda said in disgust before shaking his head.

"Want to know something even more sick?" Noah asked as he looked up at his overly confident captor.

"Wha-Ack!" Tsunoda began to ask before Noah spat right back into his mouth while in mid-sentence. Kurokami couldn't help but laugh at the fiery defiance in Noah.

"Oh that does it! You're fucking dead, kid!" Tsunoda shouted before Kurokami had to hold him back.

"Cool off, man! You know we aren't supposed to hit them. Kraven would kill us! Just go sit over there or something." Kurokami protested before suggesting that Tsunoda should get a grip on himself.

"Yeah...whatever. You just watch your ass, punk." Tsunoda muttered before redirecting himself towards Noah who had a very satisfied smirk on his face.

Moments later, Kurokami sat before Noah with a kitchen knife in hand. He just stared at Noah, watching his every move, somewhat suspicious of the young boy's manipulation at work now. Marcus soon woke back up after his interrogation, but could say nothing since they placed duct tape over his mouth.

"So which one of you guys is in charge over the other?" Noah asked as he leaned back in the chair.

"We never really thought about it like that. I guess it would go Shidou, Kraven, then me with everyone else below." Kurokami said as he looked back at Noah.

"That's not what Tsunoda said. I heard him say that there was no way some dopey, dilated-eyed; creep could be in charge of anything. He thinks he's better than you, he thinks you're lower than dog shit. You should show him that he's wrong." Noah suggested as he watched Kurokami form an angered expression.

"Why that son of a-I should've fucking known that asshole was talking shit behind my back!" Kurokami muttered before he tossed the knife down, quickly storming off towards Tsunoda, who was sitting on a wooden crate while reading a magazine, his back entirely turned to them.

Suddenly, Kurokami punched him across the face, knocking Tsunoda off his box and sending the magazine flying through the air.

"Kurokami, what the hell?" Tsunoda questioned before he rolled over to avoid being kicked.

"I'll show you who's the better man, you prick." Kurokami announced before being kicked back and tackled by Tsunoda.

While they rolled around on the floor taking and receiving hits, Noah just sat there and remained emotionless as they both were now his puppets. He enjoyed how easy it was to manipulate them into fighting, but he knew it would take much more if he intended to escape.

Meanwhile, Alice was sitting with Saya as she was marking down on a map scavenged not too long ago.

"Why are you coloring on that map?" Alice asked curiously, watching the group's genius circling and writing all over the map.

"It's to mark where we've been and where we know there isn't any power after that EMP. This way we know where to avoid going and where to look next." Saya explained as she pointed to her marks on the map.

"But aren't we going to stay here? I like it here." Alice asked as she looked up to Saya.

"I think we should find the nearest government establishment as soon as we can. We can hold out for a while on our own, but the food we scavenge will eventually run out or go bad." Saya answered as she tried not to think about the entire group starving to death.

"Where do you think we should go next?" Alice then inquired as she clacked her shoes together every now and then.

"I don't know, munchkin. We already checked out that police station, and the mall was a bust. To be honest, I think my place was the best place to be until the undead took over." Saya answered, somewhat afraid that she didn't have any concrete solutions to their dilemma.

"You're wrong on that one actually. I was there, and I helped kick those freaks back to hel-ck" Frasier suddenly commented before needing to correct himself in Alice's presence while he limped into the same room with them.

"Excuse me? I don't think you know what you're talking about." Saya said in a spiteful tone, annoyed that Frasier was being somewhat presumptuous on the matter.

"I stood before your father, Souichiro, and he made me a hero in front of the survivors of that battle. His leadership was quite impressive if I do say so myself." Frasier explained, making it clear he knew Saya's father well enough to discuss about it.

"Pfft, big deal! So you cut some heads off and mutilated a bunch of walking corpses. So what? Is that all it takes to impress my father these days?" Saya questioned as she spoke with venom hanging in her words, Alice slowly lowering as she didn't enjoy watching the two arguing between one another.

"Don't take your fatherly issues out on me!" Frasier scorned as he frowned at Saya, managing to see right past her.

"Fatherly issues?! You would hardly know the meaning of that word, let alone any word, you oversized prick." Saya replied in a heated tone, taking great offense to what Frasier was getting at.

"I know you can't stand to remember that you were never good enough. That no matter how hard you tried, how much effort you'd give to him, there would always be room for improvement." Frasier responded in a calm, yet personal tone, causing Saya to narrow her eyes as she looked away.

"How every time you succeed in one area, the standard is drastically raised." Saya added as her fists clenched tight.

"That any mistake you made would never be let down... Even if it was only a slight one." Frasier replied as he had a grim look of remembrance on his face.

"No mother to be there for you...giving him complete control over every little thing you do. Rarely getting to do anything you'd want to do for a change." Saya commented as she turned her gaze over to Frasier with ready eyes, having to remove her glasses so she could wipe her eyes.

"When one area was mastered, there would always be a new one to work for." Frasier said in a somewhat sympathetic voice.

"That you'd only receive affection and love with success and accomplishments." Saya replied as she placed her glasses back on.

"All the gory simulations and training courses that desensitize your mind to the most inhumane of things. The carnage you were prepared for when you could barely write your own name." Frasier explained in a grim tone, earning a surprised look from Saya.

"My father never did any of that last bit..." Saya noted as she then just sat there, slowly putting the pieces together, a look of great concern overtaking her face not soon afterwards.

Frasier however just looked away and began to limp to another room, knowing he said too much now, leaving Saya to realize they weren't so different after all.

Before Saya could say anything else, she heard the front door slam wide open. She and Alice quickly rushed over only to gasp in horror at the sight of Khota with an arrow in his shoulder.

"Oh god! What happened?!" Rei demanded as she helped Khota lay down on the couch.

"We were attacked by other survivors. They used bows as you can clearly tell." Takashi answered as he began to breathe heavily after practically dragging Khota back to their safe house.

Shizuka kneeled down before Khota. She began to tug at the arrow, but it wouldn't budge from any effort she made, causing Khota to scream in agonizing pain whenever it would budge.

"I can't get it to move! Someone help me remove it." Shizuka requested as Khota had a terrified look on his face.

"You guys hold him down. I've got this." Frasier instructed as he placed a firm grip on the shaft, watching as Rei and Saya quickly pressed down on Khota's arms and legs to keep him from squirming.

With all his might, Frasier managed to pull out the arrow in one motion, barely causing Khota to cry out at all, earning a very surprised look from those around him.

"How in the-?" Takashi began to question before Frasier cut him off.

"I use a crossbow, just in case you haven't noticed. I've learned how to pull the arrows out smoothly so they don't snap or dig in deeper. Consider Khota lucky, his flak-vest took most of it anyways." Frasier explained before he went for his crossbow laid up against the living room table to add another arrow to his arsenal.

Saya immediately wasted no time as she pried the flak-vest off of Khota, her hands quickly tearing off the sleeve of his shirt so Shizuka could begin right away.

"Don't just stand there, you airhead! Fix him already!" Saya demanded in a defensive tone before trying to stabilize the bleeding.

Shizuka just nodded in response before she started to work her charm and began to slowly latch Khota's shoulder with what little medical supplies she had left, her medical gel causing Khota to cringe at first, but soon he began to ease up, hardly even feeling her needle threading his open flesh back together.

Saya just stood there, breathing heavily as she had a concerned look in her eyes. It was strange to the others, seeing her becoming emotionally attached to another human being in the way she was with Khota. But at the same time, it was relieving to see she was still human after all.

What felt like hours only turned out to be minutes as the group watched Shizuka at work. It wasn't long until a decision had to be made about the Hunters.

"So now what do we do? Do we just stay here until those psychos find us and kill us one by one?" Saya asked as she looked at Takashi, who was clearly baffled that they had managed to survive.

"We can keep fortifying this place and start a new life here! I doubt they even know where we are." Takashi explained, feeling confident that they were completely safe so long as they kept a low profile.

"Such ignorance. Do you really think you survived because you were skilled? They most likely wanted you to run back here and lead them right to this place. Chances are they wanted to cripple your marksman at the same time, just to make sure they had the advantage." Frasier explained in a gloomy tone before making it painfully obvious that Takashi and Khota may have in fact led the Hunters to the safe house already.

"You don't know that for certain, though! Besides, how do we know you aren't working with these people?" Takashi questioned as he was greatly angered by Frasier's outburst.

"Oh yeah, nothing quite like working for the guys who have my brothers kidnapped! Does that sound like a trustworthy relationship to you?" Frasier responded in an equally angered tone before they both stood before each other, glaring at one another.

"What makes you think you can handle this better than me, huh?! You only led a small group. I've been working with these guys since long before you showed up." Takashi growled as he clenched his fists tight.

"You forgot the part where you nearly lost Alice to the infected. How you almost lost her because you wanted to save your own fucking skin!" Frasier snapped back defiantly before Takashi lost it by punching Frasier in the jaw.

When the sucker punch proved to be ineffective, Frasier lost control as well and wrapped his arms around Takashi. He quickly lifted him up only to slam him into the ground with a fist raised, ready to pummel Takashi for the cheap shot.

"Both of you calm down and knock it off right now! This is hardly either the time or the place for this! We don't need you two proving who's the alpha male here. We are going to talk about this in a mature fashion and that's that, now both of you sit down!" Shizuka suddenly burst out in a furious shriek that caused both leaders to instantly obey her without question.

"Fine... So I guess tonight we should vote what to do then. We either leave or we stay. Does that sound fair?" Takashi asked as he pulled himself up, looking around the group to see them all looking over to him for an answer, each one slowly nodding before they all dispersed, Saya and Shizuka being the only ones who stayed by Khota as he remained on the couch to recover from his arrow wound.  
>-<p>

Hours after Tsunoda and Kurokami began to openly fight one other with fists flying about, Shidou had them separated before they could kill each other. Now he was forced to leave Miku in charge of watching over the two brothers, as they remained tied to their seats.

"Ugh, this is so damn boring. I shouldn't be down here watching two brats! I should be up there enjoying free-time." Miku grumbled as she had a bored expression on her face.

"Why do you even bother hanging with these guys? You can do better, can't you?" Noah asked as he raised an excellent point to Miku.

"Shut up, kid. You have no idea what I'm even talking about, do you?" Miku snapped as she paced back and forth the small, dimly lit room.

"I know that free time is basically code for 'fuck anything that moves.' I could smell it on all of you the moment we entered this house. But my point is, why these guys? They're all a bunch of spineless cowards who could barely handle surviving on their own, much less without you around to tend to their... more base needs." Noah began to explain before drawing in a surprised reaction from both Marcus and Miku.

"You're pretty smart for such a little guy. I can see how you've been keeping alive for the past few days." Miku complimented as she leaned against a wooden support beam.

"Small is the last word to describe me." Noah replied with a very confident demeanor, clearly playing a very dangerous game now.

"Flirting with the enemy? That's quite dangerous you know." Miku explained as she felt her body temperature rising. She slowly approached Noah and stood before him with an intrigued look.

"Who knows? Maybe I just like danger." Noah replied as he remained confident and poised before the temptress standing over him.

"Hmmm, I bet you do. Maybe you'll like these as well." Miku suggested as she began to slowly unbutton her shirt, straddling Noah, as she was somewhat relieved that she would have someone new to play with.

Rei stood before Takashi, holding an icepack to the back of his head while he just sat there deep in thought, wondering what to do if the group out-voted him to leave the safe house.

"So what do you think, Rei?" Takashi asked as he had an uncertain expression on his face, wondering just how loyal she actually was to him in this moment.

"You mean about what we should do? I don't know to be honest. The thought of knowing those creeps are watching our every move makes me very uneasy. But at the same time, this place does seen like a good spot to hold down, especially with that grocery store nearby. With any luck, we could send a small recovery party to scrounge up some goods for the week." Rei said as she explained to him her point of view.

"Do you trust him?" Takashi then followed up, wondering what Rei had to say about Frasier.

"Who? Frasier? I don't see any reason not to. Don't you?" Rei asked, wondering why Takashi was so hung up on it.

"Even after what you just witnessed with your own two eyes?" Takashi questioned with a hint of jealousy in his words.

"Hey, you hit him first, what did you expect him to do? Both of you were out of line if you ask me." Rei corrected, making it clear that Takashi somewhat had it coming.

"What if you guys are wrong about him? You have no idea what he's capable of!" Takashi explained, remembering how his punch didn't even remotely hurt Frasier, not to mention how he was tossed about like a rag doll.

"And what if YOU'RE wrong? He seems to be the most experienced out of all of us when it comes to encountering those Hunters. If you would stop being jealous for a few minutes, you'd see he's our best chance for surviving this mess." Rei lectured as she watched Takashi take in every last word that passed her lips.

"You're right... I'm sorry, Rei... I just worry about you so much, and I've begun to question myself lately. It feels like even the smallest choice I make is going to affect the outcome of the group." Takashi explained as he looked down ashamed of his actions, expressing his inner feelings to her.

"Hey, don't worry about it. You're doing the best you can and I'm proud of you for it." Rei said as she then lifted his chin up, softly kissing Takashi on the lips.

Soon the simple kiss became one of passion as Takashi's lips continuously wrapped over Rei's while her arms wrapped around his neck, both of them enjoying every second of it.

However, when Takashi's hands slowly rolled over Rei's chest, she gently pulled his hand down.

"Not yet. Maybe once things simmer down, we can go further. But for now, try to keep it in your pants." Rei protested before leaving Takashi to himself, not even noticing the huge look of disappointment on his face for making him wait.

"And here I thought being leader was tough." Frasier commented as he entered the room, instantly catching Takashi's attention as he grabbed a glass of water.

"Please tell me you didn't just hear all of that." Takashi groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling more than embarrassed that Frasier witnessed Rei telling him off.

"I'd say no, but then I'd be lying." Frasier answered as he leaned on the kitchen table for support, earning a soft chuckle from Takashi.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. You were in charge of your group, weren't you?" Takashi asked as he sat in a kitchen chair.

"Yeah, but I didn't act like a good leader, though. I put all my concerns and efforts into overly protecting my kin and finding Saeko. Everyone else could die for all I cared back then. No matter how many were lost, I'd shed no tears or feel a single ounce of remorse, just the motion to move on without looking back once." Frasier explained as he looked down at his cup of water, seeing Hitomi's face for a split moment, causing him to show genuine regret for not being more sympathetic to her death.

"Yeah... It's hard to think that those you become so close to can be taken away so fast. When you aren't thinking of that, you can't help but remember that every action you take affects everyone in the long run. One wrong move and everyone dies. I'm sorry I didn't trust you at first." Takashi apologized, as he knew now that Frasier was trustworthy.

"Don't beat yourself up over it, I'd be wary of me, too." Frasier commented as they both then chuckled.

Both then became silent as they took a moment to think back on all the crucial choices they took during their reigns as leader. Takashi then looked over at Frasier with a serious look on his face.

"So what do you think of my stance on the situation? Should we leave or stand our ground here?" Takashi asked Frasier, wanting his input on things.

"I'm not sure to be honest. You're well aware of my only concerns." Frasier responded as he had a look of uncertainty on his face.

"To find your brothers?" Takashi asked to confirm that they were talking about the same thing.

"Yes. On one hand, we could all search for the Hunter's lair if we were to leave this house all together. On the other hand, if we were to capture one of the Hunters alive, I could make them talk." Frasier explained, as he knew what options were available for him.

"So you're willing to side with me if there's a greater chance to find your brothers?" Takashi questioned as he had a look of hope on his face, knowing Frasier's words would influence Saeko's choice when the group voted later that night.

"Hmm, do you even have a plan on how to capture a Hunter alive? They aren't as foolish as you might think." Frasier explained needing to be 100% certain Takashi could deliver on his promise.

"I'll think of something...so, you and Saeko, huh?" Takashi said before suddenly changing the subject.

"Kinda. Don't get me wrong, I love her with all my heart, but with what's going on with my little brothers, I can't afford to spend time in a relationship. Not until I know they are free and out of Shidou's clutches." Frasier responded as he looked out a window, watching as the grey skies allowed some sunlight to breakthrough.

"I understand... If it means anything, I'm sorry about them... It can't be easy to know lunatics are holding them captive. That Shidou is one twisted prick, trust me on that one." Takashi commented as he recalled when Khota explained his experience with the twisted teacher to him just days ago.

"Thanks, that really means something to me. Perhaps you do have what it takes after all." Frasier complimented with optimism in his voice before he set his glass of water aside and moved on to the next room to lie on the couch, giving Takashi some relief that they wouldn't be at each other's throats now.

Takashi soon became bored and walked outside to make sure none of Them were forming up on any sides of the wall, looking for any Hunters that may be watching from one of the nearby houses. He stepped outside the iron gates only to be instantly pinned against the wall with a strong hand grasped firmly around his mouth.

"Shhh, hear me out first. I think you and I could work out a little arrangement here. Slowly nod if you're interested," the unknown figure whispered with a hush as he kept a strong hand over Takashi's mouth.

Takashi just stood there, weighing his options before having to nod or risk being killed by the unknown assailant. His eyes filled with fear and uncertainty as to what would happen next.

"My name's Jaeger. I'm well aware you have someone in your group by the name of Saeko Busujima. You give her to us, and the rest of your group is allowed to go. We'll even raise the ante by escorting you out of Hunter territory." Jaeger explained as he kept his hand over Takashi's lips.

Takashi was outraged by such a terrible thought, but at the same time was wondering if this was his one chance to avoid any further bloodshed for everyone else.

"Tonight at midnight, you try to convince her to come outside and we'll take it from there, understand? This is the only offer we're going to make. If you try anything funny, then all of you will die. Nod if you're willing to play along." Jaeger instructed before he gave Takashi a serious look.

So many thoughts raced in the back of Takashi's mind. On one hand, the Hunters would back off and he'd be sacrificing only one life to save seven others. But his other option would allow him to maintain a stronger group and keep his humanity from taking a turn for the worst.

***Phft***

Before Takashi could respond, an arrow suddenly struck Jaeger in the neck, splashing fresh, warm blood all over his face as he stood there in terror, watching as Jaeger released his grip and fell over, choking on his own blood and the arrow that was wedged in his windpipe. Takashi turned his gaze to see Frasier approaching with his crossbow drawn and aimed.

"You!? I thought you were-" Jaeger barely muttered before another arrow was shot between his eyes, killing him instantly.

"It'll take more than just a few undead bastards... You alright, Takashi?" Frasier replied as he looked down at Jaeger's lifeless corpse, enjoying the much needed payback before pulling his arrows back, soon redirecting his attention back to Takashi.

"Y-yeah... Thanks for the help. Didn't see him until it was too late." Takashi replied, keeping the previous conversation to himself.

"They're pretty good at hiding in the shadows. I wouldn't be shocked if they were watching us right now. Watch your ass." Frasier explained before leaving Takashi to his own thoughts, unaware of what Takashi was now considering, wondering if that offer was still valid.

-  
><strong>(Hours later after the sun went down)<strong>

"I can't believe you just did that." Marcus grumbled after witnessing Noah and Miku having hot, passionate sex with one another.

"I did it because I think I can get her to set us free. One time, I read a book in father's study, which said that women who are as sexually active as her usually do it because they're abused at one point to where they do it just to forget the pain. Me being sweet to her while we did you know what should trigger an affectionate side to her, making Miku wanting to be with me over those guys." Noah explained in a cold, calculating tone.

"Damn, you freaky son of a bitch. I didn't think you had it in you. I mean, Frasier just physically demoralizes his opponents, but you... you just mentally get inside of their heads. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm sure you were probably planning this all along, but…I don't know, you actually seemed like you were getting pretty into it with her, just judging by the way you were sweet-talking her." Marcus replied, causing Noah to momentarily look away from his brother, almost as if he were embarrassed by Marcus' words. What Marcus at first didn't realize was that Noah was actually trying to hide the fact he was blushing at the recent memory, but it didn't take long for the middle Markle brother to realize the truth.  
>"Oh. My. God. Noah, don't tell me…you actually legitimately LIKE that girl, do you? For real? I mean, first of all, you barely even know her to begin with, which makes the fact that you two fucked all the more disturbing, but second of all, she is the enemy! Who's to say your little mind game even worked to begin with?! For all we know she could just as easily be playing you for the fool and making you think your plan worked." Marcus explained in a harsh whisper, almost as if he were afraid Miku were just outside the basement door, listening in on them.<br>"I don't think that's going to be the case." Noah suddenly replied in barely a whisper, causing his older brother to look at him confusedly.  
>"How can you possibly know that for certain?" Marcus asked curiously.<br>"I…I just…I just don't feel like what you're saying is correct. I honestly don't know how to explain it in a way that would make sense right now, but…I just feel like there's…something more to her, something that maybe all those other people up there don't realize. Maybe something even she didn't realize was there. Christ, I don't know…I just can't shake the feeling like; I brought something out in her that was…good, something that was possibly buried inside for a long time. I honestly don't know, Marcus, but I just don't think she's really as bad as we might have originally thought." Noah explained, almost as if he were trying to pour his whole heart out, whilst also trying to figure out what was possibly one of the most emotionally complex situations of his life.  
>At first, Marcus couldn't bring himself to say anything. Deep down, what Noah was saying made perfect sense to him, because it sounded almost exactly like what his feelings were for Hitomi, that he saw something he just fell in love with inside of her, and that's what had drawn the two of them together so quickly. With a barely visible smile, Marcus gave a single nod to Noah out of understanding.<br>"I understand, Noah. If you really ARE right about this, then I'm happy for you. But if you're not, then I really hope you've got a backup plan for getting us out of this shit hole. Another thing I think should be brought up is the possibility that she might actually let us out, but she may also still be working for Shidou at the same time, you know, like a double agent or something. So my only question now is: what are you going to do when she lets us go and that actually turns out to be the case?" Marcus said before asking Noah's follow up to his plan to get out.

"I'm not killing her if that's what you're asking. Remember our rule? No women, no children." Noah said, as he knew killing Miku wouldn't make things any better for them.

"Of course not! But also bare in mind, Frasier won't let her tag along if we can ever find him again." Marcus explained before he could hear the door being opened upstairs.

Both remained dead silent as they watched the shadow of a figure slowly approaching them. To their relief, it was Miku who was carrying a set of keys with her. Noah shot Marcus a smirk before looking over to see Miku standing before him.

"What are those for?" Noah questioned, pretending to be unaware of the situation.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking…and I feel you two don't deserve this. I'm getting you out before Kraven is allowed to interrogate you two." Miku explained as she began to unlock their bloodstained handcuffs.

"You do realize they'll tear you apart or feed you to Them if they ever figure out you helped us escape, right?" Marcus reminded as he began to rub his wrists.

"I'm well aware of that, but…the way you treated me, Noah... nobody has ever been that kind to me before…treated me like a real person, instead of like some cheap slut…y-you were so sweet, to me, Noah. For the first time in so long…I actually felt alive again, felt that somebody really did care about me, and it…it just felt so right, and I'm willing to risk it for you both." Miku whispered, almost on the verge of tears, as she motioned for them to slowly follow her.

Marcus and Noah nodded in agreement. All three remained dead silent as they ascended the stairs, slowly creeping up to the top. The two brothers cringed at the smell from upstairs; a heavy stench of sweat, anger, and shame filled the air.

While they traversed through what appeared to be a living room, they noticed multiple figures, both male and female, were spread about, all wearing little to nothing on them, clearly a bad omen that Shidou's influence and group size was increasing with each day that passed by.

"We should grab a gun if we can. I don't think we're proficient enough to take the living on with any melee weapons just yet." Marcus suggested as he scanned the room for any weapons they could take with them.

"Any idea where Shidou keeps the guns and ammo?" Noah whispered to Miku in a soft hush.

"Most likely upstairs. You aren't seriously going to try and sneak up there, are you? Shidou always has someone guarding the door." Miku explained, uncertain how they could get past the sentry on watch.

"Convince him you need help and lead him to us. I'll just knock him out and we'll see where that gets us." Marcus instructed before they stood at the foot of the stairs that would lead to Shidou's armory.

"Alright... Just be careful, okay?" Miku requested in a concerned voice before she went upstairs, leaving the brothers to wait where they stood.

Moments later, they could hear heavier footsteps approaching. They watched as a man carrying a bolt-action rifle began to walk down the stairs, completely unaware of their presence.

"Now!" Marcus motioned as both brothers caught the sentry completely off guard.

Marcus wrapped one arm around the sentry's neck while the other gripped his own wrist to keep the man from slipping out. Meanwhile, Noah quickly yanked the rifle out if the sentry's hands, so it wouldn't go off in the struggle, alerting everyone that something was wrong.

The sentry struggled at first; trying his best to pry himself free, but soon his body could no longer handle the lack of oxygen. Both brothers watched as he soon became limp and the struggles ceased.

"Phew, let's get out of here before anyone notices." Marcus suggested as Noah kept the rifle aimed at anything that appeared to be getting up.

Minutes later, both brothers and Miku were armed with pistols, a shotgun, and the rifle from the sentry. It was the middle of the night. The air was freezing cold and it wouldn't be getting better anytime soon. The streets were empty for the most part, with the occasional encounter with Them.

"H-how can you two stand this weather? It's freezing cold out here!" Miku questioned as her teeth began to chatter from the cold nips of air breezing against her skin.

"We're just used to it is all. As you can tell, we're not from around here. " Noah explained before he motioned everyone to stop.

"What is it? See anything?" Marcus whispered in a cautious tone, wondering if they were stumbling upon any of Them.

"No, I just thought I saw something or someone up in that building. Must be going crazy, I suppose." Noah explained before they took refuge within a nearby post-office.

"Miku, do you know of anything Shidou or Kraven may be up to?" Noah asked as it began to rain outside.

"Just a lot of talk about how there will be a new world order, and how he would be in charge and lead everyone to a brighter future. It made perfect sense when he explained it, but now when I really stop and think about it…after what Noah and I did...he sounds more and more like a total madman." Miku explained, as she was now fully aware that something was wrong with Shidou thanks to her newfound clarity.

"He's clearly a master of manipulation and had used you all as pawns for his personal gain. Luckily you were able to wise up in time." Marcus replied with a look of anger, dreading the thought of being trapped at Shidou's mercy.

"Is there anything else we should know?" Noah questioned as he looked out the window, watching two large figures shifting in chains. However, he remained unconcerned since they weren't heading their way.

"We heard a few loud explosions the other day. Kraven scouted it out, and it turns out a large community has recently risen, creating a wall in downtown Tokonosu. People have been entering in droves with each passing day, and I know Shidou intends to expand his influence upon them." Miku explained, watching as Noah and Marcus had visible looks of shock on their faces after learning about Shidou's plans.

"Jesus, if he manages to control an entire town, we'll have a real problem on our hands. We should wait until morning to move out. With any luck, Frasier is in the area and we'll be able to figure things out from there. " Marcus suggested with optimism as he and Miku ventured further into the building. Noah, however, just stood there completely motionless.

"What is it now, Noah?" Marcus questioned as he noticed his younger sibling remaining where he stood.

"We can't let Shidou or Kraven live on to get within those walls. You and I have to go back and kill them before it's too late." Noah explained as he gripped his rifle tight, knowing they had to stop the two mad men.

"Trust me, I'd love nothing more than to kill Kraven... but Frasier is right, he's too dangerous for us to handle. Please just wait, okay? We'll get him when the time comes." Marcus requested as he looked at his younger brother, realizing that Kraven was too powerful for them to engage even with guns in their possession.

"I can't believe what I'm hearing! You out of all people should want this more than anyone, or did you already forget what happened to Hitomi?!" Noah responded in frustration before realizing he went too far.

"I-I'm sorry, Marcus... I shouldn't have said that. I just feel we've become stronger over the past few days, and together we can do it of we get the jump on him. I can think of something." Noah apologized as he explained why he was so quick to snap at Marcus.

"It's okay, Noah. You've been through too much, and I don't blame you for wanting to help. I know you're trying to do what's best for us; you're a good person and a true brother. Let's get some rest and hopefully things will be looking up for us." Marcus replied as he placed a reassuring hand on Noah's shoulder, smiling that his younger brother showed true signs of becoming a fine warrior.

"Okay, guys, it's time to vote. We need to come down to a final decision. It's either fight or flight now. Everyone in this group deserves to have a hand in our future so let's get down to it." Takashi announced as the entire group sat with him in the living room.

"Raise of hands. Who believes it's best that we stay here and stand our ground?" Takashi announced, as he looked around the room to see Rei, Saeko, and Frasier all raising their hands along with him.

"So I guess we stand our ground since we hold the majority right now." Saeko noted as she looked over at Saya, Shizuka, and Khota.

"Don't I get to vote? I wanna leave this place if it means we'll be safer." Alice inquired as she raised a hand up, wanting to have a say.

"Granted, you're a part of this group, but your vote only brings it up to a tie." Takashi explained as he wiped the sweat off of his brow.

"Guess we'll need a coin toss or something." Shizuka said as she held out a small coin for Takashi to use.

"Alright, Heads we go... Tails we stay." Takashi accepted as he took the coin in his hand, flickering it with his thumb and watching it along with everyone else as it landed on Heads. A look of satisfaction forming over Saya, Shizuka, and Khota's faces as Alice simply smiled at the fact she picked the winning side.

"Alright, I guess we're all going to move on out in the morning then. If we move out at night, the Hunters may be expecting it if we try slipping out in the cover of the shadows." Takashi explained in a regretful voice as he began to pace back and forth, disgruntled that he had been undermined to some degree.

"It's risky, but at the same time clever to think as our enemy does. Good thinking, Takashi." Saeko complimented as she then grabbed Frasier's hand and pulled him onto the couch so he could rest besides her.

"We should rest together. You never know when one of those creeps will try and sneak up on you." Rei suggested as everyone silently agreed, slowly finding his or her own place to rest inside the living room.

**{Garbage – Not Your Kind Of People}**

Meanwhile, Noah sat up wearing nothing but his grey boxer shorts. His gaze turned over to see Miku's half-nude body curled up beside him affectionately. Noah looked down at her over his shoulder; a tired smile slowly forming across his face as he gently brushed a lock of her short, orange hair from her face. He almost couldn't believe it himself, just this morning, she was nothing more than the enemy; but looking down at her now, Noah felt that same warmth in his chest as he had earlier when she and him were in the throes of unrestrained passion in that basement.  
>This time, Noah knew there was no point in denying it as anything else. He didn't think it was possible to feel this way about someone in such a short amount of time, but even someone as emotionally inexperienced as him knew what it really was: love. As insane as it seemed, he knew it to be the truth. He had come to actually really love her, love the person that he knew she was deep inside when he had seen her true self at last in that basement.<br>It hurt Noah to have to do this to her so soon after having realized what his feelings towards her already were, but he also knew that there was no other option, that he needed to do what needed to be done.  
>The young Brit slowly got up and began to walk around the room, so many thoughts racing through his mind.<p>

It wasn't long until he came to a solid conclusion: to carry out a courageous suicide mission: to kill Shidou and Kraven, alone.

"I'm sorry. To both of you, I'm sorry, but I have to do this." Noah whispered as he looked down at Miku and Marcus before putting on green combat fatigues, a white-undershirt, and his dog tags. He then noticed an abandoned notepad sitting on a table with a pen sitting next to it. He quickly grabbed it and began to hurriedly write across it:  
>Marcus Markle and Miku Yuuki,<br>By now you've no doubt noticed my absence, and for doing this without telling either of you, I'm truly sorry. I wish it didn't have to come to this, but alas, it has. I know what I need to do. This needs to be done not only to keep ourselves safe, or to keep Frasier safe, wherever he may be, but it's also to help protect countless other lives across the city. If Shidou and Kraven get their hands on that city, there's no telling what they could do to the people inside. I need to make sure that never happens.  
>Miku, I'm sorry for leaving you like this. I don't know if you'll believe me or not when I say this, but in such a short amount of time, I've come to learn so much about you, even if it may not have been shared in words. Something in your eyes, just…just inside YOU, told me so much about you, things that I never would have known otherwise. I know there's so much more to you than what other people may have seen in the past, and I want you to know right now, that I accept that part of you, the person that I know you really are deep inside, the part you yourself may not have felt was there anymore for such a long time. This may sound completely insane given how little time has passed, but I want you to know that this is the truth, every last word of it. I love that part deep inside you; I love the person you truly are deep inside. I love you, Miku Yuuki. Even if you may not believe it, know that it IS the truth.<br>Marcus, I can't apologize enough for running off without telling you. I know it goes against everything that father and Frasier have told us, that we need to work together in order to survive, and devise a plan. Unfortunately, given the circumstances, time is not of the essence. I'm sure if Frasier were with you reading this, he'd probably blow a gasket right now. Please, if you ever find him, tell him I'm sorry for acting out on my own like this. With any luck, this plan of mine may go off without a hitch, and maybe we'll be reunited as a family once again. Please tell Frasier not to be mad. I'm going to do everything in my power to come back to you all. Also, I know you won't want to think about this grim possibility, but I have a favor I want to ask you, just in case I don't succeed, and am unable to return to you all. I'm sure you don't want to do this since you probably still don't trust her, but…if I don't come back, please watch after Miku, make sure she's always safe. I've really come to trust her over the last day, Marcus, and in case you've actually read the section I wrote above, you know my feelings are already more than just that. I know she's a really good person deep inside, and I want her to be safe, away from that freak Shidou and any other psychos that may be roaming about out there. So please, if worse comes to worst, promise me you'll do what you can to keep her safe. I can't thank you enough, Marcus. Hopefully, I'll see you and Frasier again. But if not…make sure my tags are hung on the family wall back home.  
>Love, from the bottom of the heart and soul,<br>Noah Markle  
>With all that was heavy in his heart written down on multiple sheets of paper, Noah set the pen down, and took a deep, controlled breath to help steady himself for what needed to be done.<p>

Noah then walked over to their weapons, taking a bolt-action rifle, 9mm pistol, and a combat knife. The young teen took a moment to think about things, wondering if he should wait after all.

But then he remembered how Kraven slaughtered innocent survivors and almost killed his brothers. A red line streaked across his mind as he then stormed out the door, ready to do what he must to protect Marcus and Frasier and anyone else from the crazed survivor.

It was painful for him to leave Marcus and Miku behind, knowing his brother especially was going to be devastated when he found out what Noah was up to.

Noah found one of the many abandoned cars outside the post office to be already opened with the keys still inside. He backed out after loading his gear then drove off into the night, planning to strike at dawn, ready to take down as many of Shidou's group as he could.

**{Dinosaur OST - Carnotaur Attack}**

Later that night, two massive infected corpses, almost bigger than even Shimada, in chains and heavily padded body armor pressed on through the gates. The iron made a loud screech that awoke Takashi from his rest. He slowly got up to investigate the noise only to gasp at the sight before him.

He watched as the two armored behemoths stomped around in the grass, wandering about the front yard in search of a meal.

"Shhh, brutes." Frasier explained in a low hush as he suddenly appeared behind Takashi, seeing that he had yet to face one before.

"What do we do?" Takashi whispered as he couldn't take his eyes off of the two infected behemoths, his heart pounding with fear at the sight of Them managing to breach their perimeter.

"Wake the others." Frasier instructed as they both began to quietly move away from the front door and towards the rest of the group who was sleeping in the living room.

Moments later, most of the group was awake and on full alert, Frasier leading everyone upstairs as Takashi covered the rear flank.

Takashi gently nudged Zeke only for the small dog to let off a small bark that echoed throughout the house, causing him to skip a heartbeat as his hand gently covered Zeke's snout in hopes that he'd be quieter now.

Takashi just watched as the two infected brutes looked up, their heads looking back and forth, uncertain where to pinpoint the source of the noise. Luckily they soon gave up and just stood there at the front door. Their images could be vaguely seen through the glass windows.

Suddenly, Shizuka tripped and a tin can full of baked beans rolled down the stairs. Takashi jumped for it but just barely missed it by an inch. He just lied there, watching in horror as the can rolled towards the front door, hitting it with just enough force to cause noise.

Saya gulped, as everyone on the stairs didn't dare move a muscle. They stood there like statues, awaiting the response from Them. Each one could feel their heart racing in anticipation and fear, uncertain what would happen next.

The chains rattled in the wind as the two infected brutes just stood there, now certain that there was someone inside. Their blank, vacant faces slowly looked at the door for a few seconds before smashing through it without warning nor any effort.

"Go! Go! Hurry!" Takashi shouted as everyone began to sprint full speed up the stairs, trying to get to higher ground.

Both armored brutes took off after the group, closing in as Saya suddenly tripped on one of the stairs. Takashi was behind her and immediately began to help her stand back up.

"Move it, Saya!" Takashi announced in a panicked tone as he desperately tried to help her back up.

Suddenly, Takashi's eyes shot wide open as he felt a large, grey hand grasp at his leg. In a single tug he was dragged down the stairs and pinned beneath one of the brute's overwhelming weight.

"Takashi!" Rei cried out as she froze up in terror, knowing there was no way they could penetrate the body armor on the two infected fiends.

Frasier stopped dead in his tracks after he heard Rei's screams. He quickly looked back and forth, knowing he could easily save himself and allow Takashi to die, but at the same time he knew he couldn't let him die like this.

Meanwhile, Takashi was struggling to keep the infected corpse over him from tearing into his neck. His hands trembled as his face was intensely sweating from the pressure. He then looked up to see Rei was reaching for him.

Suddenly, both infected corpses were sent flying back down the stairs, tumbling over one another. Takashi watched as Frasier stood before him, facing off against the two infected brutes as they got back up in no time.

"I'll hold them off! You help the others!" Frasier shouted as he began to back away when the two infected corpses were already heading back up for more.

Takashi nodded as he took Rei's hand then began to run with her towards the ladder leading out back. But it wasn't long until he stopped, knowing he couldn't leave Frasier behind to hold off the infected alone.

"Rrraaagghhh!" Frasier roared out defiantly as he refused to show fear even in the face of death.

He kicked the first of the two down the stairs as he then felt one of the stairs giving way to his weight. Frasier grunted in surprise as his leg was trapped in the stairs, the infected brutes closing in on him as he struggled to pry himself free.

"No... Fuck!" Frasier muttered before he flinched when a defining shotgun blast echoed out behind him.

He watched as the pelts forced the infected corpses back, dealing no damage whatsoever. Frasier then looked back to see Rei aiming the shotgun down the stairs as Takashi began to help pull the wooden boards up long enough for Frasier to slip away.

Rei fired a second shot to keep the armored infected back just long enough for Frasier and Takashi to reach the top of the stairs.

"Let's get out of here!" Takashi announced as they all exited through a window, each one regrouping with the others as they all scurried out into the streets, abandoning their safe house, only carrying what they could on their backs.

"Where do we go now?" Saya asked as she began to breath heavily, already winded by the intense escape.

"Just keep running. We'll try and plan things out once the sun is up." Takashi responded as he didn't dare look back, knowing that they had to move on before the armored infected could catch up.

**Z-Day+12**

**(Early in the morning) **

**{John Murphy - In the House, In a Heartbeat}**

Noah sat in the car with the radio turned all the way up, watching as multiple corpses began to press up against the windows. He ignored the bloody handprints smearing against the passenger door, the yellow nails scratching against the glass, rotten teeth snapping and lunging at him.

All he did was look down at the dog tags in his hands, along with a small photo of Frasier, Marcus and him all together, each one smiling like there was nothing wrong at all. Deep down he knew he was doing the best for them, if not for anyone that might cross paths with Shidou's group.

The car slowly lurched forward as the infected around it were shoved aside. All were in a slow; yet steady pursuit as Noah kept the car at a drifting speed. Each street he drove by would draw in more and more of Them, and eventually an entire horde was on his trail.

Soon, Noah drove past a familiar setting and knew he was in the proper neighborhood. He quickly opened the car door and rolled out as the vehicle continued to move until it struck a lamppost, immediately causing armed survivors to come running out to investigate the noise.

Before anyone from Shidou's group could see him, Noah quickly entered an abandoned store, watching as the armed survivors began to grow looks of concern by the oncoming horde.

"Shut that damn thing off!" one of them shouted as he began to fire at some of the infected corpses slumped up against the car.

Noah watched as all of Shidou's group began to fire in short, controlled bursts. Most of them managed to pick off the infected that would come their way. The lone Brit took aim and fired two shots during the commotion, watching as the two men in his scope fell over, almost instantly being swarmed by the hungry infected that tore right into them without hesitation.

However, no one in Shidou's group noticed a thing as one by one, more of their group would be reduced by the young marksman as he maintained a disciplined trigger, only firing when Shidou's group would fire to conceal his shots from standing out.

It wasn't long until Kraven had to intervene. He could be seen swiping and cutting down any infected that came near Shidou. Noah quickly aimed up at him, ready to take both menaces out once and for all, but when he fired the last shot in his clip, one of Shidou's new survivors got in the way, the bullet splattering his brains over the two high priority targets.

'Shit!' Noah thought as he began to quickly reload his rifle only for one of Them to show up at the last second and reach out for him.

Noah quickly dropped his gun and pulled out a combat knife, driving it into the neck of the infected woman before both of them tumbled out into the open. Within seconds, Noah was being savagely kicked and beaten by Shidou's followers.

However, he refused to give in so easily as he yanked the knife out of the infected woman's skull and stabbed into the leg of a survivor beside him. The man cried out in pain before Noah drew a backup pistol and fired a single shot into the face to silence his foe.

Before Noah could fire another shot, he felt himself being hoisted up only to meet Kraven's enraged gaze. Noah then grunted in pain as Kraven ran him through the store and into the wall, his gun dropping out of his hand.

"You little shit! You're ruining everything!" Kraven snarled as Noah desperately struggled for space, trying to pry him off as quickly as possible. Noah began to fight back by punching Kraven in the jaw, putting up what little resistance he could.

When Kraven moved his head aside, he suddenly bit down on two of Noah's fingers, the force so great they were torn right off from the bone. Blood spurted out as Kraven spat both fingers aside like used up toothpicks.

"AAAAGGGHHH!" Noah cried out in agonizing pain as he head butted Kraven hard enough to escape the tight grasp held over him. Tears were flowing down his cheeks as he tried to escape with the crippling wound.

Noah quickly spared no time as he climbed the ladder to the rooftop of the store. He ran as fast as he could only to realize he was now trapped. The gunshots had attracted even more of Them as they stood beneath him, all with hands extended out. Shidou's group had already fled the scene.

Before Noah could react, he felt a horrible stinging sensation in his stomach. His head slowly looked down only to see a sword driven through his mid-section. He just stood there as he felt all his senses turning off, one by one. He then looked back to see Kraven's grinning face the sharp steel blade slowly turning to inflict a devastating rupture to Noah's insides. As a last act of defiance, Noah boldly spat blood into his opponent's face.

"I won't beg! I ain't begging gonna beg YOU!" Noah cried out in a last show of glory as he coughed up blood onto himself. His face was slowly turning pale, as he remained motionless from the fatal wound.

"Good. It would just ruin the moment for me." Kraven commented before he slowly pulled the blade out, watching as Noah's body was sent forward to the point he fell off the building.

***Snap* *snap* **

Both of Noah's legs took full impact from the fall, each one breaking and shattering from his weight. At this point though, Noah felt no more pain, he didn't even shed a tear as the infected moved in on his position. He grasped his knife one last time before he made his final stand against Them.

"Forgive me, brothers. I've failed." Noah muttered in apology before the sun in his eyes was blocked out by the shadows of Them looming over his defenseless body, all with the intent of tearing him limb from limb, but not before he took some out with him.

-  
>Marcus suddenly jolted up from his peaceful slumber as if he could sense something was wrong. He looked all around before noticing only Miku was with him. Marcus began to hyperventilate when he realized Noah wasn't with them at all.<p>

His head then turned his gaze back towards Miku, a look of pure anger and hatred forming on his face as he rushed over towards her.

"Miku! Wake the fuck up!" Marcus growled angrily as he loomed over her sleeping figure, almost certain that she was responsible for Noah's absence.

"Ugh... What? What is it?!" Miku questioned in a drowsy yet alarmed voice, her eyes meeting Marcus' intense glare.

"Where is he? Answer me!" Marcus demanded as his body language became increasingly aggressive towards Miku.

"Who? Noah? He's right over-" Miku began to answer in a confused state before looking over her shoulder only to realize in Noah's place was the note he left behind.

Without hesitation, Miku instantly snatched the note and began to scroll down. Within seconds, her eyes began to fill with tears as she couldn't even bare to finish it. She tossed the small piece of paper aside and continued to sob. Marcus snatched the note and read the entire thing; afterwards he tucked it into his pocket and sprung into action.

"C'mon, grab what you can and let's move. He couldn't have gotten very far on foot. If you try to stray, I won't hesitate to shoot you." Marcus ordered as he grabbed the shotgun, making it clear to Miku if she tried to betray him, he wouldn't hold back.

"Such a charmer." Miku replied sarcastically as she followed Marcus, keeping close as they both bolted out the store, moving through the streets at a rapid pace in hopes of catching up to Noah before he could reach Shidou's lair.

"You guys hear that?" Khota questioned as he looked around the group, a spike of awareness rising after he could hear the gunshots from Noah's ambush carrying off in the distance.

"Yes, but whatever it was has ceased now." Frasier commented in a somewhat uncertain tone, wondering who would be firing off so many rounds and for whatever reason it was to be concerning to him.

"We should focus on putting as much distance as we can between us and those Hunters. Or is that what they want us to do, too?" Takashi announced before changing his tone to a humorous one, expecting to get under Frasier's skin, only to be disappointed when he didn't respond.

"What if it was someone who needs help?" Alice brought up as she looked up at Saya in hopes of understanding, wanting to investigate the source of the gunshots.

Saya however remained silent, her eyes completely focused on Khota as he scouted the street up ahead. Despite constantly shutting others out whenever she had a problem or was simply critical on how everyone else was around her, she felt it harder and harder to deny the feelings developed for the chubby marksman over the past few days. Had it been any other day before the outbreaks, she wouldn't have even considered interacting with him, much less feeling a bond towards him.

Meanwhile, Saeko stood before Frasier as he was kneeling to the ground for some reason. She looked over his shoulder, watching as he quickly bounced back up the instant he realized she was standing behind him.

"What were you doing?" Saeko inquired as she raised an eyebrow, knowing he wasn't acting himself.

"Just tracking these footprints, it looks very similar to Marcus' shoe size."

"It looked like you were praying. Be careful, Frasier. You wouldn't want everyone to think you're going soft now. I've told them so much about your... unique talents." Saeko explained as she then gave him a playful warning. Afterwards, she just placed a concerned hand on his shoulder, showing him that she could see past his rough exterior and look deeper to see the brighter, more humane side to him.

"Thank you, Saeko. I'm sorry I was so cold to you the other day. Lately I've been letting my emotions cloud my judgment, neither you nor anyone else deserves to be treated that way. I love you." Frasier whispered as he then walked away to take point for the group, leaving the swordswoman with a warm smile on her face.

Suddenly, the sound of glass could be heard crunching in a nearby alleyway. Frasier motioned everyone to wait as he scouted it out with the crossbow drawn. Alice held Saya's hand as everyone watched him, expecting it to be one of the Hunters or even one of Them.

Frasier was breathing heavily as he leaned against the wall for support. His trigger finger was ready as he suddenly turned the corner only for a pair of hands to swerve the crossbow around, causing him to fire into the ground.

"C'mon! I'll tear your... Frasier?" a familiar voice suddenly asked, releasing the crossbow from Frasier's hands as the figure stepped forward.

"Marcus?" Frasier muttered in a confused tone, watching as the figure emerged from the shadows, revealing himself to be exactly whom Frasier thought he was.

"Brother!" both Markles exclaimed before embracing each other in a tight hug, tears flowing down both their cheeks as Takashi approached.

"So...this is one of your brothers?" Takashi questioned as he watched Frasier respond with a simple nod, everyone else watching and taking a moment to observe the second Markle brother.

"Marcus, where's Noah?" Frasier questioned as he looked around only to have a look of shock on his face when Marcus replied with nothing but silence.

"He's heading for Shidou's lair. If we hurry, we may be able to stop him!" Miku suddenly called out as she appeared before the two groups, instantly earning a look of shock, anger and hatred for obvious reasons.

"Marcus, get down!" Frasier ordered as he reached for the crossbow, only for Marcus to suddenly slap the weapon down in time to avoid Frasier from lining up a shot.

"It's just her; she's with us now. Apparently, Noah managed to give Miku a change of heart. Frasier, I know it's hard to trust her, but I'm only doing it on Noah's behalf. Please, if you read this note, I know you'll understand." Marcus explained as he defended Miku from being killed on sight, slowly offering Frasier the crumpled up piece of paper.

"Get that out of my face! You don't know her like I do. I've watched how their group slaughtered one of their own just for fun!" Frasier warned, clearly showing Miku neither mercy nor chance of redemption, barely noticing how Miku's face showed signs of regret as she bowed her head in shame, thinking back to that poor boy she had helped get thrown off the bus and eaten so long ago.

"I don't like it either, but now isn't the time for this! We need to stop Noah before he gets himself killed!" Marcus shouted as he watched Frasier calming down just long enough to get a grasp of himself.

"Where is it?" Frasier demanded in a low growl as he spoke to Marcus but never took his eyes off of Miku, who was somewhat calm despite how aggressive Frasier was acting.

"Just down the road, you can't miss it!" Marcus answered as he began to move only for Frasier to stop him right in his tracks.

"I'll go. I move faster on my own anyways. You stay here with HER and make sure she stays put. I'm trusting you." Frasier announced before sprinting out the alleyway and past Takashi's group, who were all standing by to see what was going on back in the alley.

"Frasier, wait!" Saeko called out only to watch him vanish behind the row of buildings before her, knowing he was being reckless if he had any intentions of fighting Kraven alone. However, she stood guard with everyone else as Miku and Marcus walked up to them, everyone but Alice sending her cautious glares, knowing she wasn't to be trusted.

**{Jóhann Jóhannsson – Escape}**

With each step forward Frasier took, he could feel a deep, lifeless cold in the pit of his stomach as his eyes focused forward, a chill of fear slowly creeping further up his spine. Deep down, he couldn't shake the feeling that just around that corner, whatever he was going to find was going to haunt him for the rest of his life.

As he slowly rounded the corner, his eyes immediately settled on a lone infected that was missing its whole lower half, feasting on the entrails of a teenage boy whom had a large bullet wound in his throat. One of the infected's arms was almost nothing but bloody bone, and its whole body was covered almost from head to toe in either its victims blood or its own from when it was still alive.

As he cautiously approached it, Frasier's wandering eyes couldn't help but notice a handful of slain infected all lying around a certain spot of the road, and he could tell all of them were killed by a single stab to the skull, one of them even having the handle of a utility knife sticking out of one of its eyes. A trail of blood led from the slain infected over to the one that was still alive and feeding. As far as Frasier could tell, the creature before him was the one who had gone down valiantly before meeting a gruesome end.

Frasier soon grew tired of watching the creature feed on this poor soul beneath him and started to raise his crossbow to quickly put a single bolt through its skull. Unfortunately, as he steadied himself to take the shot, he unknowingly stepped on a fragment of broken glass from a shattered bottle, the resulting noise almost sounding like a blast in the dead silence.

Frasier cursed under his breath as he raised the crossbow, aiming the sights on the scope square on its head. The noise from the broken glass had gotten the undead creature's attention as it slowly raised its head to look in the direction it had come from.

When the infected finally finished looking up, Frasier instantly felt his whole body shut down as his eyes widened, looking through the scope of his crossbow right into the creature's face. His heart practically stopped as he felt his legs buckle underneath him, causing him to fall flat on his ass, the crossbow falling from his hands, impacting loudly with the asphalt below as Frasier struggled to breathe, let alone grasp what he was seeing.

The undead creature staring right at him through diseased, clouded eyes; human insides clenched in its exposed teeth behind torn away lips, there was no way Frasier could mistake it.

It was Noah.

The undead Noah almost silently growled as his eyes settled on the trembling form of his eldest brother, struggling to even make a sound as his face went pale with horrified devastation. Noah started to crawl toward him, pulling his bisected body over the carcass of his prey as he dug his bloody fingers into the asphalt in order to close the distance between them.

Frasier's vision quickly blurred with overflowing tears, as he couldn't bring himself to move at all, unable to take his eyes off the bloody, zombified vision of his youngest brother, steadily getting closer to him with the intention of eating him alive. However, none of that mattered to Frasier, all he could possibly think was that this wasn't happening, that it had to be just some kind of horrible nightmare he needed to wake up from.

Noah was steadily growling louder as he was no more than a couple feet away from him and gaining every second. Frasier was completely breathless as his face turned red and twisted with unbearable sadness, tears running down his face like a river.

"Oh…Noah, no…no…no, no…" Frasier mumbled miserably as he started trying to move himself away from Noah, not even trying to grab a weapon or anything.

Noah had soon managed to close the gap and was on top of Frasier, snarling viciously as Frasier barely managed the willpower to try and force his undead younger brother's rotting teeth away from his face. Frasier groaned in despair as he looked up into Noah's lifeless eyes as his jaws continued snapping at the air, bloody, necrotic saliva hanging from his mauled mouth as he growled hungrily at the sight of his elder brother below him.

"Noah…please…please, tell me it's not true…" Frasier moaned before he managed to throw Noah off of his prone body, sending him onto his back, growling angrily.

In a sense of delirium, Frasier managed to get onto all fours, his eyes barely focusing on the handle of Noah's utility knife sticking out of the dead infected up ahead. As Noah rolled onto his eviscerated stomach, once again crawling after Frasier, the eldest Markle started crawling for the knife, driven only by despair and the obligation to end this horrid un-life his brother was forced to exist in.

Once Frasier had managed to tear the knife out of the corpse's forehead, he turned back just in time for Noah's bloody hands to grasp onto one of his feet and sink his putrid teeth into the tough leather of Frasier's boots.

The teeth weren't strong enough to penetrate as several of them quickly broke or snapped, falling from Noah's bloody mouth.

"No…God, please, no…" Frasier wept as he forced himself to kick Noah's face, forcing his younger brother's corpse off of him once again.

Noah was once again on the warpath as he quickly recovered and started crawling after Frasier again, who had managed the strength to get onto his knees, watching as his reanimated brother continued coming after him, no sign of the beloved brother he once was visible in his cloudy eyes.

Frasier shut his eyes, gritting his teeth as he felt Noah's fingers clutch onto his shirt. Frasier's eyes suddenly flared with an indescribable kind of mixture between rage and despair as he quickly threw his weight forward, pinning Noah's mutilated body underneath him.

"Goddammit, Noah, please remember me! It's me, Frasier! Please remember, brother!" Frasier cried out into Noah's face. Unfortunately, all Noah did was continue snarling up at him as his bloody fingers continued pulling on Frasier's shirt, as if to pull him down towards him so he could sink his putrid teeth into him.

Frasier had to gasp for air as he felt like every attempt he made at getting through to Noah only resulted in him getting stabbed in the heart over and over again. Finally, driven by an uncontrollable anger, not just at the dead, but at the entire world itself, Frasier let out a battle cry the likes of which he had never given before: the kind one makes when a brother in arms is gone and lost forever.

Driven by absolute adrenaline, Frasier raised his hand with Noah's knife clutched tightly, his knuckles white, before he quickly brought his arm down, stabbing the blade straight into Noah's forehead, putrid, thickened blood gushing from the wound before Frasier pulled the knife out.

All he could see was red as he felt a constant trembling go up his arm with every single stab he made, soon reducing Noah's skull into a faceless, gory mess. Once his vision returned, the sight of his younger brother's now permanently lifeless corpse lying underneath him, the face practically unrecognizable, greeted Frasier. His eyes slowly shifted to the gore-covered knife in his hand, sending goosebumps of horror up Frasier's spine at what he had just done.

The knife fell from his hand before Frasier lost all the strength in his body, tumbling to the ground beside Noah's carcass, the tears flowing uncontrollably from his eyes as the hard-hitting truth of the situation finally settled into Frasier's mind: as both a leader, and as a brother, one who is naturally meant to look out for his family…Frasier had completely and utterly failed.

No anger to be found, with only indescribable sadness filling every fiber of his being, Frasier looked up at the sky, lying flat on his back, his hands lay over his eyes, as he proceeded to scream and weep and sob loudly, his cries of despair echoing through the empty air as Frasier for the first time, felt completely and utterly destroyed.

**{}**

**{Bear McCreary - Mercy of the Living}**

"Over here! I can hear him over here! C'mon, move it!" Marcus announced to the others as he led them, only to stop dead in his tracks when he saw Frasier on his back, sobbing in agonizing lament.

"Frasier?! What is it? Oh god, don't tell me you've been bitten!" Saeko pleaded as she dropped down, quickly checking him for any bites or scratches. Her heart raced at the thought of finding just one mark on him that would signal his death.

"He's gone... oh, Jesus Christ, he's fucking gone!" Frasier cried out as he writhed in sorrow, his body arching as he felt the darkness inside tearing his sanity into tiny pieces.

Rather than saying anything to Frasier, Marcus noticed the mangled up corpse beside him. At first it just looked like another one of Them, but when Marcus noticed the far too familiar dog tags, he dropped to his knees in tears.

"Oh, Noah... Why did you have to do it? Why?!" Marcus asked as he began to crawl towards the remains of Noah, slowly holding his deceased sibling in his arms, looking down into the lifeless, pale eyes that looked up into whatever direction they were facing.

"You didn't have to do this... You should've just waited for us! Goddamn it, brother, you didn't have to prove yourself..." Marcus mumbled in anger before he tugged at the dog tags, slowly holding the lifeless corpse as if Noah were still there and breathing.

Miku just stood there in total shock, her legs trembling while her arms shook in disbelief. A tremor of terror ran down her spine, as she couldn't bear to look away from her former lover. Just as the others who were close to Noah, Miku couldn't help but shed tears for him.

"Why, Noah? Why did this have to happen to you? Why did you have to go and do all this? Why couldn't you have just stayed with Marcus and me? You would still be alive if you had just stayed with us. Damn it, I loved you, Noah! Right when I finally find the perfect boy, you had to die on me...you were so wonderful, Noah…why did you have to leave me like this?" Miku muttered to herself as she showed nothing but genuine sorrow and regret on her face, wishing Noah could've at least said goodbye in person before valiantly sacrificing himself to severely cripple Shidou's plans. Despite only knowing him in their brief time together, the things Noah did and showed had deeply impacted Miku deep inside her heart.

Meanwhile, Shizuka gently held Alice close to her, letting the small child shed all her tears over the loss of Noah. Her fingers gently ran through Alice's red hair as Shizuka tried to keep herself together. Alice remembered how kind Noah was, how he always put himself out to help others, and with those pleasant memories in mind, it was hard to see what he had become in the end.

"This is just too much." Rei said in regret as she climbed up a truck to keep watch on the area, just in case more of Them decided to show up.

"How many were here?" Takashi inquired as he took a moment to look around the area, noticing all the mutilated corpses and shredded bodies before them.

"From the looks of it, at least twenty of Shidou's goons. The rest were infected prior to all this based off their distinct skin tone." Saya calculated as she performed a quick head count, shivering at the bloody massacre before her.

"I'm really worried about Frasier and Marcus. They're going through absolute hell right now. There's no telling just what they may do after something like this. What would we do if they suddenly snapped and turned on us in their grief at some point?" Rei questioned, clearly showing fear to what could happen if Frasier or Marcus went berserk from their loss.

"We didn't do anything to them, they have no reason to harm any of us. Besides, with the stakes raised like this, we'll need as much help as we can get." Takashi responded, confident that his new allies were reliable despite how they were acting now.

"Give me one good goddamn reason not to put a fucking hole in her head right here and now...just one!" Frasier suddenly demanded as he grabbed Noah's pistol and aimed at Miku's head. Anger and fury burned in his eyes as he stared her down, feeling his inner demon taking over once more.

"That's not what we do to unarmed survivors. Especially not to women." Marcus explained as he refused to let Frasier cross the line he could never return from.

"Speak for yourself." Frasier growled as he flicked the safety off, the sights of the pistol aiming right on target, his index finger starting to rub up against the metal trigger.

"I'm trying to speak for Noah. In that letter he wrote to us, he asked me to protect her if something like this happened! Our beloved brother is dead now, Frasier, and I intend to keep that promise for him! And I am especially not going to let YOU of all people cause me to break the last bit of trust Noah had placed on me! Frasier, we both know for a fact that in many ways, Noah was the smartest of all three of us. He wasn't a fool, he was smart enough to see this world for what it was, he knew what some people were like, and that goes without saying. But Noah said he trusts her, and if that is indeed the case, I'm willing to trust his judgment. Perhaps the rest of us should grant her the same courtesy, at least for the moment. Please, Frasier…if you kill her, then you'd already be dishonoring Noah's memory." Marcus said as he watched tears welling up in Frasier's eyes again. His elder brothers' otherwise steady arm slowly began to tremble before he tossed the pistol aside in frustration.

"AAAARRRGGGHHH!" Frasier cried out as he then began to punch the hood of a nearby car, each fist causing a dent to form in the car as he continued to pound against it without mercy. Everyone watched as tears and blood were spilled in a bloody breakdown, Frasier slowly draining himself of all his inner anger and sorrow over his loss.

When he dropped to his knees, he looked up to see Saeko kneeling at his side. Her arms wrapped around him tightly, her warm embrace slowly soothing the raging beast within him. Frasier simply cried and buried his face into her neck, now crying like a helpless child.

"Shhhh, it's going to be okay. We'll find him, and when we do, you'll have your revenge. Now get up, prove that you're stronger than this!" Saeko whispered in a calm tone before speaking in a motivating voice, watching as Frasier slowly stood up on his own with both fists clenched tight. He then turned his gaze over to Miku with a far calmer demeanor on his face.

"You can stay with us for now, but if I learn that you're still with Shidou's group in any way, I'll personally see to it that you're turned into one of Them, understand? You're so lucky that Noah was able to see something more to you. Perhaps he's right, but until then, you're on thin fucking ice. And if you try anything, I will be beneath it when it breaks." Frasier warned as he then began to storm off, picking up the C5 Wildcat off the ground as he then motioned Marcus to follow him. Both brothers, Saeko, and Miku walked past Takashi's group.

"So that's it then? You're just gonna leave us after all that?" Takashi questioned as he watched them, showing no intention of leaving.

"It's best if we split up. Fewer mouths to feed, and we'd be able to move faster. Besides, you guys are better off without someone as unstable as me around. Not to mention Kraven will target all of you just to get through to me." Frasier explained as he turned to face Takashi, not leaving because he wanted to, but because he knew it would be far too dangerous for an alliance.

"After all that's happened, I think it's best we stick together. We're all willing to stand by you and help you get revenge on this Kraven guy. You saved my life back at the safe-house, so I feel we could do a lot better if we were to remain united." Takashi explained before Rei let out a loud gasp that caught everyone's attention.

"What is it, Rei?" Takashi questioned as he looked up at her, noticing her vision was focused on something off in the far distance.

"It's so beautiful, Takashi. Everyone! You have to see this!" Rei called out as she began to form tears in her eyes.

Without a moment to spare, the group scrambled to climb the tipped over cargo truck to see what could've been causing so much commotion. Each one of them was instantly struck with awe when they saw the rumor of the great city to be standing before their very eyes.

"It's... beautiful." Frasier muttered in a gasp of astonishment, truly breathless before the marvel of humanity.

"We should head down there and check it out. I'm sure someone inside can explain what's going on with the rest of the country." Saya suggested as her hair was blowing in the breeze.

"But is it safe? Who knows what the people on the inside are going to be like?" Marcus said with caution, clearly untrusting of other survivors.  
>"This could be one of the best chances we've gotten since this whole thing started. I think we should at least give the setup a look and see what we think." Frasier suggested, clearly eager for what could possibly have been a chance to finally slow down after all the fighting that had taken place over the last twelve days.<p>

"Agreed. Lets roll out!" Takashi announced as he motioned everyone to beckon on towards the settlement before them, ready to see what would lie ahead of them on their journey for survival.


	28. Act 10: Kibou City Part 1

**Act 10: Kibou Part 1**

**Tokonosu City, Japan**

**Z-Day+12**

"Maybe they're using it as an evacuation point. Takashi, do you think my parents could be there?" Rei suggested before she began to speak in an excitable tone, having high hopes in her assumption, a surge of hope tingling throughout her body, as she couldn't hold in her glee.

"No clue. It's worth a shot, though. Hopefully it's not just another settlement overrun with Them or run by a hostile group. Something tells me we should avoid anyone we can after what just happened." Takashi responded with uncertainty and certainly no optimism to be found in his voice, weary of making anymore human contact for the time being.

"Well, staying out in the open isn't any way to go about it, that much is for certain." Marcus commented as a few passing clouds loomed overhead, temporarily casting a relaxing shade for the group.

"Yeah, I say we go for it. Got nothing better to do anyways." Khota commented as he slung his prized rifle along his back, already maneuvering over a railing and down towards a grassy hill to scout ahead for any signs of Them.

"Right behind you." Saya quick added as she followed the chubby marksman, making sure to keep him in her line of sight. It was almost as if she blamed herself for not being there when Khota was struck with an arrow the other day.

Everyone else just stood around, deciding whether or not to head towards what seemed too good to be true, given the past few events.

"How far do you think it is? We would need a car, wouldn't we?" Shizuka questioned as she tried to estimate the distance, knowing her legs couldn't stand the long distance walk.

"It looks to be at least three miles, maybe more. Shouldn't take us long to reach the walls though. An hour at best, so long as we don't end up being sidetracked." Marcus estimated, as he knew three miles meant no challenge to him or his elder brother.

"Don't forget, what should take an hour could take an entire day with Them in the picture. Not to mention our fighters would have to escort us as well. It would be suicide to try and walk with our current condition. " Miku explained as everyone looked at her with mixed expressions, most of them negative. Despite being right, nobody bothered to acknowledge her at first.

"I'm willing to take a loss." Frasier grumbled as he pushed his way past everyone, glaring Miku down as a clear indication that he meant her specifically while he stormed by to join Khota and Saya, unable to stand being near Miku for very long without losing control of himself.

"I'm really worried about him. Just the way he moves makes it look like he's going to hurt someone at any moment, if not worse. He won't be a problem, will he?" Rei asked as she looked over at Marcus and Saeko with a concerned look in her eyes, wondering if it was wise to keep Frasier in the group now that he was fueled entirely by anger.

"To be perfectly honest with you, Rei…I can't be entirely certain. However, from one friend to another, personally, I'd sleep with one eye open. I've never seen him this angry before. Kraven is going to regret what he did, mark my words." Saeko responded before heading out to confront and make sure Frasier was stable enough to travel with the group.

As Saeko skillfully slid down the grassy slope, she noticed Saya and Khota standing by a nearby rail while continuing their search for any obstacles or Them. A warm smile formed across her face, as she knew it wouldn't be long before they couldn't hold their feelings back for one another; it was bound to happen sooner or later.

As the group's sword master wandered on further, she stopped to see Frasier sitting on his own with something in his hands. Saeko crept up to investigate without causing him to be aware of her presence. An eyebrow raised when she spotted a small bullet in one hand and the bloody utility knife in the other, slowly etching something into it.

"What are you doing?" Saeko questioned, curious yet concerned at the same time about his mental health.

"Nothing." Frasier muttered in response as he continued on with his compulsive carving, hardly even acknowledging that Saeko even existed at this point.

Saeko remained silent at first; at least until she noticed what he was writing. On the side of a bullet it read "Kraven", making it very clear to the swordswoman that he was already bent on killing the one responsible for Noah's death.

"When I find him, Saeko. Either help me, or get out of the way, because nothing will keep me from avenging Noah. Nothing." Frasier suddenly warned as he turned his head over to meet her gaze, an ambitious look of pure obsession and desire burning to the core within him.

"I understand, but don't forget...he'll be expecting you to be coming for him after what he did. Perhaps it's best we wait until things are more stable before we try anything." Saeko suggested as she reached out to place a supportive hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah...last thing I need to be is predictable." Frasier agreed as he then tucked the special bullet aside, keeping it close to him for when the time would come.

It was momentarily silent after that. A small gust of wind breezed by as Frasier looked down, desperately trying not to shed a tear before Saeko.

"I know it was tough...you did everything you could've and more. Please don't let this anger consume you." Saeko said as Frasier unexpectedly responded with a glare of annoyance.

"Consume me? My little brother was just murdered! How can I not be angry?! It's all I can think about now, just the vivid images burning into my head...the things I'm going to do...the things I want to do...it scares me, Saeko...I'm afraid." Frasier lashed out in an aggressive voice at first, but as he continued to talk, he began to speak in a more saddened tone.

Rather then trying to think of a way to calm him down with words of comfort, Saeko simply wrapped her arms around him and held his head to her chest, like a mother soothing a weeping child, she just held him there as tears were now flowing freely down his cheeks.

"Shhh, just let it out. There's no shame in releasing your sorrow." Saeko whispered as she ran her fingertips through his hair, making sure to let him know he wasn't alone in this.

Meanwhile, Takashi stood with the rest of the group to make sure no one straggled off or was ambushed by the many threats that could be lurking in the shadows. Khota and Saya soon came back only to inform the group that entire scores of infected were all around the most direct routes towards the distant walled city.

"So if that settlement is friendly...do you think its run by the remnants of the government or even by the police?" Rei asked as she began to guess who could be left that would be able to establish such a place.

"Could even be the American military." Shizuka brought up as she sat on the ground with her knees up against her large chest.

"Unlikely. I'm almost positive that all their forces are being called back home to defend their own land first. Priorities, priorities." Saya corrected as she folded her arms while pacing back and forth impatiently.

"Hey, Marcus, is it? I'm going to go see if Frasier and Saeko are all right. Keep an eye out for anything that doesn't look right." Takashi ordered as Marcus responded with thumbs up before going back to tweaking his shotgun.

Takashi wandered down the grassy hill before noticing Saeko was standing alone by an overpass, looking out at the otherwise beautiful view of the city.

"Where's Frasier?" Takashi asked as he stood besides Saeko as she continued to look out in the distance.

"He's saying one last goodbye to Noah. He wished to do so alone, so here I wait." Saeko responded as she had a sad look to her.

"I see. Well, if anything happens to him, just know I'm here for you. I'll always be there." Takashi responded as he placed a hand on her shoulder, only for it to be slapped away as Saeko shot him an angered glare.

"He's far more capable of surviving this than you'll ever be! Scores of Them have fallen before him, the living will fare no better! I was really hurt when you picked Rei, but I got over it because I gave you a choice, and because Rei at least had the courage to come to me and make peace shortly afterwards, while you just backed away and left me by myself like nothing was wrong. The fact you're here at a shabby attempt to catch me on a rebound is pathetic. You made your choice abundantly clear before, and yet you still come back here to try and put a move on me, not only behind the back of YOUR girlfriend and MY friend, but behind the back of MY boyfriend, whom I thought you had been getting along with at this point, but clearly I was mistaken." Saeko scolded as she gave Takashi no chance to respond without risk of her bringing even more wrath down on him.

"I... I'm sorry Saeko...honest." Takashi muttered as he had a look of hurt in his eyes.

"I'm sure you are...just go and wait until we return. I don't have time for boyish games." Saeko grumbled before she turned her back on Takashi, completely shutting him out before he left to rejoin the rest of the group.

"If only we had a large transport to carry us all the way there. Maybe a bus or something we could access?" Khota said to himself. It was unclear whether he was asking for anyone's input or just thinking out loud again.

"Wait a minute... I think I can do one better!" Marcus suddenly exclaimed as he snapped his fingers, instantly catching the attention of everyone in the two groups as he then pulled out his map.

"My brothers and I, along with the assistance of Officer Asami, were able wipe out a hostile settlement that torched an innocent group. It was in a construction yard filled with heavy duty equipment and gear we could all use to drive over towards that walled up town." Marcus continued on to explain as his fingers traced over the map until he had an exact location and path memorized. No one could even consider questioning his idea if it were to be true. Not even the infected could topple over the heavy machinery that was used for construction.

"How far are we now? I can't imagine it's that far away." Rei asked as she tried to peer over after looking at a street sign to see how long the detour would be.

"Hmm, looks like its about two miles east of our current position. So all in all, this is a four mile trip if we can find any suitable transportation." Marcus finished as he folded the map up only to take the shotgun off his shoulder, quickly checking how much ammo he had left on him.

"If?! You want us to traverse two miles of streets filled with Hunters and the infected, and you're not even sure if we'll find any suitable transportation once we get there? On top of that, it looks like the weather is going to be blazing with heat soon!" Saya stated with heavy skepticism in her voice, displeased by the lack of planning, hating even more the thought of putting poor Alice through it all as well.

"Don't worry about hostiles getting in the way. My brother may be unstable at the moment, but trust me, when he gets put into a life or death situation, he is the ultimate killing machine; be the foe living or otherwise." Marcus said in an attempt to reassure Saya's doubts as he then noticed Frasier and Saeko approaching the group side by side.

Takashi lowered his head in an attempt to avoid eye contact while they passed by. Everyone else just stood there and watched as Marcus approached Frasier, whispering the plan he came up with into his ear. His elder brother was silent at first as he turned to look towards the settlement out in the distance before looking back at the two groups.

"Alright. We're all moving as one. Stick to cover and follow me. Do as I say, and I promise you'll all make it out alive. We aren't losing anyone else today." Frasier announced in a powerful, authoritative voice. Motivating the group as they all rallied to his call, following him down the road and into the unknown.

Roughly after an hour of traversing through the streets, Takashi's group began to steadily lower their guard when no signs of Them could be found, but at the same time, it only brought back the terrible flashback of when they were ambushed by the infected at the wired barricade.

Frasier and Marcus remained vigilant though, stopping the group every now and then to scout out an area in case they were to hear or see something out of place. Luckily it was just their imaginations getting to them. Little did they know that the Hunters themselves had problems of their own.

Deep in the very lair of the Hunters, Orion nervously paced back and forth as he awaited the return of his top scout, Jaeger. He watched as his fellow Hunters had looks of concern across their faces as well.

"Orion, I believe Jaeger has fallen. I know it's the last thing you want to hear, but your son is gone. To say the least, he died with glory on the field." a lowly Hunter explained as he approached their powerful leader, hesitant at first in case it would end with him being killed for speaking his mind.

Orion remained silent only to let out a deep sigh of remorse. He then just looked down at the rest of his fellow survivors, questioning whether or not it was worth pursuing after such dangerous targets now.

"We also have the matter of the recent attack. Another group gunned two of our brothers down. Their weapons were vastly superior to our own from what I hear. I advise we move on before we take anymore casualties." Orion's advisor suggested as he backed away when his leader turned to him with a look of anger if not disgust.

"No! I refuse to be driven out like the very prey we hunt! Unlike you, I still have my pride." Orion snapped as he spoke with a burning passion as he gripped both fists tightly. Losing his son was enough, but to become the hunted was too much for his psyche to bear.

Suddenly, another Hunter came running through the front doors, breathing heavily as he approached his group, all focusing their eyes upon him.

"The ones who attacked us are at our gates. Their leader requests an audience with you, Orion." the winded messenger announced as he bowed upon one knee.

Before anyone could even consider responding to the messenger, the front doors suddenly came flying off their hinges, hurtling through the room as the sound of what sounded like hundreds of voices could be heard moving in without warning. Men wearing tattered rags and dark blue jumpsuits that read "Tokonosu Prison" on the back, were moving into the compound.

All of them were standing behind a single figure wearing scrap metal for armor along his shoulders, chest, forearms and shins. This figure had a pair of fearsome yellow eyes that averted attention away from his shaved head.

"Sorry, but I thought I'd just let myself in. Didn't seem like you'd have a choice whether to let me in or not anyways." the leading figure announced as his massive group began to spread out while Orion's Hunters did the same, just in case this turned into a bloodbath.

"What do you want with us? You clearly could've slaughtered us all with those sheer numbers alone, so what're your true intentions?" Orion questioned as he sat upon his throne, visibly shocked by their numbers yet the lack of them being attacked on the spot.

"Now where's the fun in that? Besides, I'm only interested in the leader of your group. I presume that would be you then?" the leader of the well armed convicts replied as he walked out into the light to reveal his face was hidden behind a black bandana, his eyes just peering over the dark fabric.

"I am. Now who are you and what is it that you want with me? I can't imagine you came here with good intentions on your conscience." Orion said, no longer wishing to wait around for this mysterious figure to make his next move.

"The name is Durge Menshikov and I've come for you, Orion. From what I hear, you've hunted my brother like a wild animal, threw him into chains and beat him only for him to be chased through the streets filled with the walking dead. Now this is all just a rumor, but you know what they say... rumors are usually true." the man known as Durge answered as he then looked over towards a large arena with a metal fence surrounding it.

"Now I'm a fair man, despite what my associates and enemies may say. So here's how things will go down: I challenge you to one on one combat to the death in that arena you've got setup over there. If I win, I decide what to do with the rest of your group. If you win...well, let's not be too optimistic now." Durge then announced before proudly handing Orion his ultimatum, chuckling at the end of his statement as if he was fully confident he had already won.

The intruding group slowly hushed their shouting as they waited for an answer while the Hunters had looks of uncertainty for their own lives as well as the sanity of their leader if he were to accept the challenge.

"Very well. Let your confidence be your own downfall. If that is what it takes, then so be it!" Orion announced back in defiance as he accepted the challenge, making his way towards the metal construct before them. The prisoners cheered in excitement for the inevitable bloodshed they so craved to witness while Orion's fellow Hunters simply followed to watch him and Durge enter the arena alone.

**{Hans Zimmer - Deshi Basara}**

All the lights were suddenly shut off, and only a few remained that shined above the makeshift arena. Durge and Orion both finished stretching their limbs out, both wanting to let nothing hold them back from the fight.

"Before we begin, I want you to tell me your name. I feel it is best to know the name of the man who is about to end your very existence." Durge announced as he slowly began to pull away the rags that covered his hardened chest, only leaving the rusty armor to cover the rest of his body.

"Very well. My name is Hisuo. But I prefer the name of Orion, just like the great hunter himself!" Orion announced proudly as he raised his fist to hear the sound of his loyal Hunters cheering him on.

"My name is Taras Menshikov, but you will remember me as Durge, because that will be the last thing you will hear before I tear your soul from your very being!" Durge suddenly announced as he was instantly overshadowed in the vicious and brutish shouts of his fellow inmates demanding the fight to delay no more.

The ground felt like it was beginning to tremble as the two titan-like figures charged one another. Orion ducked under an oncoming punch, wrapping his arms around Durge's waist in attempt to lift him off the ground. However, Durge quickly responded by bring both elbows down upon Orion's spine, listening to him release a gasp of pain before his grip loosened.

"You'll need to be quicker then that!" Durge commented before he kneed Orion in the face, watching him tumble back only to roll back onto his feet within seconds, ready for more as he wiped the blood from his lips.

Both figures charged once more, Orion stepping to the side at the last minute, managing to land a heavy two handed blow to the back of Durge's head. The heavily built man released a snarl of pain as he came back punching Orion across the jaw, managing to take a kick to the chest like it was nothing.

Suddenly, Durge ducked under the second kick with his own leg extended. The powerful sweep kick he delivered managed to knock Orion onto his back, the grizzled hunter looking up to see Durge's boot raised up, blocking out the light as it came down.

Orion quickly rolled to his side, just barely in enough time to avoid having his head smashed in like a pumpkin. He then wrapped his legs around Durge's, managing to topple him over. Orion quickly pinned him down, unleashing a flurry of savage punches down upon his foe.

Hit after hit, the spectators from both groups just watched as Durge took the beating head on. It was almost as if he was just letting Orion hit him at this point. Soon enough Orion stopped, only to watch as Durge looked up at him with a sinister smirk.

"That really the best you've got?" Durge questioned before he let out a morale shattering laugh that made Orion bring down both fists at once only for Durge to catch it before it even came close to his face.

With a powerful kick, Orion was sent flying back while Durge slowly sat up, watching as his determined opponent was already coming back for more. Durge grasped the ground before leaping back when Orion threw a heavy kick his way.

When Orion continued his charge, Durge let his palm open up to release a pocket of dirt that blinded Orion as he ran straight into it. The enraged man let out a grunt of distress as it became too irritating to keep his eyes open for more than a second.

"I think I've given them enough for one day." Durge commented sadistically as he slowly walked towards his disoriented opponent only to feel a sharp pain lash out against his cheek when Orion backhanded him with his hand.

Fresh blood slowly dripped down Durge's cheek as he looked to see that on Orion's wrist were two metal blades protruding from his gauntlet. It was quite clear that Orion was saving it for a desperate moment.

"That's quite a nice toy you've got there. I want it." Durge suddenly said as he walked towards Orion, waiting for him to lash out again.

When he attempted to lunge forward with the bladed gauntlet, Durge step aside grasping Orion's arm with both hands. In a single motion Orion's right arm was bent all the way back.

***Snap* **

Orion cried out in agonizing pain as the sound of his bones being snapped crackled in the wind, everyone watching shuddering at the dreaded thought of what it must of felt like.

Durge let him fall to his knees as he took his time putting on the bladed gauntlet. It brought him great pleasure to watch his foe squirm in agonizing pain.

"I'll give you one thing, you certainly know how to warm the blood up. But sadly, I think it's time to end this seeing how you are no challenge to me now." Durge announced to Orion if not to everyone listening in on him declare his victory.

His boot kicked the wounded Hunter aside before he walked over, grabbing his other arm while one boot pressed against his spine. Durge then began to slowly pull up on Orion's left arm, forcing everyone to watch as he dislocated Orion's arm from its socket. Another dreadful crackling sound rang out and was followed by what little of a shout Orion could let out this time.

Without wishing to give him a break, Durge slowly lifted Orion above his head like a prized trophy. He then chuckled to himself as his fellow inmates cheered him on to finish the job.

"Time to return to the stars!" Durge roared out to Orion as he slammed him straight down into his knee, enjoying the blissful sensation as he felt the spinal cord being snapped against his knee.

Orion did not make a sound after that, somewhat disappointing Durge as he tossed the lifeless corpse aside only to look at the rest of the Hunters. He raised his hand up only to give them a thumb down which was soon followed by the sounds of gunshots and screams of terror as his inmates mercilessly fired at the crowds.

"Now for the other two." Durge thought to himself as he began to causally walk through the arena as the slaughter continued all around him.

**{}**

Meanwhile, the two groups stood at a moderate distance before the construction site only to be greeted by the horrid sight of Them. A few were shambling on the outside the chain linked fence while the vast majority was in a feeding frenzy, eating away at the many corpses that were there for the picking.

"I may have forgotten to mention we let the infected flank these guys. I guess they put up more of a fight than I thought. Since They are still feeding, they must've had those guys on the defensive for days, and they couldn't be able to escape. Must have drawn in even more with the continuous gunshots." Frasier commented as he observed the area only to be turned around until he was facing Takashi.

"You could've warned us that the infected were going to be here. I thought this place was secure!" Takashi said, as he had no problem showing his grievances towards the plan.

"It's not like they can predict where and when the infected are going to show up. At least we know there won't be any other survivors to get in the way, seeing how no one in their right mind would go near those packs." Saeko said in defense of the brothers as Takashi decided to remain silent, knowing it was best not to disagree with her on the matter after their discussion earlier.

"It isn't so bad. There are plenty of vehicles down there for us to choose from. I recommend the bulldozer seeing how it has what we need to spearhead any of Them that get in our way." Khota suggested as he looked down his scope to see what opportunities were waiting for them to take advantage of.

"That's a great start! See anything we can use to carry everyone else?" Rei said before peering over his shoulder to see if she could get a better glimpse of the construction yard.

"I see...oh, this could be something." Khota said to himself before feeling Saya's chest leaning on the back of his head, nearly causing him to fumble and drop his rifle out of embarrassment.

"Well? Don't just keep it to yourself, tell us what you can see!" Saya demanded in an anxious voice, unable to wait for even a second.

"There appears to be a semi-trailer used to haul mounds and heaps of dirt to the area. Maybe we can connect it to the bulldozer and tug everyone else behind it." Khota explained as he repositioned himself, doing his best to ignore the fact that Saya's breasts were just resting on his head so casually.

"It's a plan then. I'm certain there will be a pair of keys hanging around somewhere. I know they keep a set on site at all times." Shizuka agreed before adding more to the group's to-do list.

"Our best bet would be in the foreman's office. Can't imagine a better place to keep the keys." Miku commented, still receiving little to no positive attention from anyone, still being viewed as the pariah of the group.

"She's right. The only problem though is the fact that that's where most of Them are residing. That office looked like a suitable place to make a last stand." Khota observed as he noticed the shattered windows and bloody interior of the small construct.

"We'll need a distraction." Saeko suggested as she looked around the immediate area for something that would prove to be a viable asset to their carefully thought out plan.

"Nothing too loud or we'll only draw in more of Them. We have no idea how many are hidden inside every nook and cranny we pass. In fact, someone really should be keeping watch." Khota noted, causing everyone to instantly look around out of paranoia that the infected would be approaching from behind.

Suddenly, Alice came running up to Takashi with a random object she found with Zeke as they walked around the area Shizuka was currently supervising while everyone else looked a bit further out for anything of use.

"Hey, what do these do?" Alice asked curiously as she waved the two stick like objects up at Takashi.

"Those are just road flares, Alice. Would be useful if the infected could see heat, because these would be more than enough to draw Them in." Takashi answered as he took one to give it a quick look over, tossing it around in the air only for Saya to quickly snatch it.

"While that may be true, these should provide a sufficient distraction by the sizzling sound they emit when activated. Good find, munchkin." Saya calculated before she looked back down at Alice with a warm smile on her face to let the young girl know she did well.

"How many were there?" Takashi then asked as he kneeled down beside Alice to speak on her level.

"Just those two. Honest." Alice responded as she felt she would be in trouble if she did not bring in a whole bundle of road flares.

"Don't worry about it, these will have to do for now." Takashi said in a way to reassure Alice before he gently tussled her hair before leaving to explain to everyone else what they could do next now that they had a sufficient tool for distraction.

The group had steadily proceeded closer and closer towards the construction site until the infected could be heard without a doubt. Putrid gurgles and groans filled the air as the sound of teeth sinking, gnawing, and tearing into flesh became too abundant to handle.

"We should use our fastest runner. We'll only be able to distract Them for so long with just two road flares." Saeko whispered to the others as she carefully started thinking just how they were going to be able to make this plan go off without a hitch.

"You guys might not want to hear this, but I think I'm the faster one here. I used to run track before all this started after all. Think of it as a way to prove my worth around here." Miku suggested as she stepped forward, willing to risk her life in an attempt to gain their trust.

"That's true, her speed and light weight would be ideal for the task. The only thing left to think about, is how will we keep the infected back once the flares run out of charge? We can't exactly learn to operate such machines while the infected are raining down on us.

"We can try to shut the fence that borders between the construction site and the foreman's office. If we use our time wisely, we should be able to get out of here before the infected can break the fence down." Frasier brought up as he recalled the layout of the area.

"So you're actually going to let me do this? No protests or threats to be said for once?" Miku questioned, as she didn't receive the usual hate she had came to expect from Frasier whenever she said anything.

"A task where you are locked in with Them? Running back and forth hoping that They don't corner you? And if you do end up failing, I'll be able to come in and kill whatever part of you decides to reanimate? What more could I really ask for?" Frasier responded cynically before letting out a soft chuckle at the thought of all that actually happening to Miku.

"Yeah...should've seen that one coming." Miku muttered to herself as she held a road flare tight in hand while she began to stretch, wanting to lower any risk of her cramping up in the middle of a life or death situation.

Moments later, Miku and Frasier both walked through the crowds of infected while everyone else remained on standby when things were clear. Luckily with plenty of moderately fresh corpses to go around, the infected were occupied with what They had.

"Twist it then lob it over. Don't throw it like a baseball." Frasier whispered as he demonstrated by activating his flare before tossing it over towards the foreman's office.

Miku silently responded with a nod before doing as she was told, cringing at the sound of the infected shuffling in their direction when the road flares began sizzling.

However, Frasier motioned her to remain still to avoid attracting Them towards their position now that the flares were now in full effect. Dust began to kick up into the air from the infected as They shuffled and dragged Their feet against the dirt.

Everyone watching felt their hearts racing as they had no idea what would happen next. They both had to cover their eyes, nose, and mouth to avoid coughing in the midst of the infected that wandered past them and onwards towards the two road flares that captivated Them.

When the majority of the infected were past the fence, Frasier quickly sealed them in before spinning around to meet the open jaws of an infected child he managed to alert (along with those left on the outside with him) when he slammed the gate closed.

"Miku, stand aside." Frasier said before he seamlessly drew his crossbow before firing it at the infected boy with only one arm while the other went for the steel machete at his side, decapitating the decaying woman that lunged for him soon after.

Within seconds, Rei, Marcus, and Saeko were already charging in to assist them while everyone else moved in at a safe distance.

"You two handle the ones on our flank. We'll hold the gate!" Marcus announced to Saeko and Rei as he quickly tackled an infected man that was heading for Miku, quickly slamming the butt of his shotgun into the back of the skull until it was reduced to a bashed in mess of gore.

Rei shoved the bayonet attachment on her rifle straight into the eye of an infected corpse with enough precision to casually slide it back out only to swing it across the face of another one reaching out for her, the skin on Its face being peeled away by the razor sharp blade. At first she shuddered at the horrid sight only to mentally stow it aside and finish the job with a quick series of jabs until the reanimated corpse remained still for good.

Saeko spun around in a circle, her arm extended out with her katana clutched in hand. Any of Them unfortunate enough to be nearby were instantly cut down to shreds. A crimson red circle formed around her as she stopped to take in the soothing thrill of the body count she tacked on.

It always was satisfying to her, but for some reason she didn't dwell on it as much for some reason. She almost would consider it odd if it wasn't for an arrow whizzing by her ear as an infected corpse behind her was pinned to a telephone pole.

"Hey, Saeko, wake up! That was too close!" Frasier announced as he reloaded the crossbow before walking towards her to see why she would stop in the middle of a fight.

"S-sorry...just thought I'd let you take that one." Saeko apologized sincerely before trying to persuade him it was intentional.

"Oh...well just let me know next time. I was...nevermind, no harm done." Frasier stumbled as he found himself shocked to see she had apparently known all along.

"Something is telling me you were afraid I might've been injured or worse." Saeko smirked as she tried to lighten up the mood, watching him instantly set into a defensive mood.

"I think we have more pressing priorities over you playing psychoanalyst with me." Frasier responded before he retrieved his arrow from the infected corpse pinned against the wooden beam, watching as it slowly slumped over.

"So is it safe to come out now?" Alice asked timidly as she hid behind Saya's legs for comfort.

"For now at least. Seems the undead are pacified for now so long as those flares are on. Better get going while you can, Miku." Rei responded to Alice before turning her attention over towards Miku while she wiped the brain matter off the tip of her bayonet onto the shirt of one of the motionless corpses besides her.

"Right. Wish me luck!" Miku said before she quickly scaled the fence, looking down to see all the infected in the area were all vacantly standing by the two flares in the middle of each crowd.

Without even thinking, Miku quickly dashed through any open gaps she spotted. Any of the infected that noticed her began to follow until distracted by the continuous sizzling once again, making the young teen practically invisible to Them so long as she kept moving.

"Shit!" Miku mentally thought to herself as one of the infected children walked right in her way. Out of reflex however, she simply leapt over it as if it were another hurdle she was used to jumping back when things were normal.

Without any further delay, Miku managed to slip inside the office and lock it behind her. With a little breathing room, now she was able to scan the room in detail with her golden eyes in search for a set of keys. To her luck, each set hanging on a nail imbedded into the wall was distinctly labeled for each vehicle they belonged to.

"Bulldozer... Bulldozer... Ah! There we go!" Miku softly mumbled to herself, feeling her heart pounding against her chest as she spotted the set she needed.

Without any hesitation, she swiped them from their place, and then ran outside only to stop in her tracks when the infected horde before her was no longer huddled in two separate areas.

"What's going on? Why are they all looking at her? Shouldn't the road flares keep Them distracted?" Shizuka questioned as the group watched as the infected began to close in towards Miku.

"Damn things must have been duds. Quickly now! We need to make some noise!" Rei announced as everyone began to look around for something to keep the infected off Miku's back.

"Let her sort herself out. She should've been more careful." Frasier suggested as he leaned against a fence while playing with one of his arrows by twirling it between his fingers while everyone continued to search for something to help Miku.

"C'mon, brother! Do it for Noah!" Marcus demanded as he began to toss half consumed beer bottles over the fence, managing to momentarily buy the sprinter more time.

Miku braced herself against the locked door in a futile attempt to hold the infected back. Tears flowed down her cheeks as it felt like this construction yard would be her grave now.

***CLANG* **

The infected at the foreman's office all turned Their gazes over towards a lamppost as an arrow impacted against it, causing it to ring out, echoing throughout the otherwise quiet wind while the shambling fiends made Their way towards the new source of sound.

Miku watched in shock to see her luck wasn't entirely out just yet as she looked over to see Frasier standing on a crate that put him over the fence while reloading his crossbow only to fire another arrow at the lamppost.

***CLANG* **

"Better get moving! Only have two arrows left!" Frasier warned as he watched Miku form a smile before she darted past the few of the infected that weren't lured away by the distracting echo.

Miku quickly leapt over one of the putrid abominations before leaping to the side to dodge a set of hands that reached out for her out of nowhere. Sweat trickled down her face as more infected began to head her way again.

***CLANG* **

"Last one!" Frasier announced as Marcus was both pleased and amazed to see his brother setting aside his venomous hatred aside to help the girl their younger brother deemed worthy of a second chance despite her past reputation and allegiances.

With the fence now in sight, Miku closed the gap only to find herself cut off by yet another straggler with a few more right on her tracks.

"Jump!" Marcus instructed as Frasier fired an arrow into the infected woman's kneecap, causing it to kneel down from the immense force applied. Miku out of pure reflex used the walker's back as a stepping stone to leap back over to the considerably safer side if the fence.

When she landed, she made sure to roll so no injury would occur when landing from such a high fall. She slowly picked herself up, brushing the dirt and blood off of her knees as she looked up to see the group looking over at her.

"Told ya I could do it." Miku said with a smile before proudly presenting the keys to them all, soon enough earning a smile from them one at a time.

"A little close, but that's beside the point. Good work." Takashi complimented as he was handed the keys. Miku could recall him being the one in charge when they first met back at the minibus just a little less than two weeks ago, despite it feeling like so much longer.

"Told you they would be there!" Shizuka chimed in as she walked over towards the guys after Miku decided to follow Marcus, knowing he would be the only one who wouldn't instantly judge her for what she did in the past.

"How did you know they kept a set on site by the way?" Takashi asked Shizuka, as she was more than proud to be of assistance to the group's success.

"I dated a construction worker once. Wasn't much to the guy really, but I just happened to recall him telling me his day at work, talking about the foreman and how he was fired for not putting the keys back with the others. Broke up with him a day later." Shizuka explained in her usually bubbly-headed voice, taking a moment to tell the younger teens about her love life.

"Serendipity at its finest, and from Dr. Boobs no less." Saya said aloud as she rolled her eyes, somewhat amazed as to how they managed to survive for so long compared to the rest of the world.

"Can I have some water? I'm really thirsty." Alice requested as she felt her little throat starting to become dry due to the immense heat. Shizuka nodded as she guided the little girl towards the semi-trailer they found to set their gear on while Miku was securing the keys to the bulldozer. Saya soon ended up joining them now that things were calmer for the time being.

Takashi looked down at the keys only to slip them into the pocket of his uniform. He then walked along with Marcus and Khota to see if they could operate the bulldozer themselves.

"I'll keep watch with you guys. Seems like everyone else is occupied for the moment." Rei said as she walked over towards Frasier and Saeko as they would keep an eye out in case the horde behind the chain linked fence decided to come plowing through it without warning.

"Can't really keep watch with no damn arrows left." Frasier grumbled before storming off, both Rei and Saeko watching him as he sat at the end of the semi-trailer with Shizuka and Alice, clearly irritated that he had to expend all his ammunition for someone he almost hated as much as the infected.

"He may not want to admit it, but he knows he did the right thing." Rei commented as they both began to walk around the perimeter of the fence.

"Frasier is prideful in nature. It was a struggle, but with enough willpower, he can do anything he sets his mind to. But I'm sure you didn't come here to talk about him." Saeko explained before shifting the conversation onwards; certain Rei had an ulterior intention to speak of.

"I was just wondering if you guys ever...you know..." Rei said in an awkward mumble before she couldn't even bare to finish her sentence all the way through.

"What? I'm not sure what you're getting at here." Saeko said with an eyebrow raised as she looked at Rei who began to nervously look around.

"Have you and him ever had sexual intercourse before? And I'm not talking about oral or anything like that. Just straight up sex like we were taught in Health class?" Rei quickly whispered out of paranoia that someone would be listening in on them.

"Oh, I see...well, no. Not yet, anyways. We only just started dating, and despite how things are now, we've agreed to wait until things are more stable and secure with the group. Why do you ask, Rei?" Saeko answered before going into further detail, only to ask her close friend why she would suddenly ask of such a thing, especially judging by how she was so awkward about it.

"Oh, no reason! Just checking up on a close friend is all. Haha, well I better go see how Alice is doing!" Rei explained before trying to casually walk away, only to feel Saeko's hand on her shoulder spin her around, facing her once more.

"Hold up. You wouldn't just come all the way over here just to awkwardly ask about my sex-life with my boyfriend only to be completely causal and nonchalant when I said 'no'. You can tell me what's really up, Rei. That's what friends are for after all." Saeko calculated, managing to poke holes through Rei's reactions to the conversation as well as her motives.

"Fine, you got me. If you really must know, I was just asking because I was wondering if there were any tips or tricks you could give me. I've considered trying to go further with Takashi, but unless we can find a more secure location, I'm just not sure that I can go through with it. I must sound so ridiculous being worried about such a stupid thing after all that's been going on." Rei explained honestly before looking away out of embarrassment and shame, only for Saeko to give her an embracing hug to show she understood entirely.

"Relax, Rei. I know exactly what you mean, and I'm certain we will be able to settle down with our men once this is over. Hey, maybe we could even get Saya and Khota to go further too. They seem like they could use it." Saeko said in attempt to relieve Rei of her woe before suggesting they bring Saya into the loop.

"You make it sound so easy. I'm glad I came to you about this. Thank you, Saeko. Perhaps Shizuka can even give us some tips given her track record with guys." Rei said gratefully before feeling bold enough to suggest they seek more mature assistance from their former school nurse.

"One step at a time; but she would know the simplest of ways." Saeko replied before imagining the many things Shizuka could teach and pass onto them; both of the close friends letting out a soft feminine giggle before continuing their patrol together.

Meanwhile, Frasier sat at the edge of the semi-trailer. Part of him was aggravated that he used up all his arrows for the C5 Wildcat, while on the other hand he felt consciously good for helping Miku survive another encounter with Them.

"You know, they say that when going out for revenge, you should dig two graves." Shizuka said as she gently rubbed Frasier's back in attempt to show him she sympathized with his pain over Noah's murder.

"Yeah...one for Kraven, and one for Shidou. I'm glad you're with me on this one, Shizuka." Frasier chuckled in a twisted manner before he got up to investigate when Marcus turned on the ignition to the bulldozer.

"That's not what I meant..." Shizuka said as she looked down, her voice carrying great worry that Frasier was going to lose himself in his newfound obsession for revenge.

"We good to go?" Takashi questioned while he looked up, covering his forehead with his hand to block out the sun that was in his eyes as he gazed at the large machine before him.

"Just about. I suggest we refuel this bad boy up before trying to travel through a heavily infested area though. It sure would suck to be trapped in the middle of a horde." Marcus suggested in a concerned voice as he then turned the ignition off, not wanting to waste any more precious fuel.

"No time for that; we only have so much time before darkness is upon us. We need shelter before it rains again." Takashi instructed as he motioned everyone to come towards him.

One by one, the group all stood by the bulldozer to see that there was no way they could all fit inside of it. Rei was the first to speak out to see what Khota intended if this was all he had in mind.

"You know there's ten of us, right? There's no way we could all sit on that for an extended amount of time." Rei explained through careful observation.

"True, but this is just what we'll be using to pull us to that settlement. While one of us drives the bulldozer, the rest can ride inside the semi trailer. The infected may be powerful in bundles, but there's no way they could possibly turn over something as heavy as what we're packing!" Khota exclaimed excitedly as he explained his plan to the rest of the group.

At first they were hesitant if not skeptical of the idea, but then again they couldn't come up with anything better, so they ended up going with Khota's plan in the end. One by one they piled up into the heavily reinforced trailer while Khota, Takashi, Frasier, and Marcus had to decide amongst themselves who would operate the bulldozer.

"Let's face it, none of us really know how to operate it." Frasier said in an exasperated sigh before leaning against the trailer.

"True, but we should be able to figure it out with enough practice. We use the gas pedal to go forward, steering wheel to turn, etc. Easy as pie." Marcus replied as he showed great confidence in the simplicity of operating a bulldozer.

"It's not like we're constructing anything, just basic driving; not to mention it's going to be slow, so I doubt we'll need to make any evasive maneuvers with it along the way." Takashi added as he climbed up only to go pale in the face at all the various controls and levers before him.

"I'll drive then, in case the infected do managed to climb aboard the bulldozer. I'm best suited to handle Them up close anyways." Frasier volunteered as he held his hand out for the keys.

The rest of the guys all looked at one another. All had weary looks on their faces at the idea of someone who was showing signs of a potential meltdown to be the driver of their only chance at survival.

"Maybe you should take it easy after what just happened, brother. Let someone else do the heavy lifting for once." Marcus suggested as he tried his best to reason with Frasier.

"What're you trying to say? That I'm not good enough? That I can't handle a simple escort?" Frasier questioned as he narrowed his eyes, taking offense that someone would imply he was too weak to handle the job.

"Not at all! I'm just saying you should take a break, save your energy so when you and Kraven go at it, you'll have all of your energy." Marcus responded nervously, holding his hands up defensively.

Frasier paused for a moment before calming down again; he let out a sigh before leaving them to mount up with the rest of the group. When Frasier was out of sight, they all let out a sigh of relief.

"Phew, I swear I thought he was going to explode..." Khota sighed, as he wiped off the sweat on his forehead, grateful that Frasier was able to keep his cool and not lose all self-control.

"Nevermind that. Let's keep focused on who should drive. I think it benefits everyone that I do it. Marcus, you're needed in the semi-trailer in case Frasier loses his mind; and Khota, you're the most stable marksman, so I need you to watch my back in case someone starts shooting at us. I know we've all been through hell through the past few days, but in a few hours we will finally be in a structured environment!" Takashi explained, knowing where everyone was best suited to be when they began their long journey through the infested streets of Tokonosu.

"Alright, you've made your case. Try not to crash or anything." Marcus responded as they soon left Takashi to immerse himself with the controls.

Takashi took a deep breath before taking the helm once more. He took some time to look over the controls before he ended up going with basic instinct. The massive bulldozer began to rumble as the powerful motor roared, causing the infected behind the fence to press against it, their baser instinct instructing them to investigate the source of the loud noise.

Without much time to think, Takashi grabbed the stick shift and switched into reverse, looking over his shoulder as he slowly began to back up until the bulldozer was pressing up against the semi-trailer. Suddenly, Takashi heard a loud clank sound that caused him to look down to see Frasier and Marcus connecting the two vehicles together before retreating to the safety of the semi-trailer.

"Alright, show time!" Takashi announced for anyone to hear as he switched into drive before slamming his foot on the gas pedal, the pistons inside the bulldozer's motor heavily pounding away as the large construct was significantly slower due to the extra weight.

Luckily, the fence held the infected at bay long enough before it was torn down by the horde that was soon left in the dust by the survivors as they made a slow but sure getaway. Everyone in the semi-trailer cheered in a sense of major accomplishment, as they were just one step away from entering what could be the very last bastion of civilization.

Despite the great progress made, the bulldozer soon came to a slow yet expected halt. When the escort stopped, everyone inside the trailer stood up and looked over to see Khota and Takashi quickly running for the driver seat, trying to assess the problem.

"What happened?! Don't tell me we blew the engine or something..." Shizuka questioned as she tightly gripped the side of the trailer.

"Just relax. It's most likely that we just ran out of fuel. Maybe we can find a gas station and refuel before any of the infected can block us in." Marcus estimated before he stood up to look around for any signs of Them. Luckily none were around, at least for now.

"So who's going to go out there?" Alice questioned as she looked up at Saya for the answer she usually had by now.

"We'll go. You guys just hang back and stay out of trouble." Saeko instructed as she grabbed her katana then took Frasier's hand, motioning him to follow as they jumped out the back of the trailer.

"I'm going too! You'll need backup." Marcus announced as he grabbed his shotgun, scrambling to follow his older brother.

"Don't forget us!" Khota added as he and Takashi both dismounted the bulldozer to join up with the scavenger team.

"One of you should stay back. We can't leave the rest of the group unsupervised." Saeko suggested, as she knew that the others wouldn't stand much of a chance if they were to be attacked by hostile survivors.

"So who's it gonna be?" Takashi questioned as he looked back and forth at everyone before him.

"You and Khota should rock, paper, scissors for it." Marcus suggested as he checked his pockets for any spare ammunition.

"You can't be serious, I thought I was in charge here!" Takashi protested as he scowled at the idea of being left behind.

"This is a joint group actually, Takashi. Marcus and I are in Frasier's group, so you have no say in it. We aren't saying you personally can't go, we're just saying it's too risky to bring both of you with us. " Saeko explained, making Takashi realize that it was crucial that someone stay behind to keep the group safe.

"That's true... All right, I guess I'll stay behind then. You guys just stay safe, alright?" Takashi said as he began to see reason now, slowly making his way back to the trailer before the scavenger team began to move west for the gas station Khota spotted while back at the overpass.

Minutes later, the four survivors found themselves walking through the vacant streets of Tokonosu. Any pockets of infected they encountered met a swift end by both Frasier and Saeko's blades as they refused to show any quarter for Them.

Khota and Marcus would cover the rear flank in case anything was to come from behind them. Occasionally they would see signs of survivor encampments, but never saw it as something to be concerned over when nobody was occupying them.

Suddenly, Frasier held his fist up, motioning everyone to halt in their tracks as he looked forward at the gas station. He was almost certain they were no longer alone in this.

"What is it? Infected?" Khota whispered from the back only to watch as Frasier crouched down and drew out his C5 Wildcat.

Still remaining silent, Frasier motioned everyone to follow him despite the lack of information. However, they figured it was best to simply follow him and see what he intended to do.

All four of them huddled behind a car, Frasier pointing at Khota then to the roof of the gas station. Khota quickly managed to figure out what Frasier was trying to convey. He quickly peered out of cover with his rifle in hand.

Through the scope, Khota quickly noticed two figures were standing on it, both looking down at the interior of the building. The gun otaku quickly recoiled before they could notice something was up.

"Two guys up on top of that gas station. Neither appears to be armed. What should we do?" Khota reported before he asked for further details.

Frasier took a moment before looking at Saeko. He then looked around the area to be sure Khota's info was correct. With no signs of life, he carefully broke cover and motioned everyone to follow.

One man was wearing a white t-shirt with blue jeans to match. He had simple black hair that was buzzed down for the most part, with brown eyes that matched his brown boots. His body was moderately well built and covered in sweat, no doubt from the intense heat bearing down on him. He was armed with what appeared to be a crowbar.

The other was much more slim and fidgety. He wore a blue cap that covered his head along with a blue jumpsuit that was concealed behind a black jacket and jeans. He had hazel brown eyes that narrowed when he saw the four heavily armed survivors approaching them. A casually held a tire iron between his fingers.

"Well would you look at that, people who AREN'T snarling and trying to eat us. That's new. Although I don't appreciate the guns one bit." announced the figure wearing the cap, standing on top of the gas station as he noticed the four survivors blatantly walking out into the open.

"It's alright! We aren't looking for any trouble!" announced the other survivor as they both looked down at the approaching teens, two of them keeping their guns trained on the figures while the other two kept their hands close to the handles on their blades.

"Good, because we aren't in the mood for it. What are you doing up there?" Saeko announced before she watched the two figures slowly climb down from the roof.

"Just thought we'd have a try at the gas pumps, but they won't cough up anything. Name's Tetsuo, and this here is my friend, Saburo," the built man said as he wiped the sweat off his brow.

"Why don't you just tell them everything, idiot?" Saburo, the fidgety cap-wearing man, questioned as he spoke in an aggressive tone, clearly not wanting to share any personal information with other survivors.

"Nice to meet you both. Have you tried to insert money into the gas pumps?" Saeko greeted before cutting right to the chase, having little time to exchange pleasantries.

"We tried that already, but the gas pumps aren't working. My guess is some employee shut it off when the outbreaks started, or maybe they never even made it...point is, we need to find a key to unlock the pumps, and I'm more than certain there's going to be a set inside the store." Tetsuo explained as he pointed towards the inside of the barricaded store.

"Why not just bust in? Doesn't look that reinforced to me." Marcus questioned as he observed the flimsy wooden plank nailed across the windows and twin doors.

"You want to see why we're still out here?" Saburo asked as he then walked up and lightly tapped on the glass.

Everyone slowly leaned in to see what he was getting at, only to jolt back when an infected corpse popped out from the shadows of the dark store.

"How many?" Saeko inquired as she never took her eyes off of Saburo, almost as if there was something about him that gave her a bad hunch.

"No clue, but certainly enough to where just the two of us can't take them on. We where planning on getting some help from our group, but you guys showed up, so I think we can settle an arrangement here. You guys help us kill the infected, then we let you have first dibs on the gas pump." Tetsuo offered as he felt it was a decent offer.

"First go? What if they use it all up?! " Saburo grumbled in protest, showing no trust towards the teen group.

"We have to be fair; killing the infected is no trivial matter. Besides, our car doesn't take that much up, so just chill out." Tetsuo responded calm yet firmly as he saw Saburo starting to see his point.

"Fine, but there better be enough for us or I swear I'm gonna..." Saburo muttered under his breath as he stormed off to stand by the front doors to the gas station.

"Don't worry about him, he's just pissed because our group is going to give us hell for being late." Tetsuo said to Frasier and Saeko as they watched Saburo limp every step of the way.

"Why? Where's you're group at? Wouldn't they be concerned rather than pissed?" Marcus questioned as he looked up at Tetsuo.

"Maybe another time...we have more important business to attend to." Tetsuo said in an attempt to avoid the question, leading them to the front of the gas station. Frasier suddenly stopped in his tracks as Saeko pulled on his arm to catch his attention.

"That man…the one with the tire iron…oh god…Frasier, I KNOW that man…I recognize his eyes…" Saeko whispered into Frasier's ear. At first he had no clue what she meant, but he then looked at Saburo's hard to miss limp. A thought occurred to him that drove him to look at Saeko, but he couldn't speak when he saw intensity in her blue eyes that he had never seen before. Her eyes were practically staring daggers into Saburo's back. Once he saw that glare, it didn't take him long to know what she was talking about.

It was undeniably clear to him now that Saburo was in fact the man who attacked Saeko four years ago; the one who made her realize that she had a far darker side to her. Frasier's eyes widened as he gripped the handle of his machete; ready to tear Saburo limb from limb where he stood.

However, Saeko grabbed his arm and made him look into her eyes. Frasier's grip loosened as he now had a confused look on his face, certain that Saeko would have no issue with Saburo being killed on the spot.

"Don't...we really should avoid conflict if we can. We have no idea how large their group is or how close they really are. Just be ready if he tries anything though. I saw the look in his eyes when he saw my face. I know he recognizes me. He hasn't forgotten our last encounter by a long shot." Saeko explained, trying to keep things civil for as long as she could.

Frasier took a moment to think this over only to let out a deep sigh before accepting Saeko's wishes, slowly letting his tight grip on the handle go, for now at least.

"You guys gonna help or just eye bang all day?" Saburo suddenly called out to them as he swung his tire iron around, ready to open the doors to the gas station.

"Yeah...right behind you..." Saeko said as she felt more than tempted to slice Saburo across the throat, but she knew she had to stay strong and not give in to her inner demon again.

Everyone stood ready by the two doors, knowing that if done right, they could take on the infected together with minimal effort.

"Remember, open just one so we can funnel the infected through. No telling how many of Them are scuttling around in there." Saeko instructed as Saburo placed his tire iron on the wooden barricade, momentarily glaring in Saeko's direction as his grip tightened to the point his knuckles turned white.

Seconds later, he grew impatient and began to pound away at it until he used too much force.

***Snap* **

Suddenly both doors flung wide open as he quickly scooted back. Everyone had looks of shock as there were at least twenty of Them moving in at such close proximity.

"I said just one!" Saeko shouted in anger as she already began cleaving into the infected that came her way.

"Shit happens!" Saburo snarled as he was in the middle of driving his tire iron into the skull of an infected woman.

Everyone by the gas station instantly began to fight back with whatever they could, making sure to not fire off any rounds unless it was absolutely necessary to do so.

Frasier quickly wedged his blade through two of Them before being grabbed by a third. Before any of the putrid yellow teeth could connect to his flesh, he backhanded it only for Saeko to impale it from behind.

Both warriors smiled at one another before the immediate threat instantly drew them back in. Saburo swung his tire iron sideways, just mere inches from striking Marcus as he barely ducked out of the way in time. Frasier glared at this as he always kept Saburo in his line of sight, just in case he decided to go for Saeko, seeing as now was a perfect time to do so.

Tetsuo slammed his crowbar down on an infected corpse before he then backhanded another one with it, causing the decaying teeth to snap out as the tainted blood painted the walls of the gas station.

Khota remained vigilant in the back as he kept an eye out for any of Them that may come through from any of the nearby alleyways. It was tough for him not to shoot Them on sight, but he had his orders and did as he was told.

Suddenly, Saburo grabbed the shirt collar of an infected man then shoved it aside. The shambling corpse tackled Frasier as he fell on his back while trying to pry the undead fiend off of him. Frasier had merely assumed Saburo would've only gone for Saeko but clearly he wanted the largest threat out of the way first.

Khota tried to line up a shot, but couldn't fire knowing the force of the bullet would pierce the feeble infected corpse and hit Frasier. It was far too risky to shoot.

"I can't get a clear shot! Marcus, help him!" Khota announced as he noticed Saeko was far too occupied holding her own against five of Them.

Marcus noticed this and quickly shoved the butt of his shotgun into the infected man's face until his brother was no longer pinned down. He then watched as Frasier immediately proceed to slam the metal machete down until there was nothing left but a red paste, but even that wasn't gratifying enough for him.

With the infected defeated, everyone turned their attention to Frasier as he couldn't stop himself from carving into the infected man. At least until he noticed Saburo was standing near him.

"Brother! That's enough!" Marcus announced as he shook Frasier's shoulder, causing him to stop instantaneously.

Frasier then got up and shot Saburo a death glare, both fists clenched tight as Saburo showed no remorse for his actions.

"My bad, I thought you had it. At least you handled it for the most part anyways...we cool?" Saburo tried to explain as he was out of breath, trying to explain (if not justify) himself.

"Don't worry about it, after all...shit happens." Frasier calmly responded before he finished speaking in a grimmer tone, causing all eyes to focus on him as he finally broke his silence.

Saburo and Frasier locked eyes as everything was at a standstill. An eerie silence loomed over the groups as the two were ensued in a battle of willpower.

Suddenly, the end of Saeko's katana pierced right through Saburo's torso, the once stainless steel now dripping red with his blood as he looked down at the blade impaling him through his chest, his open mouth unable to make any sound as blood trickled out.

Saeko's eyes narrowed and the faintest smirk formed on her lips as she quickly pulled the blade out through his back, and then with a twirl on her heels, swung the katana in a circle, cleaving Saburo's head right off his shoulders, sending it spinning in the air down to the asphalt as his headless corpse fell onto its knees, and then went flat and limp.

"No! Murderer!" Tetsuo cried out as he gripped the crowbar in hand; tears forming in his eyes as he just stood there, fully aware if he tried anything he'd be killed instantly.

"Hate to break it to you, but your friend isn't who you think he is." Frasier responded coldly as he then tore off Saburo's jacket to reveal a blue jumpsuit beneath it.

"What the fuck do you mean? How can that justify what you're friend's just done?" Tetsuo questioned as he looked at the bloody, headless carcass of his former friend.

"He's a prison convict." Saeko explained as Frasier turned Saburo's body over to reveal that the blue jumpsuit was the standard outfit of a prisoner from the local Tokonosu Prison.

"Not only that, but I knew this man in a way I'll never be able to forget. I'm the reason he was convicted in the first place. He attacked me four years ago, tried to have his way with me…but he had no idea who he was dealing with. In short, I'm the reason he was limping. I would've been perfectly content to know he would be rotting for the rest of his life in prison, or even better yet, getting eaten alive in his own cell by these monsters. But alas, he must've gotten out when the world went to hell." Saeko explained further as she felt a massive amount of relief knowing her attacker was finally slain like the dog he was, and that she had finally finished what she had inadvertently started so long ago.

"I know he was a convict…because I'm one, too..." Tetsuo muttered as he pulled off his white t-shirt to reveal a rolled up jumpsuit that matched what Saburo was wearing.

Frasier and Saeko instantly held their blades in his direction the moment he revealed himself for what he truly was.

"You should've told us from the start...had I known you were a law breaking sack of shit, I'd never have worked with you to begin with." Frasier growled as Tetsuo kept his hands up after setting his crowbar down to show he meant no harm.

"I know, I know, you and everybody else. I don't expect any of you to trust me from here on out, but that was just who I was in the old world. Hell, even back then it wasn't who I was." Tetsuo said as he tried to tell them the truth.

"Oh, so is this the part you give us a sob story where you didn't do it? Or how you were justified in whatever it is you did? Save your breath before I kill you as well." Saeko demanded as she showed no quarter, the adrenaline rush from her very first kill not dissipating in the slightest.

"Yeah, I wouldn't trust me either. It's a wise policy to have when dealing with convicts. I only ask that we continue with our arrangement, and then go our separate ways. I don't want any more bloodshed unless it's those creatures that do the bleeding." Tetsuo tried to negotiate as he watched Frasier and Saeko slowly starting to calm down, yet never let their guard down.

"Fine...you can live, but you stay right there. Khota, if he moves so much as one step, I want you to put a round through his head!" Frasier said before he gave Khota his orders, the gun otaku more than willing to oblige.

With that said, Frasier and Saeko entered the now cleared gas station while Khota remained on guard duty. Tetsuo did as he was told and simply sat down with his legs crossed, more than willing to comply. As Saeko followed after Frasier, she could feel her heart continuing to race as a pulsating pain began growing in the back of her head.

"Let's be quick about this. I don't want to be here if Tetsuo's group shows up." Frasier said as he began to look around for a light switch to give him a better view of the small building.

Saeko however just froze up, the painful throbbing sensation continuously pounding against the back of her head as she clenched her blade tight in hand. Her head hurt, and yet her whole body felt as if it was in some deep kind of euphoria, almost a dream-like state. This was unlike anything she had ever felt before. It was like she was living in her own head, a sensation that was quickly growing more and more overwhelming.

She could feel her inner voice compelling her to continue with the blood frenzy, to slay anything that moved. This tingling, pleasurable sensation of having such deadly power over all was becoming so addictive so fast; she could feel herself losing all grips on herself. She so desperately wanted to see more blood that she herself could spill; it didn't matter from what or who. Unfortunately, the only thing around was Frasier. An ultimate battle of willpower ensued, as she had to fight all her base instincts, but it was quickly proving to be a pointless struggle.

Frasier slowly turned around when Saeko didn't reply. He stood there shocked to see her drawing her blade on him.

"Saeko...put that sword down and listen to me-" Frasier began, only for him to feel a sharp pain lash against his cheek.

The tip of Saeko's blade turned red as a few droplets of blood trickled down Frasier's cheek. His eyes widened as he then realized that she was losing all control to the dark side that she had all times before fought so hard to control.

"I know what you're feeling, Saeko, but it doesn't have to be this way!" Frasier tried to explain before he found himself pinned against the wall, having no time at all to be able to react to her sudden reflexes.

"You know nothing about this power! If you did, you'd never let it go; you'd never stop until everyone who got in your way was dead! You didn't do it because it was easier to bottle it up inside! You hold back because it's just too hard to cross that line for you." Saeko growled, as she held the edge of her blade to his neck, a demented grin forming on her face at the thought of his arterial blood splashing against her face.

"NO! God almighty, no! It would be too damn easy...not a day goes by that I don't want to set loose that kind of power. But if I dwelled in such a pool of hatred and rage…I don't think I could ever come back from it."

"I was so worried when Noah was killed that I would give in to it and kill everyone I saw to soothe that horrible pain." Frasier explained to Saeko. Rather than show fear for his life, he showed a fiery look of pure resilience.

"If that's true, then why didn't you do it? Why aren't you affected by this like me?! Tell me!" Saeko frantically demanded as tears flooded her eyes, her entire body surging with pain, as she had no idea why she couldn't control it like he could.

"Killing that man…not just because of what he tried to do to me…but because I had every right in the world to…because I had the power to end his existence…it felt so damn good, so right…for the first time in my life…I felt natural, I felt real. But now that I've tasted blood for the first time…this craving for more…I-it won't go away, no matter how hard I try to make it do just that!

"All this time, I thought…I thought I had come to terms with this side of me…this…this demon! This part of me that I've always hated, despised, accepted, loved. I thought I had it all under control, especially when you came into my life…when this all started…I had resigned myself to the fact that I would eventually draw blood. Not from Them, but from my fellow man. I thought I had come to terms with that inevitable fact, that when the time would come…I'd be okay.

"But once it was over…that very knowledge that I had ended a life…it hit me so hard…and I realized…I wasn't prepared for that in the slightest. And yet…even now…what scares me the most…is that despite the fact that I have killed, regardless of just WHO it was…the fact that I've prematurely ended a human being's life…it's the fact that I don't feel the slightest bit remorseful about that very basic fact…it scares me so much, Frasier.

"I don't regret ending that lecherous bastard, but the fact that I don't regret committing full blown murder…I don't know how to deal with that, Frasier. It's only a matter of time now before this urge…this desire to kill again will overtake me once more…what if I'd become so detached from everything that I turn on you and all the others? Frasier, you and I have the same curse, and yet you stand here, in control of yourself, while I feel like I could kill you…. right here, right now, and not feel the least bit regretful about it!

"Why is this so, Frasier? Why are you able to contain this horrible demon inside you so well, while I can't?! Tell me why! Tell me why we're so different when we should be exactly the same! Why doesn't this darkness consume you like it has me?" Saeko once again erupted into tears as her grip on her katana was wavering as she was now balancing between maintaining control, and completely losing her hold of her sanity.

"It's because I have you." Frasier softly whispered as he then felt Saeko's sword drop to the floor, her arms wrapping around his neck as she placed her head on his chest, tears soaking into his shirt as he held her close to him.

"What was it like?" Saeko softly whispered as Frasier just stood there, gently cradling her.

"You mean when I killed my first?" Frasier asked to clarify the question, only to feel Saeko gently nod against his chest.

"It was...conflicting at first. He was unarmed, at my mercy, and with no means of escape. I could've let him go wherever it is fate would've taken him, but I then thought what would happen if he came back one day. What would happen if he managed to get Noah or Marcus?"

"That's all I kept asking myself until I realized that killing him was the safest option I had. The psychical act wasn't so bad at least, just pounding a baseball bat with nails into a man's skull is only slightly more dense than when you do it to one of Them."

"When the deed was done, I was worried I would keep going and take it out on my siblings, but luckily my brothers being there was the very reason I was able to concentrate long enough to let it all cool down." Frasier explained in a reminiscent voice as he gently stroked Saeko's long hair.

It was silent for a moment. A warm smile formed across Saeko's face as she just closed her eyes, enjoying the beat of Frasier's nervous heart.

"Saeko…I know this is the last thing you may want to hear, but…no matter how much we may wish for it to…this darkness will never leave either of us. It's going to follow us everywhere we go, lurking in our minds every single day for the rest of our lives.

"However, that doesn't mean we have to let it control us, we don't have to let it decide who we really are. We are the ones in control of it. We always have been, and we always will be. I'm going to make sure it never takes control of me…and I will help you so that it won't ever take control of you." Frasier lowered his voice into a whisper as Saeko looked up at him momentarily confused by what he was getting at.

"Saeko, you're the most incredible woman I've ever met in my entire life, and I know there's far more to you than this darkness, just as I'm sure you see something else in me than just another fighter. We can keep ourselves in check only for so long…but we can become even stronger and more in touch with our true selves, if we hold on together.

"Saeko Busujima, I will always be by your side, from this moment onward. You're the woman I love, and I will be damned if I'll let you live in constant struggle with this demon of yours. I swear on my honor and my life, that I will always be at your side, fighting alongside you every single step of the way, and this is an oath that shall NEVER be broken." Frasier declared in a passionate tone as Saeko felt all the coldness inside her quickly melt away as her eyes lit up with a newfound hopeful glimmer as she looked at the man she had sworn her heart to declaring his undying loyalty to her.

The violet-haired swordswoman couldn't bring herself to say anything, but what she could do was bring herself up onto her toes and press her warm lips to his in a passionate kiss, letting the warmth of his embrace engulf her entire body. This was such a releasing moment for her; her man was officially promising himself to her, and she had just silently reflected all his feelings back to him, and she knew he was smart enough to realize that as well.

"I... I don't know what to say now..." Frasier muttered with uncertainty as Saeko moved her head beneath his neck, softly nuzzling against it affectionately.

"It's okay. No amount of words can ever fix what we've become. So long as I have you in my life, Frasier, I'm certain that this... inner demon can be suppressed. Thank you, my love." Saeko gently whispered before she pulled his head down and pressed his warm lips against hers once more, a single tear running down her cheek.

Frasier closed his eyes as he could feel Saeko's warm, athletic body pressing him harder against the wall the longer they kissed. His lungs were slowly losing oxygen as Saeko showed no signs of stopping anytime soon.

***Ding* **

Suddenly both of them broke off to see that it was just the wind that managed to cause the bell on top of the door to ring. Both teens blushed before they remembered their task at hand, slowly pulling away from one another.

"We should really find that key." Frasier suggested as Saeko began to mentally pull herself back together, her katana now sheathed where it belonged.

Moments later after checking one of the drawers behind the counter, Saeko managed to find what appeared to be a switch to the gas pumps. In a single flick, she watched as a few lights outside began to blink before indicating they were ready for use.

"Think that should just about do it." Saeko said to Frasier as he took her hand, shooting her a smile before both of them walked out together to see Marcus already using Tetsuo to fill the jerry cans up.

"I regret things had to turn out the way they did. I wish you all luck on your journey though. It can't be easy dealing with all this at such a young age." Tetsuo said in remorse as he then stepped aside, showing no grudge towards them despite what happened to Saburo.

"If you truly aren't with the convicts anymore, then I suggest you avoid them from now on and make sure not to repeat whatever mistake it was you made when you were arrested in the first place. I hear the end of the world makes a great way to start over fresh." Marcus responded, as if he could tell Tetsuo wasn't nearly as bad as Saburo turned out to be.

"Perhaps you're right. If we cross paths again, I intend to repay the mercy you've shown me today. Avoid the highways whenever you can, that's where my group tends to patrol most for anyone who passes by." Tetsuo graciously thanked before giving them invaluable info.

"We'll keep that in mind. Try to stay out of trouble." Frasier responded in a more sympathetic tone, starting to feel pity for Tetsuo as he motioned everyone to follow him back towards their group who was anxiously awaiting their return.

The day soon would be coming to an end, as on the far horizon, the sun would descend before the landscape below it. Those left to remain at the semi-trailer waited for the sunset as the skies were anticipated to change into a vibrant purple-orange mesh. Had the infected never shown up, it would've been just another part of the day, but to anyone who survived, it was more then just that. It was something to truly behold for the unappreciated beauty that had been taken for granted one too many times in the past.

Alice cheerfully hummed to herself as she stroked Zeke's soft fur while he took a lazy nap on her lap. She would have to restrain a giggle every time his ears would flop whenever the tip of her finger brushed by them.

Suddenly, Zeke shot right up and began to wag his tail as he alerted everyone by barking. Soon enough, everyone turned to see the four survivors walking back to them with more than enough fuel to last the journey.

"How did it go? Run into any trouble while you were away?" Rei asked with a curious tone while she hopped down to see if they needed any assistance.

"Nothing we couldn't handle. How's it been over here? I assume it's been quiet for the most part?" Saeko responded as she watched her close friend sit up on the edge of the trailer.

"Just trying to keep everyone entertained really. Although today has been pretty hot, so now's a great time to work up a tan." Rei responded before a warm smile formed on her face, welcoming the change in weather.

"Glad to see not every moment has to be engaged in a struggle between fighting and survival. I think I'm going to take a nap. Wake me when we get there." Saeko requested before she climbed onto the semi-trailer, catching Frasier off guard by sitting on his lap, affectionately nuzzling into him before he could protest.

Meanwhile, Marcus and Khota sat before one another to dismantle and check their weapons for any damage or much needed tuning.

"I have to admit; having you two around is awesome. Finally, somebody who actually knows something about guns other than how to pull the trigger!" Khota exclaimed with excitement as he felt he was no longer alone when it came to operating the group's firearms.

"I've actually been meaning to ask you about something...how did you guys manage to pick these types of guns up? I thought Japan was extremely strict on anti-gun laws. We only have some because we found them from some fallen police officers." Marcus inquired with intrigue before he mentioned where they found their weapons.

"Believe it or not, Miss Shizuka actually has a friend who's been keeping these bad boys locked up in a secured locker in her apartment. Luckily, we managed to pry it open with a crowbar." Khota explained as he gave Marcus the details from when their group was in the apartment they took refuge in.

"Wait a minute, this is way too familiar... You wouldn't have happened to have left all the ammo boxes littered on the floor and bed? Along with leaving a crossbow behind?" Marcus questioned as he began to recall every detail left of that place.

Suddenly, the bulldozer was turned on and the semi-trailer began to rumble before they were on the move again.

"Yeah! How did you...wow, I can't believe we didn't meet up! What time did you find it?" Khota said with a shocked expression before realizing they'd both been in the same area at one point, curious to how far apart they truly were.

"Kinda in the morning. Somebody was popping off rounds like there was no tomorrow, so we investigated only to stumble upon the apartment when more than enough infected we were willing to deal with were right on our heels. Luckily, we made it out in one piece before ending up right back on the streets where all the action was." Marcus replied as he tried to keep any springs or small bits from rolling off the trailer.

"Things would've been a lot easier if we had met sooner." Khota said as he then looked down, slowly falling silent as he wondered if Officer Asami would've been able to escape with them when the shopping center fell to Them.

"I can't be certain. All I know is we should be grateful that we're united now and do everything can to protect those who are here now." Marcus responded as he couldn't help but wonder if Noah would still be here with them.

During the final push, the scorching hot sun relentlessly beamed down upon the exposed semi-trailer.

"Hey Frasier, you alright? You don't look so good." Rei suddenly asked as she noticed he was heavily sweating and his skin tone was starting to turn red.

"Of course he isn't alright. After all he's been through, I doubt anyone can come out alright in the end." Saya commented, as she was confident it was just the psychological stress getting to him again.

"No, I mean he looks really bad, worse than before. Heck, even Marcus isn't looking too great now that I mention it." Rei corrected as she turned her gaze to see Marcus was in a similar state.

"Frasier, what's wrong? Say something." Saeko asked before she started to nudge his shoulder only to hear him let out a short grunt of distress.

"It must be the sun. My kind aren't used to high levels of exposure. Marcus and I can't handle it much longer if we don't find something to protect us." Frasier concluded as he could feel his exposed skin starting to wildly itchy all over, the open trailer making things no easier on them.

"I know I'm a hothead but this is a bit much." Marcus added to lighten the mood as he poured an entire bottle of water over his head in attempt to cool off.

"Just try and hold on. It shouldn't be much longer until we reach that settlement." Miku said in an effort to keep spirits high despite being the outcast in this group.

However, there was no response as to what she said, not even from Frasier. A worried look formed on Saeko's face as she tried to brush the sweat beading down his red face.

"He didn't even insult or threaten you. That can't be good." Khota noted as the group now kept a closer eye on Frasier and Marcus, just in case there was another decline in their condition.

"Could we give them some sunscreen? They really don't look happy." Alice asked innocently as she hated seeing them having to suffer over something completely avoidable.

"Even if we did have some, we'd use it on you first, Alice. We'll be there soon enough and find them something to cure their burns." Saya explained as she made it clear that Alice was their number one priority.

"Don't worry about us, kid. We've been through much worse." Frasier explained in an attempt to dampen out any worries Alice had for them as he spoke in an exhausted voice.

"Shh, conserve your strength." Saeko ordered as she gently held his head back while pouring water down his face, the cold liquid causing him to flinch slightly against it dripping on his itchy skin.

Suddenly, the bulldozer came to a complete stop. Everyone with concerned looks peered up only to see Takashi with both hands raised up. At first it was unclear as to why, but soon enough they found themselves at gunpoint with roughly twelve men who wore the uniform the employees of Saya's father were known to wear.

"Everyone come out with your hands up. Now." announced one of the men as they clearly were on edge for some reason. Whatever it was, the group would have no choice other than to comply.

One by one, they walked out to see they were only one block away from their destination. But whether the men before them were friendly or not was still to be determined.


	29. Act 10: Kibou City Part 2

**Act 10 Kibou Part 2**

**Kibou City, Japan**

**Z-Day+12**

"Is there any more of you or is this it?" one of the men questioned as they looked over the two groups while the others were keeping an eye out for any movements within the area.

"It's just us. Everybody else we were with didn't make it." Takashi answered as he took the role of representing their group.

"Sorry to hear that. Well, no need to worry because you're safe now. Has anyone here been bitten or scratched by the infected?" the man said with sympathy before moving on with his list of continuous questions.

"No. Everyone here is clean and free of any direct contact with Them. You can check if that's necessary." Takashi answered as he then noticed the men whispering and pointing at Marcus and Frasier as they were both breathing heavily.

"If that's true, then what's wrong with those two? They don't look so well," the man questioned with a raised eyebrow. Just the very look of them gave off a troublesome vibe.

"Don't worry, its just heatstroke. If they were turning into one of Them, they would be grey, not red." Shizuka tried to explain as the men preemptively raised their weapons out of defense.

Saeko defensively reached for her sword in case anyone was going to be trigger-happy. Tension began to rise quickly before Frasier lowered her hand to show that violence wasn't necessary.

"Relax. Just have us looked over and you'll see that it's just a bad sunburn. Besides, you wouldn't want to shoot the daughter of Souichiro Takagi, now would you?" Frasier said as he earned a look of surprise from the men standing before them, all instantly lowering their guns the moment they looked upon Saya.

"My word...it actually is her! Lower those guns immediately! Just the act itself is enough for an execution." the militia man with a face wrap quickly ordered before he revealed himself to be a familiar face to both Saya and Frasier.

"Yoshioka!" the two teens announced when he finished removing his face wrappings.

"We can exchange pleasantries later. Please allow us to escort you inside with no further delay, Miss Takagi." Yoshioka explained as he motioned Saya (and her group to some extension) to follow the militiamen towards the walls of the potential paradise.

Both groups were in total awe when they found themselves greeted by an entire team of men and women wearing white HAZMAT uniforms once they entered past the first of two large gates.

"You have no idea how pleased your father will be to see you. He's been very stressed lately due to creating an entire sanctuary out of what little we had left of the survivors back from the estate." Yoshioka announced as he then stepped aside to allow the medical teams to take the group members to an individual tent for a quick examination for any bites or scratches.

Luckily, no one showed any potential signs of becoming infected anytime soon. One by one, the groups began to assemble together while waiting for the last to be checked over.

"Sorry about all this. No matter who you are now or what you were in the past, we have to make sure nobody is infected and released into the city only to spread it to the point we lose all control." Yoshioka explained as he approached the groups to tell them how important security and order was to the city.

"So what happens if someone shows a clear symptom of becoming one of Them?" Saya asked as she had a feeling those who were infected weren't exactly going to be pleased about not getting in.

"If they do, we end it before it can begin." Yoshioka hesitantly answered before looking over towards a brick wall that was riddled with bullet holes at head height while a guard was hosing off the blood from the most recent incident.

"You...kill them?" Rei said with horror as she felt a terrible chill crawling down her spine along with most of her group.

"It isn't an easy thing to do, but don't forget that they are doomed the moment they're bitten or scratched. Think of it as a mercy that spares them from a fate worse than death." Yoshioka said grimly before trying to put an optimistic view on the otherwise depressing subject.

"He has a point. Nothing we can do for them now other than move onwards." Frasier said, as it was clear he agreed with the harsh subjection of those prior to becoming infected.

"Agreed. No time to dwell on what's already been done." Takashi agreed as they were stopped once again so the gate operators could unlock the city's last line of defense against the outside world.

As the secondary gates began to slowly open up before them, a look of visible shock overwhelmed everyone when they gazed upon not a mere settlement but an entire community of active survivors, each one hardly paying the new arrivals any attention as they were occupied with whatever task they were assigned at the moment, most appearing to be basic labor workers.

"Welcome to Kibou City." Yoshioka greeted as a bus soon pulled up towards them, the doors automatically opening up as the newcomers were motioned to get in.

"Kibou? So this place is called 'Hope City'?" Shizuka questioned Yoshioka as she was managing to put the pieces together.

"A little cheesy, yet I find it suitable. I've yet to hear of any other bastions or settlements as expansive as this one. More and more survivors flock here by the day with high hopes of getting in. Those who aren't a potential case of becoming infected and are willing to relinquish the weapons on their person are processed in our recording booths to give them a fresh start here.

"I only allow you to keep those guns and blades on your person for now because you're Miss Takagi's personal escort. Don't be surprised if you are forced to relieve them when we're done here though." Yoshioka explained as he remained standing while the rest of the group sat down, more than relieved to take a moment to relax after all they've endured.

Khota and Saeko both had a serious look of distress for anyone to see. No one ever could enjoy the concept of being completely defenseless, but out of all of them, they had personal connections to their personal possessions.

"So tell us how this city was created in the first place. There must be more to it than meets the eye." Frasier inquired as he looked over to Yoshioka with curiosity in his voice.

"It would be better to ask the council that runs the inner workings and development of our ever growing paradise. After all, we're already here at the Spire." Yoshioka answered as the bus suddenly came to a halt, the doors opening up for the group to depart.

While everyone was stepping down the steps to exit, Yoshioka held his hand up to the small headset in his left ear to hear the transmission that was being directed to him.

"Aren't you coming with us?" Saya asked as she noticed Yoshioka did not get off along with everyone else.

"I'm afraid something has come up that requires my attention. Just enter through those doors and take the elevator all the way up to the top floor. I'm certain your father will be pleased to see his daughter still lives." Yoshioka responded before leaving the group.

"Doesn't sound like my father one bit." Saya muttered to herself as they began to cautiously enter the large skyscraper-like building before them, ready for anything they may face within.

The moment the group entered the building, all eyes within the massive lobby focused on the teens armed to the teeth, clearly sticking out of place. The heavily armed guards were hesitant at first, but the moment they laid eyes upon Saya Takagi, they were quick to stand down.

"You'd think we'd be given a more confrontational reaction seeing how we're packing heat." Khota commented as they all entered an elevator without anyone saying a word to them.

"Seeing how all newcomers are stripped of their weapons and gear from the moment they enter the first gate, I'm certain these guys know the only way we could've come this far is by special privileges. So long as we don't start anything, I'm certain no one will even mention anything about them in the first place." Saeko calculated as the elevator doors closed, their feet feeling the floor moving towards top of the building known simply as "The Spire".

"So how do you plan on facing him?" Frasier suddenly asked as he looked over to Saya, who was deep in thought.

"What are you talking about?" Saya asked as she spoke in a somewhat distant tone of voice.

"Your father. Don't forget I've met him before, and he is a tough person to talk to. Something about him makes you re-think your every choice and move. Just like my old man..." Frasier explained to her before realizing he was going to start going off about his own father and make himself sad.

"I'll just do what I always do. Don't feel like you need to concern yourself with my family matters. I can handle myself!" Saya scorned as she was starting to become touchy on the subject.

"Right, don't talk about obvious daddy issues. Got it." Marcus commented, instantly earning a look of spite from Saya.

"We're pretty high up, Marcus. Terminal velocity can be really painful I hear." Saya responded as she tried to keep her cool, both fists visibly tightening close together.

"Noted. So who else is going to be in charge around here other than him? Yoshioka did mention a council after all." Marcus replied before he attempted to change the subject of the otherwise touchy conversation.

"We'll find out soon enough. Let's try to keep our cool for the time being." Saeko suggested as the floor suddenly rumbled before coming to a complete and total halt.

Both doors opened up into a dimly lit room. The group slowly entered one by one only to see a large round table with three figures sitting around it. The only light within the entire room came from the sunlight that seeped through the cracks in the blinds. The smell of cheap cigars filled the air as thin trails of smoke could be visibly seen in what little light there was.

"What is the meaning of this?! I thought we made it clear nobody comes up without our consent, and why the hell are they carrying firearms? Security!" a cowardly male voice suddenly announced from the darkness of the room, clearly intimidated by the sight of the young group arriving unannounced along with the fact they were still armed.

"Delay that order! Nobody calls security on my daughter. Isn't that right, Saya?" announced an all too familiar voice to most of the group as Saya's father, Souichiro Takagi, emerged into the light to stand before his daughter who was in awe to see her father coming to her defense.

"Father..." Saya muttered before tears began to well up in the corners of her eyes, soon forcing her to remove her glasses so she could clear her watery eyes.

Before Saya could break down in front of everyone, she soon found her father holding her just the way he used to when she was just a small child. Soft whimpering could be heard from her as he comforted the young genius of the group. It was awkward at first for the rest of her friends, yet it was refreshing to see there was a more human side to her that was rarely seen.

"Yes, yes. That's quite touching, but I insist we continue with the more pressing matters that take priority over your little reunion, Souichiro." announced the same male voice from earlier, earning a look of pure disgust from the powerful man as he spun around with both fists gripped.

"Hold your tongue, Shidou! How dare you interrupt a personal matter? Have you no shred of decency left in you?" Souichiro demanded as he slammed a fist onto the table, causing it to shake with great force.

Everyone in the group instantly shuddered at the sound of that name being said. However, Miku noticeably recoiled in fear, knowing the terrible things he would do to her if he ever caught her, and Frasier instantly boiled down into an uncontrollable anger.

"Shidou? Shidou's here?!" Frasier suddenly questioned as he reached for the machete at his side only for Saeko to twist his arm behind his back.

"Get off me...traitor!" Frasier suddenly cried out as the nearby guards instantly had their weapons trained on him in case he managed to break free from the hold.

"That can't be him...relax before you get yourself killed!" Saeko whispered as she struggled to keep him down, only able to do so because her father taught her many pressure points on the human body along with holds even Frasier couldn't muscle his way out of.

"See now? This is exactly the kind of thing I'm talking about!" Shidou announced as he stepped over only to reveal an entirely different person than what the group was expecting to see.

"You're Shidou? You look nothing like him..." Frasier observed as he spoke in a confused tone of voice, unsure whether to be embarrassed or annoyed that he so foolishly was about to get himself killed over nothing.

"Of course I'm him. My name is Ichiro Shidou. Judging by the look on your face, I can only assume your grievances are meant to go towards my son, Koichi Shidou." the council member known as Ichiro Shidou explained before sitting down in a leather chair on wheels.

"I see...allow me to apologize. Your son has taken something precious from me, and I expect to make him pay for it dearly." Frasier explained as Saeko let him go, allowing him to request forgiveness for his sudden outburst, the guards slowly lowering their weapons now that things had cooled down.

"Yes, yes, now off with all of you. Come back when we aren't in the middle of an important meeting." Ichiro said unimpressed or even remotely phased by what Frasier had to say about his son.

"No. I think we will suspend this meeting for tomorrow. It grows late, and a decision of this magnitude requires us to be at our best. This meeting is adjourned until the morning." another voice called out from the darker side of the room, this one being female this time.

"Ms. Kimura, surely you wouldn't wish to allow the already dire situation to grow any more than it already has." Ichiro suggested as he felt it would be against the city's personal interests to wait until the morning.

"She's right, a decision that big will require our better judgment. Best to sleep on it rather then make a hasty choice only to regret it later on." Souichiro agreed before Ichiro stormed out of the room without uttering another word.

As the elevator doors closed behind the group, the third and final council member approached into the brighter side of the room, revealing a middle-aged woman with simple jade colored eyes that complimented her short, uniform cut hairstyle. Although rather than wearing simple clothing like everyone around her did, she wore business attire.

"Try to stay out of trouble, kids. Do as we say and everything will be alright." the council member referred to as Ms. Kimura said without bothering to make eye contact with the group before she entered the elevator besides the one in use.

The moment the doors closed, the entire room fell silent. At least until Marcus stood forward, wanting some answers.

"So how about some context. I feel we're missing something big here...like how any of this is even possible! Yeah, let's start there." Marcus said to Souichiro, clearly unaware of the type of man he was talking to in the first place.

However, Saya's father let out a soft chuckle rather than burst out in a maelstrom of anger at the young Brit's childish ignorance.

"I like the misdirected spirit of your friend, Saya, but very well, I will tell you all how this place became what it is today" Souichiro complimented before he formed the dead serious face everyone was so used to by now, ready to explain his story to the survivors before him as he pulled the blinds up so the group could look upon the entire city now.

"When you all escaped, everyone back home was left with the task of vanquishing the immense horde that had broken through the iron gates at the estate. I led my militia head on and into the very bulk of the infected onslaught. Thanks to one of the more experienced men, the abominations stood no chance against us.

"Knowing the use of dynamite would just attract more survivors and even more infected than we were equipped to handle, it was soon decided that those who survived the attack would be relocated to a more suitable location worthy of settling into. Two groups of scouts were sent into separate areas both held under the remnants of the Tokonosu Police Department and Self Defense Force.

"The area held down by the Self Defense Force along with the scouts sent to investigate never reported back, so it was clear the infected overwhelmed both of them. The one held down by the Tokonosu Police Department, however, proved to be different. They had emergency concrete barriers set up by the time we arrived, only for us to be greeted by the owner of this very tower, Misaki Kimura, sole-proprietor of Kimura Robotics, along with her remaining foundry workers."

"It was there we decided to make an alliance and work together to create a more suitable area to settle down in. The walls that you've seen on your way in were created by precise strikes with a crane into the local skyscrapers. The loud noise attracted more infected than we were equipped to handle, so the remaining police sacrificed themselves by luring the undead away long enough to finish off the walls. Unfortunately, none managed to make it back, but the price was well worth it.

"But what really keeps this place going though is not the walls around us that keep the infected out, but rather the harbors that contain entire cargo ships with food and preservatives that will last us long enough until we can set up an agricultural system to produce a continuous source of food for our ever growing population. Not to mention the entire coast at our disposal.

"Ichiro Shidou soon showed up a few days later, instantly coming up to us with a proposal that Misaki and I should form a council with him to help make rules for the new society we founded. At first we knew it was beneath us to work with someone as low as him, but he proved to be very effective when it came to speaking to the people. After all, he was a politician before the outbreaks.

"I know this must be hard for you all to take in but just remember the hundreds of people here had nothing going for them more than one thing, survival. You'd be amazed at what over hundreds of survivors working day and night can accomplish with nothing better to do." Souichiro finished after giving a fully detailed explanation on how Kibou City was started from past to present.

"Amazing...just...I need a moment to sit down." Saya muttered as she could hardly keep her words together before she had to take a seat to allow all the information to process through her head.

"Just comes to show how stubborn the human race can be, even in the face of extinction." Frasier commented as he was in awe at the sight of seeing a truly functional society in the making, something nobody could ever hope to see until now.

"So what does that mean for us now? I know we are in your debt, but what can we possibly do to help? Seems like you have everything under control here." Takashi commented as he brought up a valid point.

"True. You may be young, but we have many areas that require a helping hand from the community. I suggest the men of your group sign up with our scavenging teams while the women volunteer at the hospital. Never a dull day goes by in this city." Souichiro answered as he gave the young group two excellent places to search for work.

"Perfect. Our large-chested friend over here may not seem like much, but she knows her way around when it comes to medical knowledge, making her an invaluable help to anyone who may need it." Marcus explained as he motioned over towards Shizuka who slightly blushed at the crude yet sweet compliment.

"So where exactly are we going to reside?" Saya suddenly questioned as she looked out the windows while standing beside her powerful father.

"Normally those new to our town are given a home based on what skill they can provide for the city. However, seeing how all of you have been able to protect my daughter, I think a two-story beach house will serve enough to show my gratitude." Souichiro offered as he turned to watch everyone nearly melt at the thought of living by the beach.

"So how will we get home exactly, or anywhere for that matter? This place is huge!" Khota suddenly questioned as he looked over the entire expanse of Kibou City.

"We use buses to transport our citizens around the city. All the fuel we have and scavenge is a vital material to our survival. So either by bus or by foot, that choice is entirely up to you." Souichiro answered as the elevator doors suddenly opened up to reveal a man wearing a white tunic with two large blue stripes going down it.

His head was shaved as he had trimmed facial hair like the samurai would have. Both of his eyes were also crystal blue. At his hip was a katana that looked exactly like the one Saeko carried at her side.

"Master..." Saeko and Frasier both muttered before falling to one knee with their heads bowed down in respect while everyone just watched their most powerful group members show what felt like fear to this new character.

"When coming up, I expected to see you and the rest of the council, Souichiro. Not the overwhelming surprise of seeing my daughter and most prestigious apprentice alive and well." the man said lightheartedly before nonchalantly motioning them both to rise to their feet. It was none other than the legendary Master Busujima.

"They have only just arrived here. Perhaps you should talk to them before they leave. I'm sure you all have much to catch up on." Souichiro suggested, as even he was once a student before the great master, himself.

"Very well. Saeko, if you and Frasier wish to speak to me, I will be one floor below." Master Busujima explained as he walked back to the elevator, watching as his daughter and pupil never took their eyes off of him for even a split-second.

It was silent at first; nobody made a peep until both Saeko and Frasier rose up and slowly made their way to the next elevator, not a single word uttered by either one.

"If there's nothing more to be said, then I suggest you all head out to see your new home. I'm certain your journey has been more than enough strain on all of you." Souichiro suggested as he then began to suggest the group move on.

"There's just one thing I'd like to request, um...sir." Khota began to announce as he instantly started to stutter when Saya's father made eye contact with him.

Meanwhile, Frasier, Saeko, and their benevolent Master all sat on their knees before one another, making a quick yet heartwarming reunion in the short time they had.

"How did you get here, father? I thought you were at one of your dojo's overseas." Saeko questioned as she stood before her father, tears threatening to form as she tried to hold them back.

"That was indeed the case, but when I heard what was happening around the world, I came back as soon as I could. It was at the nearby harbor that Souichiro Takagi's employees greeted me. My former student personally brought me up to speed with the dire situation here.

"When he told me you were alive, I knew for certain that all was not lost. This city needed me more, and I want you to know it brings me boundless joy to see that you've survived this living nightmare, my beloved daughter." Master Busujima explained as he shared his nearly overwhelming relief to see that Saeko had survived the outbreaks.

"We only survived because our group worked together. Individually, none of us could have done it and live to tell the tale. But for the most part, almost everyone made it out alive." Saeko explained, before her voice quickly lowered as her eyes showed a hint of concern as she glanced in Frasier's direction.

"Almost?" her father questioned as he looked over to see Frasier looking away, trying his best to hold back the tears forming in his eyes.

"My younger brother, Noah...he sacrificed himself to cripple a hostile group of survivors lead by Kraven and Koichi Shidou. He paid the ultimate price, not just for us, but the entire city…and was turned into one of Them in the process. I was ahead of the group when I found what was left of him, and I was the one who set him free from the hell of being one of those monsters out there." Frasier explained as he spoke in an eerie tone, both eyes closed as two tears gently trailed down his cheeks until they hit the floor.

"I see...it may not mean anything now, but you have my sympathies for your loss. Consider it my top priority to alert the council about this potential threat. If they still intend to attack the city, then we must be prepared for whatever they can throw at us. We shall speak another time, but for now you should try and get some rest. Both of you look beyond exhausted." Master Busujima said in a fatherly tone to show he cared for his student before rising up to leave them once more after suggesting they recuperate.

Frasier and Saeko remained silent; bowing in respect before leaving to rejoin with the rest of the group, knowing that it was best they did as instructed despite personally feeling there was more to be said.

The bus drove silently across a multitude of streets, heading towards the residential area of the shoreline as the group looked out the windows, amazed at the almost-forgotten sight of people walking and going about their daily lives as if nothing had ever changed.

"No matter how many times you look at it, it just doesn't seem any less amazing, doesn't it?" Marcus commented as he saw a passing playground filled with happy, laughing, playing children.

"Yeah. I was beginning to think we'd never get to see something like this ever again." Rei replied, as she seemed to be focusing in on any individual people they passed, almost as though trying to identify them, like she was looking for someone in particular.

"I can't wait to see this house of ours. I sure hope the kitchen's fully stocked. I'm starving." Khota commented, patting his hands against his round stomach to emphasize how long he'd gone since last eating, earning a slightly annoyed glare from Saya.

"We find what could be considered a miracle in this new world and all you can think about is food. You won't ever change, will you?" Saya replied sharply, only for her voice to soften as she unknowingly placed her hand over one of his causing them both to blush wildly once they'd actually noticed.

Shortly afterwards, the bus slowed to a stop, the doors sliding open to reveal a remarkable two-story house sitting on the edge of a hill that overlooked the sparkling blue ocean and the nearly white sand beaches that stretched out for miles in both directions. The house itself was white and looked very new, the architecture definitely much more modern than most of the houses throughout the rest of the entire city of Tokonosu.

As everyone stepped off of the bus, Miku stopped at the edge of the stairs. When she remained in place, Marcus turned back to see she was deep in thought.

"What you are doing?" Marcus questioned as he was puzzled by the unknown reason for her to remain on the bus.

"I think this is goodbye for now, Marcus. Noah only requested that you protect me, but with a settlement like this, I don't think that's longer necessary. Thank you so much for watching after me, Marcus. And thank you all for letting me stick around, even if it was hard for some of you. I'll be certain to repay this debt one day." Miku expressed to the group as they watched her say farewell before she stepped back, allowing the bus to move on as everyone else was left before the beach house.

The whole group looked upon what was to be their new home, some with wide eyes, others with almost slack jaws, but all of them with a sense of finally feeling safe, finally being able to let down their guards and relax after so long.

"Well, let's not stand on ceremony here, everyone. Might as well see the rest of it." Frasier instructed as they all began to make their way for the front door, which fortunately for them wasn't locked since they hadn't been given any kind of key.

The refreshing touch of cool air greeted them as they stepped inside, revealing an ornately decorated, luxurious interior that looked more like it belonged to some kind of A-list Hollywood celebrity's vacation home. To say it was nothing short of spectacular would have been a gross understatement.

"Oh man, even if this is your dad's way of thanking us, I'm almost tempted to say this is a bit much." Marcus said in awe as everyone already started to spread out to get a full lay of just what their newfound home was going to really be like.

Upstairs, at the end of the hall, Frasier opened up a set of double doors to reveal possibly the most ornate-looking master bedroom he had seen in his relatively short life. Without a word, he continued to look around, opening a door to the side, which led to what was obviously a smaller kind of dojo, or possibly even a room meant for meditation.

"I'd certainly say this is an appropriate place for you." Saeko commented as she walked up behind him, momentarily catching him off guard, looking at her confusedly.

"I don't think so, Saeko. I don't need something this big all to myself." Frasier commented as he spread his arms out to emphasize how ridiculously big this room would've been for just one person.

"I don't think you understand what I mean, beloved. You may have only just joined our group recently, but already you've managed to get us so far. Yes, we've suffered terrible losses, but you still pulled through and managed to help keep the rest of us alive, even when you could've had every natural right to isolate yourself from the rest of us. But you didn't. You stuck to what you knew was the right thing to do, and stayed with us…and with me, the whole way through. You may not think so, Frasier, but in my eyes…I look at you as our true leader, the one who would never abandon others no matter how bad things could get. For that, I think it's only fitting that you take the place meant for a leader. And besides…who ever said anything about you having this room all to yourself?" Saeko went on to explain, softening Frasier's posture as her voice slowly lowered as she started to step a bit closer to him, running a playful finger along his jaw line, slowly bringing her face closer to his as she prepared to kiss him where he stood.

However, just before their lips could touch, Frasier placed a restraining hand on her shoulder, stopping her from coming any closer.

"Not here, Saeko. Not right now. I'm sorry, but…I think I'm going to need a bit of time right now to…try and think about some things." Frasier apologized in a soft whisper, as he looked deep into Saeko's blue eyes. She was visibly disappointed, but ultimately let out a regretful sigh, nodding her head in understanding.

"I understand, my love. So many things have happened today, it's only best that we should be allowed the time to collect ourselves. Just please remember you can always come to me when you need to." Saeko whispered softly into his ear before she turned to walk out of the bedroom, now on the search of something to do to help anyone else in the group out while Frasier was left to recollect himself.

Outside the room, Takashi was looking through a smaller bedroom right next to Frasier's and Saeko's, setting down what few belongings he had on him onto the bed, officially designating it as his own. All the while he could hear the faint sounds of Frasier and Saeko's voices through the wall. He couldn't make out what was being said, but all in all, it brought back the faint feeling of jealousy in the pit of Takashi's stomach, knowing the two of them were officially together now.

Even though he had willingly chosen Rei when given the chance, ever since then, the nagging feeling of wanting to make things right with Saeko had been swirling around in his head ever since then, slowly turning from feelings of sympathy to a desire to get even closer. In a way, perhaps even he didn't understand it. He knew he made his choice on his own accord, but now he was starting to feel as though he'd made the wrong choice.

The fact that Saeko was so dangerous, so interesting, just such an incredible woman was what attracted him to her in the first place. But now that she was officially off limits, it was driving him mad just knowing she had become just that much more of a challenge. It was a mess all in all. He knew that this way of thinking was wrong, but no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't stop thinking about it, and every hour of every day this feeling was just growing stronger and stronger to the point he couldn't be able to ignore it anymore.

"Hey, Takashi, what're you doing?" Rei suddenly asked as he turned around to find her standing in the doorway looking at him confusedly.

"Oh, just…setting up the room I picked, that's all. Why, is something wrong?" Takashi asked, trying to hide the fact of just what was bugging him so much.

"Well, I'd already found a really nice, big room at the other end of the hall. It's big enough for two people, and I thought maybe you and I might…" Rei began to explain, her cheeks turning red as she struggled to try and find the right way to word her proposal for the rooming arrangements.

"Oh…um, wow. I-I wish you'd told me that earlier, Rei. See, I'm already kinda settled here, and…well, a lot's happened today, as you and I both know, and…uh, I don't want you to have to get all the stuff you had and just try to pack it in here for me. This is just a one person room." Takashi began to try and explain shyly. It was obvious to anyone that he was just making excuses.

"Well, you could just as easily get your stuff and bring it to the room I found. I mean, I just thought it would be nice…since we're together…to maybe share a room together." Rei tried to explain her reasoning as she couldn't help but feel hurt that Takashi was already blowing her off like this. It was almost exactly like back when they were a couple the first time and he would always shrug off any attempts at the two of them spending time together.

"I know that, Rei, and I appreciate you taking that thought into consideration, but…I don't know, I would just prefer to have a room to myself right now, that's all." Takashi tried to defend himself when he could see the hurt in Rei's eyes.

Taking a deep, calming breath, Rei steeled herself in front of Takashi as she clearly showed she wasn't in the mood to try and continue talking to him anymore.

"Alright. I understand, Takashi. I'll leave you to yourself then. When you ARE in the mood to talk, come find me." Rei finished this discussion as she turned on her heels and walked off, visibly upset by Takashi's recent downswing in behavior towards her. Takashi could only look at the now empty doorway and collapse onto his new bed, sighing to himself. This was a real mess he was now in. And if things were going to continue like this, even he knew that their time in this new place was going to be going by very slowly now.

Meanwhile, Khota was rummaging through the fridge in search of what food was provided for them while Saya stood by, somewhat amused by his love for food despite everything going on in the outside world. Normally this kind of behavior would drive her up the walls, but for some reason she completely adored the childlike innocence presented.

"So what are you guys going to be doing tomorrow? Have you even considered what you could do to pitch in?" Saya questioned as she leaned against a countertop, watching Khota bring out all kinds of snack food to chow down on.

"Uhhh...well that scavenger business sounded like something I could try out, but only if the others were willing to sign up though. I don't think I could possibly go through it without a friendly face to watch my back." Khota replied, somewhat nervous whenever he found himself speaking to Saya.

"You want to go back out there?! Haven't you been paying attention to anything that has been going on? We're safe inside these walls with no worry about the undead trying to tear us to pieces at every waking moment They get." Saya protested, clearly hating the idea of the chubby gun otaku going back out into the wild, especially without her being around to look after him.

"If you're that worried, you could always come with me. I'm sure you'd do great with enough practice." Khota offered, clearly intimidated by the angry fire burning behind the lenses of Saya's glasses.

"Now there's a laughable thought. After witnessing her combat skills, she would only get in the way of things." Saeko suddenly interjected as she entered the room, causing Saya to shoot her a death glare as Khota nearly jumped out of his skin with her unannounced entrance.

"You know what? Something tells me without that sword, you wouldn't be nearly as confident as you claim to be." Saya responded in a calm yet spiteful tone, crossing her arms as she was clearly insulted by that last remark.

"The blade is only as deadly as the user themselves, but if that isn't enough, then perhaps you should see for yourself." Saeko responded confidently before giving a suggestion that called Saya on her bluff.

"You're on! Beat your boyfriend in a one-on-one fight, and then consider me impressed. He appears to be the stronger one between you two anyway." Saya explained as she watched Saeko deep in thought at the thought of her chances against him.

"Fine. Once his burns clear up, I will show you how it's done. You might learn something along the way." Saeko responded before she walked off to check on Frasier to see if he would need her to comfort anything he was holding back earlier.

As she was passing through the hallway, she noticed Shizuka was already looking over both brothers. Her first intention was to check up on the condition of her boyfriend, but then she felt he would consider her to be overly concerned about him. Instead, she just stood there and listened in on the conversation from a distance.

"So how long are we going to be stuck like this?" Marcus groaned in dread as Shizuka tested how serious the burns were on their sensitive skin.

"Seriously...I feel like I have ants crawling on me. So annoying!" Frasier growled as he could be seen visibly trembling in attempt to restrain himself from scratching all over.

"Hmmmm. I think you two turned out very fortunate from this. Granted, it feels itchy now, but give it two to three days and it should pass for you both. Just make sure not to scratch and all will be fine." Shizuka explained to the best of her abilities before giving them a playful pat on the back only for both boys to nearly jump from the stinging sensation.

"Oopsie." Shizuka said in a ditzy tone before showing a somewhat concerned expression afterwards.

"This is our medical expert?" Marcus said sarcastically before noticing Shizuka visibly took offense to that.

"You should be nicer to your elders, Marcus. It could really save your cute little butt one day." Shizuka said suggestively before pinching his rear, causing him to nearly jump at her touch while Frasier couldn't help but laugh at the sight.

"C'mon, Marcus. We should have a talk." Frasier explained as he put his shirt back on, motioning Marcus to follow him out to the balcony that overlooked the entire beach and ocean before them.

"I was just kidding back there. I heard she even managed to do a blood transfusion on an old person that needed it a while back. Just ask Khota." Marcus said defensively, thinking his older brother was out to lecture him about his choice of words.

"Don't worry, Marcus. We aren't here to talk about that. I think we should talk about Kraven though." Frasier said as he sat beside his brother, knowing that it would be a delicate subject for him.

"What's to talk about? We kill him and avenge those he's taken from us. Simple as that." Marcus responded, somewhat hesitant to say anymore.

"I want to talk about him because I need you to know how he functions. How we function." Frasier said, causing Marcus to shoot him a puzzled look at the end.

"I'll take your silence as a signal to go on. Kraven and I were both taught by Saeko's father, Master Busujima, in many martial art varieties and styles. One of them was how to harness and control our emotions for even more power." Frasier explained as his younger sibling just silently sat there, already intrigued by what his brother had to say.

"What happened? Something must have gone wrong if he turned out the way he did." Marcus noted, as he felt compelled to know the truth behind it all.

"He became consumed by it. Kraven became dependent on allowing his rage to control the flow of his fighting styles. One day we were tasked with training some fresh recruits while Master Busujima was away.

"Kraven pushed the students beyond their limits. When one of them could no longer go on, he just lost it." Frasier explained as he remembered that fateful day.

A long time ago…

"Weak! Get up, you worm, and prove to the class you aren't going to hold them back!" Kraven snarled as he towered over the exhausted student, a menacing glare in his eyes that sank even the bravest of hearts.

"I can't...I can hardly breathe." the student muttered in distress as he tried to stand up to avoid incurring Kraven's full wrath.

"Pathetic. If this were a fight out there in the real world, you'd be at your opponents' mercy. Consider yourself dismissed." Kraven scoffed before instructing the student to clear out.

"Yes, master." the young student replied as he began to head for the door only to be blocked off by his second and third instructor.

The entire class turned their heads as they saw the other two masters tasked in training the new class.

"Master Busujima, Master Markle...I was just about to-" the exhausted student began to explain before he held his tongue when he realized they weren't even looking at him.

"Fall back in line, Hisashi. You've done nothing wrong." Saeko instructed as she could see how exhausted the recruit was.

"That student has failed to meet the required expectations, so I say he's out. Or have you already forgotten that your father left us in charge?" Kraven announced as he began to pace back and forth across the room.

"He may have given us the power to instruct the students, but that doesn't mean you can just kick them out because they're not to your standards." Frasier corrected as he began to walk towards Kraven, the two soon standing face to face.

"You saying you can do better? Is that it?" Kraven growled as he gripped his fists tight.

"What's wrong with you, Kraven? Get a grip of yourself already. Do you have any idea how insane you're coming off as?" Frasier questioned as he watched Kraven break off, only to pace back and forth again, a compulsive look of obsession quickly overtaking his friend.

"No, you're the insane one! Opposing me in my own class. The nerve...the disrespect...the challenge!" Kraven ranted in anger before a wide grin was formed, a new look now filling his eyes as he now saw that Frasier was the opponent worthy of fighting him.

"What?" Saeko questioned as she and Frasier both expressed confusion from Kraven's last statement.

"These students were nothing to me, so weak and squishy; but not you, Frasier. Oh no, you're just the right level. I challenge you to a duel." Kraven announced, as he was truly lost in his own little mad world.

"Very well, I accept." Frasier responded as he motioned everyone to stay out of their way, fully aware that this duel would require some space to avoid anyone being caught in the crossfire.

Both opponents walked in a circle, two predatory figures glaring the other one down, ready to pounce on the other when a weakness was sought out. All the students watched in anticipation as it was uncertain who would win this duel.

**{Bruce Falconer - Heroic Trunks Theme}**

In the blink of an eye, both dashed towards one another only for their legs to collide mid-air. A powerful noise filled the air as spectators cringed at the sound of bones colliding.

The two fighters were putting all their force into their dominant leg, almost as if they were blades in a deadly clash. Eventually Kraven had to back down, knowing he had to use speed and aggression if he wanted to win this duel.

Frasier stood his ground as he watched Kraven pace back and forth before he dashing at immense speed. The young Brit jumped out of the way only for a surprise follow up to catch him off guard when Kraven's leg spun around, kicking him halfway across the room.

***Thud***

When Frasier hit the ground, he instantly sprung back up, launching himself feet first, just barely missing Kraven's jaw as he came running in to continue the assault. Saeko watched in disbelief, as she had never seen Frasier fight with such tenacity. He was good, but never this good when fighting with Kraven (even if the other times were just friendly matches).

Both of them were standing in one spot adjacent from each other, kicking and punching, dodging and blocking at incredible speed to the point the students could barely keep up with their movements. All was quiet as the only sound that could be heard was the sound of their tunics rustling in the air.

Frasier eventually managed to break the pattern by slamming both his arms horizontally towards Kraven forcing him to duck down only to meet the tip of his knee. Now able to use the disorientation, Frasier began to punch Kraven back and forth, jabbing and pounding against his chest in an attempt to wear him down to the point he would need to yield.

'Has he been holding back all this time?' Saeko pondered as she stood there, watching them fight, with no signs of either one backing down anytime soon.

Suddenly, Frasier caught one of Kraven's counter attacks, refusing to let go. When Frasier decide to throw his own punch, Kraven did the same by catching it, putting both of them in a deadlock. Their powerful glares met one another as they resorted to a very primal form of fighting: head-butting.

"Just...give...up!" Kraven growled as he paused when their skulls connected again and again.

"...Never!" Frasier firmly announced as he ran forward until Kraven was slammed into the wall, causing the drywall to nearly cave inwards from the heavy force applied.

Kraven let out a groan of agonizing pain before he kicked forward, causing Frasier to stagger back coughing as the air was knocked out of him. It was only now that Frasier realized he left himself far too exposed for such a debilitating attack.

Without waiting to let him recover, Kraven slammed Frasier into the next wall. He gave him two head slams before Frasier gripped his face in attempt to block the ferocious onslaught. Kraven then kneed Frasier's sides before his leg was caught, feeling himself being slammed against the wall only to sit up, kicking both legs forward causing Frasier to stumble onto his back.

Kraven slowly stumbled towards Frasier, blood dripping from his mouth as his body was at its full limit. But he knew he could win if he finished it now, fully aware that Frasier was also expended and down for the count.

However, in a last ditch effort to win, Frasier swept his leg around managing to trip Kraven onto his back. Without any time for him to recover, Kraven looked up only to find Frasier's shin pressed into his neck now.

**{}**

"Yield! This duel is over!" Frasier ordered as he pressed down to show that he wasn't going to stop unless he had an unconditional victory.

"You've grown much stronger than I anticipated. I yield for now, but know this: I will return one day, and when I do, I will have my revenge." Kraven whispered as he tried to conserve what little energy was left within him.

"If that's the case, then maybe this should be a duel to the death." Frasier suggested as he began to press down, feeling an all too familiar darkness taking over his judgment.

"I know you won't, at least not with her watching." Kraven said as he smirked when he noticed the shocked look of reaction on Frasier's face.

"Oh yes, I know all about your feelings for her, and even more about that inner anger you've been channeling during our duel. You're just like me, Frasier. Since your silence says it all, allow me to pass on some advice to you. This shit right here is permanent. No matter how hard you try to keep it down, it'll never fully go away. It'll always be there, just waiting to come back out and turn you into the monster you know you really are." Kraven chuckled to himself before Frasier slowly stood up to let him go, no comeback or anything to say at all, just the horrible thought that he might do something to push Saeko away.

Kraven took his chance to leave, slowly hobbling out before vanishing from plain sight. Despite being out of view, nobody dared move a muscle afterwards. They just stood there like statues until Frasier stood before them, his chest heavily expanding back and forth as he tried his best to remain strong.

"Class dismissed." Frasier sighed, motioning everyone to leave one by one until only Saeko remained. They both stared at one another before Frasier passed her, holding in what he wanted to say to her that very moment.

**Present**

"So you just let him go? Even though you knew he'd be back one day?" Marcus questioned as he had a puzzled expression on his face, uncertain why his brother would do something like that.

"Yeah. I couldn't bring myself to do it knowing she was there watching me." Frasier responded as he spoke with regret in his voice, wishing he had not been so merciful that day.

"So what did he mean by 'you're just like me'?" Marcus then asked, as he couldn't wrap his mind around that concept.

"All three of us are driven by an unknown force from deep within. When you kill the infected and those survivors that would do you harm, you feel relieved to survive another encounter, dreading the next time you'll need to do so again.

"However, we welcome it, and when we kill an enemy, we are filled by a powerful bliss that becomes this addicting thirst that can never be truly quenched. Luckily, Master Busujima was able to help contain Saeko and I when he explained to us this so-called demon. Kraven however was already long gone, only to return now of all times." Frasier answered as he tried his best to fill Marcus in on any detail that seemed like it would help clarify things between them.

"I don't believe you. Neither of you two are as twisted as him! I refuse to believe you two are on par with that freak." Marcus defiantly responded as he gripped both fists, certain that his brother was just exaggerating.

"I know this is hard for you to take in, Marcus, but you have to know all this in case worse comes to worse." Frasier said as he placed a firm hand on Marcus' shoulder to calm him down.

"And what would that be?" Marcus asked out of curiosity, somewhat uncertain what sort of contingency his brother had planned as always.

"If I'm to lose control and become a threat to the safety of this group, I want you to be the one to take me down. Saeko will hesitate, and the rest are no match. Only you will have an actual chance." Frasier said with a dead serious face. Marcus remained silent after hearing such a terrible yet possible outcome.

"I...you can't expect me to just...okay, Frasier. You can count on me. I won't let you down." Marcus hesitated at first, looking into his brother's eyes with uncertainty, but he then knew it was what he would want if he ever was a threat to the ones he loved.

"Thank you, Marcus. I know it isn't an easy choice, but it's just another part of growing up." Frasier thanked as he stood up, knowing that he had made his point.

"I doubt most people had to deal with this kind of thing." Marcus responded with a chuckle in an attempt to lighten things up.

"Most people aren't a part of our family." Frasier responded with a smirk on his face as he left his younger brother alone to enjoy the full moon on his own with a small badge held between his fingers.

**Z-Day+19**

One week later, everyone managed to find their place in the newfound society. Frasier, Marcus, Saeko, Khota, and Takashi ended up joining the scavenger teams, while Rei and Saya ended up working under Shizuka's guidance at the hospital. It took some getting used to, but in due time, they adapted to their positions.

In the outskirts of the city, the scavenger team looked out to see a hospital untouched by any other human being after the outbreaks. Untold amounts of valuable medical supplies waited inside for those who dared venture forward. They expected the infected to be inside, but when the team entered, they were greeted with nothing but an empty lobby with all the chairs and desks knocked over; the lights dimly flickering overhead, making the tension rise even higher.

"Proceed with extreme caution." Frasier ordered as he motioned everyone to follow him further into the hospital.

"This place must've gone through hell before people began to figure out what was spreading the infection." Takashi softly commented as they looked through the windows to see random infected patients strapped down, trying to struggle out of Their restraints in vain while the others wandered about the rooms without any awareness of the fresh meat before Them.

"Just remain quiet, and we should be able to reach the storage room without any trouble." Frasier instructed in a whisper, as he continued to check his left and right flank every time he saw movement.

Eventually, after passing through many hallways, the group stood before an elevator and a fork in their path with another hallway that lead to another part of the hospital they'd yet to explore.

However, there was a seemingly motionless figure that blocked the door to the elevator. Marcus gently nudged the back of the young male figure with curly brown hair, only to have Frasier swat the weapon aside while he flipped the figure over onto his back only to realize there was nothing outstanding to him other than just one feature that caught his immediate attention. This survivor was missing two fingers, and in place had two stubs with old medical wraps soaked in crusted blood and yellow pus like ooze that threatened to leak out of the worn bandages.

"Well, well, well...if it isn't my eight fingered friend. Honestly can't say I expected to run into you again. How about a smile for your old buddy, hmm?" Frasier said in amusement when he realized this was the survivor back from when he recovered his gear at that sporting goods store.

However, the young man remained completely silent and motionless, excluding the fact his chest was moving up and down, showing that he had merely passed out, but was still alive for now.

"He has a high fever and missing appendages. It doesn't take a genius to know what's going to happen next, beloved." Saeko warned as she tried to pull him away from the motionless figure so they could continue on with the task at hand.

"I've encountered this person before. He was missing both fingers then, and he's missing them now. I think this guy came here looking for a prosthetic or maybe some antibiotics. Either way, I think he needs our help, so we're taking him back to Kibou City. We can make two runs anyways." Frasier explained before he hoisted the unconscious survivor over his shoulder, making it impossible for him to use any weapons effectively.

"Alright, I just hope you know what you're doing here." Saeko said, as she knew her boyfriend was determined to choose saving this random survivor over what could easily be a weeks worth of medical supplies.

Frasier remained silent however, as they both looked back to see an overwhelming amount of shadows moving through the corridors of the ruined hospital. A series of low, aggressive growls, snarling and gurgling filled the eerie atmosphere, indicating the infected were well aware of their presence.

"It's either him or the medicine cache." Marcus announced as he aimed down range, ready to pump lead into the first of the infected that would come around the corner.

"Maybe we could use him as bait. Let the infected finish him while we escape!" Takashi suggested as it was clear Frasier had to make a choice and soon.

"Damn it..." Frasier muttered, as he was conflicted between either helping the stranger, or to simply abandon him to the infected while they bring back the valuable medical supplies.

"I hate to admit it, but if this guy is a dud, he might as well be walker food." Marcus agreed before firing a few rounds off, watching as the pellets from the shotgun shells tore into the infected as They entered his line of sight.

"Never! No man gets left behind! We're outta here, " Frasier suddenly snapped at them before making up his mind, choosing to rescue the unconscious stranger. He motioned everyone to retreat back outside.

With no time for an argument to be had, the group began to steadily move through the bloody hallways of the hospital. Random windows could be heard shattering as the grey hands from behind them could be seen reaching out now that the survivors had entirely abandoned stealth.

"Looks like we've just kicked the hornets nest!" Khota exclaimed in both fear and adrenaline pumping excitement as it was like something out a nightmare.

"Like a video game you just can't turn off." Marcus shuddered as he felt his heart was rapidly pounding against his chest. All those nostalgic memories of Resident Evil and House of the Dead suddenly came rushing back into his head despite the life threatening situation he was in.

Luckily the group didn't venture too far into the infested hospital. All five survivors (along with the unconscious stranger being carried) came running out just in time to avoid being closed off.

Without taking any time to rest, they mounted their jeep before taking off as the infected corpses began to pile out of the hospital in droves; more than the group was handled to equip in such close quarters.

"I hope this guy is worth it. Those medical supplies really could've helped a lot of people back home." Khota commented as Frasier buckled the stranger in with zip-tie around his wrists and ankles.

"Those lives are theoretical as far as I'm concerned. This guy would die if we didn't intervene." Frasier argued, not noticing the disapproving glare Takashi was shooting him for going out of his way to save a total stranger, instead of doing what they were supposed to in the first place.

"Relax. You made a hard choice, and we're ready to stand by it." Saeko spoke out of loyalty as Marcus suddenly stepped on the ignition, causing the jeep to run over a passing walker.

"Sorry to break up the touchy subject, but I just wanted to run that one over. It was looking at me funny." Marcus announced before the team let out a soft round of laughter at his quick remark.

Before anything else could be said, the sound of heavy gunfire could be heard not too far off from their current position. Everyone was instantly cringing in their seats as they looked around to locate where the source was.

"Where the hell is that coming from?" Takashi questioned as Marcus slowed down to get his bearings straight.

"Right around that corner. Automatics are in play, so that means only Marcus and I should have any need to go in close." Frasier estimated as he got out of the jeep and drew the Spring Match 21 rifle from his back, ready to move in.

"Hold up, what about the rest of us?" Takashi questioned, as he hated the idea of being pushed to the sidelines.

"Marcus and I are the logical choice, since we were both trained for this scenario. You can barely fire that thing at the slow moving corpses. A human target with a far superior weapon will tear you to bits before you can even line up a shot. Saeko can't go because let's face it, there's a good reason modern armies don't use swords anymore. Khota is the only logical backup, and he'd need to be in the back so he isn't in their line of sights." Frasier began to explain as he pointed out everyone's weaknesses if they were to join the fight with them.

"You can't be serious! You'll need me." Saeko protested before Frasier glared her down, making it painfully clear that he was fully aware of it.

"I won't put you in that kind of danger, Saeko. But if you must insist, then wait for me to call you in first." Frasier said when he looked at the hurt look she was giving him, causing him to emotionally fold and give in.

"Fair enough. Just be careful, alright?" Saeko requested as she placed a concerned hand on his shoulder.

"You know I'll be alright. Just be ready if I'm wrong." Frasier said in an attempt to reassure any doubts she had left, softly kissing her before he and Marcus took off to confront the shootout.

As Saeko watched them leave, Takashi could only glare angrily at Frasier's back. Not only was he now basically demoted from leader to pretty much nobody in the week that had passed since their arrival in Kibou, but seeing Frasier and Saeko so affectionate to each other almost felt like they were purposefully spiting him now, as if reminding him constantly of just how out of his reach Saeko now was.

"Alright, let's see who we're dealing with." Khota said to himself as he (along with Saeko and Takashi) stood in an alleyway to keep their distance. It was key that they kept their distance until they knew whom they were dealing with.

Down his scope, he noticed a turned over jeep with two figures wearing all black military gear pinned down while the opposing force was heavily encamped in a parking garage, all of whom were firing continuous bursts of assault rounds upon them.

Suddenly, one of the survivors from the parking garage took a bullet to the temple, causing him to stumble forward to the point he fell over the railing. Khota quickly adjusted his scope until he could zoom in enough to see the dead survivor was wearing a Tokonosu Prison jumpsuit.

"Looks like we've got a Self Defense Force squad under attack by our old friends from the local prison. Frasier was right though, we wouldn't have much chance against them with the guns they're packing." Khota explained as he turned back only to see Takashi was still with him.

"Where's Saeko?" Khota suddenly asked as they both looked around to see she was nowhere to be seen in the alleyway.

Meanwhile, Frasier and Marcus stood at the side of the parking garage with a rappel and hook. The younger of the two siblings swing the hook around before releasing it up into the air.

*Clang*

Frasier quickly checked to see how secure it really was by giving it a forceful tug only for the hook to remain in place.

"Alright, this is what our father trained us for. You ready?" Marcus said reminiscently before checking to see if his older brother was good to go.

"Simulation B-10. Breach and clear...yeah, let's do this." Frasier muttered as he had a sudden flashback to the hundreds of drills and simulations he was taught until he remembered them by heart.

Frasier grasped the rope, steadily scaling his way up the building as Marcus kept watch. Within seconds, the older Brit was over the rail and looked down to see Marcus was gone. Before he could begin to worry, he noticed someone was approaching from behind.

Frasier quickly drew his weapon and aimed back only to see it was Marcus heading up the stairs to the second level of the parking garage.

"What the? I thought we were going to use the rappel." Frasier commented as he slowly began to retract the line.

"Yeah, but that was before I remembered how much I sucked at the rope. So, you ready to go, or you want to stand out in the open?" Marcus questioned as Frasier simply rolled his eyes before motioning him to follow his lead.

Both brothers stood behind a concrete pillar, looking around to see Tokonosu Prisoners firing down rage at the other faction unknown to them.

"It doesn't matter who they're shooting at...just know these guys are the enemy!" Frasier said to Marcus before he leaned around cover and pulled the trigger, sending a single round into the dead center of a convict's skull. The trajectory of the bullet was so powerful; it caused the front of the man's head to pop off in meaty chunks.

"Shit! Behind us!" the convict beside him shouted before taking a round in the eye, causing him to bellow out in pain only to fall silent as he collapsed to the ground.

While seven convicts maintained their suppressive fire upon the two Special Defense Force operatives, four split off to apprehend the two brothers that decided to join the fight unannounced. Little did they know, the brothers were far more of a match than any one of them could've anticipated.

Without even looking, Marcus blind fired the shotgun while remaining safe in cover. The sound of bone and organs could be heard being ruptured as the pellets from the shotgun shell tore into the man foolish enough to blindly rush in.

A dreadful gasp soon followed as Marcus peered around to see he hit the shirtless prisoner in the upper body. The entire chest cavity was practically caving in from the high force while it was painfully clear that several ribs were snapped while both lungs were torn to shreds. Blood oozed from both the bullet holes and the mouth of the convict, as there was nothing his fellow inmates could do for him now other than let him bleed out a painful death.

One convict saw this, taking cover behind a car only to unload an entire clip of ammo. The concrete pillar taking in any rounds that would've hit Marcus or Frasier, only chipping off bits every now and then.

"Cover me, I need to reload!" Frasier's announced for all to hear causing one of the convicts to break cover in an attempt to flank while he was distracted.

However, once he was behind them, his eyes widened to see both brothers greeted him with their weapons honed in on him. Both carried no emotional expressions as they fired round after round into the foolhardy convict, his body dancing around as the bullets and pellets tore him to shreds until the brothers stopped to reload for real this time.

"Told you it would work!" Frasier proudly said to Marcus as he then popped in a fresh magazine, firing two shots into one of the men still firing at the S.D.F., noticing how they were being picked off as well.

"What do you want? A medal?" Marcus replied before he smirked at the quick remark, turning a corner only to be instantly knocked back when he came face to face with a convict.

"Marcus!" Frasier roared out defensively as he wedged the bayonet into the shoulder blade of the man whom had his younger sibling pinned to the ground.

"Gah..." the man grunted in agonizing pain, as the razor sharp blade was wedged into his scapula, blood gushing from his mouth as he felt the bayonet being dug deeper and deeper with each thrust.

Marcus quickly crawled out from underneath only to watch his brother end it by pulling the trigger. The man fell silent as the bullet ripped through his body with the bayonet still wedged deep inside of him. Blood splattered on Marcus' face as he looked up to see his elder brother in a state of pure primal instinct as he was breathing heavily.

"Watch out!" Marcus warned as he noticed another convict managed to flank them during the sudden melee; watching Frasier spin around only to be splattered in the man's blood as both arms fell off with the rifle in hand.

Both brothers watched the prisoner suddenly topple over into multiple pieces, as before them stood Saeko with her blade drenched in fresh blood she so eagerly spilled without hesitation. All fell silent as the last of the convicts were slain. A wide grin formed over her when she looked over to see both brothers relatively shocked to see her.

"I told you to stay put." Frasier said as he stood before Saeko, hardly fazed by the fact she practically just sliced a man into confetti.

"That's how you thank someone for saving your life?" Saeko said as she sheathed her blade, motioning the two to follow her through the parking garage.

"I could've handled it myself...but thank you..." Frasier replied defiantly before he let out a sigh and whispered his gratitude to her, knowing some credit was due.

"See, now was that so hard?" Marcus intervened as he let off a short chuckle while they checked over the corpses to make sure none were going to get back up.

"I don't need his thanks. We both know what would've happened without my intervention." Saeko commented proudly as Frasier remained silent before he fired a round into one of the convict's bodies for good measure.

"I think that's the last of them. Let's go see if the people they were attacking are still kicking it." Frasier said in an attempt to avoid the matter regarding his pride.

By the time they arrived at the jeep, Takashi and Khota were already on the scene, both looking down at a tanned skinned woman with purple colored hair. She appeared calm yet weary of the group as they stood around her.

"The other one didn't make it. She's all that's left of their squad." Khota informed them as he motioned towards the other S.D.F. operative with a bullet-sized hole through his helmet.

"He died with honor. As for me, that's to be determined," the woman sharply commented as she looked at them with powerful red eyes hidden behind her shooting glasses.

"If you're implying that we're hostile, then you'd be wrong. Pretty sure we just saved the day, too." Marcus responded as he looked up at the parking garage, indicating that without them, this stranger wouldn't have lasted much longer seeing how she appeared to be trapped in the upper hatch of the jeep.

"You don't get to make jokes, kid! These two were just slaughtered while I could do nothing but remain trapped under this fucking jeep!" the woman suddenly snapped as everyone took a step back from the emotional discharge she was giving off.

"Sorry...after watching the people you've trained with for the past few years end up being eaten alive and gunned down by crazed survivors, it can really take a toll on a girl. My name is Rika Minami. You have my thanks for what it's worth." the female S.D.F. operative suddenly said afterwards in a far more contained manner as she hung her head low, remembering all the comrades she had to watch die by her side for the past few weeks.

"They'll be remembered; Rika was it? First thing is first though...we need to get you out of there." Frasier said out of respect before he crawled into the jeep to see the driver was filled with holes, explaining why the jeep was overturned to begin with.

"So who am I to thank for the daring rescue?" Rika asked, as she could feel Frasier untying her combat boots that were caught between the seats.

"My name is Komuro Takashi. This is Saeko Busujima, Hirano Khota, then last but not least Marcus and Frasier Markle." Takashi introduced as he watched Rika slowly slide out from the jeep with no boots on to cover her feet.

"A Markle? Out this far?" Rika pondered aloud as she brushed herself off, putting the combat boots back on when Frasier tossed them to her.

"You've heard of us?" Marcus questioned, as he looked around to make sure nothing was sneaking up on them while they stood out in the open.

"Yeah, during boot camp, you hear all kinds of stories about legendary men on the field. I'm assuming you two are the sons of Captain Arthur Markle of the S.A.S., which would explain how you took those convicts down without so much as a scratch." Rika answered in detail before managing to put two and two together.

"Speaking of convicts...how the hell are they so well armed? I thought most guns were illegal here, especially those automatic ones." Takashi interjected as he recalled how Khota explained to him about how illegal the weapons they found were back at the apartment.

"Those weapons actually belong to us. But with the infection and lack of order, the prisoners from the Tokonosu Prison have been able to get their hands on any fallen operatives they can. Wouldn't be surprised if the three helicopters we sent in to contain the prisoners were carrying more than enough armaments to give them the edge to survive this long. Speaking of guns...those three you're all carrying look awfully familiar. May I see one?" Rika answered as she gave the group some insight before requesting to see one of the guns, extending her hand out to them.

Takashi handed her the shotgun he'd always carry with him, all of them watching as Rika went from a detailed observation to suddenly flipping it around and aiming it straight at Frasier.

"You motherfuckers looted my place, didn't you?! Rika suddenly questioned as she let out an aggressive growl, fully aware the entire time that these guns belonged to her.

"Oh shit..." Takashi muttered before Rika cocked the pump to show she wasn't messing around. A fierce look in her eyes showed she was one of the last survivors on the planet to mess with.

"'Oh shit' is right...all three of those guns are mine. What else did you punks take?" Rika questioned as everyone but Saeko had a worried look on their faces.

"Just all the spare ammo and the C5 Wildcat." Khota answered nervously as Rika never took her eyes off Frasier nor Marcus.

"How did you get in? No, scratch that...how the fuck did you know my place had guns? I didn't exactly have many close friends or neighbors to brag about them." Rika demanded, as she tried to figure how they could've known despite her never telling anyone.

"Simple. Your roommate, Shizuka Marikawa." Saeko answered in a calm manner as she walked up in front of the barrel of the shotgun, noticing the shocked look Rika formed when hearing that name.

"You better start talking before I put a hole in both of you. How do you know her? If you did anything to her, so help me..." Rika demanded as she kept the gun raised at Saeko's chest level.

"She's our school nurse, and it was her idea to use your place as a safe haven for a night before moving out again. Without those guns, none of us would've made it this far. Miss Marikawa is perfectly safe back at the newfound city we stumbled upon. We can take you to her, but only if you keep a cool head." Saeko said as she then watched Rika starting to lower the gun.

"Fine...but if you're lying, consider your ass is mine." Rika sensibly agreed before she kept the shotgun for herself, leaving Takashi with nothing as they walking back to their jeep, ready to return back to Kibou City before the sun went down.

"So, did you guys take my Humvee? I really miss my baby jeep." Rika then questioned before having a fond memory of it like it was a child to her while they all drove off into the sunset.

"Nope. No. It's perfectly safe back at home. You had a Humvee? Never bothered to check for one. Negative." all five survivors said at once, each one lying, seeing how Rika reacted towards her guns being looted.

**An hour later…**

"I have to admit, this place isn't nearly as crowded as you'd expect a hospital to be." Rei commented, as she helped sterilize some of the equipment.

"Well, if someone is bitten, there wouldn't be anything we could do about it, and that's excluding the fact that anyone with a sure sign of becoming one of Them isn't allowed within the city walls." Shizuka explained as she fitted a pair of disposable plastic gloves onto both her small hands.

"True, at least those who do need medical attention can be helped so long as we have enough material on hand. I just hope we get more antibiotics and morphine though. Those two have been running out faster than I was anticipating." Saya calculated before bringing up a list of medical supplies she just finished after taking stock checks.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door that caught everyone's attention. As Shizuka began to turn the door handle, Marcus abruptly burst through, entering the room as he pulled in the wounded survivor they found on a medical cot.

"Hello, ladies. Hope you aren't too busy at the moment, because you are now." Marcus announced as he quickly closed the door behind him.

"Where the hell did you find him? How come we weren't told about an incoming patient?" Saya began to question as Rei and Shizuka were quickly attaching IV tubes to the unconscious survivor after quickly cleaning the spots on his arms they'd need to stick the tubes into.

"Because nobody else actually knows about him being in the city...yet." Marcus hesitantly answered only for Saya to instantly slap him upside the head.

"How could you do something so reckless? Do you have any idea what could happen if he was infected and you brought him into a place with all kinds of ways to spread it?!" Saya roared out as Rei and Shizuka slowly backed away just in case she was right.

"Well, he's missing only two fingers and nothing else. The wound is too clean to be a bite; it must have been something as sharp as a knife that cut them off precisely. A set of teeth would've left a mess along with bits of flesh missing. At least that's the way my brother explained it." Marcus tried to reply as he felt himself up against a wall with Saya towering over him.

"This is our first week here, and already you've broken at least three rules!" Saya groaned as she tried to wrap her head around all this.

"We'll do what we can, Marcus. Just go so we can do our best to help him." Shizuka requested, only to be surprised when Marcus stood his ground.

"Actually, Frasier instructed me to stay here in case...well, let's stay optimistic here. We're 95% sure he won't turn." Marcus began to explain before he decided it was blatantly obvious why he had to stay.

"Then shut up and just stand by, twerp." Saya demanded as she then began to observe their new patient along with Rei while Shizuka was expertly showing them how to fully diagnose a patient.

"Blood levels are low, but nothing too drastic. He has a high fever, so I expect there to be a connection with it to the infection on the two stubs. We'll need to use some antibiotics and hope that's all we're facing right now." Shizuka estimated as she ran a hand along the forehead before unwrapping the crusty, worn out bandages to reveal pale, goo-like substance that was coating on the two cauterized nubs of flesh. Rei visibly shuddered at such a nasty-looking infection on such a terrible injury.

"I don't think we have anything strong enough at the moment to handle this much of a developed infection." Saya commented in response as she held the bottle filled with pills that Shizuka requested.

"Oh dear...there must be something we can use. Infected or not, that fever needs to go down now." Shizuka noted as she began to have a worried look on her face, trying to search through their supplies for something that could work.

"What about your special gel? That seemed to do the trick for Frasier and I." Rei suggested as she opened up Shizuka's personal medical bag after regaining her composure.

"No good. It would only be a temporary solution to the problem...unless we were to use it on the wound itself to weaken the infection before we gave him the antibiotics to finish the job." Shizuka said to Rei before seeing how the gel could be applied to support the treatment rather than do it by itself miraculously.

"That stuff made you scream bloody murder when it was used on your sore back, Rei. I highly doubt he'll stay unconscious when you apply that stuff to exposed flesh, especially on a wound like that." Saya said as she recalled Rei's screams back at her house when Shizuka used it on her.

"Which is why we use painkillers to counteract the tremendous nerve-wracking sting it gives off." Rei responded calmly as she held a bottle in hand, ready for use if Shizuka were to agree.

Shizuka nodded in agreement before they all began to work together as one functioning unit, each one managing to pitch in as they could now only wait to see if any of their actions would take affect on the survivor before them, only to hope for the better as time gradually passed on.

Hours after the combination of painkillers, Shizuka's medical gel and antibiotics was applied, the four of them just sat around the room, trying to pass the time while their patient remained in a tranquil-like state. Luckily, the fever had broken and maintained an average level while the infectious muck slowly but surely started to dissolve over time. To say that this stranger had been brought to them just in the nick of time was nothing short of a gross understatement.

"So between Saeko, Frasier, Takashi, Khota, and Marcus; why are we left with the youngest one?" Saya questioned as if she was intentionally trying to get under Marcus' skin now.

"They left me here because my big brother suggested it. I'm pretty sure though that this is just another reason for him to keep me in the city and out of trouble." Marcus replied before going into his own personal view on things.

"Both of you stop bickering! I think our patient is waking up." Rei commented before they all looked over to see that the survivor was simply just rolling around in his slumber.

"Right...well, while he 'wakes up', we're going to get something to drink. Just call us if you need anything." Saya taunted as she and Shizuka both exited the room, leaving Rei to blush with embarrassment.

"So…is she always like this, or is it just when I'm around?" Marcus then questioned, causing Rei to softly chuckle at the remark.

"Try not to take it personally. She does that to everyone." Rei explained as Marcus smirked before looking out a window to see the city remain as lively as ever.

Before anything else could be said, the patient suddenly let out a gasp of air. Both Rei and Marcus spun around to see if he was okay, only to be relieved when they noticed both his eyes were moving as his breathing was soft yet calm. He groaned weakly as Rei began to approach his bedside.

Rei loomed over him, regarding the young man more in detail as she found herself somewhat lost in his hazel colored eyes, even if they took a few looks around the room before suddenly gazing upon her. A soft blush took over her cheeks as she backed away, realizing she was blatantly gawking at the survivor despite the fact she was currently taken. Despite that, she couldn't help but think this new survivor was actually quite handsome, in a rugged, European kind of way, since his pale skin tone and eyes clearly showed he was a foreigner.

Despite the fact his whole body wasn't washed and his face had grown a haggard, unkempt beard, she had to admit that from what she had observed, he wasn't so hard on the eyes in her opinion.

"Wo bin ich? Sind Sie ein Engel oder so etwas? Habe ich wirklich sterben?" the survivor began to mumble, the effects of the powerful painkillers causing him to slightly slur as his eyes became solely focused on Rei now.

"What did he say? I don't understand anything he's saying." Rei asked Marcus as he had a look on his face that told her that he had an idea of what the stranger just said, hoping he could've at least made out something from it all.

"It was German. Most of it was mumbling, but from what I can tell, he either asked if you were an angel...or if you have any cat food. It's been a while, seeing how I had to learn your language, too." Marcus answered in his best attempt to translate the muttering before he turned the safety on his pistol back on, fully confident that this survivor would be all right in the end.

"Do you think he asked because he's on drugs or...?" Rei asked, somewhat feeling a sense of warmth in her chest at the stranger's sweet remark in comparison to the icy responses (or lack of ones) Takashi had been giving her over the last week.

"Why does it matter? I thought you were with Takashi." Marcus responded, somewhat confused before the door to the room opened up to reveal Shizuka and Saya holding a beverage in each hand.

While all was well in Kibou City, Kraven stood alone on a rooftop that faced towards the great city. Over his mouth was a breathing respirator, a heavy, raspy grunt of air every time he exhaled. He turned around when he noticed a shadow approaching from behind.

"Ah, brother. I see you've finally arrived. How much longer must we wait until we can carry out our plan?" Kraven sighed softly before questioning the figure before him.

"In dear time, Kraven. First we must seek out all priority targets first. This group easily rivals my own, so this will take great planning. We will not simply run in blind like cattle to the slaughter. This attack will require precision and the utmost finesse," the figure announced as he folded his arms, overlooking the skyscraper made walls before looking over to his eager sibling.

"Very well. But you do realize the longer we wait, the stronger they will become. Every day their influence and population grows with every survivor they bring in." Kraven responded calmly before he felt his brother grasping his respirator's tube, cutting off the airflow to him.

"Do not let your impulses take over. Last time you did, I ended up taking the blame and was imprisoned for it. Two years wasted in that hole because of you, so consider your allegiance payback," the bitter brother snarled as he watched Kraven trying to break his hands away. His brother soon took pity on him before letting go of the breathing tube, slowly walking away to continue his planning for the assault.

"Whatever you say, Taras." Kraven muttered softly before looking back at Kibou City, clenching both fists as he continued to gaze upon the city he intended to conquer, with or without the help of his brother.


	30. Act 10: Kibou City Part 3

**Act 10: Kibou Part 3**

**Kibou City, Japan**

**Z-Day+26**

The following week was quiet, despite the flesh eating monsters roaming outside the walls of Kibou City. At the higher levels of the spire, both Frasier and Master Busujima were sitting before one another to discuss the current security situation of the settlement.

"The council has been taking extra precautions to ensure our defenses are more well suited to withstand any large scale contingency we may encounter in the near future. However, I sense there is more to your visit here than just to discuss that. You wouldn't come all the way up here to simply say hello and have tea with me, knowing your busy schedule." Master Busujima noted as he paced back and forth across the room, admiring the sunset before them, the vibrant colors flowing through the room.

"Lately, after what Kraven did to Noah, all I feel is pure anger, and this primal rage I'm finding harder and harder to bottle up with each passing day. There are times where I think nothing else matters other than simply obeying this unknown force inside. I... I think I'm starting to become more and more like him." Frasier confessed, as he looked down, afraid that the more he dwelled upon his revenge the more he became the very thing he set out to destroy.

However, Master Busujima once again caught him by surprise by letting out a soft laugh before returning to a serious demeanor. He then stood before Frasier and placed a firm hand over his shoulder.

"Is that what you truly think, Frasier? That because you feel only what is natural to feel after suffering such a loss, that you're becoming an unstable monster? No. Not you. While you both are driven by anger and suffering, you do it for an entirely different reason, one that is driven by a desire to see justice done. Kraven does it because it is all he knows." Master Busujima explained as he watched Frasier slowly beginning to realize his lecture the more he thought about it.

"What is the difference though? He fights for revenge, I fight for revenge. It just doesn't make sense!" Frasier argued, as he then looked away, certain there was seemingly no difference.

"You fought him for an ulterior reason in the past, and you still do now. Before, it was simply your pride and unwillingness to back down, but now, in this savage world, it was love that made you overcome his devastating blow he threw at you. And before you say anything else, I want you to know that you have my blessing, Frasier." Master Busujima said before he already managed to anticipate what Frasier was going to say next, leaving him speechless.

"Thank you, master. I will fail neither you nor her." Frasier said in a grateful tone before exiting to prevent Saeko's father from further discussing this delicate subject.

"I know you won't," he softly said to himself as he then turned back to view the city that was crawling with life around each corner, knowing that the city was in good hands.

As the group was busy with their own daily schedule, Miku herself had volunteered at an orphanage to tend to the young children and youths that had lost their families to the outbreaks. She knew she had much to atone for after all the terrible things she had participated with in the past whilst under Shidou's influence, but this was certainly a good way to start.

On the way back to her small apartment, she found the streets busy with people, making it near impossible to get anywhere. Thinking it would be a decent shortcut; Miku entered an alleyway that seemed vacant for the time being.

At first everything was going smooth, but halfway through, she suddenly found herself pinned against a wall by a teenage boy her age.

"Well, I just had to see it to believe it." a far too familiar voice commented from behind Miku that sent chills down her spine.

"Tsunoda?! How did you get here?" Miku questioned, as she couldn't help but express fear through her lips, instantly recognizing someone she had never expected to see again. And worst of all, it had to be one Shidou's most loyal, and most volatile followers.

"Mr. Shidou's old man is one of the guys in charge around here. But I can't expect the deserter to understand that now, can I?" Tsunoda began to explain as he shot her a look a traitor would normally be branded by.

"I didn't though! I was...kidnapped!" Miku began to plead, knowing she had to come up with something on the spot when she saw the deranged look in his eyes. The guy was deranged and sadistic enough whenever she'd let him have his way with her before; she didn't even want to think what he could do to her now that he thought of her as a traitor and a hostage.

"Kidnapped?" Tsunoda repeated with a puzzled expression, expecting Miku to be begging for dear life.

"You heard me, you dumbass. Kidnapped. Luckily I managed to convince them I was on their side so they didn't kill me, or worse." Miku explained more confidently as she quickly used her female charms to convince Tsunoda to believe her story.

"Phew, for a second there, I thought you bailed on us. You have no idea how pissed off Mr. Shidou was when you 'left'. Good thing I found you though, the shit is about to hit the fan big time." Tsunoda sighed out of relief before explaining that something was going to happen in the city in a much more cryptic tone.

"What do you mean? What's going on?" Miku asked as she once again felt her heart sinking the more she heard what Tsunoda had to say.

"Well, since you're still on our side, allow me to explain what's up." Tsunoda began to explain, ready to reveal to Miku everything that Shidou had been up to, as well as his sinister intentions for the city.

On his way back home, Frasier stood in line to wait for a bus. He began to tap his feet impatiently as others around him were wary as to why he was allowed to be carrying a weapon around. As the bus finally arrived, he could've sworn somebody was calling his name.

"Frasier! Hey! Over here!" a familiar voice called out amongst the crowds of people walking by, instantly catching his attention as he scanned the crowds only to see Miku approaching him with a worried look on her face.

"What do you want? I've got more important matters to attend to, in case you haven't noticed." Frasier explained in a bitter tone as he continued to walk, completely ignoring Miku.

"I know I'm one of the last people on Earth you'd ever want to talk to, but you need to listen to me. Shidou is here! And I don't mean his father, I mean the OTHER Shidou!" Miku warned as she tried to get through to him, watching as he froze in place at the last remark.

"That's impossible. I made sure that every guard and watchman is aware of who he is and what he looks like. There's no way he could've made his way inside." Frasier denied as he shook his head in disbelief.

"Do you think I'd risk bringing your wrath upon myself without any reason? He's leading underground meetings in one of the warehouses at the harbor, where he's been brainwashing any that follow him. You have to stop before he can convert anyone else to his little cult." Miku desperately pleaded as she watched him visibly deep in thought of the possibilities.

"Alright, but you stay here. I'll round up a security team and let them flush that rat out. With any luck, I can line up a shot and end him without anyone knowing it was me." Frasier ordered as he motioned Miku to stay out of the matter while he reached for his radio to rally a squad to the whereabouts of Shidou's potential lair.

Minutes later, Frasier perched himself on a rooftop with a rifle in hand. He watched the squad enter the warehouse while a backup team remained on watch. His heart began to pound against his chest as he anticipated Shidou being dragged out, giving him a perfect shot to take the bastard out.

However, a bright light flashed from within before a loud explosion erupted. The entire warehouse was instantly consumed in a fiery blast as the team on standby suddenly found themselves being shot at by unknown assailants.

"What the fuck just happened?!" Frasier demanded as he yelled into his radio, uncertain of the unexpected series of events.

"It's an ambush! We're being fired upon what appear to be armed civilians. We need back up... need-" someone on the radio explained before being suddenly cut out.

With that said, Frasier took aim, noticing a few figures running along the rooftops and taking potshots at the security team who were pinned down behind their vehicles. In a quick succession of bursts, the rooftop assailants were picked off in quick succession.

"Attention all units, we have an incident at pier D-2! Anyone available, move in to assist immediately." announced a radio operator on the security frequency.

Frasier stood there in total awe as more and more buildings became engulfed in a sudden series of explosions set across town. At first his initial reaction was to think they were under attack from within their own walls. But he then noticed each area was spread out and moderately distanced from the others.

"Hold on a minute…this isn't an attack...this is a diversion!" Frasier thought to himself as he instantly scaled down from his position and began to sprint towards the Spire, only to stop in his tracks, knowing he had to check on everyone back home.

"Delay that last order! It's all a diversion. Send the garrison to the walls, do not let our outer defenses converge on the attack sites!" Frasier announced on the radio, only for him to receive static-like response. It was clear that his radio wasn't going to be strong enough to broadcast the warning back to everyone else.

He stood there conflicted, knowing he had to make a choice now: save those close to him, or leave them to their fate in order to alert the council of the even larger threat that was yet to be seen. Whatever choice he would make would potentially affect the whole outcome of the entire city.

"Seal the entrances and ensure that the council is secured. We cannot allow the assailants to break through." Master Busujima ordered with his back to the front door. He then looked over towards the two remaining council members, Ichiro and Kimura, all in the basement of the Spire, which was to serve as their bunker for any contingencies.

"Where is Souichiro Takagi? Should he not be here with us?" Ichiro Shidou questioned as he looked around the room nervously, almost a suspicious look to him.

"On my way down I saw him with his personal bodyguards. Knowing him, he will be right on the scene before you know it. We should be more worried about ourselves " Kimura answered as she gave insight on his whereabouts.

"Do not be afraid. So long as I draw breath, you will be safe." Master Busujima vowed, as he remained vigilant for any developments on the outside.

"Then I suppose that means I'll need to beat you until you can longer muster up enough energy to gasp a single gust of air. Otherwise you'd be quite the problem for me." Kraven's voice announced as he slowly entered the room.

Master Busujima quickly spun around to see his old apprentice standing before him in the flesh, the guards at the door doing nothing whatsoever to detain him.

"You're a fool to come here alone, Kraven. It's seven on one." Master Busujima announced as he stood in front of the councilor's chair with four guards surrounding him.

"Funny. I was going to say the very same thing." Kraven grinned through his breathing mask, inadvertently giving his men's cover away. It was then that Master Busujima realized these guards were impersonators, followers of Koichi Shidou no doubt.

Before the importers could restrain the only one loyal to the council, he elbowed the man behind him then backspin kicked another to the side. One managed to punch him across the face with just enough force to cause him to fall to one knee.

However, Master Busujima was far from finished. He quickly spun his torso around and grasped the leg of the man that just hit him. In a single twist he caused the attacker to lose his balance.

Master Busujima then stood up and spun the man in circles, causing him to knock the other traitors away from him as well as the council. The skilled Master then let go of the leg and released his legendary blade from its prison. The flawless steel craft glimmered in the otherwise dim lights above.

His arms thrust forward, impaling two men on top of one other. He then backhanded another that dared swing a knife at him. In a single swipe, he cleaved the same man's head clean from his shoulders. The decapitated head rolled along the concrete floor as his crimson red blood painted the floor around him.

The Master sheathed his blade, only to draw it once again when the last traitor next to him placed a pistol to his head. Both Master Busujima and Kraven grinned as the sword slowly entered the sheath one more time. The skilled warrior stood up straight and turned to the remaining traitors and Kraven as the man besides him slowly split in two.

All the insurgents at Kraven's sides quickly raised their guns and took aim at the deadly Master, knowing that being within his reach would mean a certain and gruesome demise for them all.

"Put those down, you cowards. If this man is to die, it is to be by a blade. Mine no doubt." Kraven announced confidently as he drew both katanas from the holsters latched onto his back.

"It's a welcome sight to see you still have some sense of honor, Kraven. But this will not change what is to be." Master Busujima announced, his hand tightly grasped around the handle of his superior weapon.

Kraven suddenly dashed forward with rage in his eyes, taking personal offense to the statement. Both blades swiped in a horizontal arc only for Master Busujima to deflect them in a quick draw, spinning one of Kraven's arms around, one of his dual blades sliding off to the other side of the room beyond his reach.

Kraven then backhanded him with the hilt of the other sword and quickly backed off before he could be sliced in an instant, fully aware of what his old master was capable of, remembering how quick his reaction time was.

**{Kill Bill OST – The Lonely Shepard}**

Blood slowly trickled from Master Busujima's lip as he stood there in the same spot, showing he was never going to stand down and allow the council to die without him being defeated first. Kraven then took a deep breath and took an alternative stance.

"The circle is now complete. When I left you, I was but the learner; but now I am the master." Kraven announced in pure confidence the moment he noticed that he had managed to spill Busujima blood, his sword slowly swaying back and forth during his self-proclaiming speech.

"Only a master of rage, Kraven." Master Busujima replied in disgust as they began to slowly circle one another, an eerie silence casting over the room.

Their feet would constantly shuffle and shift position every few seconds to avoid falling into a pattern. Even the smallest of repeated details could give a perceptive opponent the edge to win.

Kraven began to heavily breath through his respirator as his former Master never blinked even for a moments pass. Without further delay, they both stepped in towards the other with great boasts of confidence, both katanas deflecting off one another in perfect rhythm.

Every move the other would make was memorized and taken into great regard, even a single glance would warrant great suspicion. At one point, the two warriors stepped forward into yet another clash only for Master Busujima to bash Kraven in the jaw with the hilt of his handle, causing his former apprentice to recoil in pain, soon learning from his mistake. An annoyed look formed on his face as he let out a small series of raspy grunts through his respirator, somewhat fortunate he had decent protection to cover his mouth and lower jaw.

There were no speedy clashes or flashy tricks when they battled. Instead it was slow, controlled fight that consisted of old sword styles and techniques. Both council members watched in astonishment at the way the two swordsmen dueled, a truly glorious thing to behold despite all that was on the line.

Despite being much younger and full of far more energy, Kraven found himself being pushed to his very limits. Each move his former master made would drain him, slowly forcing him to take more drastic if not risky measures.

Sparks were on the verge of forming whenever the two katanas would collide. A single flick of the wrist could determine the entire outcome of the duel. Sweat slowly beaded down their faces as they stepped back, ready for one last clash to determine the better of the two.

"Enough!" Kraven announced as he threw himself right towards Master Busujima, showing little to no regard for his own safety.

"I agree. This ends now!" The master swordsman responded before going all in with his next attack, lowering his defenses in order to make the perfect and final strike. A loud tearing sound of steel and flesh suddenly echoed in the middle of the run.

Both stood facing away from the other, a sharp gasp of pain emitting from one of them as fresh blood dripped onto the floor. The sound of a single katana dropping against the floor could be heard, a loud, dreadful *clang* ringing out for all to hear.

Kraven turned around to see Durge had entered the fray at the last moment. A large gash became all too visible in the Master's side where the bladed gauntlet had hit. He slowly fell onto one knee before the other, the fatal wound more than enough to debilitate even the strongest of warriors.

**{}**

"No! Goddamn you, Taras, this was meant to be between us and only us!" Kraven growled as he stepped towards his brother only to be backhanded like an insolent child.

"Shut up! You've already risked everything by setting the diversions off far too early! Wait...there are only two council members here. Where's the third one?" Durge began to explain in annoyance before noticing there was a missing target, his eyes scanning the entire room in a quick effort to search for the unaccounted one.

"Souichiro Takagi is on the surface, heading out to deal with our forces head on. If you hurry, you can cut him off before he can mobilize an effective counter offensive." Ichiro suddenly explained to them, almost too eager to give vital information away.

"Ichiro?! What the hell are you doing?" Kimura questioned as she stood there in total shock to see him betraying them.

"Picking a winning side of course. Although I must admit, it feels great to know that I could outsmart someone as intelligent as you, Kimura. How do you think they were able to obtain such weapons within the city walls? Or know exactly where to look for the council?" Ichiro questioned as he slowly walked over towards Kraven and Durge.

"You were with them this entire time...this is all your doing!" Kimura said in an angered realization before Durge aimed a pistol at her.

"Do kindly shut the fuck up, ma'am. Your voice tends to carry on." Durge requested as he made it clear he wasn't in the mood for taking prisoners.

"Well said. Now let's wrap this up and kill her before moving onto Souichiro Takagi." Ichiro Shidou agreed as he gave Durge a direct order like he was in charge or something.

"Shut up. You do not tell us what to do, old man. You're merely an ally at best, now hold your tongue." Kraven lashed out as he was in no mood for being put down by such a weakling.

"I'm a council member, so I'm in charge around here! Now do as I command! Without me, you would've never gotten this far!" Ichiro demanded as he formed a pure look of anger when he was defied so openly.

Durge remained silent as he then shifted his fearsome gaze upon the lowly former politician, grasping him by the neck with a vice like grip, watching his victim squirming and gasping for air as his face began to turn blue.

"So you think this gives you power over me, little man? You've served your purpose up until this point. Now you're just another loose end to be cut." Durge questioned before explaining to the corrupt council member that he was just an expendable pawn now. Without waiting another second, Durge instantly began gutting him with the serrated blades attached to his wrist. Low yet spine tingling gurgles filled the room while Durge took his time killing Shidou off.

"Don't worry, ma'am. It wouldn't be fair to leave you out on all the fun." Durge then announced as he tossed the lifeless Ichiro Shidou aside like a rag doll, putting a single round between Kimura's eyes, only to watch her slowly fall over backwards.

"Enough of this. We'll need to open the two sets of gates if we intend to let your group swarm in to finish the attack." Kraven explained as he could see Durge was becoming ensued by the thrill of killing the living.

"First thing's first, brother. We're going after Souichiro Takagi, since he's the one calling the shots right now. Without him, they will have no leadership and will slowly fall one by one as they cower before our might!" Durge announced as he exited the room with Kraven, leaving Master Busujima to bleed out with no strength left to pick himself back up.

"I've...failed..." He softly muttered under his breath as he clenched his wound tight in attempt to put pressure on the otherwise fatal cut.

Meanwhile, back at the group's house, they all were enjoying an otherwise peaceful lunch until they could hear the distant explosions in the background.

"What the heck was that?" Marcus questioned in a censored version of what he would normally say due to the fact Alice was in his presence.

"Could be more construction. Didn't they use explosives to makes these walls after all?" Takashi brought up as he took a quick bite out if his toast.

"Those explosions sounded much closer to us. Think about it: we're on the edge of town beside the beach. Something must be wrong." Saya calculated as she then watched as Rika walked into the room with her powerful sniper rifle in hand.

"We've got company." Rika announced as she motioned towards the windows, causing everyone to look over in that general direction, only to see multiple survivors armed with weapons only the convicts seemed to have access to until now.

"Shizuka, Rei, Saya! Take Alice and get into the bathtub. Stay down until we say it's clear!" Marcus ordered as he heard a loud, aggressive knock on the door that made it clear they were under attack.

Rika and Khota both dashed up the stairs, taking a height advantage, as well as being able to watch anything that those on the first floor might miss.

"Who is it?" Marcus announced as he aimed the shotgun down range, waiting for a response despite knowing the intention of the armed men.

Suddenly, a burst of gunfire ripped through the door, almost as if they thought Marcus was right behind it to answer them. Luckily, everyone was in no position to be caught in the lethal crossfire. Bullet holes began to tear through the house before someone outside could be heard telling them to cease-fire.

The sound of a boot kicking against the door could be heard. Kick after kick sounded out, and soon the already weakened door came off its hinges. Several figures quickly stepped inside, each of them visibly tough as nails and armed to the teeth to boot.

"Did we get them?" one of the armed attackers questioned as he kicked the broken shards of glass on the floor.

"Do you see any bodies?" another, more authoritative voice brought up as he could be heard lighting up a fresh cigarette.

"No." the first voice answered, looking around to see nothing but torn up furniture and broken glass.

"Then clearly they aren't dead. Spread out and look for- ack!" the authoritative man explained, giving them direct orders before being launched back against the wall by the pellets of a single shotgun shell.

The hostile survivors around him instantly bolted for cover as their friend quickly bled out from the multiple holes placed into his chest.

"Another one bites the dust!" Marcus announced as he popped out the empty shell from the chamber, letting it roll along the floor as he took aim and managed to pick off another one of Shidou's followers before having to recoil back into cover to avoid the counter fire.

Takashi remained hidden, fearful of being hit the moment he dared expose his position. Fear began to sink into his heart, as he didn't even notice the intruder taking aim at him.

"Hey, Takashi! Snap out of it already!" Saeko's voice suddenly called out, as she cut down the attacker in a quick series of swings.

When it was over, he instantly dropped his gun and shuddered, clearly shell-shocked by the traumatic experience, both ears ringing from all the gunfire echoing throughout the beach house. Saeko just shook her head in disappointment and dashed towards another zealot to tear apart, leaving Takashi to recollect himself as a fire could be seen forming outside.

"Heads up! They're trying to burn us out!" Rika announced between her shots, trying to single out anyone trying to add more to the growing fire.

Smoke began to steadily enter the house, causing the group to fall back room by room.

"Everyone out! This place is going to be full of smoke and you don't want to be here when it does!" Rika instructed, taking command of the dire situation as she broke off contact and lead those who could not fight towards the back entrance of the beach house, only to see a group of Shidou's soldiers were moving in to flank them.

"Shit! Can't do anything from here..." Rika thought to herself in anger, as everyone was seemingly helpless, only able to hope that the smoke wouldn't reach then before help could arrive.

Suddenly, a loud honking noise could be heard approaching the area. Rei watched out of the corner of her eye as one of the city's transport buses came ramming straight into the flanking attackers, their inaccurate shots missing entirely right before they were smashed and smeared against the vacant house beside the one already under heavy siege.

Two zealots managed to jump out of the way in time, and without hesitation they both began to force their way into the side of the bus, bashing the butts of their guns against it only for the doors to swing open automatically, knocking them onto their backs.

Before they could get up to react, both were hit with semi-automatic fire, their bodies pelted with high caliber rounds before the assailant revealed himself to be none other than Frasier.

"C'mon, everyone! Get on the bus!" Frasier ordered as he raised the rifle, expelling an entire clip into three more zealots moving in on their position, covering the group as they ran inside the bus for comfort.

Alice began to cry in fear as Shizuka and Saya did their best to sooth the child's woe. Khota and Rika were last on board since they helped with securing a safe route for the group. Marcus meanwhile rolled down a window and began to assist Frasier in taking down any of the fanatics that dared attack their group.

"Hold on...where's Saeko?" Frasier questioned as he took a quick head count only to realize she was not present.

"She still must be inside. I'll go after her." Rika volunteered as she stood up to go in after their missing comrade.

"SAEKO!" Frasier cried out, as he was already halfway through the backyard, not even bothering to wait for neither backup nor help.

"Crazy son of a bitch." Saya muttered to herself as the shooting soon came to an abrupt halt, the group now only able to hang back as Frasier ventured into the burning wreck of their once beloved beach house. The heat of the flames could be felt even from a safe distance as smoke filled the air.

"Saeko? Where are you?!" Frasier called out; as he had to duck down to avoid inhaling the deadly carbon monoxide.

As he traversed the room, he noticed Saeko in the process of gutting a zealot, her sword constantly plunging in and out of the man's chest. Blood was splattered all over her face as she turned to see Frasier standing before her. A warm smile formed across her face.

"What are you doing? Lets get out of here already." Frasier instructed as he reached out for Saeko, knowing it wouldn't be long before the entire house came down on both their heads.

"Waiting for you-" Saeko began to explain before a support beam came crashing down, effectively separating both of them from one another.

A large wall of fire kept them apart. Embers filled the air, as the deadly fumes from the carbon monoxide only grew stronger. Both of the young survivors coughed heavily from the gust they slightly inhaled.

"Shit! Are you okay?" Frasier asked in a somewhat frantic voice, checking to see if Saeko was still alive.

"Just go...I'll find another way out myself...they'll need you more." Saeko instructed, taking a moment to cough as it became increasingly harder and harder to breathe.

"No! I can't leave you...I WON'T LOSE YOU AGAIN!" Frasier said in a weakened voice before exploding into a painful rage, remembering how he wasn't able to find Saeko back at Fujimi Academy, feeling a personal responsibility for their separation during the first few days of the outbreaks.

In a powerful surge of adrenaline, Frasier grabbed the grandfather clock and hoisted it over his head only to throw it against a weakened wall, causing it to come crumbling down as the clock shattered. Saeko just watched in awe as he then leapt through the flames just to be beside her.

"This way!" Frasier ordered as he grabbed Saeko's hand, leading her away as the flames drew closer and closer almost as if the fire itself was alive.

In the next room there were no flames to be seen for the time being, but the smoke had fogged up most of the room, making it hard to see.

"There…through the window!" Saeko announced as they both ran towards their last chance of survival, crashing through the already shot up window, only to land in the backyard where the others we're anxiously waiting for them.

"Hurry up! We've got more hostiles inbound!" Rika announced as she fired off the last of her ammo. With nothing left, she took the helm of the bus and began to back out slowly.

Saeko and Frasier both hopped onboard at the last minute. They began to heavily cough as their group rushed to their aid.

"Holy shit...you guys alright?" Marcus questioned as he began to pat his brother on the back, trying to brush as much ash as he could off of him.

"We'll be fine. Just drive us to the spire!" Frasier announced as he helped Saeko stand up just enough to where they could sit back down in their seats.

On the drive towards the Spire, the group had no choice but to push on despite all the chaos around them, having to ignore and pass by anyone that they could've possibly saved from the attacking madmen that plagued the city.

"So what the hell happened? It was quiet one minute, then the next thing you know is we're under attack." Takashi asked as he watched everything that passed by them.

"Koichi Shidou is here. He managed to secretly gather enough followers to attack several locations in town. But it's all a diversion; I know there's more to it than all of this. I just know it. We need to find Saya's father so I can warn him of the imminent threat." Frasier explained as he began to regain his drained stamina. Among the rest of the group, Rei looked especially devastated at the mention of Shidou's name.

"I should've killed him when I had the chance...this is all my fault." Rei confessed as she felt deep regret now, wishing she had just pulled the trigger back at Takagi Estate. Deep down, she couldn't but feel that all this devastation and suffering was all her fault.

"You did the right thing back there, Rei. Don't ever question the truth of that fact for an instant. Alice may have had her eyes covered, but she would've known what you did if you did go that extra step. Besides, you don't want the blood of another living person on your hands. Believe me. It's not every choice you make that matters, just the hard ones. There's nothing you can do now but allow us to handle it from here." Saeko said in an attempt to comfort her close friend as the bus soon approached the Spire.

"We'll take it from here. Rika, take them to an emergency shelter. If we don't come back, then you're in charge. Take care of Marcus for me." Frasier ordered as he and Saeko separated from the rest of the group.

"Don't talk like that, Frasier. You always come back." Marcus said as he was on the verge of tears, hating the idea of losing another brother.

"Stay safe, Marcus. These guys will need you to help keep the order high and tension down. I'll be back." Frasier responded in a fraternal tone as he hugged his brother goodbye. Afterwards they simply nodded before Frasier and Saeko leapt off the bus and headed towards their destination.

Both Frasier and Saeko ran into the Spire, stopping dead in their tracks to see the entire lobby was torn to bits with the bodies of security officers and insurgents alike.

"Looks like they managed to punch a hole through here. I can only hope the council is safely tucked away somewhere." Frasier commented, as he showed no signs of disgust or sickness at the gruesome scene.

"We should check the basement. That's most likely the place they'd go to at such short notice." Saeko calculated as she noticed a trail of footprints in a pool of blood going in and out of a door that led right to the stairs of the facility.

With nothing but a silent nod of acknowledgement, the deadly duo darted down the stairs until finding themselves at the entrance to the basement. Saeko felt her heart pounding against her chest, knowing this was where her father would have to be as well.

At first the place seemed completely abandoned with only fresh corpses to seen. It remained this way until one of them could hear one of the figures breathing roughly, his chest heaving slightly with each gasp for air. Saeko ran over to check only to be horrified by her shocking discovery.

"Father!" Saeko cried out in pain as she noticed he was still alive but just barely.

"Saeko...you're still alive. At least now I will be able to say goodbye before I die," her father softly whispered in a strained voice as he felt her hoisting him up into a sitting position.

"What are you talking about your...oh god..." Saeko said with a puzzled expression before realizing the dreadful sight of her father's fatal wound.

"He's lost a lot of blood. I really don't think he can come back from this, Saeko." Frasier observed as he noticed how pale her father appeared, still losing a small yet steady amount of blood

"How can you be so quick to say something so cruel, Frasier?! If we hurry, we could have someone patch him up!" Saeko defied angrily as she tried to deny the horrible truth and reality of the situation, trying to find some way to save her father despite the great odds stacking against her.

"No. He's right, Saeko. My time has finally come. There's no use in delaying the inevitable now. I'll be rejoining your mother very soon. Your concerns should be on stopping Kraven...he's the one behind it all. There simply isn't enough time to drag me up the stairs to someone that can fix all the damage." Master Busujima explained, as he was willing to accept death in order for the real threat at hand to be stopped.

"What do we do now? If he defeated you, how can we possibly hope to defeat him? You're our master after all." Saeko questioned as her hands became soaked in her father's blood, trying her best to keep him from bleeding out.

"Do what must be done, you two. Kill Kraven at any cost. He may have defeated me, but I'm not what I used to be...you both are in your prime. Let my teachings and lessons guide you to victory." Master Busujima protested, his voice still carrying an undeniable tone of authority, even as it grew weaker with each passing second.

"I'll go. This fight is mine and mine alone. Kraven must be stopped no matter the cost." Frasier volunteered as he turned to look out the door in case anyone would come in from behind.

"You've gone mad if you think I'll lose you to him as well! He's far too powerful, especially with a militia of his own to back him up." Saeko warned as she grabbed his wrist, unable to allow him to go alone just as Noah did.

"Saeko, you need to be here for your father as he passes away. I didn't get to properly say goodbye to my parents nor Noah to some extension. It's best you don't follow in my footsteps and see this through till the end. You shouldn't have to live with the pain of not being able to say goodbye. Besides, I'm first in line to take that fiend down every since he turned Noah into one of Them." Frasier explained as he kneeled down beside his grief stricken girlfriend to comfort her with one last hug, just in case he would never see her again.

"I...you can't..." Saeko began to say defiantly before letting out a deep sigh when she looked down to see her father smiling, knowing this was the way things were meant to be.

"Go then, and when your swords meet, be sure to hold nothing back. For Kraven will do no such thing in return." Saeko instructed as she made it clear Frasier would have to give it all and more with any hope to defeat Kraven.

"He isn't getting away this time. It's about time we ended this grudge once and for all!" Frasier announced as he watched Saeko kneeling before him, offering her prized sword for his own personal use.

"Keep it. You'll need it if any of them come back. Stay safe, my love. Goodbye, my master." Frasier responded before he dashed up the stairs and out of the building, ready to face down Kraven, alone.

**Elsewhere in Kibou City**

"Sir?" one of the security officers questioned as he (along with the others) had puzzled expressions at what was just said by their impromptu leader.

"You heard me! Take what forces you can and head off the last remaining insurgents. These two are mine." Souichiro snapped as he motioned his bodyguards to tend to the needs of those who needed it most.

"It will bring much pleasure to me when you, the last of the council, falls to my blade, bringing us much more closer to sweet victory." Durge hissed as he withdrew the blades from his gauntlet while Kraven withdrew his katanas.

{Mortal Kombat 9 OST - The Pit}

"By all means, you're welcome to try." Souichiro responded with no humor to be found in his voice before his thumb flicked up against the handle of his katana. A bright shining light appeared in the reflection from the afternoon sun as both Kraven and Durge's weapons clashed against the well-crafted steel blade.

In a single shove, Souichiro managed to push them both back before dodging Durge as he came charging back in only to nearly run into a nearby car. Souichiro then swung his arm back and forth, clashing with Kraven's blades, his aggression and intimidating posture never ceasing for even a second.

When Durge came back in for more, he barely ducked down in time to dodge a backspin kick, only for Souichiro to grin as he followed up with a powerful knee thrust right into Durge's face, causing him to fall onto his back.

Taking the perfect opportunity to attack, Kraven leapt into the air with both arms raised high, ready to backstab the powerful foe. However, Souichiro anticipated this cheap attack and simply thrust his katana backwards, forcing Kraven to turn his body at the last second, causing him to crash into the ground.

Souichiro's katana came down, just barely missing Kraven as he rolled on his sides; all he could do was avoid the deadly jabs. Soon enough though, he managed to see a pattern, kicking Souichiro in the sides, giving Kraven enough time to roll away back to Durge's side.

Rather than continue with the attack though, Souichiro took this opportunity to step back and catch his breath, knowing that it would take more of his skills if he were to defeat his adversaries on his own.

"He fights nothing like your former master. Granted there's a similar technique, but with so much more power and tenacity. I love it!" Durge commented, proving to be thrilled by an actual challenge as he licked the blood running down his nose.

"It's only a matter of time before he wears down. Then our victory will be secured with his death." Kraven added as he grinned, pacing back and forth as he watched a single bead of sweat drop from Souichiro's face, seeing that it was now a case of whoever could outlast the other in terms of stamina would have the upper hand here.

When they began to move in towards Souichiro, a loud shot rang out, followed by a small wisp of dust jumping out before Kraven and Durge. Everyone turned their gaze to see a smoking barrel in the hand of the interloper.

"Ah, I was wondering when you'd finally show up." Kraven grinned as he looked up to see Frasier standing on a turned over bus before hopping down with the pistol aimed at the two brothers.

"Kraven! You're going to pay for what you did to Noah!" Frasier responded in a heated tone, before holstering the pistol and unsheathing Saeko's blade.

"It seems this is a much more fair fight. Two on two." Souichiro commented as he gripped the handle tight, somewhat relieved he wasn't alone in this fight.

"We cannot handle both of them at once, brother. If I break off, then the one my age shall follow. I trust you can handle Souichiro on your own?" Kraven whispered as they both stood side by side, their heavy breath filling the air.

"Very well. Try not to die on me, Kraven." Durge agreed before they both stood apart, ready to separate and even the odds for their cause.

In a single dash of desperation, Kraven fled from the battlefield. Without any doubt to be had, Frasier broke contact and pursued, leaving Souichiro to confront Durge one on one.

"Now that the kids are gone, I say we take things up a notch. Wouldn't you agree?" Souichiro suggested with a serious smile of confidence in his abilities as even Durge himself couldn't help but nod in acceptance at the gesture.

"Yes, no more warming up. This is where things become interesting." Durge responded calmly as he anticipated a true challenge from the equally imposing foe before him.

While Durge and Souichiro fought to the death, Frasier was hot on Kraven's trail. With the blade holstered across his back, he was drawing closer and closer until he stopped dead in his tracks when a gunshot within his vicinity suddenly rang out.

"You!" Frasier growled when he looked to see Tsunoda charging him with a revolver in hand, forcing him to flee into a nearby house while Kraven got away, bullets zipping past him as he managed to break Tsunoda's lines of sight.

With hardly anywhere to hide, Frasier took refuge inside of the basement. When Tsunoda entered, he scanned all the top rooms, keeping his finger on the trigger, knowing his adversary was equipped with a sword for close quarters combat. Soon enough, he found himself descending into the basement to continue his persistent revenge.

"Come out, come out wherever you are!" Tsunoda maniacally chuckled as he crept through the empty basement, his finger close to the revolver's trigger.

Tsunoda was confident that he had the upper hand, but at the same time was very cautious not to run blindly in and risk Frasier disarming him.

Every shadow that twitched or even moved, Tsunoda would fire a shot at it out of sheer certainty Frasier was behind it.

"You know what's funny? Behind the anger and the stone cold killer persona you so stubbornly put on, you're just an army brat crying for his little brother he failed to protect." Tsunoda taunted as he stood out in the open, watching all around him for any reactions in the slightest.

Frasier however remained dead silent, despite the words he heard cutting into him like knives with each passing second.

"No matter what you do with the rest of your miserable life, you'll never see that little faggot Noah ever again." Tsunoda then announced as Frasier stood behind a support beam, his eyes filling with tears and rage as it was a battle of wills to not simply charge out into the open.

"I'd laugh if it wasn't so pathetic...oh what the hell, it's too funny not to laugh at! Hahahaha!" Tsunoda roared out triumphantly, causing Frasier to suddenly grab a nearby fuel barrel, tossing it in a fit of pure rage.

Tsunoda was knocked back against a wall as the revolver slipped out of his hand. When he pushed the barrel off, he looked up only to see Frasier towering over him.

The enraged man hoisted Tsunoda up only to backhand him back and forth before punching him in the stomach. Punch after punch, Tsunoda was bleeding from his nose and lips as Frasier raised his fist to deliver a killing blow.

***Click***

Both of them turned to see Miku was now standing before them with the revolver in hand. With the gun raised, Frasier dropped Tsunoda as he backed away, only to see Miku keep the gun trained solely on him.

"C'mon, Miku! Pull the trigger! Shoot this son of a bitch now and victory will be ours!" Tsunoda barked, as he stood there beside Frasier, completely confident that Miku was still on his side.

Frasier remained completely silent, his fists gripping tight as he knew trusting Miku was a mistake to begin with. His eyes showed nothing but regret and contained rage as he just watched Miku timidly hold the revolver in her hand.

"What the fuck are you waiting for? Shoot him now, you dumb slut!" Tsunoda roared out as he suddenly lost patience when he noticed Miku was conflicted and hesitating rather than taking in the moment of killing Frasier.

After such a painful instantaneous reminder, Miku fired the gun without hesitation. However, it was Tsunoda who let out a cry of pain as both his hands grasped his knee, tumbling down to the floor right afterwards.

"Agh! Fuck! You shot me in the knee, you fucking bitch!" Tsunoda cried out in pain as he tried to slow the bleeding down by putting pressure on the wound.

For a second, Frasier looked at Miku; somewhat surprised he wasn't the one on the ground bleeding out right now. Afterwards, he placed his boot on Tsunoda's neck.

"No, not yet." Miku suddenly protested, causing Frasier to freeze as she slowly approached Tsunoda's prone form, looking down at him, slowly narrowing her eyes.

Tsunoda looked up at her, his eyes constantly shifting from burning pain to uncontrollable anger, his teeth grinding together as he slowly tried to reach out to her, almost as if trying to strangle her with his mind.

"That first shot was for Noah. And this one…" Miku explained as she slowly pulled the hammer of the revolver back once more to load another shot.

"…This one's for me, you son of a bitch." Miku finished as she suddenly shifted the gun to her side and let loose another deafening shot, the single bullet blasting Tsunoda's crotch into an unrecognizable bloody mess.

The blonde-haired punk let out a deafening shriek of pain as his body started going into uncontrollable spasms from the sheer shock, nearly fracturing his own skull from pounding his head against the concrete floor repeatedly.

"AAAAAAARRGGHH! YOU FUCKING CUNT! OH JESUS FUCKING CHRIST! AAAAGGGHH!" Tsunoda shrieked like a little girl under Frasier's boot as the tall Brit just looked at Miku as she lowered the revolver. Somewhere deep down inside, Frasier was actually really grateful he wasn't on her bad side at this moment. However, he soon regained his senses as he looked down at Tsunoda who'd finally lost all the energy to keep thrashing about.

"You missed." Frasier responded, ready to crush Tsunoda's throat and finish him off.

"No, I didn't." Miku softly responded as she began to breath heavily, motioning towards the window to reveal multiple grey hands reaching in through the wooden planks.

"I see, even better idea. Get out while you can, Miku. I intend to stay and watch this." Frasier ordered as he motioned her to leave.

"You don't have time for this. Kraven is going to gain access to the gate controls if you don't hurry. Unless you stop him, he'll kill us all." Miku explained as she then handed Frasier the revolver, only for him to quickly inspect it before tossing it aside.

"Very well, you've made your point." Frasier replied as he took his boot off of Tsunoda's neck, ready to get moving, before Tsunoda started growling in agony and rage.

"You motherfucker…just-just you and t-that fucking whore wait till I get my hands on you! When I…I walk out of here, I'll make you both fucking BEG for a death that will NEVER COME!" Tsunoda growled under his breath as he weakly tried to roll onto his stomach.

Frasier slowly glared at the crippled punk over his shoulder before he slowly took a step closer to his flat form.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. However…supposing you DO manage to walk out of here…you'll walk, with a LIMP!" Frasier suddenly roared as he stomped down HARD on Tsunoda's remaining kneecap, a horrid snapping sound shooting through the room as the shaft of his femur stabbed right through his pant leg, sending another hell storm of pain shooting through Tsunoda's broken body as he let out an even more anguished cry of pain than when he was shot.

"Aargh! Fuck, I'll see you both in hell!" Tsunoda shouted as he continued to squirm like the worm he was.

"Already there." Frasier chuckled before Miku practically had to drag him out of the room and towards the safety of the rooftops.

As they made their way out of the room, Frasier could only manage to glance at Miku as she pulled him along, for the first time seeing her in a completely different light than he had before.

"I'm sorry that I doubted you." Was all Frasier could say as they made their way out the entrance onto the street once more.

"C'mon, there isn't any time for this. You can apologize later, but right now, Kraven's the next big problem." Miku replied as she grabbed a discarded hunting rifle off the ground at her feet.

Moments later in the basement, the window barricades shattered and were torn apart as the infected began to pile in. Tsunoda desperately crawled towards the revolver, his heart pounding as he left a trail of blood behind him.

When the infected caught up, he spun around with an overly confident grin on his face, aiming the pistol at the closest one.

"Suck on this, you undead fuckers!" Tsunoda shouted triumphantly only to fall silent when the gun made a dreaded *click* leaving him with nothing more than a false hope.

Before Tsunoda could even think of another obscenity to spit out, he felt multiple sets of teeth sinking into his legs, the flesh quickly being peeled off of the bone as the entire limb was torn off with extreme force, multiple corpses practically fighting to take a bite out of it.

Tsunoda smacked one across the jaw with the butt of the pistol only for it to bite into his hand causing him to drop the gun, the bones being crushed and shattered as the infected woman refused to let go of the easy meal.

Meanwhile, multiple pairs of hands pressed down on his torso, a pool of blood gushing out as he was literally torn up like a Thanksgiving turkey, his innards being pulled out before him, causing him to go wide eyed in shock.

"FUCKIN' CHOKE ON 'EM! CHOKE ON 'EM!" Tsunoda screamed out in one last groan of defiance before his neck was ripped open wide by another set of hungry teeth.

"How are the infected here? Did the insurgents make a breach somewhere?" Frasier questioned as he stood on the balcony of the house with Miku, both of them watching the infected moving in to feast on Tsunoda's flesh.

"Tsunoda told me about how Shidou brought Them into the city. Something about a backup plan to wipe out the city by releasing the infected within the city. Not to mention give any stray followers a reason to stay loyal to the cause." Miku explained as she looked out to see the entire city was in chaos, the zealots fighting tooth and nail against the security forces.

"So if this is the diversion, what the hell are they really up to?" Frasier questioned as he stood there in awe at the increasingly overwhelming odds.

"Tsunoda kept talking about convicts, how they were going to come in and act as the new security force once the council and their troops were wiped out." Miku answered, recalling everything Tsunoda told her just minutes before he chased off after Frasier.

"I see. Kraven must be planning on heading to the gate control tower near the center of town. If he opens those gates, we'll be completely exposed. This must end now." Frasier said to himself before he looked down to see a familiar bus pulling up.

The window to the drivers' seat rolled down as Rika's head popped out to see Frasier and Miku looking down upon her.

"Hey kids, need a lift?" Rika called out as a smile formed across Frasier's face before jumping down onto the roof of the bus.

As the bus drove to the center of Kibou City, Frasier explained to those who remained on board (Khota, Marcus, and Rika) what their current situation was.

"This fucker just doesn't quit. Good thing the others are away at the emergency shelter. So what's the plan?" Marcus commented before looking to his brother for the answer.

"You guys need to round up any security teams you can and take them to the walls. Kraven may be a big target, but we'll need every man we can to take down the real threat here." Frasier explained, earning no disagreement from anyone on the bus.

"We better hurry up then. No telling how much time we have before the gates are- Oh shit!" Rika began to add before a truck drove into her path, causing her to naturally hit the brakes out of reaction, another truck slamming into the side of the bus forcing it against the other truck, effectively trapping it and everyone inside.

"Bastards...looks like we've got company!" Khota announced as he could see Shidou's followers pile out from the truck, only to start firing at the bus with no warning.

"Get out! Hurry while you still can!" Marcus announced as he opened up the emergency exit to the back of the pinned bus, watching as his friends and brother jumped out while dodging any fire they could.

The group ducked behind the bus, returning fire and picking off any of their attackers that managed to separate from the main force. Rika quickly pulled off a trick shot, sending a single round through three targets.

"Quick and efficient." Rika complimented to herself before watching Frasier impale a man before being forced to let go of the handle to avoid being hit.

"Fuck...can't move." Frasier announced, as he was completely defenseless, having to crawl beneath the bus to avoid being singled out as the only person unarmed.

On the side of the opposition, Shidou himself stood out to see the most vital phase of their plan was being carried off. To his side was Kraven; who just stood by and watched, knowing he would need to conserve his energy for the anticipated fight between him and Frasier.

"I see once again he has managed to defy the opposition just to get to me. Impressive." Kraven complimented as he pulled off the breathing mask, feeling it was more of a crutch than a life support now.

"He always did prove to act as a thorn in my side. Time to end this little game." Shidou announced to himself as he lifted up a rifle, knowing that Frasier wasn't even aware he was being aimed at while he tried to crawl out from beneath the bus to grab a weapon to fight back with.

A single shot rang out from Shidou's rifle, the bullet just narrowly missing its target. The rifle slowly fell to pieces as both of Shidou's hands followed the same fate.

Shidou's eyes looked down at his fleshy stubs, the shock so great he didn't even bother screaming in pain. He then looked to his side to see Kraven sheathing the sword he just drew on him.

"Bastard! Have you completely lost your mind?!" Shidou suddenly wailed out as he looked at Kraven with complete hatred in his eyes for the sudden attack.

"Oh, I'm quite sane. In fact, I find myself quite fortunate to be a part of your scheme for power now. I've finally met a worthy adversary. You've brought me to this city, and for that, I'm truly grateful." Kraven responded as he watched Shidou's expression balancing on both anger and fear.

"Why you rotten, Western barbarian-" Shidou began to viciously snarl before being suddenly cut down for his sharp tongue, Kraven clearly showing he no longer needed Shidou nor his group.

"Haven't you talked long enough?" Kraven questioned in a facetious tone of voice before he walked away to enter the building, smiling to himself at the last second as he saw Frasier look up at him, only to respond with a look of intense hatred as he blindly chased after him.

"Frasier!" Marcus called out as he ripped Saeko's katana out from the slain fanatic. Frasier turned around as he watched Marcus tossing the legendary blade to him, flying over the flames that separated the brothers from one another.

He reached out and caught the handle, looking to Marcus, only to give him a nod of acknowledgment as his younger brother did the same before heading back to help the group mobilize a counterattack, knowing that the other would make it in the end.

**{Sword of the Stranger OST - Ihojin No Yaiba}**

Frasier slowly walked up the stairs to conserve all his energy for the final confrontation with Kraven. Along the way, he kept having doubts about himself as he recalled the painful memories that burdened his mind. If Master Busujima could not defeat him, what chance could he possibly have?

That thought alone constantly buzzed through his head as he tried to clear his mind of all distractions. Everything became silent for him despite the gunshots and explosions echoing throughout the town. All he could hear now was the sound of his heart pounding against his chest and the blood flowing through his veins.

'Should I just run? Take Saeko and Marcus with me and just run? Is this what I have to do in order to survive?' Frasier thought to himself, for the first time in his life feeling that there was absolutely zero hope for him winning a fight.

"No! A Markle never turns back from a fight regardless of the odds," echoed a powerful voice in the back of his mind that felt all too real to Frasier.

"Father?" Frasier softly grunted as he looked around only to see an image of his deceased dad appearing before him.

"I've taught you to how to fight and kill, so what are you afraid of? Have you already forgotten what he did to your brother?" his father angrily asked him.

"No. I'll never forget...I can't forget!" Frasier began to growl as he pulled himself up the stairs, letting his fallen brother inspire his wrath with each step taken.

"Remember who you are and do what you do best. Kill that son of a bitch and avenge your little brother!" the image called out as he then faded away when Frasier stormed right on through, now motivated to take on any foe he would come across.

Kraven stood alone on the roof, slowly turning around to see Frasier drawing the katana from the sheath, the long blade glimmering off the fire adjacent to the lone warrior, a fierce look of determination and zeal in his blue eyes.

"Good, you finally made it. I was beginning to think you were going to run away. Save your own hide and run off with that wretched Busujima." Kraven admitted as he paced around for a bit.

"How would I ever say goodbye then? I told you I was going to make you pay for what you did to Noah, and I meant every word of it." Frasier responded in a purely confident voice, earning a soft grunt of amusement from Kraven.

"It doesn't take a doctor to know that you're hurt. Take this, it will help ease the pain." Kraven commented before reaching into his pocket, holding out a small vial full of medicine he claimed could restore Frasier to a more stable fighting condition.

"No chance. I prefer fighting with the pain. It makes me feel more alive." Frasier responded as he readjusted his grip; constantly keeping his eyes on his foe as his breathing remained in a cool, steady rhythm.

"Good, very good." Kraven said in an impressed tone as he dropped the vial on the floor, slowly pressing his boot down upon it until the glass shattered.

The dual blades were drawn out once more as Kraven and Frasier began to circle one another, two Titan like figures just glaring the other one down in attempt to psych the other one out.

***Clang* **

In a sudden dash, all three blades had collided in midair, only for both warriors to bounce back for their final showdown. The fight was finally on!

Kraven started off first with his standard offense by trying to use both blades at different angles to lure his opponent into a tough position to effectively fight back against. Frasier however quickly adapted to the nearly flawless technique, catching Kraven off guard by thrusting the blade forward only to spin around like a cyclone.

Frasier then leapt aside to find Kraven was already coming right at him. One blade stabbed forward while the other was stabbed backwards to catch him in a pincer attack. The second blade deflected off Frasier's sword as he then had a small opening. Unable to stab or cut Kraven down from his close angle, Frasier simply bashed the butt of the katana down against the back of Kraven's head.

The sharp, stinging sensation of pain forced Kraven to stumble forward. Expecting to be attacked right after, he quickly dropped on one knee with both blades held above his head just in time to block Frasier's counterattack. Their eyes locked on to see what was driving the other to fight so hard in their final fight to the death.

Suddenly, Kraven swiped one of the swords at Frasier's legs while the other held his katana in place. With no other option, Frasier hopped over the sweep attack only to spin around with the blade extended. He watched as Kraven leaned back, dodging yet another attempt that seemed almost certain to hit.

Kraven leapt backwards, his boots slightly gliding along the surface of the rooftop before he came to a complete halt. A smile formed across his face to see he had drawn blood in their clash.

The crimson liquid smoothly trickled down Frasier's leg; a slight cut could be seen from the flurry of parries just moments ago. A smirk formed across Kraven's face before he had a surprised look when he felt a sharp sting along his cheek. He ran his thumb along it to see blood before looking back to Frasier with a grin on his face, knowing he still had some fight left in him.

A cloud of ash suddenly blew by the two Titans as they stood apart from one another. Seconds later, Kraven burst right on through with a demonic expression on his face. It was clear this fight had pushed him to a breaking point where control was slowly becoming foreign to him.

However, Frasier just confidently stood there before ducking down to swipe Saeko's katana horizontally. Kraven leapt over it with ease before he stabbed a blade downward into the ground, just narrowly missing his target by a few hairs.

Before Frasier could react accordingly, Kraven kicked him back as he pried the weapon from the ground to continue on with the attack. As he was knocked back, the young Brit grasped a handful of ash, tossing it in the air in attempt to stall if not blind his mortal foe.

Unfortunately, Kraven kept it up, swiping his blade with just enough force to disarm Frasier, watching his only true means of defense sliding along the flat rooftop. To follow up, he suddenly brought both blades over his head, swinging them down to claim victory.

***Clap* *clap* **

Both of Kraven's arms stopped in midair as Frasier bowed his head with both his strong hands grasped around Kraven's wrists. Looks of distress and pain could be heard from Kraven's grunts as he tried to pull away in desperation until he could see the very hatred that fueled Frasier's rage.

In one eye, he saw the image of Noah, while in the other eye he could see Master Busujima. There was no doubt to him now that it was their deaths that caused Frasier to push on with such tenacity and force. The grip continued to increase as the twin swords remained in place. Beads of sweat poured down their faces, as it was clear this fight to the death between both Titans was drawing every last ounce of energy that remained within.

Suddenly, one of the blades dropped to the ground. With a blade to defend himself with, Frasier backhanded Kraven a few steps, only to slowly pick up his foe's very own weapon to use against him. Both warriors stood distant for the moment, Frasier's breathing becoming slower and slower as he let his rage build up only to finally explode in an all out attack.

Frasier roared out as he charged with the blade raised above his head, his shout so powerful it sent tendrils of genuine terror into Kraven's very being, images of all his loved ones flashing into his mind as Kraven could only anticipate what would happen next.

With no alternative options, Kraven could only go on the defense with Frasier's newfound power driving him to slay his mortal enemy. Even on the defense, Kraven felt himself being driven to the edge of the building, and out of fear and desperation, he planted both feet down, plunging his blade upwards only to miss. Both eyes widened when he realized he was entirely exposed.

***Wa-ching* **

The sound of steel slicing through flesh and bone could be heard soon afterwards. Kraven was hardly fazed by the sound. He then attempted to move his arm, only to watch in horror as it slowly disconnected from his torso, followed by a geyser of blood that painted the floor. The shock was so great he didn't even bother to cry out in pain.

As he dropped to his knees, his other arm attempted to pry the sword from his stiff hand, still fully driven by his spirit of anger and hatred in spite of the severe wound. Frasier however just kicked the cut off limb aside as he then kept the tip of the sword at the edge of Kraven's throat.

**{}**

"You may have defeated me...but at least I can die knowing that in the end, you cannot possibly stop what has already unfolded. The council is dead, you are drained of all your energy, and the convicts will be here within the hour to kill you all. No matter what happens, I will still win!" Kraven explained in a triumphant tone, softly chuckling to himself as he watched Frasier narrow his eyes in disgust.

Suddenly, in a single stabbing motion, the entire steel blade was wedged through Kraven's side; it was in a perfect angle to hit no vital organs so he would not die, yet he would feel every inch of the sword piercing his body.

"I've never been stabbed before. The pain from the blade...feels very...very...strange." Kraven softly muttered as his eyes widened at first only to gently narrow down from the unimaginable pain that he never dreamed he would have to endure.

"You feel that? That's from Noah, and everyone you've killed, you fucking piece of shit." Frasier slowly whispered in a soothing yet completely dark tone of voice, slowly twisting the blade around to tear up the already damaged muscles.

The only response though was a soft grunt of pain as blood trickled past Kraven's lips, a sign of internal bleeding for obvious reasons. Without giving him a chance to respond, Frasier pulled the blade out then kicked Kraven back with just enough force to send him over the edge of the building, ensuring there would be no way he could come back.

"Good...riddance..." Frasier muttered under his breath as he tossed the sword aside before falling on one knee then the other, completely worn out from his battle to the death with Kraven.

A soft sigh of relief escaped his lips as he felt a cold, chilling embrace overcoming all his senses, the back of his mind slowly feeling numb with each passing second.

'So this is what death feels like. Hmph, I've felt worse.' Frasier softly thought to himself as he felt both his eyes becoming heavier, straining more and more just to keep them open. It was a battle all on its own to keep both eyes from closing all the way.

For a few moments his eyes would close for a split second only to shoot back open, repeating the process several times over before he saw a pair of women's boots standing before him.

"Who's there?" Frasier softly muttered in an attempt to make contact as he felt himself being rolled over by the female assailant.

"It's me, Frasier. Saeko. Are you alright?" Saeko explained as she ran her fingers through his hair, noticing nothing outstanding in terms of damage.

"Just a bit roughed up, but fighting Kraven has taken most if not all my energy." Frasier answered as he looked up at her, softly smiling at her affectionate touch, noticing that she had reclaimed her sword and holster, keeping it tucked at her sharply hips.

"So you defeated him? It's finished at last?" Saeko asked as she kept him up in a sitting position.

"It's finally finished." Frasier repeated to confirm things more to himself as he motioned towards the edge of the building, indicating there was no way Kraven could've survived that fall.

"Too good for him if you ask me. But at least the day is ours and we are victorious." Saeko commented before helping him to his feet only to look at him confusedly when he shook his head.

"No, we still have his group to worry about. Those convicts are far more organized than we anticipated; they'll be here within the hour. We need to...mobilize a counteroffensive while we can." Frasier began to explain, having to stop to take a deep breath, clearly showing no signs of recovering anytime soon.

"You're in no condition to fight. We should gather the rest of our group and just go while we can. Let those convicts have this place." Saeko suggested, willing to abandon the city in order to ensure her boyfriend and close friends would live to see another day.

"We're done running. I refuse to be pushed out by the lowest of scum from our old society. Gather everyone you can by the front gates. That's where they'll strike in force." Frasier grunted as he felt a sense of connection to Kibou City, knowing this was an ideal place to settle down in.

"Very well. I want you to get some rest though; you've done more than enough for this city. Let someone else do the heavy lifting for you this time." Saeko advised as she guided him down the stairs, only to be greeted by the sight of their group and a bundle of security officers arguing over the fate of some radicals that had actually surrendered to them.

"Ah, if you don't wanna believe me, then perhaps my older brother can convince you otherwise." Marcus said to one of the security officers, as he didn't even recognize how exhausted Frasier was until he was close enough.

"What's going on here?" Frasier questioned as he raised an eyebrow, uncertain of what had been discussed.

"These zealots decided to surrender themselves to us. I say we play it smart and kill them." Marcus explained as his gaze kept shifting from his brother to their prisoners to the guards and back.

"We have bigger problems to worry about! An entire army of convicts is on the way, and I'm certain they're far more capable than these cowards." Frasier announced, as he knew what was at stake here.

"I won't let you do it! If what you're saying is true, then perhaps we can use them to help us fight back!" one of the younger security officers suggested, clearly unable to see the flaw with his plan.

"In case you haven't noticed, people like them are the reason why the entire city is on lockdown and under attack. They're allied with the convicts. If things were flipped around, they certainly wouldn't show you any mercy. Don't be so damn naive." Saeko added in as she knew letting the zealots live was a grave mistake.

"Fuck you bitch! I don't need a woman to tell me what to think." another security officer harshly scorned in a sexist undertone.

While Saeko merely narrowed her eyes in anger, Frasier's eyes began to twitch almost as if he was about to go berserk. He then formed a polar opposite look, appearing to be entirely calm despite the current situation.

"Just let them go. We've got bigger fish to fry anyway." Frasier announced, causing the security officers to turn their backs on him to untie the zealots.

Suddenly, Frasier grabbed the Howa Type 60 rifle off the corpse of a nearby corpse, quickly checking how many rounds were left before pulling the bolt back, letting out a loud clicking sound that caused one of the security officers to turn around.

"What the fuck are you doing?!" the young man questioned, both eyes going wide as Frasier merely responded with a series of auto fire into the security officers. The bullets peppered both the captives and officers, their blood bursting out from their deep bullet wounds as they stood no chance against the backstab attack. The barrel of the rifle was heated from the automatic fire as steam could be seen venting out of it when the bullets stopped flying.

Frasier holstered the rifle, feeling a deeper source of adrenaline giving him enough energy to keep moving on without any assistance whatsoever. He then turned to see both Marcus and Khota with shocked expressions while Saeko herself was mixed between both shock and excitement at the sudden violent course of action.

"No way...you didn't just shoot those security guards..." Khota said as his voice began to tremble, his gun shaking between his large hands, almost certain Frasier had lost his mind from all the fighting.

"That's where insubordination gets you these days, Khota. One of two mistakes they made when crossing my path." Frasier said, justifying his swift and brutal decision without any remorse in his voice or body language.

"What was the second one?" Khota asked out of curiosity, somewhat more at ease when putting things into perspective.

"Disrespecting my woman." Frasier replied sharply as he looked over his should at Saeko, watching her blush before she noticed he was looking at her, her lips forming into a quick smirk.

"Let's keep moving. Last thing we have is time to piss away." Rika suggested in an urgent tone, knowing they had to orchestrate a force strong enough to withstand whatever the approaching convicts could throw at them.

With no more words to be said, the group piled up onto the bus. Rika confidently took the wheel and drove them halfway into town. The intense fires could be seen being dowsed by the city's own fire department while the security teams could be seen heading towards the direction of the western wall.

It seemed all was toning down at ease for now, but this was merely the eye of the storm.

Soon enough, the bullet-riddled bus came to a halt before the western gate. Construction units could already be seen hard at work, bolstering up any last minute fortifications they could toss in for the security officers that would be fighting on the front lines.

Suddenly, everyone's radios began to crackle to life, all receiving the exact same message.

"Attention! This is Saya Takagi! I'm certain you are all well aware of who I am, so lets cut the introductions. The insurgency has been dealt with, but it isn't over yet. They were merely a diversion while the real threat at hand was gearing up for an all out assault." Saya's voice announced. It was more than obvious she had found a way to commandeer the same frequency the radios where operating on.

"I know it's been a rough day, but we have to push a little bit further to push the enemy back. This is the moment we've been preparing for; it was only a matter of time before a force worthy of our own might attacked us. Now lets show them how wrong they are to mess with us!" Saya proudly said in her little motivational speech. Oddly enough, the security forces were cheering and applauding her words of inspiration.

"Who knew she had it in her?" Marcus joked in a playful tone as their group boarded a small docking elevator that took them to the front lines.

"Never underestimate the influence of a Takagi." Khota commented in admiration as he spoke in a more confident tone than usual, somewhat in awe that there was a strong connection between him and the girl everyone considered to be an ice-cold genius.

The group remained silent as they began to take the time to gear up for the battle at hand. Body armor was fitted while ammo was restocked to ensure nobody would run out in the middle of a firefight.

"I'm not using a gun! You know how I feel about it." Saeko grumbled as she turned her back on Frasier with her arms crossed.

"Well you certainly can't use a sword, seeing how we're on a wall. If you won't fight from a distance...you can't stay." Frasier argued as he took a split moment to cough, hating the fact Saeko would be stubborn enough as to stay in a dangerous area practically defenseless.

"You're barely in any condition to fight yourself. I refuse to leave your side. So either you suck it up, or we both go, together." Saeko sharply responded in defiance as she turned around with a serious look to her eyes.

"Fine! But only if you use my crossbow, since that technically isn't a gun." Frasier softly growled before tossing Saeko the basic yet deadly weapon.

"Deal." Saeko responded as she took a moment to look over the weapon, regarding it into perfect detail with keen eyes.

Suddenly, a barrage of flares covered the night sky, causing all who looked up at them to be temporally impaired by the blinding lights. Those who weren't affected or paying attention were the first to see that the massive buildings parallel to them began to reveal hidden convicts who spared no time by firing their guns at the men stationed on the walls.

The first volley of rounds effectively picked off those who weren't fast enough to take cover against the sand bags. Those that did make it instantly began to return fire; convicts that were hit either fell over backwards or tumbled forward, falling to a gruesome end.

"This spot sucks! We need to move." Marcus announced as he looked up only to duck back down when he spotted a convict had him in his line of sights.

"Wait, hold your helmet up." Rika instructed as she licked her thumb before running it along the barrel of her sniper rifle as if for good luck.

Marcus responded with a silent nod, taking off his helmet as he held his gun upside down, resting the helm on the stock of the rifle. His hands smoothly guided it upwards to make it believable. Surely enough, the convict fell for the classic trick as the helmet began to take impact from the incoming bullets.

The moment the helmet was struck, Rika popped up and fired a single round. A confident smirk overcame her as she watched the top half of her targets skulls explode, as the bullet tore through two convicts foolish enough to line themselves up behind each other. Rika then crouched back down, popping out the old magazine and quickly inserting a new one.

"Feel better now?" Rika teased as she shot Marcus a playful wink, causing him to blush out of embarrassment when she handed him his helmet filled with holes.

Meanwhile, Frasier stayed down with a pair of binoculars, spotting any targets that would stay out of cover for too long for Khota. Their combined efforts singled out anyone that seemed to also show a direct threat to the walls defenses.

"Tenth floor. Fifth window. They're trying to set up an HMG. You know the drill." Frasier announced as he could hear Khota holding in his breath before expelling a volley of precise shots. Through his binoculars, he watched the team setting it up being picked off one by one.

"That's one less threat to worry about." Khota said with a sigh of relief as Frasier let out a chuckle, popping off an entire clip before a metal hook attached to the wall.

"And one more to take its place! Rappels!" Frasier noted before he announced to the other troops that were holding out under the pressure.

"Good! Now we can do things my way!" Saeko said with great enthusiasm as she drew her blade, slicing the rope connected to the hook. A series of blood curling screams followed shortly afterwards.

Most of the Kibou forces were able to disconnect the lines with success and minimal losses. However, the weakened sections were forced to break off and regroup with other, more secured locations.

"This covered in your simulation?" Khota questioned, as he recalled how the Markle brothers were trained for just about anything.

"Just about." Marcus replied, unable to think of any witty comebacks as he nonchalantly tossed an empty clip over the wall.

"We lose this wall, and we lose this fight! Don't let those bastards establish a foothold," one of the younger troops ordered as he lead a group of security officers with him to reclaim the falling sections of the wall.

All seven of them ran past their comrades, narrowly dodging and avoiding stray gunshots as they neared the first of two sectors that needed to be reclaimed.

The one leading the valiant charge plunged the bayonet attachment into a convict that was unfortunate enough to climb up at the wrong moment. Blood gushed from the deep wound as he fell to his knees; the leader of the charge simply put a round into his head, granting a mercy kill.

"C'mon, keep moving!" the young man announced as he watched those following him were either disconnecting the hooks or firing at the convicts that tried to establish a foothold on the wall.

He was so focused on disconnecting the lines; he didn't notice the inmate climbing up behind him. At the last moment, he saw the reflection of his attacker in the hook he so desperately tried to pry off. His body turned around just in time to catch the stock of the gun being swung towards his head.

The leader of the reclaiming team then caught the barrel of the gun, struggling for control as he looked into the crazed felon's eyes. A sudden burst of energy pushed him to overpower his adversary as he suddenly kneed the convict in the groin, causing him to fall on both knees.

***Thwack***

In a single swing of the rifle, the convict was knocked onto his back in a daze from the punishing blow. Giving him no time to recover, the young man got down and wrapped both his hands around the felon's throat.

A heavy gasp for air was all he could hear as the man began to flail in attempt to break free from his adversary, clearly underestimating his capabilities.

Soon enough though, the struggling ceased as the last of the rappels were disconnected for the time being, a steady flow of security units moving in to hold their once lost position.

However, the one responsible for the valiant reclamation just sat on his knees, looking at his hands. Despite knowing what he did was for the best, he could feel a tremor of shock tingling between all eight of his fingers. It was one thing to simply kill a man with a weapon, but to kill one with just his bare hands was something else all on its own.

Soon enough, he managed to shake the feeling off and put it behind him to dwell on it for another time. It was clear to him that this fight wasn't over yet. He then looked over the wall to see heavily armored trucks moving into the fray, each one packing a heavy .50 caliber turret.

Meanwhile, back at Frasier's squad they all ducked down at the sight of the armored vehicles, knowing this was the convicts' means of suppression. Surely enough they were right as the powerful turrets began to relentlessly open fire, and those who weren't in cover were not only shot but were utterly torn to shreds.

"Stay down! Wait for my own personal request to kick in." Frasier ordered as the heavy gun trucks kept him and his squad tucked against the sandbags. The heavy caliber rounds whizzed overhead, making it impossible to see anything on the other side.

In the distance, from within the city, a loud almost thumping noise could be heard. Seconds later, there was a wailing screech above, only to be topped by a loud series of explosions soon after. The heat from the fiery eruptions was so intense that those on the walls could feel it brushing against their skin. A light scent of flesh being burned in the flames could be smelled, sending a strong chill down the spines of those who took it in the brunt of it.

"You suggested mortars? Nice." Marcus commented as another barrage of shells was launched, effectively silencing the last of the HMG trucks, allowing those pinned down to continue returning fire to the convict onslaught. Bits of car parts and tires flew around the battlefield as steady streams of smoke lifted up into the air.

"Figured they'd bring out the big guns. So I brought even bigger ones." Frasier responded as he then watched one of the large buildings take a hit to the lower support, the sound of steel support beams giving way, screeching to a point people had to cover their ears.

The entire ground began to rumble as the building caved in on itself, glass and debris covering the streets as dirt was kicked up into the air. The fighting never ceased for even a moment despite the great cataclysm. When the dust cleared up, bodies and missing limbs could be seen scattered around the area.

"Fuck yeah! They won't forget that one!" Frasier announced with glee at the sight of their enemies being reduced to rubble.

"That should do it. Lets see how they react to that!" Rika commented as they noticed the convicts weren't shooting off nearly as much rounds as they were just moments ago.

"Looks like they're falling back." Frasier observed as he fired into the backs of the convicts that could be seen retreating after being dealt such a sudden blow.

"Cease-fire! I said cease fire god dammit!" one of the older security officers announced. An eerie yet soothing silence loomed over the battlefield.

Bullet casings, glass, corpses and vehicle rubble littered the streets outside the wall. Both sides had taken heavy losses, but for the time being, it appeared the Kibou City forces held the advantage.

Suddenly, canisters were tossed onto the streets that spewed a thick smoke screen, soon followed by a large harpoon like spear that penetrated deep within the wall. A thick, steel wire attached to the metal barb could be seen. With none of the convicts in sight though, it created great confusion amongst the security units.

"What the hell was that?" Saeko questioned as more began to implant into the wall. A sudden rumbling caused the morale gained from the apparent victory to quickly decline into a state of worry.

"Are they trying to board the wall again?" Khota asked as he had a feeling this was just another attempt to overwhelm the wall by boarding it, watching as Saeko attempted to cut the line only for her katana to deflect off of the resilient material.

"Worse...they're trying to bring it down!" Rika announced as the calm was interrupted by another round of rumbling; the wall feeling like it was about to be torn down right out from underneath them.

"Christ! Don't these guys ever quit?!" Marcus said in anger as he felt this battle would never end, a dreaded feeling in his gut that made it feel like everything they'd fought so hard for was meaningless.

"Would be a lot easier if they were in range. I can't see any of them." Rika commented, disgruntled that she couldn't fight back at the unseen enemy.

"If they won't bring the fight back to us, we'll bring it to them! Follow me!" Frasier announced as he jumped off the wall, only to zip-like down the line with his rifle overhead.

Inspired by the headstrong attitude, others followed his actions by taking this heated battle into close quarters combat, ready to push their enemy off the face of the Earth, not expecting their enemy to charge them by zipping down their very own siege weapons. The convicts were completely exposed and out in the open.

Frasier released himself from the line, firing his rifle a few times before planting both boots onto an unsuspecting felon, crushing him beneath his weight to break the fall.

"This is it! Break their backs, infantry!" Frasier cried out as loud as he could, popping a few extra shots into the men operating the siege engines that threatened to literally tear the wall apart.

He quickly took cover behind the vehicle as he watched those who eagerly followed him landed and disabled the siege engines one by one. It was what he always dreamt of when put through the course of the simulations his father put him in.

The Kibou Forces attacked with a powerful zeal and knew they were the first and last line of defense for the city, a real sense of knowing what they were truly fighting for as they gunned down and picked the convicts off one bundle at a time, pushing them back block by block as the final assault had truly broken the back of the convict onslaught.

Frasier then suddenly felt himself slowly drop to both his knees. His vision was fading to black, as it was clear he was operating on borrowed time. The last drop of adrenaline had finally run out. All he could hear was the cheers and sounds of last minute gunfire going off, a soft grunt of relief escaping his lips.

"Frasier! What's wrong? Have you been hit?" Marcus suddenly cried out when he saw his brother, tossing his weapon aside as he ran over with Saeko to aid him, dreading the thought that he should need to die when victory was just granted to them.

"Did we win? Or did I hallucinate the sound of everyone cheering?" Frasier asked, ignoring the question entirely as he looked over to Saeko and Marcus.

"We did it. Kraven, Shidou, his cult and those convicts...it's finished." Saeko said with a triumphant smile, more than relieved to see they had all survived the great battle for Kibou City.

"Its finished." Frasier softly muttered as he let out a soft sigh, knowing all their efforts had well and truly paid off.

"You look like you can hardly move. We really should get him back inside in case the convicts decide to mount another attack." Marcus suggested as gunshots could be heard in the distance from the security forces pursuing the fleeing inmate army.

" I'm fine...I just think my body needs time to recover. I'll be back in no time." Frasier said confidently before he felt everything becoming heavier around him.

"It may be awhile. Who knows how much damage you've done to yourself trying to see things through till the end...I'll miss you." Saeko explained as she could barely hold her tears in, gently running her hand along his cheek for comfort.

"Saeko, wake me, when you need me." Frasier responded in a heartwarming tone as he placed his hands over hers only for both his eyes to close, his hand slowly falling to the ground.


	31. Act 10: Kibou City Part 4

**Act 10 Part 4 Kibou**

**One Week Later**

**Z-Day+33**

Roughly a week had passed after the great victory against the assault on Kibou City. The convicts had taken so many losses they weren't able to hold the prison for their own. One by one, either alone or in packs, the inmates abandoned the prison, leaving it to remain abandoned like most of the other buildings in town, slowly decaying into a rotting carcass for all to see that passed by.

It was a short lived victory, as it was abundantly clear that a new council would be needed to keep things running smoothly, seeing how more survivors were traveling out on the open roads without the main threat of the convicts to worry about.

Many rules of Kibou City had been added and repealed. Souichiro was constantly being outvoted and disgruntled by how the new council was mainly using the leverage to benefit themselves and those that supported their own personal agendas.

With no checks and balances to equally distribute the food stored at the harbor, it wasn't long until food was being rationed out. Even then the people were beginning to become concerned at the lack of careful thought placed into such a fragile situation.

Bright and early the very next morning, the group found themselves in a single hospital room. It was finally time to reawaken Frasier after keeping him attached to the life support system, allowing him to make a full recovery after his battle with Kraven and leading the spearhead against the convicts.

"Is he ready? It sure would suck to pull him out in the middle of his recovery." Takashi questioned, noticing how there were plenty of scratches and cuts left on the figure before him.

"He won't be leaving the walls of this city. If anything, he'll need to be keeping his heart rate steady with these pills. Nearly killed himself by putting too much strain on it." Shizuka answered as she set out a small bottle of pills for all to see.

Before anything else could be said, Frasier's eyes suddenly shot wide open, his chest rapidly heaving up and down, as his breathing was erratic. Both hands clenched tight on the bed sheets as he looked around with a blurred vision. Soon enough though, he finally came to his senses, his breathing becoming stable as his eyesight adjusted accordingly.

"Water..." Frasier grunted in a nearly unrecognizable voice, his gaze locking onto the group that stood before him, confused at the request.

"What?" Saeko questioned as she leaned in with her ear up to his lips, uncertain of what it was that he was saying.

"I need water." Frasier groaned as he could feel his throat was completely dried up.

"Oh, yes of course. Be right back." Saeko said in acknowledgement before she dashed across the other side of the room to fill up a small paper cup with the sink tap.

Consuming the water in a single gulp, the young Brit let out a sigh of relief before smiling to his loyal girlfriend.

"Thank you. That's so much better." Frasier said in a grateful tone before he turned his attention to the tubes and the IV links attached to his arms. In a single tug, all of them were pulled out, the plastic tubes dangling as small drops of blood formed on his skin where they were attached.

"How long has it been? Anything exciting happen while I was out?" Frasier then asked, wanting to cut straight to the point without so much as a simple hello.

"Missed you too. Well, to sum it up, we won the battle and the convicts are as good as dead. Luckily, our house wasn't burned down. Just most of our stuff, so there's the good news. Bad news is there's a new council, and they suck big time. They've proven to be very inefficient, if not downright incompetent." Marcus said combatively before explaining to his older brother the current events of Kibou City.

"We've been keeping out of trouble, but my father says that this city is in for some bad times if things don't change soon. This new addition to the council is draining all our resources and hardly allows the scavenging teams to stray further out for fear of losing our jeeps. Just their excuse to make sure nobody runs off with any supplies or equipment." Saya added in, certain that was the real reason the new additions to the council were the main cause of the city's problems.

"It doesn't matter though. Because I've been thinking hard on this one." Marcus said, speaking in the utmost confident tone anyone had ever seen out of him before.

"That's a first." Rika taunted in a lighthearted tone, Marcus only letting out a disgruntled sigh before continuing on.

"As I was saying, I was thinking about our situation and thought it would be worth mentioning that no matter where you go in the world, the walking dead will be at the top of the food chain. Except for just one place on our little blue planet." Marcus announced, causally pacing around the room as everyone looked at him with curious expressions to see where he was going with this.

"England." Frasier pieced together, as if Marcus wasn't the only one thinking about it.

"So you remember the broadcast we watched on the first day as well? How everywhere but England was under attack by what just used to be a popular movie monster?" Marcus asked, sitting down on a stool as he looked up to see Frasier looking out the windows of the hospital.

"Wait, hasn't it occurred to you guys that maybe England is behind all this? Kind of convenient that they aren't affected by all this, don't you think?" Takashi interjected with pessimism in his voice.

"Watch your mouth, Takashi. Nobody says you have to come with us at all! Last I checked, our groups work together, but if you disrespect my country, consider our little alliance over." Frasier suddenly snapped as he stormed over with a death glare, causing everyone else to back up, clearly not wanting to be swept up in the sudden maelstrom.

All that could be heard in the room was heavy breathing as Takashi eventually backed down, knowing he would be no match for Frasier based off what happened the last time they had a falling out. The young Brit then began to cool off, noticing the others were visibly tense whenever he raised his voice.

"Let's get out of here. I don't know about you guys, but I can't stand the sight of this place one more second." Frasier announced while he consumed a heart pill Shizuka prescribed him with, slowly exiting the room only for the group to follow in a single file line.

Roughly an hour after the long bus ride home, the group walked towards their beloved two-story beach house. Despite the fires, the interior seemed brand new. Most likely due to being re-furnished, most if not all the windows and all the destroyed furniture replaced.

Frasier was first to enter, slowly looking around to see just a few minor changes, nothing very significant other than the fact the house was still standing. He then just kicked off his work boots and walked towards his room to see it was completely untouched.

"It's all here, or at least most of it is anyways. I can't imagine it was easy for you, Saeko. I'm sorry." Frasier said as he could sense Saeko was right behind him.

"It wasn't easy, that much I'll admit. I had your younger brother to spar with to keep myself occupied, but he isn't nearly as fierce nor experienced as you are." Saeko explained while she slowly wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him back into her body for comfort.

"Tell me something I don't know." Frasier replied combatively as his hands gently intertwined with hers.

"Your eyelashes flutter and your toes clench together when you're asleep." Saeko whispered as her grip suddenly became tighter and tighter, a soft gasp of pleasure escaping from Frasier's lips as her hands moved south.

Suddenly Zeke could be seen standing between their legs, a playful look in his eyes as he began to bark at them.

"Not now..." Saeko thought to herself before she could hear more footsteps approaching, most likely Alice of all people.

Sure enough, the young girl came running down the hallways to see both Frasier and Saeko in a statute like position, neither of them moving incase it was just a false alarm. Alice then began to slowly creep up on them, the thought of sneaking up and scaring the toughest of her group a thought too good to pass up.

"Boo!" both Frasier and Saeko suddenly announced when they spun around, causing Alice to nearly have a heart attack at the sudden scare.

"Eep!" Alice squeaked as she then began to giggle and laugh when Zeke strolled over, playfully licking her cheeks while Frasier and Saeko towered over her with a grin on their faces.

"You'll have to be quieter than that to get the jump on us, Alice." Frasier chuckled as he knelt down and tussled her hair with a smirk on his face.

"How close was I to scaring you guys? I was so close before you noticed!" Alice asked as she began to ruffle up Zeke's white fur.

"Very close. How did you learn to get so sneaky?" Saeko responded in an attempt to humor Alice, none of them noticing a jealous Takashi listening in from his room.

"Great. First you, now Alice." Takashi grumbled to himself as he began to change into a different outfit.

He knew deep down it was none of his business when he picked Rei over Saeko, yet another side of him couldn't help but imagine how things would've been if he picked Saeko. Every night he would be reminded and tortured by the thoughts and images of what they have done together or what they would do.

Suddenly, there was a knock on his door. Takashi turned around in time to see Rei opening the door with a pair of swimming trunks in her hands.

"What's that for?" Takashi questioned, uncertain what she was doing with them.

"Remember how we all said we'd go to the beach once Frasier was all better? Now that we're all here, I was hoping we could all go make good on that promise." Rei explained as she sat at the edge of his single person mattress.

"Oh yeah, nearly forgot about that. Been awhile since we've done anything that doesn't involve surviving Them." Takashi commented, just now remembering how Rei had made plans to help everyone relax after going through hell and back.

"Everyone else is suiting up as we speak. Don't take too long." Rei said before leaning over, planting a quick yet sweet kiss on his cheek, calmly leaving Takashi to his thoughts before exiting the room.

Despite the prior events of last week, the beach was filled with plenty of patrons as usual. Most likely a way to escape the reality of what was really happening everywhere else outside the walls. A way to help ease the burden everyone took when the rest of the human race began to perish and become the walking dead.

The white sands were a perfect, soothing temperature while in contrast, the crystal clear blue ocean waters proved to be the ideal place to cool off on a day as hot as today. The group found a clear spot in the crowds, setting up their towels and umbrellas before breaking off separately.

"C'mon! I want to go to the tide pools!" Alice eagerly announced as she tugged at Saya and Khota's hands, luring them away, unable to wait for any responses.

"Hold on! Not without sunscreen first!" Saya announced in a maternal tone, taking a small sample from the tube before gently running it along Alice's short legs and arms before applying small dabs on her rosy cheeks.

"Can I go now?" Alice asked impatiently as she tapped her foot against the sand, more than ready to get moving.

"Alright, just be careful." Saya warned; noticing Alice was wearing nothing on her feet.

"Try to relax, will ya? Wouldn't kill the kid to get a few scrapes and bruises here and now." Rika commented as she stretched her arms back, a look of satisfaction taking over when her when a cracking noise could be heard.

"I'm going to rest. Do try and stay out of trouble, everyone." Frasier announced as he planted himself right down where he stood, slowly adjusting his position until he was comfortable on the towel beneath him.

"You've been in the hospital, sleeping for an entire week, and the first thing you want to do is sleep?" Marcus questioned as he raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. So don't bother me." Frasier responded before he put on the shades he decided to borrow from Rika, somewhat surprised she didn't object to him borrowing them at all.

Meanwhile, Alice carefully navigated her way over the rocks, as she made sure not to slip into the tide pools; the rough texture brushing against her soft feet, a plastic bucket in one hand and a small, toy shovel in the other.

Her purple eyes carefully watched the oceanic life scuttling in the pools bellow her. Determined to take some alive, Alice began to dig up a few scoops of sand before dumping them inside of her plastic bucket.

"Don't worry, you guys can come live with me." Alice said to the hermit crabs that instantly popped back into their shells the moment her hand entered the water. A cold chill ran up her arm the further she reached in.

"Mind on telling me what you think you're doing?" Saya suddenly asked as she had her arms crossed, standing over Alice like an authoritative figure.

"Just thought I'd pick up a few animals to take home. Zeke seems real lonely sometimes, so I decided to bring him some friends." Alice answered innocently as she showed the bucket filled with sand and saltwater to the older girl she simply adored.

Saya couldn't help but take a moment to mentally step back at the childish thought. On the verge of tears of joy, she just bowed her head before kneeling down at Alice's level.

"Alice, that's very sweet of you to think of such a thing, but you can't bring those sea creatures home with you. They belong here, on the beach." Saya began to explain as Alice set her bucket down.

"Unless they're for dinner." Khota commented, already having decided what he wanted for dinner that night.

Alice's eyes widened in horror at the thought while Saya instantly shot Khota a death glare like she was going to strangle him on the spot.

"What I meant was dinner guests...hehehe." Khota said in attempt to save himself the hour-long lecture and burst of yelling he'd come to expect from Saya.

"Oh...okay. But can they stay in the bucket until we go home?" Alice asked as she held up the bucket towards Saya to show the hermit crabs and bits of seaweed she had already scooped up. The sight of the tiny crawling crustaceans nearly caused Saya to psychically jump a few feet back.

"Yeah, sure. Just keep an eye on them, okay?" Saya said as she felt a shiver going down her back, the sight of anything with more than four legs making her want to simply scream and completely spaz out.

"Yay!" Alice cheerfully announced as she hopped off the rocky formations and found an open area on the wet sand to building her sandcastle.

Elsewhere, Shizuka was laid out in her pearl white bikini, her slim arms resting behind her head so her exposed body could absorb plenty of sun. A pleasant smile formed across her face as she began to unwind; completely unaware her large chest (especially in such restraining swimwear) was starting to catch some unwanted attention.

"Hey there! How's it going?" asked an overly eager young man as he planted himself besides Shizuka.

"Just relaxing after a rough week. Thanks for asking!" Shizuka answered in a soft tone before lifting up her shades to see a young male, no younger than twenty, sitting before her with a pretentious smile to his face.

"Aren't we all? My name's Kazuo. Nice to meet ya." the young man announced as his other friends walked over to admire Shizuka's stunning looks and unbelievably sexy body.

"So why don't we blow this joint and go back to my place? Thinking about throwing a party or something cool like that." Kazuo suddenly asked, clearly wanting to cut right to the chase, anxiously wanting Shizuka to accept his impromptu invitation.

"Who else would be there?" Shizuka questioned as she was somewhat thrilled at the sound of a party.

"Just us and hopefully you. Then things can really start jamming!" he replied with a lewd expression. Just the way he said it gave Shizuka a weary feeling of this character.

"Oh...oh! Hey, you guys seem real nice but, umm...I actually already have a boyfriend! So this really wouldn't work out. He's not exactly the sharing type." Shizuka exclaimed, just now realizing their true intentions for her, a nervous stutter in her voice as she quickly thought up a lie in an attempt to break away from her fans.

"For real? Where? I don't see anyone else here." one of Shizuka's suitors noted, his eyes scanning around to see any other male nearby.

"That's because...umm, well...oh! He's right over there!" Shizuka nervously said, looking around the area only to spot Frasier resting on his towel, peacefully breathing with his borrowed sunglasses on.

"Him? Doesn't look so tough to me." one of the more heavily built suitors commented as he strolled over. In a single sweep of his leg, a gust of sand was kicked into Frasier's face.

However, there was no reaction at all whatsoever. Instead he just remained motionless, excluding the regular breathing pattern, the sand on his face softly blowing away in the wind.

"Hmph, guess he must have fallen asleep. How about we wake him up?" the smug youth suggested as he pulled the sunglasses off only to see two crystal blue eyes looking straight up at him with a fiery look of rage within.

Before a single muscle could react to the sudden turn of events, Frasier's arm reached out, tightly gripping around the throat of the suitor above.

"Okay, shithead. Give me one good reason to not kick your ass up and down this beach." Frasier growled between his teeth, slowly getting up as he maintained a firm grip.

"Honey! Do be gentle. Wouldn't want to hurt anyone again would you?" Shizuka chimed in, running over as she added onto the lie of them being together as a couple in an attempt to make it convincing.

Frasier merely raised an eyebrow before he let go, watching his victim gasping for air before scuttling back to his group. He quickly put the pieces together as he then watched Shizuka jog over to him, taking a timid stance behind him as he watched one of her admirers stepping forward to say something.

"You better watch yourself. My dad happens to be a part of the city council you know. I'll let you off with a warning this time, gaijin." he said with an overly confident attitude.

"Let's get one thing straight, pencil dick. I don't care if your dad is the goddamn Emperor. Nobody messes with my woman. Nobody." Frasier explained in a chilling tone as he pointed his index finger out with a determined look, making sure those before him knew how determined (if not crazy) he was truly was.

Both sides fell silent after that, a tense moment of exchanging glares before Shizuka became even more nervous. She then noticed Frasier's left arm began to tremble, his heart clearly unable to withstand the stress for much longer without injury.

"C'mon, baby. Don't want you to go for a walk? You know they're you're favorite." Shizuka suggested as she gently tugged at his arm in attempt to gain his attention. Her acting was seemingly flawless as her words were so believable.

"Yes, you need to keep your heart rate down. Fighting certainly won't help it, beloved." Saeko suddenly said as she walked over to pull Frasier away, almost as if she was there the entire time, catching both Frasier and Shizuka off guard.

"Woah, now who is this fine lady? Maybe we should party with her instead." one of Shizuka's admirer's questioned as they all couldn't help but notice Saeko's athletic figure, their eyes practically undressing her with lewd thoughts.

"That's my girlfriend, buddy. Now back off." Frasier said short but proudly, knowing their hopes were being shot down as all three of them locked arms, slowly being walked away by both women at his sides.

"Hold the phone, I thought the blonde one was with you?" another questioned with a suspicious look on his face.

"They both are. Got a problem with that?" Frasier questioned despite knowing the answer already, a smirk forming as they left the group of admirers in the dust.

"Lucky bastard." one of them grumbled out of jealousy as they disbanded one by one, looking for something else to do with their time, knowing this was a fight they couldn't hope to win.

After walking a moderate distance from the others with both Shizuka and Saeko at his side, Frasier pulled his arms away from both of them with an annoyed look on his face.

"Mind explaining what all that was about?" Saeko asked out of curiosity, knowing that there was something she missed out on before intervening.

"Yeah, I was about to ask the exact same thing." Frasier said in an attempt to shift over the guilt towards Shizuka, who became red in the face with embarrassment.

"Well those guys were being really nice to me, but I guess I got a little carried away by it all." Shizuka said in a flustered tone, her arms crossing under her chest.

"A heads up would've been nice. Nothing like waking up to see some douchebag hovering over me." Frasier grumbled as he picked up a rock only to throw it at the ocean, somewhat bitter he didn't get a fight out of it.

"You didn't have to step in though." Shizuka noted as she ran her fingertips along his shoulders.

"I figured they were up to no good." Frasier explained, giving his perspective on the matter.

"You were so brave and manly about it though. Perhaps I can reward you?" Shizuka said in a soft cooing voice, her hands slowly reaching behind her back to unbutton her bikini. Saeko was silently watching Frasier's every move to see how he'd react, for this was a true test of willpower and loyalty.

"No, Shizuka. We're practically family now, and family looks out for one another. Just be more careful though, all right? I won't always be there to save you if you get yourself into trouble." Frasier said as he then pulled away only to grasp Saeko's hand, walking away to leave Shizuka standing there by herself, not noticing a slight look of disappointment (if not hurt) on her face.

Soon, sundown had eventually come, and as the people of Kibou City slowly began to depart for their homes, the group had collectively decided it was time for them to do the same. Everyone had gotten at least some fulfillment out of the day. Alice had gotten to catch several tiny animals in the tide pools until Saya had to tell her to let them go; Rei and Rika had gotten into a rather competitive game of volleyball; and Shizuka had managed to get her mind off getting blown off by Frasier by getting a very flustered yet confident Marcus to put sunscreen on her back. The whole day, all Takashi did was just sit by himself under an umbrella, not talking to anyone.

While the men of the group were still trying to catch up, the women all entered the beach house to quickly change into their evening outfits.

"So you think now would be a good time to tell them?" Rika questioned as her gaze shifted over to Shizuka once she was sure none of the men were around to listen in on whatever she was about to tell the girls about.

"Tell us what?" Rei intervened as she couldn't help but overhear the two scheming together.

"Well, if you must know, Rika managed to find a certain...'herb' that can be very potent when used on a man." Shizuka began to explain, hesitant in the middle, as she had to choose her words carefully.

"Oh? This sounds interesting." Saya commented as both she and Saeko walked over to see where the conversation was leading up to.

"We couldn't help but notice you three have boyfriends, and it's only natural that there are going to be strong urges down the line. Urges I'm certain each one of you has felt at one point or another. Am I right?" Shizuka said before she sat down while Rika stood at her side with both arms crossed.

"Most of them feel that way towards us, anyway." Rei answered, somewhat bitter over the fact that Takashi was being distant if not flat out icy cold towards her most of the time now.

"Frasier wants it...that much is clear to me, but I don't want to wait another day. You have no idea how bad I need this...how bad we need this. Promises were made." Saeko added, showing no shame in her voice as she explained her personal dilemma.

"That's two down, so that just leaves you." Shizuka noted before she focused all her attention onto Saya, who had a shocked expression that anyone would suggest such a thing.

"Me?! You must have a screw loose if you think I'd let my mind wander off into something like that." Saya protested with a stern look to her face, showing great determination to the others.

"Don't pull that one on us. We all know how you think, Saya. You may be considered a genius around here, but you're still a woman like the rest of us." Rika said in a voice that a drill sergeant would use to demoralize if not break a stubborn recruit's pride.

"Fine! I admit there's something between us, and it doesn't take a genius to know Khota wants more than a simple kiss. I feel the same way at times, but I want him to initiate things first. It's only proper." Saya caved in as her cheeks flushed pink, unable to hide such emotions from them.

"There, now was that so hard?" Rika commented as she smirked at the sight of the headstrong genius of the group reduced to silent mumbling and awkward body language.

"Hold on a minute, I never agreed to anything! You still haven't told us where exactly you're going with all this." Rei suddenly protested, clearly wanting to know everything the nurse and sniper were plotting before agreeing to anything.

"I agree, so lets cut to the chase now. What exactly is it that you propose we do to resolve our little situation?" Saeko inquired, no longer willing to wait for an answer.

"Simple, we add this 'herb' into the boys' food and wait for the effects to kick in. Then you guys can take it from there." Shizuka answered as she was more than proud of her plan.

"So what exactly does this stuff do anyways? Being a bit vague aren't you?" Saya questioned, disliking the lack of details on the so-called "herb".

"It will cause the user to think his body temperature is skyrocketing out of control. The testosterone levels will also spike to a point the user simply can't say no." Shizuka answered to the best of her abilities.

"So, you want to basically spike their food with…an aphrodisiac, and we just step in and help them fulfill those exaggerated desires afterwards? I don't know, you guys. This isn't exactly what I had in mind when it came to me and Takashi's…first time. Doesn't it just feel kinda…I don't know, manipulative?" Rei suddenly pointed out, the tone in her voice and the look in her eyes clearly showing some serious uncertainty to what Shizuka and Rika were proposing.

"Oh come on, kid. We're just trying to help you out here. Surely you've noticed your boyfriend being a little distant lately, right?" Rika suddenly asked, catching Rei completely off guard as she could just bow her head. She knew Rika had completely hit the nail right on the head, and could only slightly nod in response.

"So don't you think maybe something like this may be all that's needed to bring him back? It might just be the little boost he needs to help make his attitude change back for the better." Rika finally proposed, causing Rei to look back up at her, the look in her eyes clearly showing interest if Rika was indeed correct. She didn't want to risk losing Takashi's interest, and if the sniper and the nurse both believed this could prevent that, then who was she to argue any further with them?

"Okay, but is this stuff safe? No side affects we should be aware of or worried about?" Rei asked skeptically, uncertain if the potential consequences would even outweigh the benefits of the unknown supplement.

"You want results or not, kid? Do you really think we'd try anything dangerous or life threatening? Besides Zu-Zu is a medical professional, if you can't trust her, then who can you trust?" Rika responded accordingly, showing absolute faith in Shizuka's abilities.

"Oh, stop, you! You're going to make me blush!" Shizuka giggled in a bubbly tone as the others couldn't help but sigh at the two grown women acting no older than them if not younger.

"I hope for their sake you're right on this one." Rei said as she felt this was as a good as time as ever to ensure that she could tend to Takashi's more base needs. A desperate, if not last shot attempt, to keep their relationship from crumbling apart any further than it already had.

At the same time, Marcus was getting himself fitted into a more typical set of casual clothes, his mind still dancing at having gotten to see Shizuka in a bikini today and even getting to feel how soft and smooth her skin was when getting to put sunscreen on her back. He certainly knew he'd have some great material to 'ponder' over tonight.

However, before he could dwell any further on his personally gained wanking material, he was met with the unexpected sight of Frasier standing in the doorway of his bedroom, staring directly at him, not even moving an inch. Before Marcus could even begin to ponder what his brother could've possibly wanted, his eyes suddenly noticed the unmistakable image of an envelope clenched in between his fingers.

"Hey…what's up?" Marcus asked nervously, entirely unsure whether Frasier was mad at him for some unknown reason or if he was just being this quiet just to spook him.

"I found this in the mail slot. It's addressed to you specifically." Frasier replied bluntly, his tone completely flat and emotionless which truthfully made his demeanor that much more intimidating.

"Seriously? Does it say who it's from?" Marcus asked curiously as he began to reach for the envelope himself, only for Frasier to suddenly swing his arm back, keeping it high above Marcus' head.

"Well, believe it or not, this is actually from Miku of all people." Frasier stated in a suddenly much more serious tone, especially when mentioning her name.

"Whoa, for real? What could she possibly send ME a letter for?" Marcus asked curiously, more talking to himself than anyone else, causing Frasier to scoff as if he were being told a really weak lie.

"Why, indeed. Tell me, Marcus. I have been in an unconscious state for the last week. You and her haven't been doing anything you're not SUPPOSED to, are you?" Frasier suddenly asked in an impatient tone, causing Marcus to fall over in response to Frasier accusing him of something so insane.

"Are you out of your mind? Of course not! You think I would actually do something like that to the girl who loved Noah?! What kind of person do you think I am, Frasier? And what kind of person do you think SHE is for that matter?" Marcus snapped, more than a little insulted that Frasier apparently had such a low opinion of him.

"Well, okay, I admit I shouldn't be accusing YOU of anything. But her…I don't know, she did used to run with that freak Shidou's group…" Frasier began to explain, only for Marcus to suddenly stomp his foot down, easily catching Frasier's attention.

"Yeah, and she was the one who busted me and Noah out of there to begin with! For crying out loud, Frasier, she never made a move to betray us when she had so many chances to, she was the one who warned you that Shidou was in this city to begin with, and she told me about what happened during that whole battle; how she had a loaded gun, and had the perfect chance to put a bullet in your head, but chose instead to save your ass. What else does she have to do before you stop treating her like your prisoner and more like the friend I think she's more than proven to be at this point?" Marcus had suddenly gone on a rant, momentarily catching Frasier off guard. As much as the elder Markle hated to admit it, there was some legitimate truth to what Marcus was saying. Miku did have the greatest opportunity in the world to actually put Frasier in the ground, but instead chose to save his life. At this moment he couldn't even think of what could've been a better test of loyalty than that. Giving a sigh of momentary defeat, Frasier lowered the envelope so that Marcus could take it.

"You're right, Marcus. After everything that's been going on, I just always feel so tightly wound, so on edge, feeling like there's nobody left on this entire planet to truly trust. But it's true, why would she save my life and kill one of her own if she were planning to betray us at all?" Frasier lamented as both he and Marcus finally took the moment to calm their nerves.

"It's okay, Frasier. I understand it's that leader part of you just constantly being on watch. You just gotta learn how to let that part of you take a break every now and again, that's all." Marcus explained with an amused grin as he finally tore the envelope open and proceeded to read through it.

"So what does it say?" Frasier asked curiously as Marcus quickly perused through it and set it on his bed, already heading out the door.

"It says…she wants me to come over to the apartment she's staying at. Apparently, there's something she wants to tell me." Marcus explained as he grabbed the nearest jacket off the coat rack as he was about to step out the front door, only for Frasier to quickly push it shut.

"Don't you think that sounds a little…questionable, Marcus?" Frasier asked suspiciously, only for Marcus to roll his eyes in exaspiration as he quickly swung the door back open.

"Don't worry, Frasier. If it makes you feel any better, she never gave any indication of liking me like Noah, so I can't think of any reason for anything like…well, THAT to happen. And besides, even if by some unbelievable chance it were, I'm smart enough to make my own decisions about this kind of thing. So don't worry about me, okay?" Marcus explained in a calm tone as he easily stepped past Frasier so he could hurry on his way.

"Alright. You do know the others might start wondering where you are when they see you aren't around for dinner. What should I tell them then?" Frasier asked, trying his best to continue playing the role of brother he was meant to, rather than as the leader in this instance.

"I don't know. Just, tell 'em I decided to go and see the whole town for myself or something. I promise I'll be okay. She wrote the address down and the busses are running day and night. I'll be fine, man." Marcus reassured his elder brother, both of them giving each other an understanding nod as Frasier allowed Marcus to go on his way and slowly shut the door behind him. Despite his previous apprehensions, something inside the elder Markle felt confident that Marcus really could be able to take care of himself at this moment, especially if he'd lasted this long along with everyone else.

After a silent bus ride through the now virtually empty streets of Kibou City, Marcus soon found himself walking the stairs leading up to the apartment number that had been written on his little letter. Once he'd found the door with the right numbers stenciled onto it, he could begin to hear his heart pounding strongly against his chest. To be honest, he couldn't help but feel a bit nervous. Miku had never shown any indication of any feelings towards him, especially compared to how much her feelings showed for Noah. Yet with all that in mind, why would she suddenly ask him to come by himself all the way to her apartment now of all times?

Not even stopping to think, the young Brit had already started knocking on the door, and within not even half a minute's time, he could hear the door being unlocked from the other side, and once it opened, the very first thing he was greeted with was the sight of Miku in a loosely-fitting bathrobe, her short orange hair glistening wet as he could feel her eyes locked directly onto his. All of a sudden he could feel his throat going completely dry.

Truth be told, back before the world had ended, he'd also heard a number of the less-than-pleasant rumors about her around the school, but despite that, there'd been a brief time when he'd actually had a strong physical attraction for her when seeing her walking down the halls. Less than proper personality aside, that didn't change the fact that she was still very beautiful. Of course, those same rumors kept him from ever acting upon that, since he was more than a bit wary of any girl who'd been said to have slept with more than her fair share of boys around the exact same school. And especially considering her past affiliations once the apocalypse rolled around, he never would've wanted to admit even to himself that he'd ever once yanked his chain to the thought of her. Of course, now that he knew for a fact she wasn't his enemy and was now standing right in front of him in fairly revealing clothes, he was beginning to feel a bit of that old high school mindset start creeping back in.

"Marcus?" he could suddenly hear her voice calling to him, suddenly snapping him back into reality from a trance he didn't even realize he'd put himself under thanks to his always wandering mind.

"You weren't answering me the first two times I called your name. Sorry if I startled you." Miku apologized, as Marcus couldn't help but blush in embarrassment that he'd been caught unwarily daydreaming again. That was certainly something he'd never expected to have happen to him again.

"Please, come in. I'm sorry I'm not exactly all dressed. I was beginning to think you wouldn't have gotten my letter or you would've decided not to come." Miku continued to explain as Marcus gratefully let himself in, looking over the modest, well-kept conditions of her personal living quarters.

"Of course I was going to come. You're one of us, remember? We have to look out for each other." Marcus replied casually as Miku couldn't help but smile at his kind words for someone like her who had used to be his whole group's enemy.

"That's sweet of you to say, Marcus, but I feel you're probably the only person in the group who thinks that way. The others barely even look at me, let alone say anything to me. And Frasier…well, I think it goes without saying he'll never fully trust me, no matter what I may do." Miku explained, an unmistakable tone of sadness hidden in her voice as Marcus couldn't help but look at her sympathetically.

"Well…I won't lie, he was the first one to find that letter, and…well, he had a bit of an extreme assumption as for what it was." Marcus replied, shrugging his shoulders in embarrassment for his brother, while Miku couldn't help but nod her head in understanding. She honestly couldn't blame Frasier for thinking whatever it was he could've been thinking when he found that letter. Even these days, old rumors and past actions would hang over one's head like a stigma, no matter what good deeds one would've done in order to atone.

"Well, I really don't want to have us waste any more time standing on ceremony here, so I guess I'll just ask. Why exactly did you want me to come here, Miku?" Marcus finally asked as Miku sat herself at the small dining table, extending an inviting hand towards another empty chair for him to take.

"It's because I…I wanted to thank you, Marcus. For absolutely everything you've done for me." Miku finally admitted, causing Marcus to instinctively blush in response.

"It's just that…after what happened…w-with Noah…you chose to honor his last wishes down to the letter, even when you had every opportunity to just cut me loose and leave me to fend for myself. You had absolutely no reason in the world to look at me as anything but your enemy, and yet you protected me from Frasier, you always looked out for me, and with time, you even treated me like I was one of the group.

"Even when we'd made it to this city, you could've just cut me loose under the assumption I'd be okay from then on. But you didn't. Every day, you'd always drop by the orphanage or turn up somewhere I'm sure you knew I'd be these days, and always just to talk to me, make sure I was okay. I can't tell you how grateful I am for the fact that you've cared for me like you have, Marcus." Miku explained, tears of happiness running down her face as her words were hitting Marcus hard.

"I was only doing what was right, Miku. You were the girl my younger brother loved, and I know you loved him too, and there's no way I could've done something as cruel to you as just leave you to whatever monsters or freak were roaming freely out there. I felt that perhaps Noah was right and there was more to you than what I'd initially thought. Clearly, Noah was absolutely right. I was just doing what he would've wanted me to do, that's all." Marcus explained, clearly at a loss for any other words, yet having a clear idea of all he'd wanted to tell the orange-haired girl at this moment.

Miku could only nod her head in understanding yet again. Everything he had said made perfect sense, and knowing that he held no hostile feelings or thoughts towards her couldn't help but make her heart feel so much less heavy than it had before.

{Jóhann Jóhannsson – Prisoners OST – Candlelight Vigil)

"Listen, Miku…I really hate to bring this up now of all times, but there's just something I've really been wanting to know for the last couple weeks. I think since you're now part of our group, it'd be best if we were able to know everything we'd need to know about each other, both the good…and the bad. So with that all having been said, I want you to know I'm truly sorry for what I'm about to ask. So…tell me, why WERE you the way you were back then? Before the outbreaks, if you don't mind me asking." Marcus asked as he watched Miku form a painful look of remembrance, clearly having to fight back the tears in her eyes.

"When I was younger, everything was great for me. I had friends, a loving family, a beautiful home, just the ideal life a child could always hope for. But everything changed when my dad died from a heart attack. My mom was so devastated and grief-stricken; she could hardly hold a job. It wasn't too long before we had to move to a wreck of an apartment and she eventually had to rely on the man who eventually would become my step dad.

"At first it seemed like everything might be okay. But then…I guess you could say he got…bored of my mom…so then h-he turned his attention to me, and he…he started to…put his hands on me, for lack of a more subtle way of putting it. I guess it doesn't take much to know what that REALLY means. I tried to tell my mom about it, and she was horrified of course, but we desperately needed the money. Besides, he'd found out I talked almost instantly, and well…he wasn't happy about that, so he took that out on both me and my mom, this time with his fists. Afterwards, he would do this to me only, if I ever said 'no' when he'd come into my room at night. Every single time, he would constantly say to me, that he'd stop hurting me if I'd just say 'yes' from then on. It would hurt so, so much…I-I couldn't take that pain, so I…I always said 'yes' from that moment on.

This went on for only a couple years, and I know in the grand scheme of things that's not so long, but to me, it felt like a lifetime. This whole thing continued almost every night, until eventually my mom managed to push on and find a good job that sustained our financial needs, and she finally kicked that bastard out for good.

"Unfortunately, by then…it was already too late for me. Letting that…that pig do whatever he wanted with me had pretty much become second nature to me, and without having him around, all I could feel was pain, as if I could feel all the cuts and bruises he'd given me coming back with a vengeance. It was like I was living in agony; I had been through so much that by then, letting guys have their way with me was the only thing I knew when it came to earning attention from men. Hell, when it came to just living in general. It was the only thing that could make the pain go away, make me feel alive again, make everything seem normal to me again. Back then, I just didn't care anymore, you know? Like nothing truly mattered nor made sense to me anymore.

"When the undead took over, I merely survived by doing what I did best...being a...a..." Miku explained in a hurt tone, slowly losing the emotion in her voice until the end where she couldn't bare to finish her story.

"Hey...relax, okay? You don't need to go on anymore if you can't do it. I completely understand." Marcus said in attempt to reassure her as he gently patted her back.

"No...It feels good to let someone know and talk about these things...after Noah and I...well, you know, you were there for it. You may have had your eyes closed, you may have even been willfully trying to block it all out, but what you didn't know was that Noah was so sweet and compassionate towards me...not some vile, horny pig who simply used me then tossed me aside when he was done. Just the way he cuddled and spoke to me was enough to win my heart. He looked me in the eye, he wasn't telling me to talk dirty to him, and he wasn't even ordering me to do anything to him. All he did was just…whisper such sweet and gentle things to me, like you'd expect someone to say to their lifelong lover. It just felt so…so special, so real.

"After he was locked back up, I couldn't help but notice how different everything was suddenly starting to look around me. How nobody truly carried if I lived or died...except for Noah, of course. I was willing to risk my own life to save him, to save the only boy to truly care about me in a very long time. When he sacrificed himself, I was torn to pieces inside, knowing he was also willing to die for me as well."

"It's been a rough start, but luckily nobody knew about my past, so things weren't nearly as complicated as they could've been." Miku said as she set down a tray with two fresh cups of tea on them. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she managed to finally finish what she started.

"Looks like you got out when the getting was good. I'm sorry you've had to go through all this pain." Marcus said in pity for what Miku had to endure.

"Well...now that we're on the subject, there is something else I need to tell you that's incredibly important. But you have to promise me you will not tell Frasier." Miku announced before making sure Marcus would be discreet and keep the following knowledge to himself.

"Alright, you have my word." Marcus vowed as he leaned in closer, fully focused and mentally preparing himself for whatever it was Miku had to say to him.

"You're going to be an uncle, Marcus." Miku said with a pleasant smile to her face, more than proud to announce the fact she was carrying Noah's child within her womb.

Unable to even utter a single word, Marcus just sat there with a shocked expression on his face. His mind became blank as his vision blurred. At least it was this way until he noticed the saddened look on Miku's face when he didn't show any positive reaction.

"I'm sorry...that's such wonderful news! I just wasn't expecting it, so forgive me for the lack of reaction. How long have you known?" Marcus said in apology before he gave an explanation for it.

"It's alright. I'm glad I told you first to see how you would react to such news. To think he'd finally managed to get over his hatred for me. Oh well, easy come, easy go." Miku said in a mellow tone, gently running her palms against the surface of her stomach.

"So, do you have any names?" Marcus questioned with a raised eyebrow as he resumed drinking his tea, somewhat intrigued at the idea of what his nephew/niece would be named.

"I don't know about a girls name yet. But if it's a boy, at first I was thinking Noah Jr., but then again, it wouldn't be fair on the child if he wasn't given his own identity." Miku answered as she had an uncertain look on her face.

"It would be best to wait. This is a matter of delicacy, and the last thing Frasier needs is more stress on his heart." Marcus commented as he remembered how the battle left his elder brother's body in a weakened state.

"I'm so glad you were able to trust me. I have no clue how I can properly thank you." Miku said in thanks as she bowed her head, trying to keep herself from crying again.

"You want to thank me? Then do what's best for your child and learn from the past. We'll be here to help you along the way." Marcus said as he stood up, ready to make his way back home.

Suddenly, Miku gripped his sleeve without moving her head. Surprised to see her acting like this, Marcus stepped back to see her looking at the floor yet at the same time feel her gaze was focused entirely upon him.

"Please stay. I've been alone for what feels like an eternity. Just stay here and allow me to know things will be okay in the end of all this." Miku pleaded in a weakened voice.

"Of course." Marcus responded calmly as he walked back, knowing he had to comfort his younger brother's woman and ensure her that there would be a better tomorrow with just enough hope and determination to keep a life worth living.

Miku couldn't help but smile as Marcus instinctively pulled up a chair and sat besides her, placing a supportive hand on her arm to let her know he wouldn't be going anywhere tonight. At the moment when he least expected it, the beautiful orange-haired girl suddenly leaned in and planted a brief yet grateful kiss against his cheek, causing him to go wide-eyed and look at her like he'd seen a ghost, which only earned an amused giggle from her.

"Thank you, Marcus. I just know that whatever girl you ever end up with, she's going to be so lucky to have someone as sweet as you." Miku said in a truly grateful tone. Marcus couldn't help but blush in response at the thought of him ever being lucky enough to have a girl he could be able to call the love of his life. It still brought up the pain of Hitomi's death, but deep, deep down inside, he couldn't help but hope that perhaps Miku was right.

"So…you said that we should get to know each other better, both the good things and the bad. I understood that that rule was going to extend both ways. So why don't you tell me your story, Marcus?" Miku suddenly asked with a sly smirk on her lips, causing Marcus to nearly sweatdrop, sort of hoping that she would've overlooked those kinds of details. This was certainly going to be a much longer night than he'd anticipated.

Less than an hour later, after much preparation the table was decorated and filled to the edges with all types of food to be had. The room filled with all kinds of aromas and scents that boggled the five human perceptions.

Suddenly, a bell began to ring as Shizuka wore a very revealing apron for all to see when the males of the group entered the room first, eager to eat the generous feast bestowed before them.

"This...is...awesome!" Khota announced, as he was hardly able to contain himself over the buffet presented before him.

"I knew I could smell something from the other side of the house. But this... I don't even know what to say." Takashi commented, as he had never seen the royal treatments such as this.

"Lets just say I made this with extra love! I really hope you all enjoy what we've done here for you boys." Shizuka announced as she stood in place while twirling a wooden spoon between her fingers.

"Must have taken a lot of planning. Am I right?" Frasier questioned as he then watched Rika, out of the corner of his eye, making a motioning signal with her hand. He didn't think anything of it so he simply shrugged his shoulders and turned back to the buffet before him.

"Oh, you have no idea." Shizuka responded in a somewhat cryptic voice, watching as the boys all began to focus all their attention to the entrance to the kitchen.

One by one, each girl entered the room wearing a very smooth, silk kimono, Saya in pink, Rei in red, and Saeko in blue. The sight was so magnificent the young men couldn't help but let their jaws drop, each one keenly focused on their love interest sitting on the exact opposite side of the table.

"This is perfect! Did you notice the way they looked at us? Perhaps we won't need to use it after all." All three of them whispered to one another, overwhelmed with anticipation and excitement at their scheme.

"Where's Alice? I thought she'd be here by now." Takashi suddenly questioned as he noticed one of two empty seats at the table.

"She was so exhausted after the beach I set her down for the night in your bed. Hope you don't mind." Rika responded as she tussled Takashi's hair playfully from across the table earning an annoyed groan from him, hating the fact she was talking to him in a somewhat condescending tone.

"That explains one empty chair. Anyone here seen Marcus?" Shizuka questioned curiously, keenly noticing the missing Markle brother.

"He's out... I'm sure he will be fine. My brother may be immature at times but he can be just as tough as me when given the proper motivation." Frasier said as he admitted that the new world had certainly made his younger sibling a much stronger person.

"Shame..." Shizuka sighed, a clear look of disappointment coming across her face, which sparked a rising suspicion in Frasier's eyes, Saeko instantly noticing that he was somewhat on alert now.

"What's wrong? You almost sound like you're disappointed that he isn't here. " Frasier inquired as he raised an eyebrow, noticing a drip of sweat rolling down Shizuka's forehead when he persisted further on the matter. When she tried to talk, nothing came out clear, almost as if she suddenly had cotton in her mouth.

"Well, we certainly worked very hard on this feast. Your reaction and judgment upon it means a lot to us, beloved. Isn't that right, Shizuka?" Saeko suddenly intervened, managing to keep their story solid as the blonde nurse could only respond with a mere nod.

Seeing no reason to push onwards, Frasier simply shrugged his shoulders and continued to eat the hefty serving resting between his elbows. A mental sigh of relief going through the girl's minds as they knew if anyone would see through their elaborate ruse he would be first to know.

"So...how is it?" Rei asked as she watched their reactions, feeling somewhat nervous that their was no obvious signs yet that the supplement had taken effect.

"This is above and beyond! I'm surprised we don't do this more often!" Khota responded in a great full tone as he continued to scarf his food down like there was no tomorrow. Soon followed by a quick sip of water.

"I'm surprised you guys went to all the effort of making something so great for us. I'm really uncertain how to properly thank you guys." Takashi added in a moderately surprised voice as he took in another bite, quickly taking a large drink of water afterwards.

"And what do you think of it, Frasier? You are the foreigner here after all." Rika questioned while turning her gaze upon him, noticing he was beginning to rub his throat as if something was causing him stress.

"A little spicy if you ask me...can I have some water please?" Frasier requested as he looked to see he had nothing before him.

"Oh! Of course, I must have forgotten to set your drink. Here, enjoy." Rika said as she poured a glass of water, almost shocked that they had missed one.

"Thank you." Frasier responded as he took a gentle sip, a cool yet odd sensation filling his mouth whenever he consumed the water.

"Excuse me...I think I need to go lay down. I don't feel like myself all of a sudden." Takashi suddenly said without warning, slowly pulling out of his seat and making his way to his room.

"May I be excused? I think I may have overdone this." Khota then asked, his breathing becoming heavy as he couldn't even take another bite.

"Oh, why yes, you may." Saya answered in response, as she (along with the others) was surprised he wasn't able to eat anymore. Now all that remained was Frasier, but even he wouldn't last much longer than them once he would begin to feel the affects of the so-called herb.

"Something must be wrong with the food...for them to be running off like that. These fish are safe to eat, right?" Frasier questioned as he was well aware of the various toxins some of the fish were capable of producing.

"I assure you, there's nothing wrong with this meal. Honest." Rika vowed as they all keenly watched him beginning to sweat, his breathing becoming heavy as he desperately tried to ignore the increasing temperature throughout his own body.

"I...I don't understand. Why aren't any of you affected by this?" Frasier then questioned, noticing they weren't suffering in the slightest, hardly even able to notice Rei and Saya walking past him to apprehend their lovers who weren't too far off.

"Try to drink some more water. That might cool your temperature down." Shizuka suggested as she leaned forward in her seat.

Frasier raised his glass at first only to stop midway as he then raised an eyebrow at that last suggestion; a look of realization forming as he slowly set the glass back down.

"Funny... I never mentioned anything about my body temperature." Frasier observed as he watched a look of shock form across all of the faces before him.

Rika suddenly let out a soft chuckle, almost as if she had grown weary of having to wait for the effects to kick in. Frasier instantly formed a scowl before looking down at his water, realizing the smell and spiciness of the food was used to distract him from even considering there was something tampered within the water.

"Oh my, you're quite lucky, Saeko. I see he isn't all muscle after all. He actually managed to figure it out all on his own. Only problem is he's already succumbing to the aphrodisiac as we speak. Isn't that right, Frasier?" Rika taunted, a look of genuine surprise overcoming Frasier as he began to take large breaths in attempt to control himself.

There was no doubt in his mind that she was right. Despite it being a losing battle, he never let up, doing all he could to resist the powerful urges and thoughts that began to pull at his mind.

"No...I won't..." Frasier groaned in determination as he gripped his fists, both eyes clenching tight as he began to push his chair back only to feel the back of his head brushing up against something soft and stimulating standing right behind him.

A low groan of pleasure could be heard from under his breath as he looked up to see a grinning Saeko standing right behind him. Once again she was one step ahead of him.

"Plan on going somewhere? " Saeko said in a teasing tone, her fingertips tugging at his short hair, sending a soothing vibe down his spine, seeing how he was secretly thrilled at the idea of receiving a little pain with pleasure.

"Just wanted to get some air." Frasier said in a weak attempt to joke his way out as he blushed the moment he could feel Saeko playfully rubbing her breasts into his neck and the back of his head.

"Oh, I knew you'd say something like that to get away. What you don't realize is all the doors and windows to this house are locked. Guess who has the keys." Saeko chuckled as she made it clear that Frasier was already outsmarted at every turn.

Saeko then motioned him to look over towards Rika and Shizuka as they waved the key at him, playfully licking their lips as if they were about to pounce on him at any moment. Rika slowly slipped the key into her bra as if she was challenging him to try and take it.

"Not bad. Hehe... Not bad at all, Saeko. Very well, if this is what it takes to claim my virginity, then challenge accepted." Frasier said in a cool composed manner before he kicked the bottom of the table out, causing the plates to fall for a distraction as he slipped out of the room in the blink of an eye.

"You can run, but you'll die tired, beloved." Saeko said to herself as she began to slowly walk down the hallway. Knowing exactly where he would be going, fully aware he was trapped and without a backup plan, the predator was now moving in on her prey.

"C'mon you! Why won't you budge?" asked Khota as he started messing with the thermostat, unable to cool off. Saya slowly approached him from behind, watching him with a sly grin on her face.

"Hey Khota I know how you can cool off." Saya suddenly said, causing the chubby gun otaku to spin around and start nervously shaking at the sight of her looking at him so…sweetly. He'd been so used to Saya snapping at him angrily over every little thing, seeing her like this felt incredibly unnatural to him. As for Saya, she knew that she needed to lure him to a bedroom. Suddenly she got an idea and grinned even brighter.

"You do? How?" asked Khota as he felt his palms sweat. Saya quickly grabbed his hands and pulled him with overwhelming force into her room. She closed the door and pushed him to the bed.

"T-Takagi-san, what are you doing?" asked Khota as he was only able to lay their stunned. He couldn't believe that Saya was doing anything other than yelling at him, let alone actually taking him into her own private space where it was just the two of them. The warm glow in her yellow eyes only made poor Khota feel that much more uneasy. Saya enjoyed watching him stutter and unable to say a single sentence.

"Just relax Khota, and let me take care of everything." whispered Saya as she pulled her kimono apart. Khota nearly exploded when he saw that she wasn't wearing anything underneath it. Saya blushed a bit. She never in her entire life showed any male her naked body before, but she knew she wasn't going to back down now.

"Don't just stare...touch me." encouraged Saya as she watched Khota staring at her, trying her hardest not to lose her patience with Khota now of all times.

"B-b-b-b-but what about your d-dad?" asked Khota nervously, as he crossed his legs trying to hide his erection. Saya could only feel her eyebrow twitch when Khota was trying to think of reasons not to go through with she was so obviously trying to signal to him.

"Khota, I know my dad more than approves of you. It may not seem like it, but I grew up with him, and I can tell what he feels about people almost instantly at this point. I honestly think he believes you're one of the best choices there is, and…I agree. Now, what's that you're hiding?" Saya explained in a soothing tone before turning his gaze downward to the gun otaku's crossed legs. Khota shook his head as Saya crawled on the bed and pried his hands apart.

"Takagi-san, no! Wait, just..." Khota protested before he became silent from shock.  
>Saya was staring directly between his legs and licked her lips at what she could see. Before Khota could even react, Saya was already pulling his pants off. Her hands pulled out his hardened cock from his underpants and began to gently stroke it back and forth.<br>Khota's eyes closed tight as he could feel his heart rate skyrocketing once he felt Saya's tongue gently teasing his tip.

"Takagi-san...I love you." he softly said as looked down at her enjoying herself. Saya then sat up with the warmest smile he had ever seen her muster, her eyes looking straight into his soul through her glasses as she then took them off and quickly undid her signature twintails, letting her shimmering pink hair fall down her shoulders. She then slowly brought her arms over Khota's shoulders as she slowly leaned forward, closing her eyes as she pressed her tender lips to his, nearly causing Khota's heart to burst as this seemed to finally make him realize this was really happening and there was not a doubt in the world about it. Once Saya pulled her lips away from his, he could feel his face going red as he fully saw the genuine heartfelt emotion showing in Saya's smile as she reached up and pulled his large glasses from his face.

"Please, Khota…call me Saya. And…and I love you too. I'm so sorry for being so cold to you before." Saya apologized; trying her best not to let any tears show as she finally realized just how she really felt about the chubby gun otaku sitting across from her. In the beginning, she had been nothing but mean and impatient with him, and yet he'd never snapped back at her and treated her with all the kindness and understanding in the world. Just that fact alone made the self-proclaimed genius feel that much worse about herself. Khota however couldn't help but smile as he brought his shaking arms around Saya's waist, holding her close, causing her to blush even stronger.

"It's okay, Taka…I mean, Saya. I forgive you," whispered Khota. Saya could only grin as she suddenly pushed Khota onto his back and slowly crawled up his body straddling him.

"Damn right, you do. Now kiss me." Saya snapped with a witty smirk on her face as she lowered her head towards his and gently kissed his lips. She had rarely ever been able to kiss a boy before, mostly due to the fact that they were afraid of her father. But now Saya was free and wasn't planning on holding back now.  
>To her surprise though, Khota slid his tongue deep inside her mouth, already playing with hers. The aphrodisiac was in complete control now. Saya let out a few soft moans as she felt Khota's dick sliding between her legs.<p>

"Mmm, Khota, that tickles." moaned out Saya as she bit her lips a little, feeling her womanhood growing more and more wet with each passing second.

"Should I stop?" asked Khota, momentarily worried that Saya would once again revert back to her typical self and yell at him for anything she'd think he did wrong. Saya then looked down at him, her face beginning to form a frown as her brow once again twitched, a fire burning in her golden eyes.  
>"Do that, and you die. Now grind me harder, you beautiful, chubby otaku!" said Saya with an undeniable heat in her tone as her body was almost as fully aroused as his was.<br>She could feel her body warming up, as they would grind back and forth. Saya eventually couldn't hold it in and knew she had to have him inside her now. She reached into the pocket of her kimono on the far side of the bed and pulled out a condom Rika gave her earlier.  
>Saya pulled the packaging open and gently fitted the condom properly on Khota. She then crawled off of him and laid on her back with her legs opened to him. Khota sat up and looked at her.<p>

"Please... be gentle with me, Khota." whispered Saya, feeling her cheeks turning the deepest red. She never would've guessed in a million years that someone like Khota would be the one to take her virginity, and she never would've imagined she'd be giving it to him willingly. But now, in this very moment, Saya felt genuinely happy that he would be the one to do it.  
>He nodded and slowly crawled between her legs. His hips slowly aligned with hers. Khota's hard member soon found its way to Saya's small opening. Saya let out a few whimpers as Khota slowly slid himself in.<br>Both of them let out gasps, grunts, and moans as they could feel their bodies synchronizing.

"Oh god, it feels so good, Khota. Start thrusting for me." begged Saya. Khota nodded and began to carefully slide his hips back and forth.  
>Saya moaned out loud as she felt her pussy being stretched a little. She then suddenly squealed as she felt a tight pinch. She closed her eyes tight and gripped his hands tight as he popped her cherry.<p>

He could feel a small trace of blood stream out between her legs, and suddenly felt his whole body go cold at the sight of it, his mind instantly flooding with the idea that he did something terribly wrong.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry! I'll stop...oh man, I'm so, so sorry! I...I…" stuttered Khota. Saya then reached up and pulled his face down to hers, kissing him.  
>"Shut up...you just made me a woman is all. Now get back to work." encouraged Saya. She then playfully thrust her hips into the air, sliding Khota even deeper into her body.<br>He acknowledged her order and began to go back and forth. Both were moving faster and faster as their bodies began to push one another closer to a climax.

"Saya...I can't hold it in much longer!" warned Khota as he looked down at her.

"Me neither..." moaned Saya. After a few more seconds her pussy clenched tightly around Khota. Both cried out in bliss as they climaxed at the same time in unison.

"I love you," they both whispered to each other as they gazed deeply into each other's eyes before passing out from the amount of energy they burned through. Saya's arms instinctively held Khota closer as his head laid between her breasts.  
>-<p>

While Saya kicked the night off with Khota, Takashi had carried Rei back to his own room. A pure look of eagerness and desire filled their young eyes whenever eye contact was made.

"Takashi..." Rei softly moaned while her cheeks blushed a soft red color that matched her eyes whenever he would kiss at her neck or tug at her tender lips.

"Rei...I've wanted this for so long..." Takashi whispered into her ear, sending a sensation of pleasure down her spine at the feel of his warm breath against her skin.

"You should've been more upfront about it. I'm willing to do anything for us, Takashi." Rei responded as she gently ran her soft hand along his cheek, a genuine smile forming across their faces.

"I don't know why, but tonight I feel so much more confident and certain of what I truly want." Takashi said as Rei couldn't help but silently respond with a quick look of realization. He had never, ever been this upfront and certain about anything before. It was clearly just that 'herb' driving his libido into maximum overdrive that was making him say these things. Suddenly, this supposedly special moment didn't feel right to Rei at all.

Suddenly, Rei pulled back, deep in thought about her actions once again. Despite agreeing in the end to the whole scheme, deep down she knew it was not the right thing to do. This whole thing felt so fake, so manipulative; the exact opposite of what she'd always wanted her first time to be like. Takashi however was confused at what was happening. One moment Rei was on top of him and willing to do anything, and the next moment she was completely reluctant to the whole idea.

"What's wrong? Why did you stop?" Takashi questioned in an uncertain voice, a look of confusion taking a quick grasp on him.

"T-this doesn't feel right, Takashi. It's meant to be special and symbolic! Can't you just let me think this through for a moment?" Rei stuttered in an attempt to explain before requesting a break from the heated moment.

"Wait? Wait?! Are you serious?! You said that when we were finally safe, that would be when you'd finally be ready and we'd finally be able to do this. How much safer do we honestly need to be than we are right now?! I've been waiting for such a long time to do this, Rei. Why must you insist on further delay? It's what you've wanted as well." Takashi questioned in a somewhat shocked if not hysterical tone.

Rei just bowed her head, knowing that he was somewhat right when digging into the roots of it all. In the past, there were plenty of times she'd daydream if not fantasize about this sort of scenario. However, she never intended it to all be based off of an aphrodisiac either. That fact alone just made the whole moment feel so fake, so empty.

"Trust me on this one. It's best we wait to see if this is how you really feel...or how..." Rei said as she began to explain the truth, only to watch Takashi slowly creeping in towards her, a chilling look in his eyes that just showed no matter what she would say, it would merely go in one ear and out the other at this point.

"Shhhh, just relax and let me take it from here, Rei." Takashi said in a soft hush as his hand gently brushed along her smooth thighs, a flush of embarrassment overtaking Rei as she couldn't help but react by slapping his hand away.

With the slight sting of pain in his wrist, Takashi frowned at first only to grin as he grabbed both of Rei's wrists. Despite being moderately weak himself, he was still far stronger than Rei in terms of sheer force.

"Takashi! Wait...ah...stop..." Rei began to plead as she found herself pinned on her back with both arms over her head, hardly able to pry herself out with Takashi pressing himself onto her with his lips gently suckling at her neck.

With no response to be had, Takashi simply continued until he went even further by pulling his shirt off to reveal his flat yet tan stomach. Rei slowly pushed him back to gain some breathing room, completely unaware that he took the notion as a playful gesture.

"No more! I'm serious, Takashi!" Rei suddenly proclaimed in a serious tone, a stern look burning in both her ruby red eyes in high hopes that Takashi would take the hint.

However, he simply reached out until his fingers clenched around Rei's tightly tucked kimono. Both her eyes widened as she felt her heart rapidly pounding against her chest.

***Rip* **

A sharp gasp of shock and fear escaped from Rei's lips as she could feel the sudden force from his tug beginning to actually tear the fabric of her kimono. Knowing there was no way to get through to Takashi with words alone, a loud, deafening clap echoed throughout the room.

Takashi jolted back from the painful sting burning into his cheek. A look of betrayal burned in his eyes as Rei began to breathe heavily from the nerve wrecking experience. Despite being on the verge of tears, Rei tried her best to remain strong so Takashi could see that she meant it.

"We aren't going any further...do you get it now?" Rei said before confirming that Takashi was now able to process her message.

"Oh...I get it, Rei. Really I do! Only problem though is that I don't care." Takashi replied in a darker tone Rei had never heard from him at any point in her life until now.

Before Rei could even consider using psychical force again, Takashi was already on top of her. A firm grip formed around her neck as his tongue gently glided along her skin, testing Rei's willpower. His free hand began to casually glide down her trembling body and right to the brim of her underwear.

The moment Rei felt a single finger tugging at her panties, she tried to let out a cry of distress only to be blocked off by Takashi's tongue entering her mouth, effectively turning her cries of terror into silent muffles for help no one else would be able to hear.

Tears began to flow out of Rei's eyes as she tried her best to push Takashi off of her. With no such luck to her avail, Rei reached back only to grab a solid object from the nightstand.

***Smash***

All light in the room suddenly vanished, the only thing allowing Rei to see even two feet in front of her was the moonlight seeping through the cracks in the shades of the window.

Knowing exactly what she just hit him with, Rei watched in horror as Takashi suddenly went limp on her, his body weight far heavier as he was completely knocked out cold. After a few moments of struggling, Rei finally managed to pry herself free from his tight clutches.

A soft whimper could be heard as she crawled towards the edge of the room. Unable to confront Takashi, nor anyone else out of sheer embarrassment for that matter, Rei could do nothing but sob and wonder what could've gone so wrong with what should've been the most passionate moment of her young life.

"Oh, Takashi...what have I done to you?" Rei muttered to herself as she couldn't help but feel it was her place to take responsibility for what her boyfriend had become. For the rest of the morning until dawn, Rei just sat there with fresh tears in her eyes as her nails clenched tightly against her legs, uncertain what to do if Takashi was to wake up anytime soon.

Frasier quickly rushed into his room, slamming the door shut behind him and twisting the lock. The heat that was burning through his whole body was unlike anything he had ever felt in his entire life, it was both confusing as it felt like no natural heat, but it was also absolutely unbearable.

"I gotta do something…" Frasier muttered weakly to himself, looking around desperately through his dark room for something, anything at all to help him get his mind off the heat.

With no other ideas popping into his head, Frasier did the only thing that seemed like it could work: meditation. It had always worked before in the past back when society still stood tall, and there was no reason it couldn't work now.

Taking a meditation pose on the floor, Frasier quickly ripped his shirt off and proceeded to take deep breaths, as if to focus on the rhythm of his own beating heart instead of the heat. In, out, in, out…

Unfortunately, at first when it seemed like it was working, that only made the heat burning through his insides flare up that much worse, effectively breaking his concentration.

"Goddammit, why isn't it working…?" Frasier muttered frustrated, as he started to pace around the room, desperate for some kind of distraction.

As he continued to circle around his room, Frasier failed to notice a pair of crystal blue eyes watching him from the shadows of his bedroom, until around the third trip he made around the room, when he caught a quick glimpse through his peripheral vision.

Before he could turn around to react, he was immediately met with the almost heavenly vision of Saeko, standing before him dressed in that elegant kimono she had worn downstairs, her face, and most noticeably her eyes, glistening in the light of the full moon coming in through the bedroom window.

"Saeko? How did you get in here?" Frasier asked nervously, but she wouldn't answer him. Instead, she only proceeded to start approaching him, a smile forming across her face as she slowly brought her arms over his broad shoulders.

He could feel his cheeks burning up as he was forced to stare deep into Saeko's clear, blue eyes, her face only mere inches away from his. He could smell the fresh scent of her hair, an almost sweet aroma emanating from her whole body as he could feel her breathing hot and heavy against his neck.

"You look like you need help, Frasier…and I think I know exactly what kind." Saeko whispered into his ear, sending chills up his spine as he could barely feel the touch of her pink lips against his ear.

Almost like a shot, that insufferable heat that had been blazing through him started to dissipate from the rest of his body, and started to head downwards, his eyes widening as he could almost feel all his blood start flowing towards one very specific area.

"Saeko…I-I don't need he…" Frasier started to protest before Saeko suddenly pressed her warm, soft lips to his, pressing her whole body up against him. He could feel his heart racing as he felt the unmistakable softness of her breasts pressing up against his chest through her kimono.

Frasier's mind was in a total haze as he felt all his blood flow down to his loins, and he could feel himself growing harder and harder as he suddenly felt Saeko push her hot, wet tongue through his lips into his mouth, running her tongue everywhere she could reach while her fingertips traced along his heavily muscled torso.

Once their lips parted, Frasier felt lightheaded, as if he were walking in a daze. He suddenly regained his senses when he felt Saeko's soft hands take one of his and guided his one hand to grab onto one of her breasts underneath her kimono, the soft flesh molding into the shape of his palm, the heat from her body flowing up his arm.

"Frasier…let me help ease your discomfort…let me help you…to help me…" Saeko moaned lustfully as she brought her other hand downwards, grabbing a hold onto Frasier's crotch, rubbing the raging bulge that was threatening to rip through the seams at any second if it didn't find release soon.

Frasier couldn't believe what was happening. On one hand, he felt like he was experiencing nothing more than a very vivid, very lucid dream, but on the other hand, he had dreamt of a moment like this with Saeko for the past three years, and if this was truly real and not just some kind of hallucination, then he was doing flips of joy deep inside.

"Saeko…I don't know what to do…please help me…" Frasier gasped between breaths as he had finally lost whatever willpower he had left and quickly grabbed the cloth tied around Saeko's waist that held her kimono together. With a single pull, her kimono opened up and drifted down her curvaceous body, piling onto the floor around her feet.

Looking her up and down, Frasier felt like he had died and gone to Heaven. Saeko's body was perfect in every way he could've imagined, the curves, the figure, the muscles in all the right places, she was like a goddess to him, just as he was a god to her.

Saeko brought herself closer and meshed her lips to Frasier's once more, this time both of them wrestling each other with their tongues as she quickly pulled Frasier's fly open, forcibly forcing his pants and his boxers down to his ankles as quickly as she could.

Once their lips parted, Saeko looked down and almost went wide-eyed, her whole face blushing as she gazed down at Frasier's rock-hard member. It was like what she'd always hoped Frasier would be like, and yet at the same time it was all that and more.

Shifting her blue eyes up to meet Frasier's gaze, Saeko pressed her whole naked, hot body up against his as he brought his well-toned arms around her sides, slowly bringing his hands up and down her body, as if to memorize every curve she had.

"Frasier…I've wanted you for so long…I can't hold it back any longer…tonight, there's only us…" Saeko moaned as she started to grind her practically burning hot womanhood against Frasier's fully erect cock, both of them moaning in pleasure as the sensation sent sparks up their spines.

"Saeko…I love you so much…" Frasier gasped as he locked lips with her once more, this time fully taking charge and grasping both her large breasts with his hands, fondling and massaging them with renewed vigor, feeling her nipples slowly becoming erect in his hands, his body burning up as he listened to moans of pleasure escape from Saeko's lips into his mouth.

When they pulled their lips apart once more, Saeko's eyes almost sparked with a newly discovered fiery passion as Frasier suddenly felt one of her hands grab his member tightly, almost as if she were claiming it to be hers and hers alone.

"Prove it to me, then, Frasier…prove you love only me…and make me yours!" Saeko finally exclaimed with a lustful passion as she suddenly grabbed Frasier's shoulder with her free hand and practically tossed him onto the bed beside them.

**{Kari Kimmel - Black} **

Frasier was in a momentary daze from Saeko's unexpected action, and before he could fully recollect himself, Saeko practically tackled him, pinning him underneath her. Frasier loved the sensation of Saeko's hot, glistening wet body pressed completely against his before he felt her hand start forcefully stroking up and down his massive length, squeezing tightly at both ends, forcing a strained moan through his teeth as she somehow knew exactly where to touch him in just the right way.

A sly grin spread across Saeko's face as she started to lick the beads of sweat forming on Frasier's face and down his neck. The sensation of her tongue against his skin was unlike anything he'd ever imagine, it was like being touched by the very essence of pleasure itself.

"What's this? You're so forceful and strong on the battlefield, but here, you're just like a little child, powerless to fight back." Saeko swooned as her tongue slowly traced down Frasier's sculpted chest, lustful moans escaping her lips with each breath as she embraced the raw taste of Frasier's body.

Saeko's taunting suddenly awakened a primal rage the likes of which Frasier had never experienced before. As if he couldn't control himself, he suddenly forced his body upright, quickly pinning Saeko underneath him as he looked down at her, both of them panting like animals in heat.

A primal, almost savage lust had awakened in both of them as Frasier grabbed handfuls of Saeko's perfect breasts, looking at them as if he were hypnotized.

"You talk a big game, but you don't seem so tough now either." Frasier taunted before he quickly lunged his head forward, roughly biting onto Saeko's small, pink nipples, earning a barely restrained scream out of Saeko as she tightly wrapped her legs around his hips as if to keep him right where he was.

The sensation of his teeth pulling at her sensitive nubs and his tongue rubbing them all around was almost like a drug to Saeko, her lips nearly drooling as she felt waves of pleasure course through her whole body, her womanhood growing more and more moist with each passing second.

Suddenly, Saeko felt another spark shoot up her body as she felt a sensation the likes of which she'd never have thought imaginable: the sensation of Frasier's fingers running up and down the flowing wet lips of her fresh, pink pussy.

It took every last ounce of her willpower to keep her body from thrashing in throes of pleasure, especially whenever his thumb would start rubbing at her slowly swelling clit.

Saeko practically had to bite her lips to keep from screaming when two of Frasier's fingers finally managed to slip into her womanhood, rubbing her virgin insides, sending multiple sparks of pleasure coursing through her burning womanhood.

In a last minute fit of desperation, Saeko unwrapped her legs from Frasier's hips and quickly pushed into his toned abs, forcing his body away from hers, his lips letting her breasts go free and his fingers sliding from her flowing cunt.

However, this time, Frasier had expected her to react like this, and was on all fours just as quickly as she was. The two of them proceeded to start staring each other down, sparks of passion and unrestrained lust burning between them as they started to circle each other like a couple of lions in the wild, one of them just waiting for the other to make the next move.

This was it: no more games, no more playing around, it was finally time they both let their inhibitions go wild and finally make this night one they would never forget.

After several seconds of this tension-building staring, Saeko finally took the initiative and practically dove for Frasier, but he was completely expecting it this time, using her momentum to his advantage as he practically threw himself on top of her, already poising himself for entry once he had her on her stomach.

This was almost too perfect for words: he was finally going to have the woman of his dreams this night, and in the most submissive position he could've hoped for. Saeko glared at him with burning eyes as he held one of her arms down, positioning his manhood at her flowing, pink opening with his other hand.

Not willing to be beaten so easily, Saeko quickly acted by wrapping her legs around Frasier's, and in that instant, she forced her body upwards, back into his until he had been forced onto his back, and she had him pinned underneath her once again, already positioning herself over his rod in a reverse-cowgirl position, shooting a sly smirk down at him.

Not willing to waste any time like Frasier had done, Saeko took a deep breath through her teeth and instantly slammed herself down, both of them screaming in unimaginable pleasure as Saeko felt herself getting impaled by Frasier's burning cock, already breaking through her virgin walls within a second, and the burning heat and wetness from Saeko's cunt practically consumed his member, sending an almost paralyzing sensation of pleasure through Frasier's whole body.

For several seconds, Saeko didn't move as her body struggled to adapt to the sensation of being filled by her man. Unfortunately for her, Frasier wasn't as patient now as she was. Using this moment to his advantage, Frasier clutched onto Saeko's arms, and flung his body forwards, once again sending her onto her stomach, her athletically tuned ass raised high in the air.

"Never hesitate, Saeko. The oldest rule there is." Frasier muttered between heavy panting breaths as he placed his hands on her shapely hips, and slowly pulled his hips back, before sending one powerful thrust straight into Saeko's soaking wet pussy.

The once intense pain of being penetrated for the first time quickly faded and dramatically changed into pleasure the likes of which Saeko didn't think possible as she felt waves of it slam and run through her whole body as Frasier's thrusts became more and more rapid as he adjusted to the sensation of being inside of her.

Losing more and more control over his body as he continued, Frasier quickly brought one of his hands up high and brought it flying down until a deafening clap of his palm slapping Saeko's shapely ass filled the room.

Saeko nearly screamed as the tingling, stinging sensation of both pain and pleasure jolted up her spine.

"OH, GOD! AGAIN! DO IT AGAIN, FRASIER! HARDER!" Saeko cried out as she started to thrust her hips backwards into Frasier's forcing him even deeper into her drenched, hot slit.

Frasier wasted no time and quickly proceeded to slap his hand against her perfect rear again, earning another rough, pleasured moan from Saeko, which only spurred him on even further. Soon he had developed a rhythm of slapping Saeko's ass with every thrust he put into her, every single time earning an almost orgasmic moan of pleasure from her.

After several seconds of this, Saeko's rear was almost completely red, and her pussy had become even hotter and even wetter once it was all over, her female juices running down her and Frasier's legs as their hips continued slamming into each other.

Once Frasier had gotten set into this rhythm of hard pounding into her cunt, Saeko felt that familiar spark, that desire for pure dominance return to her mind.

When Frasier had brought one of his arms underneath one of her legs, lifting them up so he could start railing her on her sides, Saeko knew she now had her chance.

Draping her leg over his shoulder, Saeko quickly pushed herself up from the bed with her hands, using her position and weight to force Frasier onto his back once again, gravity forcing his member even deeper into her slit, earning an even louder groan of pleasure from deep within her throat.

She looked down at Frasier smiling lustfully as she finally had him underneath her this time, the way she'd always wanted it.

Both their bodies were drenched with sweat, as the heat of pure lust burning within both of them had completely taken over.

Raising her hips, Saeko proceeded to start bouncing her body up and down Frasier's thick, rock-like dick, the sensation of it tearing so deep into her womanhood sending flares and bursts of orgasmic pleasure up Saeko's spine.

This sensation was sheer and absolute bliss as Saeko's eyes nearly rolled into the back of her head, her lips salivating with lustful pleasure, her nails lightly scratching down Frasier's muscular chest.

The sensation was both pain and pleasure to Frasier, as he felt for the very first time, helpless underneath Saeko's will. He became lost in looking upon the beautiful image of the woman he loved riding him ragged, nothing but sheer pleasure visible on her face, a pleasure that they both knew only HE could give her.

Saeko soon had lost the energy to keep herself upright, and her body soon collapsed onto Frasier's, her hips gyrating and pumping his cock, drenching it in her womanly juices as her eyes locked onto Frasier's, the fire of lust replaced now by a loving glow.

With no words to be said, Saeko and Frasier brought their faces closer, their lips pressing together, their tongues entwining as Frasier brought his large arms across her side, holding her hot, wet body even closer to his.

Both of them became lost in this heavenly warmth they gave each other in this moment as Saeko's will for dominance slowly dissipated, allowing Frasier to roll over, having her body lying beneath his once more.

Frasier used his newfound advantage to start thrusting his hips deeper into Saeko's pussy once more, the almost forgotten sensation of Frasier taking control reawakening in Saeko's mind with renewed vigor. Pleasured moans escaped from both their mouths as Saeko finally relented and wrapped her legs around Frasier's hips, keeping him trapped inside of her, pounding down into her relentlessly.

By this point, neither of them cared about dominance, all that mattered was the two of them, in this very moment, nothing else to be considered. Right now was nothing but sheer bliss.

Saeko soon felt a much different spark go down her spine as she could also feel the tip of Frasier's member rubbing against her womb deep inside. Soon, a white line dashed across her mind, forcing her to scream and roughly drag her nails across Frasier's back as she felt her mind go completely wild with pleasure.

Frasier's face winced in pain as he suddenly felt a burst of Saeko's female juices practically flood from her cunt, coating his cock in her womanly essence. Almost instantly afterwards, he felt orgasmic sparks rush through his mind as he suddenly felt himself rapidly approaching his limit.

"Saeko…I can't…I'm going to…!" Frasier muttered as he quickly tried to pull out of Saeko's womanhood before it was too late. However, Saeko's legs wouldn't loosen, almost as if she wanted him to release his seed inside of her.

Acting out of desperation and one barely existent trace of self-control, Frasier quickly pulled Saeko's legs away from his hips, immediately pulling himself free at the very last second before he suddenly felt a white line dash across his mind, and suddenly felt himself practically explode in orgasm.

He felt all the adrenaline and burning energy quickly drain from his body, leaving him truly exhausted as he collapsed onto the bed beside Saeko, gazing upon her perfect body bathed in the moonlight.

As they both struggled to catch their breath, Saeko's beautiful blue eyes slowly opened as she gazed down upon her body, strings and stains of Frasier's sperm spilled across her stomach and her chest, causing her cheeks to start turning a pleasured shade of red as she felt the intense heat all over her body.

"You've marked me, Frasier…you've made it official…you've officially marked me…as yours. I am your woman…now and forever…just as you are now and forever…my man." Saeko panted between heavy breaths as she turned onto her side, gazing lovingly into Frasier's eyes, just as he looked into hers.

Frasier for once couldn't think of what to say. This was one of the greatest moments of his life, he had not only finally made love to the woman he'd loved for three long, hard years, but it felt like they had officially consummated a lifelong companionship none could ever hope to compare to.

**{}**

"Ready for round two?" Saeko suddenly whispered, effectively breaking the moment, as it was clear the female sword expert was eager to prove that when it came to the bedroom, she was the one in charge, that Frasier was in her territory and her word was the law.

"I am...and this time, don't hold back!" Frasier said in a challenging voice, willing to fight her over the title of dominance, watching his beloved woman practically throwing herself into his arms, ready to go yet another round.

While the other three couples were occupied with their own situation, Shizuka and Rika were both sitting in the living room with a bowl of popcorn to share between them. Before them was a large TV focusing on three different recordings at once.

"I told you the cameras would work." Rika sneered as she playfully punched Shizuka in the shoulder, watching her bubbly friend wince at the hit.

"Ouch! Not so hard, you know I'm not as tough as you." Shizuka whined as she rubbed her arm, retaliating by slapping Rika in the thighs knowing it was one of her weak spots. A look of retribution took over the blonde nurse as she watched her friend suddenly cringe at the warm feeling shooting through her inner thighs.

"Mphmm! Damn, alright, we're even!" Rika said as she nearly squealed aloud, clearly showing that despite her rough, exterior attitude, she had her own weaknesses as well.

Shizuka couldn't help but grin at the obvious victory as she smirked and stuck her tongue out in a childish manner, watching as Rika slowly curled up into a ball with her knees tucked up against her chest while her well toned arms tightly wrapped around her smooth shaved shins.

"Oh don't be such a big baby!" Shizuka then announced as she leaned over and tightly held her best friend from behind, a low growl of annoyance muttering under Rika's breath as her eyes began to twitch.

Shizuka giving her a playful kiss on the cheek, watching Rika slowly blush before pressing her back into Shizuka's large chest. A soft sigh echoed throughout the room from each one as they enjoyed the warm embraced being shared.

"So what happened to camera 2?" Shizuka suddenly questioned the moment she noticed that the camera hooked up in Takashi's room was completely blank.

"Don't know, it must have been knocked over in the heat of the moment. Hopefully neither of them noticed it yet. Sure would be a buzz kill having to explain that one." Rika responded in a calm manner while she flicked popcorn up into the air only to catch them when they came back down.

"Can't we fix it?" Shizuka inquired as she looked at Rika, hoping there would be an alternate way to watch the footage.

"Only way would be to go in there and manually set it up. They may be having sex at the moment, but I think they'd notice if the door was opened even in the slightest crack." Rika explained as she shook her head, knowing it was simply impossible for them to get the feed back online.

"Darn, Saya and Khota just finished, and I think Frasier and Saeko are taking a break. If only Marcus were here...sure would be fun to break him in now that we're on the subject." Shizuka observed before going so far as to admitting she had a thing for Marcus, earning an instant look of genuine surprise from Rika after what she just heard.

"Marcus? You into little boys now, Zu-Zu?" Rika teased as she set the bowl aside, watching a look of annoyance form across Shizuka's face, if not a look of total embarrassment.

"Shut up! I don't know why, but his perky attitude and headstrong motto really does something for me. Plus he has a really cute little butt that I just wanna squeeze!" Shizuka explained, almost sounding like a former teenage version of herself.

"Why not the older one?" Rika questioned as she motioned towards the image of Frasier on the screen as Saeko pushed him onto his back, trying to secretly light a cigar only for Shizuka to instantly snatch and snap it like a twig before setting it aside as if nothing just happened.

"Oh trust me, both are easily welcome choices. Sometimes I want a gruff, manly man, so Frasier would be the ideal candidate no doubt. Other times I want the spunky, more innocent type which Marcus suits perfectly." Shizuka said shamelessly. Even Rika had to process that for a split moment before letting out a soft chuckle.

"And here I thought your job was changing you into a prim and proper lady. Didn't they teach you not to fall for students when they hired you?" Rika asked as she raised an eyebrow.

"Mhm, but rules are meant to be broken after all. You taught me that after all, partner." Shizuka replied mischievously before yawning, her arms stretching out as her chest expanded, catching Rika's attention.

"Oh yeah, nearly forgot how innocent you were until we met. Always so...well, you still are kind of clueless now that I think about it. I do however remember how shy you were, but now I just can't seem to turn off your libido." Rika said as she remembered how Shizuka used to be prior to their meeting.

"That's because I'm always turned on!" Shizuka replied in her usual bubbly tone as she too began to become reminiscent of the first time they started to hang out together.

"So do you think we're fucked up for doing what we're doing right now? Everyone else in the world is being eaten and torn apart by former humans, while here we are just fulfilling our carnal needs and reminiscing about our past as youths?" Rika randomly inquired as she hung her head low, somewhat ashamed of a lack in morals.

"Hey...don't say that. This may be the end of the world, but don't even think for a moment that we should feel morally obligated to behave ourselves. Like you said before, 'best to enjoy what little we have now than to miss it when we don't'." Shizuka said in a comforting voice, gently soothing her best friend's worries as she began to tenderly massage the shoulder blades in Rika's back.

A soft burst of laughter suddenly rang out as Rika shook her head before smiling back to Shizuka.

"It's funny, seeing how normally you're the one who does the motivational thing. I guess hanging around you long enough has changed my view on things. You've been staying clean, right?" Shizuka admitted in a humble voice, suddenly shifting the conversation over towards a more serious subject.

"Yes! You don't need to keep checking up on me all the time, I'm a grown woman now, and I can make my own choices!" Rika lashed out in a scolding tone of voice, completely volatile on the matter.

"You know I only ask because I care...I know it's been awhile, and I trust you completely since I've been busy with work. But given the current circumstances, me not being around, and just the mere fact the world is overrun with the undead...I wouldn't have been able to withstand the temptation like you if I were in the same position." Shizuka said in a sympathetic voice as she held onto her friend, admitting that Rika was the one with a superior willpower when it came to self-control.

"Don't worry, I promised you I will never relapse, and I meant every word of it. Never again...now come on, lets get to bed. I think I've seen enough sex for one night anyways." Rika said as she stood up, slowly stretching her arms out to signify she was tired after all the cooking and preparation for their scheme.

"Oh fine...but only if you carry me!" Shizuka said in a bored voice only to make a quick 180 in her personality by jumping onto Rika's back, her close friend grunting out of embarrassment if not humiliation.

"I swear you're such a kid at times." Rika commented as she felt Shizuka childishly nipping at her ear, a warm blush overcoming the stone cold sniper as she slowly carried the group's medical expert along her back, eventually setting her best friend in their bed before instantly being pulled in by the collar of her shirt, closing her eyes when she felt Shizuka's lips pressing against hers, knowing it was their turn to release a great amount of tension through lewd acts and desires.


	32. Act 10: Kibou City Part 5

**Act 10 Kibou Part 5**

Early the next morning, the sun steadily made its ascent. Bright orange rays of light reflected off of all the windows in the city, gently seeping into cracks in the shades of every home and apartment. The sounds and smell of the nearby ocean filled the air for all to enjoy. It was something people hardly noticed in the past, but now it was another thing worth waking up to; another thing that was taken for granted until now.

Before anyone back home could even consider getting up for the day, Marcus quietly entered the house only to see the dining table was completely knocked over. Without hesitation, he quickly ran towards his brothers' room and kicked in the door open without so much as a knock on the door. His eyes widened in shock to the sight before him, not expecting to see both his elder brother and Saeko wrapped up with nothing to cover their naked figures, their legs overlapping over one another to spare him anything that may scar him any further.

"I...I just thought we'd been robbed... or under atit- gah! I mean attacked!" Marcus began to nervously stutter as he did his best to remain polite by not blatantly staring. However, he couldn't handle both sets of crystal blue eyes focusing on him, their stern looks never even allowing them to blink once, effectively causing him to run out the room with both hands over his eyes.

"Should I...?" Frasier questioned, only for Saeko to lie on top of him, gently wrapping her arms around him and resting her head against his hardened chest.

"No, he isn't a little kid. He doesn't need a pep talk. Besides, who said I was done with you?" Saeko said nonchalantly before switching to a more lustful tone, slowly sitting up and pinning her boyfriend onto the bed with no hope of escape.

"Bring it on." Frasier said in an affectionate yet challenging tone, ready to prove his dominance once more. His hands slowly ran along Saeko's shapely hips before embracing her with a passionate kiss.

Meanwhile, Rei suddenly looked up after hearing that someone was clearly up and active outside of the dimly lit room she was in. She quietly tiptoed her way to the exit, carefully turning the knob at a slow pace so Takashi (whom was still presumably knocked out) would not hear a peep.

She steadily pushed the door open only to softly close it behind her before taking a moment to see if Takashi would react. To her luck, the unconscious boy remained as he was when Rei first knocked him out. A cold shiver ran down her spine as she momentarily thought of what could've happened if she hadn't knocked him unconscious.

However, with the knowledge and comfort of knowing somebody else was up and active, Rei had no other reason to stay as still as a statue any longer. Without hesitation, she quickly made her way towards the kitchen only to find Marcus picking up the remains of last night's dinner while Zeke so eagerly helped eat up whatever he could snag.

"What happened out here?" Rei questioned as she knelt down and began to assist the younger Markle brother cleaning up the mess Frasier made last night.

"I was about to ask you the same question. You were here last night, so what happened?" Marcus responded before looking over to Rei, hardly able to notice how she suddenly became physically, if not emotionally, frozen. He cautiously reached out to tap her shoulder, only for Rei to make a complete 180 on her behavior by instantly retracting before Marcus could even come close to touching her.

"Whoa. Rei, what happened? You look like you've seen a ghost or something..." Marcus asked out of concern as he kept his hand back in case things were to escalate any further. It didn't take a psychologist to know she was clearly terrified by something.

"N-nothing happened at all." Rei quickly responded, instantly picking herself up only to storm out the room. Despite her unexpected outburst, she was mainly confused at herself as to why she reacted towards Marcus the way she physically reacted to Takashi last night.

While Marcus remained in the kitchen cleaning the last of the mess, Rei suddenly felt someone grabbing both her legs. Her heart nearly skipped a beat, only to realize that it was merely Alice who had managed to sneak up on her while she stood in the middle of a hallway with her back turned.

"Boo!" Alice playfully announced, causing Rei to smile at the childish yet innocent act that she couldn't help but enjoy.

"Hey, Alice. Sleep well?" Rei asked as Alice proceeded to let out an extended yawn before silently responding with a simple nod of acknowledgment.

"Come on, I'll make you some breakfast." Rei offered as she lifted the still tired little girl in her arms before making her way down the stairs. Alice nodded her head in acceptance as Rei set her down in one of the chair surrounding the dining room table before the older girl made her way into the kitchen. All the while, Marcus had already sat himself in a chair of his own, unable to ignore that once again, Rei's behavior had made another unbelievable polar opposite switch.

Over time, one by one, more of the group began to slowly make their way down the stairs to the main room only to either greet each other with simple 'good mornings' or tired grumbles before sitting themselves at the dining room table. It wasn't long before Rei had already set down plates of eggs and different assortments of fruit in front of everyone, pretty much giving them the signal to go ahead and eat. While everyone dug in, nobody noticed how Rei almost instinctively sat herself in the chair in between Saeko and Saya, on the complete opposite side of the table from where Takashi was sitting, not even bothering to make eye contact with him, which he luckily didn't even seem to acknowledge.

"So, I take it everyone had a pleasant night last night?" Shizuka suddenly asked, causing almost everyone to suddenly freeze, the girls all shocked that the nurse would be so straightforward about such a personal subject. However, instead of a barrage of graphic stories like she'd been expecting, the nurse was only met with a series of grunts and halfhearted nods, or dead silence on Rei's part.

"With all due respect, Shizuka, I don't think this is an appropriate conversation to be having right now." Frasier sternly reprimanded the nurse as he motioned towards Alice, who still looked to have absolutely no clue what any of them were talking about. Shizuka could only give a playful pouting face as Marcus couldn't help but chuckle at the more than obvious looks on everyone's faces. It looked like Frasier and Saeko weren't the only ones that had gotten busy last night. Now he suddenly started to regret having not been here at the time.

"Don't worry, I'm sure there'll be plenty of opportunities for talks like that in the future." Marcus reassured the blonde nurse as she couldn't help but smile at his optimistic attitude as Rika gave her a supportive pat on the back, clearly recognizing the mischievous look in her golden eyes.

"So, now that it's officially been one day since your 'miraculous' recovery, beloved, what exactly is it you plan on doing now?" Saeko then asked as her blue eyes connected with Frasier's, clearly wanting to make sure he wasn't thinking of doing anything foolish so soon after getting out of the hospital, especially anything that would exacerbate his heart.

"Well, as much as I truly enjoy getting to settle down and spend time with all of you, I still don't want to take any chances of losing my edge. I at least want to check and see if there are any scavenging runs being planned. Maybe I can get the team they gave me back in order and we can head back out into the field." Frasier explained. Everyone instinctively froze up and exchanged nervous glances. Frasier was very quickly able to pick up on this sudden dead silence. Clearly he was in the dark about something here.

"Frasier…uh…that just reminded me of something that we forgot to mention…" Marcus began to explain. Frasier didn't even flinch, his gaze never faltered. He was almost like a living statue. If there was something he couldn't stand, it was not knowing something important, and one way or another he was going to get filled in on what suddenly made everyone so tense.

"You see…while you were out, and the new council was getting their laws set up in the city…there were some major changes made to the way things were going to be run here. One of the biggest ones being that…they've disbanded and forbidden all scavenging runs from this point forward." Marcus finally said, and the look in Frasier's eyes at such a ludicrous new law nearly brought a chill to the entire room. He almost couldn't even believe what he was hearing. This had to easily be one of the most ludicrous things he'd ever heard.

"You see, they want everyone to focus more on solidifying our defenses in the case of another invasion of some kind, plus they firmly believe the city has enough food and other essentials to last for a year. Although if you were to ask me, I'd say it's because they don't want to risk anyone getting any bright ideas and running off with one of the vehicles." Saya chimed in, yet this didn't alleviate the tension any. Frasier's expression, however, never changed. He was simply taking this information in and trying his best to keep his composure, if not for his own health, then for the sake of not exploding at everyone around him at this moment. Taking a sharp breath through his teeth, he started clenching and unclenching his fists in an attempt to remain calm as everyone instinctively began to inch away from him with the exception of Saeko.

"Very well, then. So…what exactly is it I'm supposed to do now?" Frasier asked calmly, although if there was anybody who was wary of this, it was Marcus.

"Well, after the rule was passed, my father was very adamant in that you be recognized as one of the true heroes in the battle last week, and I know they were familiar with your recent exploits. So I'm sure they'd be sure to always have a spot open for you in security if you were to show up." Saya suggested. Frasier could only put his hands together and sigh in exasperation. This was a huge piece of disappointing news for him, but he knew that after everything the group had gone through, the worst thing he could do was protest what was being offered to him. Without another word, he rose from the table and began to head for the door. Saeko was about to follow after him before he suddenly brought a hand up to stop her.

"Saeko, this is something personal I'm going to attend to. I'm going to be completely honest; I'd feel at least a little better if you were to just stay here today. Okay?" Frasier explained, earning a look of disappointment and somewhat betrayal from the swordswoman as she could only sigh in acceptance and return to the table with the others.

Without another word to be said, Frasier was out the door, leaving everyone else in the silent house as the once warm and cheerful atmosphere of the morning had grown awkward and cold.

"Well, I'm going to be attending to another day in the hospital. Rei, Saya, I'm sure you've noticed that people haven't been getting sick or injured as much lately, so I don't think I'll need you girls' to assist me today. Why don't you just take today off and relax?" Shizuka suddenly piped in, in order to alleviate the now dreary air hanging over the whole group.

"Good idea. Me and Khota have to fall in with the security team that watches over the wall today as well." Rika chimed in, not even aware of a sudden spark in Saya's eyes at the mention of her and Khota going off somewhere together.

"Yeah, and I'll be on the way to my new job. Apparently the people assigned to work at the port need all the help they can get with whatever, so I guess I'll see if they need me." Takashi then commented. While she gave no real response, Rei couldn't help but feel a tad relieved that at least she would be a good distance from Takashi today after what had happened.

"So then it's just gonna be me, Alice, Rei and Saeko today?" Marcus asked, clearly a bit disappointed that there was really gonna be nothing for him to do today.

"Oh, not necessarily, Marcus. I can't see why you can't come to the hospital with me. Maybe I could teach you a few things, just in case anything at all may happen further down the road." Shizuka suddenly invited in a warm tone, clearly catching everyone else by surprise, but also earning an amused chuckle out of Rika. Marcus couldn't even think of a reaction to give before the nurse had suddenly gotten up from the table and grabbed the young Brit by the wrist, pulling him up onto his feet and to the door.

Once the two were out the door, one by one everyone else quickly finished eating up before heading off to their own separate duties, or just wherever they felt like in Saeko, Rei and Saya's cases. Who knew just what this day could possibly have in store for the whole lot of them?

As Frasier walked down the security complex hallway alone and unescorted after making the big transition over to security rather than being a scavenger, he suddenly felt himself being pulled into an unknown room right next to him. The force was so sudden and unexpected; he barely had time to form a fist before he found himself being violently thrown against a chair. He looked up to see four men dressed in the same new uniform as him, and one other man in the corner of the room wearing a full business suit with a disgusted look on his face.

"So is this him? Well, he sure fits the description, seeing how there are only so many foreigners in Japan nowadays." the man in the suit questioned as he looked over Frasier, who was surprisingly calm despite being thrown into what appeared to be an interrogation room.

"So is this some sort of hazing ritual for becoming security? Because while I am somewhat flattered; I really need to get going. You know how it is, places to be, y'know." Frasier responded in a humorous tone, hoping he'd be able to talk his way out of what clearly was a bad situation for him to be in, slowly getting up only to be motioned to stop when he could hear the sound of a gun being trained behind him.

"Oh I wish it was, but you see, my son doesn't seem to be so fond of you after your little encounter the other day. So this is going to be a problem for you, since I happen to have a lot of influence around this city now. I'm fully aware of who you are and what you did. Some people call you a hero, but personally I was expecting someone older from the stories I'd heard." the man in the suit said as two security guards placed their hands on Frasier's shoulders, forcing him back down into his seat.

"So what are you going to do? Make threats to a guy who can easily kill all of the men in this room without so much as breaking a sweat? Trust me, you wouldn't be the first to try, and I'm certain you won't be the last either." Frasier responded with a confident yet determined demeanor, his eyes never blinking once as he glared at what had to be one of the new council members standing before his very eyes.

"Oh I've heard how tough you are despite your young age. However, I'm pretty sure your loved ones aren't nearly as durable nor fearless as you appear to be." the councilman responded with a calm yet insidious voice that caused Frasier to mentally recoil, knowing this guy clearly knew him better than he'd anticipated.

"If you hurt a single one of them, I swear I'll-" Frasier responded before being backhanded across the face by the councilman who had a somewhat pained expression on his face when it felt like his hand had just hit a brick wall.

"I'll do as I please. You forget who is in charge around here, kid. I recommend you shape up and do as you're told like a good dog if you know what's best for you and your family!" the councilman interrupted as he then made it clear that if Frasier defied him anymore, he'd not only be condemning himself but everyone else he'd made the choice of getting close to.

"What should we do with him now, sir?" one of the men restraining Frasier questioned as the councilman slowly took his leave of the interrogation room.

"Just for good measure, rough him up so he remembers who's holding the leash, but do try and restrain yourselves. I plan on using this one to our advantage once he fully understands whom the master is." the councilman sneered before slowly closing the door behind himself, enjoying the sounds of fists clapping and pounding into Frasier, a smug look of self-satisfaction when he knew at this rate he'd have one of the strongest survivors in the city broken in no time.

Several minutes later, Frasier felt a splash of ice-cold water thrown against his face. A heavy sigh escaped his lips when he looked up with a closed black eye to see one of the security guards squat down before him. The man's black glove suddenly gripped his hair up so they were making perfect eye contact.

"Now remember, you had a training accident. Go blabbing to anyone about this, and it will be much more than a black eye for you and your friends." the older man hissed before shoving Frasier's head back, smirking to himself when the once renowned hero could do nothing but slump in his seat in defeat.

"Where's a nearby phone?" Frasier suddenly questioned as he pulled himself up without assistance, showing he wasn't entirely drained just yet.

"Down the hall and take a left. Oh, and don't think we won't be listening in on it." the man chuckled as Frasier passed by him, just noticing the badge on his shirt read 'Shin'.

"I'll keep that in mind." Frasier responded as he spat the blood in his mouth aside, slowly wiping his mouth off as he made his way down towards the phone. A blank lack of emotion was on his face to mask what he was truly feeling on the inside as he quickly tapped the number in.

"Hello?" Alice's voice announced through the little speaker in the receiver as Frasier rolled his eyes at the fact nobody else could pick up the phone other than the little girl.

"Alice, it's Frasier. Can you please put Saeko on the phone for me?" Frasier inquired as he leaned against the wall, hoping these corrupt cowards hadn't gotten to her yet.

"She isn't here right now." Alice responded as a painful clench-like feeling grasped at Frasier's vulnerable heart, causing him to physically tremble at the possibilities as to why she wasn't home when he'd personally asked her to be.

"Did she say where she was going?!" Frasier questioned as he began to nervously pace back and forth in the room, uncertain what kind of hell he would unleash if anything had happened to Saeko because of his own hubris and headstrong attitude.

"She's talking outside with Rei. They look real happy and can't stop giggling about something." Alice responded calmly as she didn't even notice the worry in Frasier's voice.

Frasier was mentally trekking back the moment Alice said that, a huge surge of relief lifting most of his worries off his back as he then smiled a bit in anticipation.

"Alice, be a dear and please hand the phone to Saeko." Frasier requested as he looked around only to see that Shin was within listening distance of him, making Frasier return to his weary state of mind.

"Okay! Be right back!" Alice cheerfully exclaimed as she ran through the house and out to the backyard, watching how neither Saeko nor Rei even noticed her approaching.

"I'm sure everything is going to be alright. I hear security is much safer than being a scavenger anyways!" Rei said to Saeko as they were discussing the topic of the recent job transfer that was somewhat affecting the sword woman's emotions.

Both of them suddenly looked straight down when they noticed a small hand wiggling the phone in the gap between them. Alice looking up at them with an innocent gaze in her purple eyes.

"Phone for you, Saeko!" Alice announced like a proud little messenger, prompting Saeko to eagerly accept it.

"Hello?" Saeko asked when she held the small device to her ear, listening in only to hear her boyfriend's nervous voice come to life. Her face steadily sank into despair as she could tell something was clearly bothering him.

"Yes...are you sure? Can't you just...okay...I trust you, beloved. All right. I love you too, Frasier." Saeko said, pausing each time whenever he'd respond to her. A grim look formed across her face throughout the entire conversation before the phone on his side finally hung up.

"Saeko, are you alright? You look more pale than usual." Rei asked out of concern, placing a tender hand on her best friend's shoulder in an attempt to reach through to Saeko.

"I'll be fine for now, but right now we need to gather the others while we can and let them know what's going on." Saeko suddenly said with a determined look glistening in her eyes, making a complete 180 in her personality as she spoke in her usual confident tone everyone had come to know. A nod of understanding was all Rei needed to give as they both proceeded to go back inside the house to bring Saya up to speed before they'd be able to gather the rest of the group.

Back at the security station, Frasier let out yet another soft sigh of relief before he turned to see Shin standing before him. Their eyes never broke contact as Shin soon formed a grin that gave Frasier a feeling that he was about to go on a new and very unpleasant assignment.

"C'mon, kid. We're going to the Spire. Get your shit together." Shin ordered as bits of spit pecked against Frasier's cheeks. A look of increasing disgust was all he could express as the harsh CO left him to prepare for whatever task he was being dragged off to next.

On the truck ride, Frasier noticed one of the other men sent with him was playing a game on his cell phone, clearly not taking whatever task they were dealt with very seriously. Knowing he had to warn Shizuka since she was most likely at work, he decided to take a risk by making a second call.

"Hey! Mind if I borrow that for a moment? I need to check up on something important." Frasier requested as his co-worker eagerly nodded and handed the phone over, only for Shin to snatch it, giving Frasier a stern look with an authoritative stance to back it up.

"One minute, then afterwards you're not getting so much as a glass of water until the job is done. Understand?" Shin growled as he was quite fed up with having to allow Frasier to make a request despite being on very thin ice.

"That suits me just fine actually." Frasier remarked as Shin simply snarled before begrudgingly handing him the cellphone, watching as he casually dialed the number in.

"Hello?" Marcus' voice answered, causing Frasier to raise an eyebrow at him answering the phone, yet at the same time he was relieved since it would fit into his agenda.

"Hey, Marky, my new cellphone needs to be activated. The input code is P13R4." Frasier announced into the small device, his voice perfectly devoid of any emotion so the other security guards wouldn't notice his true intentions.

"What? You have a cellphone now? Frasier, what's going on? You're acting very strange." Marcus questioned in a confused voice, uncertain what was getting into his older brother along with Saeko when she had told him to immediately hurry home just a few minutes ago before running out of the hospital.

"It worked? Perfect. Thanks, Marky. I'll be there tonight around 6 or so. Bye." Frasier responded, clearly avoiding the question before the line was disconnected. A strange look of concern and worry could be seen on Marcus' face as he set the phone down, only to glance at Shizuka who was playfully rubbing his shoulders now.

"Is everything alright? You look very pale all of a sudden. I didn't take all the wind out of your lungs, did I?" Shizuka inquired as she couldn't help but notice the mixed expressions coming from Marcus.

"It was Frasier. He was talking about a bunch of gibberish. Something about a code, then he randomly hung up before answering my question. What really didn't seem right though was how he was addressing me as Marky..." Marcus explained as he shook his head, clearly deep in thought about what his older brother was getting at. It was strange seeing how Frasier had never once in their entire lives called Marcus by such a name.

"Aww, that's a cute nickname though! I think I'm going to start having to call you that from now on." Shizuka suggested in a bubbly tone before kissing his cheek affectionately, forcing him to blush despite the ominous situation.

"Shizuka...I think there's something wrong. We need to get back home and regroup with the others." Marcus suggested as he grabbed Shizuka's hand, leading her towards the door, only to stop dead in his tracks when two figures could be seen approaching to enter the room.

"Quick, pretend to be doing something!" Marcus instructed in a quick-thinking tone as he then backed up against the wall, perfectly hidden behind the door as it slowly swiveled open. Shizuka froze up at such an unexpected turn of events only to come face to face with two security guards who just entered completely unannounced.

"Can I help you two?" Shizuka asked in a shy voice, somewhat intimidated that she couldn't see their faces through the helmets they were wearing, almost as if they intended to cover their identity from being viewed by anyone else.

"We need you to come with us right away," one of them asked in a blunt tone, cutting straight to the chase without so much as introducing oneself. Clearly something wasn't right here, seeing how security guards were never seen around the hospital, since that was one of the last places the infected could reach.

"I'm actually needed elsewhere right now. Can't you find somebody else?" Shizuka tried to explain in a weak attempt to lie to the two men before her. A nervous chill ran down her spine as she began to slightly tremble, causing Marcus to clench his fists at the sight of her being so frightened by these two shady characters.

"We checked with your supervisors and there shouldn't be any need for you to be here. Come with us." the second security guard announced in a menacing tone, showing that they knew she was bluffing and wouldn't tolerate it a second time.

"I...but..." Shizuka began to plead, trying her best to not look at Marcus and give his position away.

As one of the security guards reached out and firmly grabbed her wrist, Marcus could no longer hold himself back. Quickly glancing to the side, he quickly snatched up a syringe, jabbing it with more than enough force to penetrate the navy blue outfit. The needle went a few inches into the first security guard's back, causing him to cry out in agonizing pain before falling to the ground completely limp, no doubt due to the anesthetic that lied within the syringe, while the other turned around only for his helmet to be spun in a 180, effectively disorienting and blinding him just long enough for Marcus to continue with his offensive blitz.

Without hesitation, Marcus broke the man's grip on Shizuka only to knee him in the stomach, forcing him to keel forwards before Marcus wrapped both arms around the base of the neck. Shizuka watched, both terrified yet thrilled at the same time as her attacker slowly slipped into unconsciousness. She instantly ran into Marcus's arms as he watched the man drop to the floor like a sack of bricks.

"You alright?" Marcus questioned to ensure that Shizuka was all right, feeling her nervous trembling slowly easing itself out when she refused to let go.

"Mhm, but how do we get out of here now? It looks like that wasn't the last we'd be seeing of them." Shizuka asked as she looked out the window to see there were more security guards patrolling around the area, most likely to ensure there was no way she could casually leave without intervention.

"Hmm, what would Frasier do? Other than kill anything that looked at him funny of course..." Marcus noted as he did his best to ponder as to what they could use to escape until he suddenly noticed a laundry cart out in the middle of the hallway.

"I think I found a solution! Give me an intern outfit." Marcus announced as he dragged the large bin on wheels into the room, only to scavenge up his own disguise. He then began to pull out all the clothing only to motion Shizuka to get in.

She was hesitant at first, but trusted that Marcus knew what he was doing. After helping her in, he began to pile the lesser of the dirty laundry over her before simply filling it up to the brim.

"Can you breathe?" Marcus asked as he moved some of the clothing around to ensure Shizuka didn't suffocate.

"Yes, now lets get out of here." Shizuka responded before managing to create a small gap big enough for her to be able to look up at Marcus while remaining practically invisible to anyone who may have passed by them.

Marcus on the other hand was casually yet carefully pushing the laundry cart down the seemingly empty hallway, only for an occasional doctor or intern to randomly pass by, minding their own business. All appeared to be going smoothly until a loud female-like screech could be heard, causing both Marcus and Shizuka to practically breathe through their teeth, knowing that someone must've just discovered the two unconscious security guards.

Knowing security would be sure to respond by sending more men in to investigate what happened, Marcus began to increase the pace, only to stop dead in his tracks when two elevator doors opened to reveal a squad of officers moving in on the scene.

"What's going on? Why have we stopped?" Shizuka inquired as she could see Marcus sweating through her peephole.

"Nothing. Just keep quiet, whatever you do." Marcus hushed in an attempt to remain hidden for as long as he could. Taking a deep inhale for confidence, he pushed onwards, trying his best to avoid eye contact whenever he felt tempted to shift his gaze at the officers passing by him.

Entering the elevator with sweat running down his face, Marcus stood side by side with two security guards that appeared to be monitoring the flux in the use of the elevator; most likely another attempt to apprehend Shizuka if she were to be seen passing by. Each one slowly scanned Marcus up and down to see he was on edge.

"You look pretty sweaty compared to most of the other workers here. They must have you busting your ass off." one of the men chuckled in a lighthearted tone, patting Marcus on the back out of encouragement.

"Can't necessarily say that the others are working as hard as this one. I guess it's true that a man in a foreign country will work twice as hard to make something of himself, even after the world's ended. Or maybe this one is up to something. For all we know, he's got something much bigger planned." the other security guard said in contrast, planting a firm hand on Marcus' shoulder, causing him to shudder despite fighting his hardest to remain in character.

"Lay off of the boy. He's certainly been working harder than those idiots that took the place of the two former council members. I hate it when you have to always suspect somebody is up to something." The first guard suddenly said in Marcus' defense, causing his partner to instantly ease up.

"Oh, come on, man; they should know I don't mean any harm behind it all. We're here to protect and serve after all. Also, don't let the boss hear you talking about the new councilors like that. You remember what happened to the last guy that did." the more stern and grumpy of the two guards responded defensively before warning his fellow partner just moments before the doors opened wide to reveal a lobby that was going on lockdown due to the alarm being raised.

Without waiting for any opportunities to be stopped and questioned, Marcus made his way towards the back exit that led into the parking garage, only to stop dead in his tracks to see there were no laundry trucks or any other vehicles to use in their stealthy getaway.

"Fuck! Fuck! FUCK!" Marcus snapped as his voice echoed a few times through the hallow structure, Shizuka closing her eyes as she knew it seemed like their luck had finally ran out.

"Marcus, what do we do now? We can't possibly go back through the front entrance." Shizuka asked as she sat up to see a look of desperation in his eyes, as if he was about to sacrifice himself to get her out of this mess. At least it was this way until a bright light shined upon them, with the sound of an approaching truck just now being realized by the two survivors on the run.

"Get down and stay there! Let me take care of this..." Marcus ordered as he reached for the short-barreled pistol he smuggled in that he kept around in his vest, knowing that he'd have to take a few lives if this was another group of security guards trying to apprehend Shizuka.

However, when the truck swayed around and the door opened up, Marcus slowly smiled while he retracted his hand from drawing the weapon. Without hesitation, he pulled Shizuka up from the bin and led her into the small pickup truck that casually made its way out of the parking structure and far from the security force's lines of sight as they continued to search the hospital for those responsible for the unconscious security guards.

-

Minutes before the hospital incident, Frasier hung up the cellphone and tossed it back to the security officer he borrowed it from. Leaning back against his seat, he could only hope that Marcus would be able to figure out what he meant by all that.

"Alright, ladies. Here we are." the driver announced in a teasing tone before making a sharp turn to the left, causing them to slightly sway yet remain seated. Some of them let out slightly annoyed grunts due to the fact that they couldn't simply enjoy a quiet ride to wherever it was they were being sent out for.

The security transport suddenly came to an abrupt halt, the back doors opening up to reveal masses of citizens standing outside the Spire. Frasier let out a disgruntled sigh; just knowing this couldn't end well if the security detail sent in was armed with automatic weapons. However, he also knew that if he stepped out of line again, he would be risking the safety of those he cared for, making this a very risky situation for him.

"No more lies! No more lies!" the crowds continuously chanted as it was more than clear that the newest additions to the council had already accumulated a bad reputation with the people of Kibou City, an ominous omen that signaled even more trouble in the near future.

'C'mon...get out of here while you still can.' Frasier thought to himself when passing alongside the aggravated protestors, a conflicted feeling taking over when he could see there were children in these crowds.

The security detail slowly marched to the top of the stairs, only to stand there with a menacing demeanor in hopes that the crowds of protestors would back down at the sight of their automatic rifles. While some were somewhat hesitant about flat out charging the building, the majority of the civilians weren't even remotely fazed, seeing how vastly they outnumbered the security guards.

"Sir, it doesn't appear the crowds are going to disperse anytime soon. What do you recommend?" Shin questioned in a somewhat nervous tone when he placed his hand over the intercom link in his helmet.

"Do what you must to keep those ingrates out! Lethal force is authorized! I won't tell you twice!" an angry voice responded into all the helmets, each user mentally recoiling at first from the unexpected answer, until the sound of protesting citizens on the verge of full on rioting could be heard again.

"Anyone want to throw in their two cents? Because now would be a damn good time." Shin brought up, as he looked at the others, only to watch them shake their heads, a sly grin forming across his face, knowing that nobody would dare oppose him.

"I suggest we try to reason with those crowds." Frasier suddenly suggested, instantly earning chastising looks of disagreement. A sinking feeling took over as he realized that was a mistake he couldn't take back now.

"Oh please, you can't hope to reason with these people. I suggest you man up and get ready for trouble, because we're certainly giving it to these pests." Shin announced as he was quickly taking charge of the escalating conflict. He then flicked off the safety to his gun, the rest of the team quickly following his lead.

"How many rounds do you expect to get off before those crowds overrun you? Be reasonable about this for just a moment and you'll see-" Frasier attempted to say before being backhanded aside by the fully grown man. A look of contempt burned in his eyes as it took all his willpower to not strike back.

"Shut up! These people are mere cockroaches and will scatter as such once we show them whose boss. Feel free to join them if you wish. Just know that I'm fully aware of your little predicament with the higher ups; how if you step out of line again, you're going to regret it dearly, starting with your pretty little girlfriend." Shin scorned before he grabbed Frasier's shoulder, pulling him in to whisper the last of his sinister threat, a mixed expression of shock and uncertainty forming across the young Brit's face.

"That's right, I know all about Saeko Busujima and how much she means to you. I'll be sure to take good care of her if you choose to step on the wrong toes again. She's a proper Japanese girl after all; being with foreign scum such as you should be beneath a woman of her stature. Hell, maybe she'll be better off if you did screw up. So what's it gonna be, kid?" Shin said in a voice that made Frasier's aching heart pound in what could be seen as genuine fear; a rare feeling he'd never truly encountered without quickly finding a way around it. The thought of this vile pig laying a single finger on Saeko simply boiled Frasier's blood to the point he couldn't help but imagine how good it would feel to strangle this guy to death with his own two hands. However, he knew killing this security officer along with the others would certainly be the last straw.

"We do it your way. We kill the cockroaches." Frasier softly muttered in a defeated tone, finally making the necessary choice he knew would impact everything from this point onwards. The security officer before him simply grunted in a somewhat pleased manner to see some cooperation for once.

"That's better. Now get in line and don't forget to watch for anyone who might be able to fight back. I plan on retiring one day, y'know," the corrupt security officer said as he motioned Frasier along with the rest of the detail to take aim at the seemingly helpless group of civilians.

"We fire a single shot into the air to simply warn them that we mean business. Anyone who doesn't flee will simply have to suffer for their own stupidity. Now fire!" the commanding security officer announced before he and the rest of the group shot a single round into their air for effect, only to be quickly followed by a series of burst fire.

The crowds suddenly fell silent as they watched four of the five security guards slowly roll down the stairs, littered with bullet wounds to the backs of their heads. A few people predictably ran away while the ones who stayed investigated what had happened in the confusion.

"Did anyone see what happened here?" one of the random protestors questioned, since only those in the front row would've been able to see what had truly gone down in that split second.

"One of theirs...he just shot them, then took off like there was no tomorrow. I can see why he'd rather not stick around though; he just made a very powerful enemy." one of the witnesses explained as she knew this was just the beginning of something big if guards were turning on one another in broad daylight.

Meanwhile, Frasier ran around the building to the troop transport. Without restraint, he pried the door wide open, only to be greeted by the startled driver.

"Shit! Fucking gave me a heart attack kid. What the hell is going on over there? I heard gunshots..." the driver exclaimed only to be cut short when Frasier drew a pistol on him, a look of ill intent forming in the crystal blue eyes that never blinked once.

"I'm going to need to borrow your ride." Frasier responded as he formed a sly grin across his face, watching a look of fear develop on the driver before him, knowing that he had to reach the group before the councilman he had ill relations with would realize his betrayal.

Moments after the sudden act of betrayal, the chief of security for Kibou City stood before a large table that had a map panned out of the entire city before him.

"So it looks like he wants to do it the hard way. Very well, lets see just how clever you actually are. Nagata! Turn on that monitor and see if the truck they were brought in has moved an inch after my men found the remains of our rogue operative's victims." the chief commanded as he paced back and forth around the table before looking over to the man working a computer monitor that displayed a blinking red dot to represent the truck.

"It's moving towards the coast; just as we'd predicted if he were to remain as stubborn as ever. Shall we send a team to intercept the vehicle?" the computer operator deduced before wanting to confirm the most reasonable of actions to take.

"No. We know exactly where he's going to stop. Let him think he's one step ahead of us, and fall under the impression that he's safe. I will see to his capture myself. Rally up a breach team. This won't take long at all." the chief of security said in an arrogant tone, 100% certain he knew how Frasier was operating after studying his dossier while he was hospitalized for the past week.

Within just a few minutes, multiple transports were stationed just outside of the beach house, numerous men all scattered along any possible exits. There was no way anyone could escape without being spotted by somebody on watch. The chief of security stood there proudly as he noticed the hijacked truck was right where it was supposed to be. No sign of Frasier himself, but this was the most likely spot he would've gone of all places.

"Alright, I'm certain they know they're in big trouble now. Launch a few canisters of tear gas and see how they react to it." the chief announced as he watched a few men with tear gas run out and toss the metal canisters through the windows, the shattered glass soon being covered by the mist of fumes enveloping the entire house.

"Remember, we want these people alive to make examples to the rest of those who think they can get away with this kind of bullshit. However, if they prove too much effort, I want them all dead." the chief reminded his men as he could see some were keeping their fingers very close to the trigger.

However, when no figures could be seen moving out of the house, the chief of security eventually became impatient, his fingers starting to nervously tap against the hood of his car as everyone eagerly awaited some sort of reaction.

"Lieutenant, take a squad in there and drag them out yourself." the chief ordered as a group of security officers wearing body armor and gas masks entered through the broken windows to see what was really going on here.

Their heavy, raspy breathing was all that could be heard. None dared to separate from the others, knowing they'd be picked off if there were anyone still here. Each one could feel their heart pounding against their chest as every room turned out empty.

"Where did they go? There weren't any secret rooms or exits, were there?" one of the guards inquired as he nervously scanned the bedrooms for any signs of movement or signs of the targets.

"No, this place was just refurbished. We have the blueprints and everything. Only way out is through the front door, back door, and the windows. We've got all our bases covered, so why can't we see any of them?" the lieutenant explained in a sharp tone before he started to doubt the lack of evidence of anyone being here.

"The chief isn't going to like this one bit." one of the others commented, knowing they weren't going to enjoy whatever he had to say about the unusual situation. The others shuddered before having to exit the house in a single filed line.

"Not a single person could be found. It's like they never even lived there to begin with." one of the men from the breach team answered as the others bowed their heads in shame for coming back empty handed.

Before the chief could even get a word out, he noticed that the hijacked transport trucks had been on this entire time; the engine still running despite it appearing to be completely vacant.

"Check that truck out. I feel we might get a clue or at least some clarity," the chief ordered as he completely ignored the breach team to investigate the truck they used to track Frasier down.

The men around the truck pried it open, only to find that one of their own was behind the driver's seat with his hands heavily duct taped to the steering wheel, a terrified look in his eyes when he could see the chief storming over with a mixed look of anger and confusion on his face.

"What the hell is this?! Explain yourself right now!" the chief demanded in a furious tone as the driver was cut free and dragged out before everyone to see.

"He's smarter than you think, sir. Killed the other men before he caught me off guard with a gun to my head. After tying my hands to the wheel, he told me exactly where to drive and wait there to be rescued by whomever you guys sent. That's all I know though, so please don't kill me, sir." the driver explained to everyone around him, clearly impressed someone so young could outsmart even the big chief himself. He then began to show terror as the chief gave him the impression that he was going to explode from being deceived so flawlessly.

However, the anger was soon pent up as the chief pulled the driver to his feet and brushed him off, a look of understanding in his eyes as he then motioned everyone else to prepare to move out to continue their manhunt.

"Kill you? Not at all, you were just doing your job and got caught up in a hostage situation. Go home and get some rest. You just let us take things from here." the chief said with genuine compassion, knowing this driver would've been killed if he had not complied to Frasier's demands.

He then turned over towards his men who all anxiously looked to him for their next set of orders, each one knowing that things were about to heat up and fast.

"Gate control, this is Chief Haku. Seal all the entrances and exits to the city. We're on lockdown until the terrorist known as Frasier Markle is brought in." the man in charge now known as Haku announced into his radio, a smile of confidence forming as everyone in the city could hear an alarm go off before the large gates were on full lockdown. Nothing could enter nor exit the city now.

The sun was moments away from setting as Frasier slowly stumbled his way into a seemingly empty harbor. The fishermen and dock workers were either joining the various search parties for him in the city, or were simply relaxing at home with their loved ones; making this place an ideal area to hide away from the corrupt law enforcement. He looked up at a large sign that read "PIER 4" along the side, a smile threatening to form as he could then hear the sound of multiple footsteps coming from the next room over.

Without hesitation, he pulled the door wide open to see his group nearly jump out of their skin at the thought of being caught in the open like this. Their faces quickly turned from fear to relief (except for Saya who seemed to have nothing but pure content in her eyes) as Saeko came running straight into his arms for comfort. It was more than clear to those watching that she was beyond relieved to see Frasier had successfully evaded their new foe.

"We were beginning to wonder if you'd been captured or worse. You need to tell me what's going on right now before I let you so much as take another step inside. Is it true? Did you really kill all those security guards and join those protestors in killing him?" Saeko asked on the verge of tears, only to then wonder if Frasier was truly as evil as the recently printed propaganda had proclaimed him to be.

"Killed who?" Frasier questioned, as he wasn't expecting there to be anyone outstanding other than those security guards he slaughtered at the front steps of the council building.

Suddenly, Saya had a pistol pressed against Frasier's forehead, the tears she desperately tried to hold back streaming down her face as everyone was visibly shocked and surprised at such a sudden change in her behavior.

"MY FATHER! ANSWER THE FUCKING QUESTION OR SO HELP ME GOD, I'LL DO IT...!" Saya roared out in a devastated voice, her body visibly trembling at the nerve-wrecking situation, as she never let the gun down in the slightest.

"What?! Hang on a damn minute, did I miss something here?" Frasier questioned, as he had no idea what she was talking about when they brought up the accusation of killing Souichiro Takagi, nobody even considering intervening, knowing that Saya was a loose cannon at this point.

***BLAM* **

Saya fired a single round up into the ceiling, causing everybody to flinch and cover their ears before she pointed it right between Frasier's eyes.

"Yes or no...If I hear anything else, I'm going to pull the trigger, and don't you think for even a second that I won't. You look me in the eyes and give me a straight fucking answer right now." Saya demanded as she ran the brim of her finger along the trigger. Right now, a mere squeeze was all it would take to kill Frasier.

"No." Frasier said in a surprisingly calm voice while his crystal blue eyes locked onto Saya's twitchy, nerve wrecked yellow ones that showed great hatred towards him. A look of distrust could be seen, but his tone of voice and body language convinced Saya that he was telling the truth.

Saya just let out a low growl of defeat before tossing the gun aside and storming off to cry in the corner of the storage room they were in. Frasier bowed his head as Khota, Shizuka, and Rei tended to the grief stricken genius, who was a complete and utter emotional wreck at that moment.

"What the hell was that...?" Frasier questioned as he stepped away from Saeko, looking over to Rika for some clarification as to why Saya would so much as even accuse him of something so horrible.

"I thought you of all people would've known, Frasier. Take a look at this flyer that's being posted in every hotspot around the city." Rika responded as she handed him the crumpled up piece of paper that caused Frasier's eyes to widen the further he read on, his fingers tightly clenching at such lies, nearly causing him to explode just as Saya did.

"Frasier Markle is wanted for charges of insubordination, murder of fellow security forces, conspiracy, and the assassination of Council Member Souichiro Takagi. This man is very dangerous and should be left to the security forces only! Any helpful information on the whereabouts of him or his associates, will be generously rewarded." Frasier read off in a sickened tone as he crumpled the paper up, furious the thought of his group being demonized because of him.

"I swear on my life I had no hand in Souichiro's death! I only killed the security guards who were going to have me slaughter innocent civilians on the spot." Frasier pleaded as he tried to retain whatever shred of trust Saya had left for him.

"Just let it go, Frasier. She won't hear a word you have to say...besides, we have something else that may require your attention." Marcus suggested as he pulled his brother aside while the rest of the group tended to Saya while she had her mini-breakdown.

"So how did you figure it out? How did you know this was what I meant?" Frasier asked while he and Marcus walked side-by-side, curious as to how he knew exactly what to do.

"You were acting way out of character, and it was almost too easy of you ask me, but that's only half of the story. I would've never gotten out of the hospital if I didn't run into an old friend of ours. He's in the next room." Marcus explained before he motioned towards a door to another room in the harbor storage facility.

Raising an eyebrow in curiosity, Frasier quickly twisted the door knob and entered, only to realize that Marcus had stayed back while the door slowly closed behind him. The young Brit noticed this was a check-in station with a large desk planted in the middle. In the darker side of the room, he could see a figure leaning against the wall, looking intently at him with an inviting smile to his face.

He had curly brown hair complimented by hazel green eyes, a more western look that made it clear he was not a local. But what was truly outstanding was the fact he only had a total of eight fingers, excluding two from his right hand. A smile formed across Frasier's face as he realized this was certainly a more than welcome sight to behold.

"You look much different without the beard. I almost didn't recognize you there for a moment. Thank you for getting my brother and friend out of that hairy situation, mister…?" Frasier commented as he circled the boy who had picked up Shizuka and Marcus back at the hospital when security was closing in on them, drawing a blank when it came to a name, since they never truly had a face to face conversation.

"Kessler. My name's Johann Kessler. It's the third time we've met now; the first two instances where you saved me from certain death. It's about time we talked, Frasier Markle." the young man known as Johann introduced as they both gladly shook hands.

"Likewise; although I'm more concerned as to what your true motive is, Johann was it? You, along with everyone else in the city, know I'm a wanted man, along with everybody in my group. Why get yourself involved?" Frasier inquired as he began to shift his gaze every now and then, paranoid that this could be a setup all on its own. Yet at the same time, he felt Johann was a sincere and trustworthy individual despite hardly knowing a thing about him.

"Two reasons. First should be rather obvious, since I never truly have had the chance to thank you face-to-face for what you did for me out in the city. I feel helping you and your group is my way of repaying a debt I thought I'd never be able to pay back. The second...well I'm not at liberty to discuss, but just know that I'm not the only one who knows you're no terrorist and that we have to work together now. There is another person who actually knows exactly how the security forces think." Johann tirelessly explained before having to sit back in his seat to see how Frasier would react to hearing all of this.

"I see...If we were outside these walls, I'd feel inclined to not believe you. But things are growing direr by the minute, and now you're an accessory to my crime. So can we skip the secrets and be open with one another?" Frasier confessed as he leaned forward, his voice sounding pessimistic at first only to change into a more cooperative one, curious as to why Johann was so willing to help him. A hesitant look could be seen in his eyes, but he knew that if they were going to work together, he had to answer any question given.

"I...don't actually know his name or anything about him personally. Just that he has a bigger grudge than you do against the men in charge of this city, excluding Councilor Takagi of course. We never even met in person before. He would only communicate to me by text. He knows how the security teams operate and think, almost as if he was one of them at one point. That's all I can tell you other than his final plan for us to get away." Johann explained as he stood face to face with Frasier, showing no telltale signs a liar would give off, watching his new ally taking a moment to process and piece together all of that information.

"Alright...and what is his plan to get us out of here? Why is he so willing to help us anyways?" Frasier then inquired, as he knew this was somewhat odd that a complete stranger was willing to help at a time like this.

"It's personal, but from what I was told, he has a pretty solid idea. He said a boat would be here all fueled up and good to go for you guys. All we have to do is create a distraction in at least two different parts of town to keep the security guards from coming here. We do that, then he promised to pay me more than enough money to simply buy my way out of here without needing to sneak out, while you and your group can meanwhile slip away in all the confusion." Johann answered as he folded his arms, slightly uncertain if this could be successfully done with only two people.

"One last question, Johann. If you're leaving, then where do you wish to go next? If you don't mind me asking." Frasier said as he was somewhat curious as to why Johann would want to go anywhere else since most of the world was the same, overrun with the undead as always.

"I plan on going back to my real home, in Germany. What about you, Frasier?" Johann questioned as he couldn't help but wonder where Frasier would consider an ideal place to go.

"England. We heard they have yet to have any of the infected reach their soil, a place entirely devoid of those putrid monsters. It's a perfect place to start my family and everything." Frasier explained as he couldn't help but get shivers of joy at the thought of him and Saeko finally settling down back in his homeland.

"It sounds very risky, but if those rumors are true, I always wanted to visit England, but never got the chance. Maybe when this whole thing blows over, we can meet again some day." Johann admitted, causing Frasier to smirk at the optimistic vibe he was getting from the young German.

"Yeah, that sounds like a plan, man." Frasier chuckled before the door opened up to reveal Rika armed to the teeth in weapons as she tossed Frasier a pistol and combat knife to add to his arsenal.

"I couldn't help but overhear all of that. I'm in; I think I can do some real damage to those bastards before this so called boat shows up. How long do we have?" Rika intervened as she entered the room after overhearing the entire conversation, wanting in on the action and to ensure a victory for them with no casualties.

"How much time do we have? If this is going to work, we'll have a very small time frame to do it in." Frasier asked as he realized they'd need to be quick about their diversions to make it back in time to escape Kibou City.

"I'd say two hours at the most. So we have to go now if we want to do this right. Say what you need to say to your group. I'll be waiting outside when you're ready to go." Johann answered as he walked away to let them tell their group the plan.

Frasier and Rika soon followed and stood before their friends and family; each one looking at them, wanting to know what was going to happen now that the entire city was looking for them.

"A boat will be here in a short amount of time that will take us all out of here. The only downside is that the security teams won't just stand idly by while a boat approaches at a time like this, so we need a set of diversions to keep them from even considering this place as a spot we'd be using for a hideout. Rika and I will be the ones to go while you all wait here for our return." Frasier explained as he stood before his group, watching them debating on whether this was the right decision to take or not.

"No way I'm letting you go out there again! We can just stay here and hide until the boat shows up. I know it will work. Please don't leave me again. We need you here...I need you here." Saeko pleaded as she possessively gripped his wrist, watching him bow his head in shame, knowing he was hurting her in order to protect her.

"Saeko, those bastards are looking for me out there, and they will use all of you against me if they given that chance. I'd suggest you come with me, but you are now in command of the group and must ensure the boat stays here when we get back. I must do this not because I want to but because I have to. If there was another way I'd stay, but there isn't. I won't leave your side once we're on that boat. I promise." Frasier explained as even he was on the verge of tears, knowing that he had to do one last thing to ensure they could successfully escape.

"Never make a girl a promise you can't keep." Saeko whispered as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into her as they embraced what could be their very last moment together, slowly parting ways as the group watched Frasier leaving with Rika to cause a perfect diversion.

"Frasier, wait!" Marcus suddenly exclaimed, causing Frasier to stop in his tracks as his younger brother suddenly rushed to his side.

"Listen, I just thought I should tell you…that boat isn't taking ALL of us." Marcus suddenly said, causing Frasier to look at him worriedly, wondering what on earth the young Brit could've possibly meant by that. The whole group was here, so this only made Marcus' statement all the more mysterious.

"You see, on the way here, I had that German kid who was driving make an extra stop on the way. I know we don't have a lot of time, but I just thought you should know…Miku's decided not to come with us." Marcus explained, his tone clearly showing some real sadness at this news, while Frasier could only take that news with only slight indifference.

"Well…I guess it only makes sense for her to want to stay here. All things considered, for her it's a safe haven. Besides, it leaves us with one less back to watch." Frasier stated coldly as he was about to continue on his way out only for Marcus to step in his way again, a sharp glare shining in his eyes.

"That's not fair, Frasier. I've listened to her on more than one occasion express how much she's wanted to prove herself to you and the rest of us. I've spent times alone with her, and she'd only ever been kind and open with me, so I know what I'm talking about. Sure you may not see it that way, but I genuinely believe her to really be one of us. Now with that all having been said, she's told me that she's not going with us this time." Marcus stated firmly, clearly more than a little fed up with Frasier's cold attitude towards the group's most unexpected member.

"Alright. Did she at least explain why?" Frasier asked, clearly willing to retract his previous attitude when he could see how serious Marcus was about his opinion towards the orange-haired girl.

"She did…look, she did, I know we don't have the luxury of time to discuss that just now. I promise I'll tell you what she told me, but only when we know we're in the clear, okay?" Marcus replied in haste, still fully aware that time was currently not on their side and that Frasier was going to need to hustle if they were going to pull this off. With an understanding nod, Frasier quickly rejoined with Rika.

"You really think they can do it? Do they truly stand a chance out there?" Takashi questioned, certain that this plan was sure to fail when stacked against how organized and well equipped their foe was.

"Try to have some faith in them. Nothing is impossible for my big brother. Just you watch." Marcus commented as he nodded at Frasier, knowing there wasn't anything more that needed to be said between the two siblings.

"Frasier, make those bastards pay! We're counting on you!" Saya suddenly explained as she raised her fist in the air, wanting to see those responsible for killing her father pay dearly for their crimes. Alice hugged her genius mentor while Khota held her free hand for comfort, both of them smiling at one another as they watched the large doors slowly closing, the duo slowly vanishing from plain sight.

Unable to drive into town without catching any unwanted attention, the trio stood in an alleyway near a rundown apartment complex. None of the security forces could be seen anywhere near their current position, giving them a slight relief that they had not been through this section of the city yet.

"Alright, I think I know what to do. Johann, take this cellphone and call the security HQ to tell them I'm hiding out in that apartment. While they send their best to take me in, I'm going to do what I can to lure them away from the harbor. Rika, I want you on those rooftops and picking off anyone that might be a problem, but be discreet and careful. I might not be able to help if they discover you. Any questions" Frasier instructed as he handed Johann the cellphone he looted from the corpse of the security officer he previously borrowed it from during the truck ride to the Spire.

"Woah, I thought the point was to avoid detection, not ring the dinner bell while you're standing on the plate." Johann questioned as he raised an eyebrow at the unusual and frankly reckless course of action, hesitantly taking the phone as he waited for a response.

"They need to see me and know that I'm still within their reach. Think of it as bait. I stick my leg out, and then the bastards come running from all over for more. Hell, even if I can't escape, I'll hold them off, giving the others more than enough time to escape. You didn't think I planned on surviving this did you?" Frasier responded in defense of his plan before revealing that he was somewhat expecting to sacrifice himself for the rest of the group if worse came to worse.

"We knew what the potential consequences were when we took the position. Besides, I always like a challenge. Let's fucking do this." Rika announced as Frasier and Johann smiled at her motivating little speech, everyone moving into their position to initiate the final phase of their escape.

-  
>Meanwhile, a phone operator in the security office complex opened up a door and stood before the chief of security. An uncertain look shone in his eyes as he wanted to confirm that the call he just received about Frasier's current whereabouts was spot on.<p>

"Sir, we just had Frasier sighted in those apartments we had to vacate when we discovered those insurgents attacking us during the great battle a week ago. Who do we send?"

"That area is abandoned supposedly. Maybe a few squatters, but they won't be noticed if the bullets start flying. Send in a blackout team. I want him dead or alive. Oh, and send in anyone that can make it in time, because I'm more than certain he wouldn't intend to simply wait in one spot for too long." Haku explained as he began to shuffle through multiple documents, pulling up files that showed images and portfolios of other suspects he had a hunch were in on this.

Just minutes later, the blackout team all quietly hustled up the stairs before finding themselves in the vacant apartment Frasier was allegedly in. One man carried a heavy sledgehammer while the rest were equipped with Howa Type 60 assault rifles, each one with the safety turned off, seeing how Frasier was a force to be reckoned with.

Three backed up behind the one ready to breach the only door with light peering through the cracks. While one was off to the side, the rest prepared to enter inside once the handle was smashed off completely.

"One..." an officer softly whispered to the trooper with the sledgehammer as he began to adjust his grip, wanting the entry to be as smooth as possible considering the adversary they were tasked with bringing down.

"Two..." he said as one of the men aiming downrange at the door began to lick his lips nervously, his finger brushing up against the trigger in anticipation.

"Three.." was all that could be heard as the hammer was swinging overheard toward its target, ready to smash the doorknob from its very hinges.

However, at the last split second, the handle turned as the door swung wide open, causing the sledgehammer to smash into the wooden floor as the one wielding it looked up surprised to see Frasier himself standing before him.

Frasier grunted in amusement before a smirk formed across his face, lifting his foot up and practically telegraphing his next move.

In a single kick, the man holding the sledgehammer was sent flying back into the men behind him, all tumbling back against the wall, momentarily disoriented from the sudden force thrown into them.

Not giving the others a chance to take a shot at him, Frasier lunged down on one knee, his hand guiding a large match along the floor, causing it to ignite from the friction while two of the blackout troopers managed to pick themselves up and begin to line up a shot.

With a match in one hand and what appeared to be a hairspray can in the other, a hissing sound could be heard before a large burst of flame came shooting out at the blackout team. The painful glare caught in their goggles caused them to flinch and turn away. Their body armor, eyewear, and helmets kept them safe, but the heat was still considerably painful as well as immensely disorienting.

On the third shooter, Frasier focused the entire force onto the man in black, watching as the flames managed to actually combust and set him on fire, instantly dropping his gun in an attempt to pat the intense flames down.

Frasier then noticed out the corner of his eye the first of the remaining three managed to line up a shot on him. Wasting no time at all, he quickly tossed the hairspray can directly at his goggles, causing the second shooter to bob his head back long enough to allow Frasier to disarm him.

Needing to keep the others from ganging up on him, he suddenly spun around and swung the gun like a club, knocking the man on fire over the wooden railing. With his comrades rushing to help him, this gave Frasier just enough breathing space to start sprinting down the hall as the first shooter began to open fire, his automatic fire narrowly tracing right on Frasier's tail, only to be blocked off by a set of stairs leading up to the next floor.

With no alternative route out, Frasier foolhardily leapt out the window, rolling against the pavement, making sure to roll so he didn't completely crush the bones in his legs. He then looked up to see a ready set of Kibou City security officers armed with batons ready to take him in.

Knowing it was a suicidal move to stand his ground, he simply kicked the broken glass into the air causing his attackers to block their eyes, giving him just enough time to avoid any psychical confrontation.

"Don't just stand there! After him, or it'll be our heads!" one of the older security officers ordered as Frasier made his way through the nearby alleyway system, making sure to avoid the open streets as much as possible.

Before anyone could take another step, a single shot rang out, only to be followed by a rough explosion. The single sniper round Rika fired hit the gas tank, causing a near instant combustion, sending everyone in the radius flying into the unforgiving pavement.

"Shit! He has back up! Watch your backs," a security officer warned to the men who managed to keep pursuing Frasier while the others began to search the area for Rika's position, knowing if they all went, she could easily take potshots at them.

Thanks to the disorienting explosion, Frasier managed to gain more than enough distance between him and the security forces that managed to continue the chase despite the volatile explosion behind them.

"Alright, this is where I give them the slip." Frasier muttered to himself when he spotted a manhole cover, managing to slip his fingers through the holes while trying to pry it off with sheer brute force, his muscles bulging and throbbing as he let out a strained groan, watching the cover steadily slide out.

With little to no time left, Frasier descended down the ladder before turning on his flashlight, knowing all he had to do was run in a straight line to reach the docks so long as he kept to the path and nothing distracted him.

While he traversed the sewers, Rika was running along the rooftops, having to abandon the sniper rifle she brought with her in order to move faster. The expert marksman leapt from low rooftop to low rooftop with plenty ease, her gloved hands gripping a drainage pipe that allowed her to quickly descend down to street level.

"Piece of cake." Rika chuckled to herself, as she couldn't even see any of her pursuers managing to keep up with her hit-and-run tactics.

However, a sudden sound caught her attention instantly. The whirring sound only a helicopter could make, a tremor of shock running through her body when she could see it for her own eyes, amazed that they actually had a working helicopter at their disposal.

"Hmm...That could be a problem." Rika commented as she realized there was nothing in her small arms arsenal that could hope to do anything against the helicopter. A spotlight soon beamed down onto the street she was trying to bolt across, causing Rika to dive under a set of parked cars when she was just mere inches from being spotted.

"That's right you dumb bastard, keep looking the wrong way." Rika commented as she noticed that the man operating the light had no clue as to where she could be now. However, he was so unpredictable with the movements that were made to the point Rika couldn't anticipate when it would be a good time to move on.

Luckily, she noticed something that would be perfect to open up a window of opportunity. Out resting beside a cargo shipment for a nearby store, a large propane tank was just waiting to be shot.

Without hesitation, Rika popped off a silenced pistol round that caused a small, controlled explosion which instantly caught the attention of the irritating helicopter in no time, the great beam of light shifting over to view what had just happened.

Seeing this as her best chance to move, Rika sprinted as hard as her body would allow her until she was back at the docks, gazing upon the moderate sized boat that was now docked. Her boots pounded against the deck as her group greeted her, astonished that things were going according to plan.

"You made it! Oh, I knew you could do it, nothing can stop you, Rika!" Shizuka proudly cheered as she wrapped her arms around Rika, the rest of the group somewhat concerned that Frasier wasn't back yet.

"What about my brother? Shouldn't he be right behind you?" Marcus questioned as he looked out only to see nothing but disappointment, concerned that Frasier may have run into trouble that was keeping him delayed or worse.

"I can't tell, but if he doesn't show up soon, we may need to move on without him. These guys actually have a helicopter, and if that bastard spots this boat, we're beyond boned." Rika explained as they could now hear the blades spinning off in the distance, almost as if they were getting closer and closer to them.

"C'mon, beloved. You promised me..." Saeko mumbled under her breath as she nervously paced back and forth, her heart sinking deeply when the boat threatened to pull away from the docks. The thought if him being left behind was something she'd never be able to cope with.

"Wait! I see something moving. Look at that tunnel." Saya suddenly announced when she noticed a flash of light flickering in the nearby drainage pipes, watching as Frasier sprawled out, making his way towards them like there was no tomorrow. Everyone's hearts were racing as it sounded like the entire city was moving in on their position.

"Oh yeah, you made it! I can't believe it worked-Oh sweet Jesus, what is that smell?!" Marcus cheered victoriously before noticing the wretched smell that followed his elder brother, having to clench down on his nose before vomiting at the foul stench.

"No time to explain! Get us the hell out of here already!" Frasier responded in a panicked tone as the boat could be felt moving, the front of the boat turning around before moving out towards the vast seas before them.

Everyone walked over towards the safety rails, watching the image of Kibou City slowly grow farther away from them, the once great beacon of hope for humanity slowly fading from sight. A great sense of relief took off loads of stress from their backs, as they knew it was finally over, that the corrupt shadow looming over their new home no longer held any power over them.

"So that's it. We can never go back to what was a pretty sweet deal. So where to first? I'm no geographer, but I certainly know we could never hope to arrive to England on this type of vessel." Khota commented, knowing they would need to stop somewhere first to at least refuel if not acquire an entirely new vehicle.

"Our next stop? The United States of course. Something tells me that they have a better control on this catastrophe compared to everyone who's experiencing this walking dead nightmare." Frasier answered as he took Saeko's hand, softly smiling at her as their boat sailed off into the night, never to be heard from again.

"I just hope for everyone's sake that we don't run into trouble out on the sea. It's going to take a while to travel the Pacific Ocean." Saya commented as everyone nodded in agreement before heading in to finally get a good nights rest after such a stressful turn of events that had changed everything for them, now forcing them to never return to what could possibly be the last civilized bastion of humanity.

Meanwhile, while Frasier's group was finally free from the ever growing tyranny of Kibou City, Johann was now tending to his last task of finally meeting the man behind the scenes, the one who had this all figured out before it had even begun.

"It's finished. All of them got away just in time. Your plan worked without a single hitch." Johann said as he stood in a small office that was within one of the rundown areas in Kibou City that was considered abandoned; looking at the man wearing a trench-coat and grey fedora who had a pleasant smile to his clean-shaven face after hearing the good news.

"You did very well, Johann Kessler, and as promised, here is my end of the deal. Try not to spend it all in one place." the unknown man said in praise as he then handed Johann a briefcase filled with more than enough money to get him out of the city without needing to sneak out.

"I'm glad this could work without any complications, but I have to ask, why did you pick me to help them? Why did you even help them to begin with?" Johann asked as he set the brief case aside and sat down to get some context from his mysterious associate.

"I guess it's only fair you know why I did what I had to do. It all started when I arrived here in Kibou City. Being a former man of the law, I was an ideal choice for the law enforcement they already had setup here. Seeing how I was a detective, things were going just fine for me.

"When the city came under siege by those convicts and two council members were found dead, the new ones quickly rose to power, only to seek even more of it. Before even making their first introduction, they had already planned on how to eliminate Souichiro Takagi and find the perfect scapegoat to go down with him.

"When the one known as Frasier made something of himself in the battle for Kibou City, we also couldn't help but notice some footage of how he had actually slaughtered a unit of security guards that refused to execute a group of zealots captured. This made him an ideal choice, and a predictable one at that. They made me setup a scenario where Frasier would relapse again and kill the squad we assigned to go with him. They would then assassinate Souichiro and let him take on the blame for all of it."

"The new councilmen who hired me to do it failed to mention that someone very close to my heart was in Frasier's group; someone who could actually be used as a hostage or even killed if he did not turn himself in. I protested at first, but he said if I so much as went within speaking distance of them, I'd never see them again. So that's when I realized I'd made one of the greatest mistakes in my entire life. Had I known they were still alive, I would never have even considered doing it, but that's just how it works: they find your weakness and never let you out of their vice grip until the job is done." the man explained as he told Johann his backstory before revealing his betrayal had come back to bite him where it hurt most.

"So you're the one who set all this up in the first place!? Why me then? Why not anybody else you could pick up off of the street?" Johann questioned in an angered tone, somewhat disgusted that he was helping someone who'd practically condemned the person who'd saved his life.

"When I realized that I had to fix this...to reverse what I had started, I needed to find somebody that knew him, but could also be trusted and who had no ties or loyalty to the city yet. I reviewed a hospital security tape where his friend Shizuka Marikawa worked, and that's how I discovered you being brought in, critically wounded. I didn't know if you'd have any desire to help or even thank him for it. That's why I figured money would be something that could provide enough incentive to involve yourself in all of this without going to the police or the council."

"There was no way I could prevent the order of events that had occurred today: Frasier being reassigned as a security officer after threatening his loved ones, putting him into a situation that would force him to either kill innocent civilians or to betray his fellow guards, knowing he'd then try to get away by speeding home and taking his group as far away from this corrupt pustule of a city, hoping to capture at least one of his group members to lure him back in. But luckily, that's where you came in, saving his brother and Shizuka from the men sent into the hospital. With no leverage on him, all we needed was to ensure he got away with his group."

"I see. So what will you do now? Will you ever see this person you spoke of again? It can't be easy having to stay away from a loved one in order to protect them." Johann commented as they suddenly heard a loud knock on the door.

"Hide over there! Whatever happens, just stay quiet!" the man snapped in a silent hush, watching Johann rush to the corner of the room while the briefcase was hidden under the desk.

Johann made his way behind a filing cabinet in the darker part of the room, watching as the door was slowly broken down to reveal a man wearing a more decorated version of the standard security guard outfit. His eyes scanned the room to see only Johann's associate calmly sitting before him.

"Ah, if it isn't the chief of police himself! What can I do for you?" the man asked as he leaned back in his chair, seeing there was no humor to be found in his cold eyes.

"I know you're the one behind our failure to capture Frasier. You think we'd never consider it to be the guy who created the conspiracy in the first place? Give me one reason to not put a bullet in your skull, detective." Haku demanded as he called out the man before him, knowing there was no way he could talk his way out without solid evidence that he was not involved in the slightest.

"And I thought I was the only detective around here. But your search ends with me I'm afraid, in a cold, dead end. You failed your task, and now they're far away from your jurisdiction. Hell, you have no power outside these walls; so going after them would be a fruitless attempt at best. Face it, you've all lost and will never catch them!" the detective taunted as nothing but pure rage could be seen in Haku's eyes, knowing that he was now going to need to explain to his boss as to how he'd failed his task of bringing the scapegoat in.

***BLAM!***

A deafening gunshot rang out throughout the office as a single bullet whizzed through the detective's skull, the force causing him to fall out of his chair, crashing to the ground with a loud *thud*. Johann closed his eyes, knowing that he would be next if he didn't keep quiet. A fresh, warm trail of crimson liquid oozed out from the gaping hole in the detective's head and into the carpet. Haku, whom showed no remorse, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a cellphone, rapidly typing in someone's number and waiting for an answer.

"This is Haku. Our loose end has been cut off, and we won't be seeing him again anytime soon. We may have lost our original scapegoat, but if we change our story up, we can always let this loose end take the fall. I'm on my way back to base. Be sure to brief me on the next phase of our plan." Haku said into his phone before hanging up, looking straight down at the man he had just killed in cold blood, not even noticing the witness in the dark, watching every move he made.

Johann could do nothing but watch helplessly as the detective laid there completely motionless after taking a bullet to the head. His skin trembled, as he remained dead silent, watching the chief of security pick up a small badge that made him slightly grunt as if somewhat amused by it. Seeing no value in it though, he simply tossed it aside and left without making another peep. The silver badge that had landed over beside the fallen man had his name inscribed simply as: Tadashi Miyamoto.


	33. Act 11: Voyage Part 1

**Act 11: Voyage Part 1 **

**Z-Day+34**

The air was quiet as the small vessel carrying Frasier and his group steadily traversed the black waters of the Pacific Ocean. The only sound to be heard besides the steady rumbling of the engine was the gentle crashing of nearly nonexistent waves and the nearly silent breeze.

Frasier and Marcus stood at the bow of the ship, looking out at the vast black horizon ahead of them, the only available light being either the millions of glistening stars dotting the night sky, or the glow of the full moon above, or the dim lights emanating from the cabin of the boat itself.

"England, huh? So we are returning home after all, just like we planned when this all started. God, if only Noah could be here with us...do you think they would even allow us into the country? I can't imagine the only place devoid of the undead would have the welcome mat laid out for everybody that passes by." Marcus explained to his brother as he leaned over the protective railing of the ship, instantly regretting the fact he mentioned their younger brother, since only bad memories could come from it. Both siblings just watched the waves going back and forth while everyone else stood on the deck to hear were this was going.

"We only made it this far because of him. He will be remembered, Marcus, don't you worry about that. All fallen Markles are on that small shrine father has on the wall in his personal study." Frasier responded in a calm tone, everyone unable to sense an emotional turmoil within him (excluding Saeko and Shizuka of course).

"Even if they let back in their own people, what about us? Not only are we non-registered citizens, we'd also be singled out for being from across the other side of the world. It's not unlikely they won't exactly be wanting to let foreigners within their borders. If by whatever means any other countries were to find out they did such a thing, they'd have a massive influx of desperate immigrants on their hands, and in a situation like this, that'd be the last thing anyone would want to deal with on top of everything else. With all that having been said, though, you guys do plan on letting us in too, right?" Saya suddenly intervened; concerned about the rest of the group being guaranteed an entrance to England without any mishaps whatsoever.

"My father's in the military, SAS to be precise. He should have more than enough leverage to let everyone in so long as we keep quiet about it. If not, we sneak you in and acquire some new identities, or something like that..." Frasier attempted to answer as his grip increased on the rail, not wishing to think anymore about his long dead father right now.

"'Or something like that?' You don't sound so sure of yourself there. How do we know you won't simply ditch us after we make it there?" Takashi questioned with a cautious tone, somewhat hesitant to trust Frasier when he couldn't even think of a solid plan that didn't risk everybody else being abandoned at the last moment.

"I can't help but feel inclined to agree with Takashi on this one. How can we trust you to keep your word?" Saya inquired, as she was also curious as to how they could pull something off of this magnitude.

"You can't, it's a test of fate as well as faith. I can certainly guarantee you passage into Europe; France would be the closest. But after that, I'm still in the dark myself to be honest; hell, they might not even let me in for all I know. So you guys can either stick with me or try surviving out there on your own. It's your choice." Frasier answered as he turned back to look everyone straight in the eyes at once, showing them that they didn't have to follow him after they reached land, but heavily implied they would certainly be no match against whatever they may face out there in the unknown.

"You guys also need to consider what we're going to do when we get to England. They speak an entirely different language; so sticking with us would prove ideal, seeing how we can speak like true blue natives, obviously. It would be rare to find someone else who can speak Japanese once we reach Europe. So there's also that to think about." Marcus said as he brought up a valid point that made everyone mentally take a step back to realize that sticking together was truly the best option available.

"So this boat will take us all the way to England?" Alice suddenly questioned as she looked up at everyone, unable to understand why they kept talking about places she only heard of on a few occasions. She was also somewhat concerned when there was talk about splitting up. That thought simply didn't sit well with her.

"Not exactly, this ship doesn't seem to be outfitted to go that long without needing to be refueled. We also won't have nearly enough rations to last us the ride. So we're going to need to make a stop first." Khota observed as he could instantly tell this ship would only take the group so far.

"You never mentioned that we'd need to stop. Plan on telling us where we're going to stop first? Best you remain entirely open with us, unless you want to risk having a mutiny on your hands." Rika then demanded with a stern look to her that made it clear she wasn't going to be strung along without knowing what Frasier was getting them into.

"Relax. We just need to stop in America and replace this hunk of junk with something that can last us the entire Atlantic Ocean. Shouldn't be too hard to simply grab a boat." Frasier answered as the door to the cabin suddenly swung open to reveal a man wearing dockworker clothing and a green wool cap.

"Hey, have you guys figured out where you want to go yet? Because I can only drive so far before I need a solid answer as to where we should stop." the man asked as Frasier and Rika instantly reeled back, both alarmed at the sight of someone else being here without them knowing. Frasier instantly drew a sidearm, only for Marcus to slap it out of his hand. The pistol slid across the deck until Saeko stepped on it to prevent it from going overboard.

"Mind explaining who this is?" Rika questioned as Frasier was nodding in total agreement, both very curious as to why nobody had mentioned this man before his discovery.

"He's the guy driving the boat. Since none of us knew how to drive it, we waited for the last worker on this fishing vessel to get off, only for us to force him back on. He helps us and we don't hurt him, so try and play nice for once." Marcus explained as he targeted both Frasier and Rika, knowing that out of everyone in their group, they were the ones with the shortest tempers. Funny enough, both of them simply grunted before focusing their attention back to the driver of the ship.

"Alright, you want to know where you'll be taking us? America. The moment we hit the West Coast, you're free to go and will most likely never see us again." Frasier said to the boat driver, who could only bring himself to nod in understanding.

"That's a little vague, kid. Do you want to go to Alaska? California? Oregon? Washington? You're gonna need to be a little more specific." the boat operator commented as he crossed his arms while leaning back against the door he just closed.

"Sorry, I don't think any of us have been to the States before. I guess California would be our best bet though, seeing how I'm always hearing how lovely the weather is over there." Marcus said apologetically before he suggested that California would at least be the more suitable location to land in.

"Alright, I guess I better get my bearings straight then. Just knock if you change your mind...or don't. Doesn't really make any difference to me, honestly." the man responded, somewhat lacking emotion behind his words for some reason.

"You know, for someone who's being held hostage, he seems pretty mellow, don't you think?" Takashi questioned as he felt a rising suspicion from the man currently at the helm of the ship, the lack of emotion or care that he was being dragged along into something he held no part of really stuck out to Takashi for some reason.

"And what's so wrong about being mellow?" Shizuka questioned in her usual bubbly tone of voice, as she just had to know. It was almost as if the group's nurse managed to take that as a hit at her own personality.

"I think it's because he's aware he has no say in anything. He knows if he tried to fight back against us, he'd be slaughtered in seconds. Maybe he's just biding his time or something...I don't know, just stay alert." Saeko suggested before warning everyone to keep their guard up, knowing that if the driver wanted to escape, he would have to be very discreet about it; striking at the worst opportunity for them.

"So what do we do about translating? Surely they don't all speak English?" Marcus asked Frasier while the others were standing over by the rails; the darkness of the night throwing a shroud over anything more than 20 yards ahead of them. However, there were more than enough stars to entertain them for the time being.

"Fujimi Academy had everyone at some point or another learn it as a matter of fact. Rika meanwhile should know it as well, seeing how she was in the Self Defense Force, who might have had to work with the Americans for special operations. I can't say the same for Alice though. She's only seven, so I doubt she would be ready to learn yet. No matter though, it's not like she will be left unattended anyway." Frasier answered as he turned to see Saeko approaching him, a warm smile on her face as she then grabbed his hand seamlessly, dragging him away towards the cargo section of the ship, far away from the others.

Marcus simply smirked to himself as he walked back to see where the others were off to, knowing that he could talk them alone without the constant watch of his elder brother bearing down on him. The ocean waves lightly crashed against the side of the boat, causing it to gently sway every now and then. The bright full moon was concealed in the night clouds. It would only be a few more hours until they had reached dawn.

"Where are we going?" Frasier questioned curiously as Saeko didn't say a single word to him, a rising suspicion in the deepest pit of his stomach, as she remained entirely silent on the duration of their walk; her grip light enough to not show any anger in her body language, yet firm enough to show he couldn't pull away either.

Suddenly, she pushed a bulk door wide open to reveal a bunkroom that was fairly tidy for a ship like this. She then casually sat down on a cot only to pull him forward until he was sitting beside her. Frasier now suspected her to jump his bones any minute now. However, Saeko showed no clear signs of lust just yet.

"Well, we're alone now, Saeko. You must be thinking about something very important if you had to drag me all the way down here in the first place." Frasier commented as he could see conflict in Saeko's crystal blue eyes, knowing that she was on the verge of telling him something but was afraid to do so.

"I just wanted to talk to you, alone...I miss him, Frasier..." Saeko weakly admitted in a defeated mutter as she gently bowed her head down, almost as if she felt ashamed for having those types of feelings coming from someone as powerful as she was.

"You mean your father, don't you?" Frasier said as he slowly moved in, unable to take his eyes off of the tears being forced back with all of her might, knowing exactly where she was coming from on this particular subject, gently pulling Saeko forward until her head was resting against his hardened chest.

"Yes. I should've been there for him; I should've been the one to shield him from the killing strike. I have nobody close in the world now...except for you, my love." Saeko explained as she had apparently been holding in her inner feelings for the past few days.

"My father is also dead, Saeko, so when I say this, don't take it the wrong way…but better him than you. Your father lived his life, and he knew it was best to keep you out of harms way. I know you're choking on the inside, wishing you could simply trade places, but you can't just waste your life for nothing. Don't let his sacrifice be in vain." Frasier attempted to explain as he looked at the puzzled look forming across Saeko's face, wondering how he could possibly know his own father was dead.

"How? Your father shouldn't be anywhere near Japan...how do I know this isn't just some way to trick me into thinking that you know me more than I anticipated?" Saeko demanded, remembering how she had been caught off guard when she realized he had a dark side to himself as well.

"Remember that EMP that took out the power everywhere back in Tokonosu? Well, he just happened to have a plane filled with troops, and they crashed landed in the middle of a random neighborhood. I don't know how he even could accomplish such a thing, but my mother even came along. When I arrived, he was already bitten, and she was dead by his own hand at her request. Moments later, we were swarmed by the infected, and he valiantly held them off while I got away. I don't regret him making that choice, but I still miss him. If anything, it just motivated me to fight harder." Frasier answered as he recalled that bloody battle that ended up with him being the sole survivor, while Saeko could see in his eyes everything that was just said was genuinely true. This new source of news caused her to fall silent once more, as she knew talking about it was somewhat painful for him.

"Promise me you won't die?" Saeko then requested out of nowhere, wanting a vow that Frasier would put down any situations where he might be killed.

"I can't promise you that because...if I had to, I'd sacrifice myself to ensure your survival. I'd do it in a heartbeat if that were required of me. If I lost you, I would destroy creation itself. So no, I won't promise you that I will survive, but I will promise you this...I will find a way home for you and everyone else in this group." Frasier explained in a cryptic tone before vowing he would keep everyone else safe until they were guaranteed entry into England.

"I need more than just that...I need YOU so we can raise the family like you said we would. Nothing will ever take place of my goal now...NOTHING!" Saeko responded at first in a weak tone, only to grip Frasier by the collar of his shirt. A slight glimpse of her darker side could be seen now, only for her boyfriend to grasp her hands tight enough for her to snap back into reality.

"Don't worry, I can't think of anything more fulfilling in life than raising the perfect warriors, with you as their mother." Frasier said as Saeko's eyes lit up with a mixture of excitement and joy, only for her to suddenly pin him onto the bed, kicking her overwhelmingly strong leg straight back, causing the bulkhead door to slam shut, making sure nobody could enter and disturb their time alone.

Meanwhile, Takashi was standing on the starboard side of the boat, wondering whether or not he should regain full control of the group if Frasier couldn't even think of a solid plan after being the one responsible for them being running out of town. As he continued to gaze out to the limitless ocean spanning the horizon, Rei quietly stepped around the corner to the section of the deck he was solely occupying. She could only stare at his back, unable to bring herself to come another step closer to him lest he notice her and try to come near her. She was still very heavily traumatized by what had almost happened between them the previous night, but this overwhelming sense of fear she felt in the pit of stomach when she even thought of being within arms of reach of him was a mystery even to herself. As she couldn't help but think about just what was going with herself, Takashi then noticed her presence, wondering if she had any opinion on their most recent addition yet.

"Rei, I have to ask you something very important. Promise to tell nobody else what I'm about to tell you?" Takashi requested as he turned his back to see a look of worry in Rei's eyes, knowing it was wrong to keep a secret from the others in the group.

"Sure, Takashi. What is it?" Rei responded, as she also wanted to see what Takashi had to say, nervous as to what could be so important that nobody else in their tight-knit group could know.

"I don't think Frasier has any idea what he's getting himself, and by extension everyone else, into. Do you really think this boat will get us anywhere? That it will be able to actually cross the entire Pacific Ocean on what little fuel it probably has left? Forget about it getting to America. We should go back and turn him in. We had it all, and he's the one they want. What do you think?" Takashi inquired as Rei was taken aback at the suggestion of turning against someone who showed no ill towards anyone in particular. However, she also took into consideration that their entire group was risking their lives for one man. The real question now was if Frasier is truly worth the risk?

"I don't know what to say, Takashi. Everything you say makes sense, and I'm willing to do anything it takes to protect Alice, but have we changed so much that we're just willing to sacrifice one of our own to do so? Can't we at least ask Frasier if we can go back?" Rei requested, clearly being torn between two growing sides of their group that would not survive if a resolution wasn't found and soon.

"No...He's too damn stubborn, and what if he reacts violently? You do realize none of us can stand up to him, right? I doubt even Rika would be able hold her own against him." Takashi snapped as he had to make it clear to Rei that Frasier wouldn't listen to them, especially seeing how he was the one on the line here.

Suddenly, Takashi and Rei could see someone standing before them out of the corners of their eyes. Their hearts nearly skipped a beat when they could see Rika standing before them with her arms crossed, a stern look to her face after hearing that someone who wasn't even officially in the military could beat her in a fight.

"Oh no, do go on, Takashi. I just love hearing hypothetical statements like that being told like they're plain and simple fact. Now tell me one where I'm going to endure one more second where I'm taking orders from a bunch of kids! Because I think that ship has sailed off a long time ago." Rika said in an intimidating voice that carried out to the point more members of the group where showing up to see what was going on.

"What's going on over here? Why all the shouting?" Khota asked curiously as he could see the angered expressions on both Rika and Takashi's faces. Neither of them appeared to be backing down anytime soon despite the scene they were making.

"I'll tell you what's going on, Khota. As of this moment, I'm taking charge of this operation. From here on out, you will all do what I say, when I say. Anyone who has a problem with that can take it up with me personally." Rika announced as she had already officially elected herself into a leader position. Takashi and Saya simply glared at her grab for control while Shizuka, Rei, and Alice all had looks of concern to see group members fighting to be in charge of their own family essentially.

"Funny how you two mention all this talk about leadership now, because I think my brother would very much like to hear it as well." Marcus said as he quickly bolted away. Rika attempted to snag him by the collar but just barely missed. She now knew she had to act fast before Frasier could arrive.

"Alright, I think this has gone on long enough! You guys have had your fun, but if I let anyone else take charge, people are going to start being picked off one by one. It may start by accident or with a little mistake, but eventually it will end with everyone being torn limb from limb by the undead or by being raped and fucking murdered by other survivors." Rika roared out in a fierce tone that caused all to shudder. The thoughts of any of that happening simply sent tremors of fear and shock through those who heard her painful yet chillingly true words.

"I think I know how to handle a group, seeing how far we got before any of you extras showed up. Sure, a few newcomers may have died, but they knew the risks, so they didn't just die for nothing!" Takashi argued as he stood his ground, knowing deep down he was the right one for the job; and that nobody else could do it without compromising the group further down the road.

"You're just a kid! Hell, Frasier himself barely qualifies to be an adult alone. I'm a fully-grown woman who is also packing more than enough military survival experience to keep us going until these outbreaks blow over. Do you really think the wisest option is to let a bunch of hormone driven teenagers run this show?" Rika countered as she made some very valid points despite coming across to the others as being completely hostile.

***BLAM!***

Everyone suddenly flinched the moment that gunshot rang out and pierced the air. They slowly looked above to see Frasier himself towering over them on the deck above with a smoking pistol in hand that was aimed at the sky. He only wore what little body armor Saeko had yet to tear off of him, and the denim jeans she was eagerly about to undo with great care; a calm look on his face that also was hiding the belligerent rage at the though of a mutiny of all things.

Saeko then walked out to his side, wearing nothing but his under-shirt to cover up her upper body and anything revealing on her lower body, while Marcus then stood on the opposing side to see how Frasier would react to this, both of them loyal to just about anything he might say or do so long as it was reasonable.

"So, anyone care to tell me what this is all about? I'm so very eager to know what you all are thinking if it inspired all of you to go out and talk behind my back like this." Frasier announced with all eyes focused on him. A challenge could be heard in his voice as he began to pace back and forth. A freezing wind blew by, sending shivers down everybody's spines as they watched those powerful eyes watching their every move, knowing that things were about to go downhill now that he was on the scene.

"We're tired of you making all the big decisions around here. This was my group before either of you two showed up, and things were going pretty smooth. I tried to compromise and work in unison with you, but clearly that won't do any longer. Its high time things go back to the way they were if you ask me." Takashi responded defiantly as he spoke in a tone that showed he meant every word of it, his body language also giving away how confident he was in himself.

"Interesting little theory you have there, Takashi. Especially the 'smooth' part, and here I thought Marcus was the only one who made bad jokes in the group." Frasier chuckled, as he saw no threat or any reason to be intimated by Takashi's meager words.

"What about you, Rika? You certainly must have something interesting to say, seeing how I had to come handle this myself." Frasier then asked out of curiosity as he was more than aware he needed to be wary of her, knowing how dangerous she could be, especially when she was as riled up as she was now.

"Oh, you want to hear something interesting? It's called 'I'm taking over because you two little boys simply aren't equipped nor trained for a situation like this.' I'm a fucking adult, and I'm with an actual military organization; not some soon to be soldier with social issues, and certainly not some whiney schoolboy who can barely fire a gun. Face it, you two did good during the first few days of the outbreaks, but your time's up! I'm in charge now!" Rika announced as she tried to use statistics and reason, doing a much better job at getting through to Frasier than Takashi ever did. However, he just smiled again and shook the argument off like it was nothing.

"Say I do give in and let one of you lead the group. Then what? We turn back to that pustule of a city? Because if we do, they'll kill us in a heartbeat without any hesitation. Tell me, does that really sound like a good idea?" Frasier demanded as he began to break down the most likely of scenarios if they would follow through on such a course of action.

"Correction: They'd kill YOU in a heartbeat. Everyone else would be just fine." Takashi attempted to exclaim, only to be instantly shot down by Saya.

"I know this is a hard concept for you, Takashi, but don't be so stupid! It should be more than obvious that we'd all be considered loose ends back there. It would be suicide trying to go back to that place. I think we should land a few miles off the coast or something, maybe even try and catch a plane to Tokyo. If any place being run by an official government is still standing, it would be our nation's capitol." Saya suggested, only for Rika to slowly shake her head as she let out a deep sigh, almost as if she already knew that plan would fall flat on its face.

"Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but Tokyo is in complete disarray. My commander made the mistake of letting them do all the thinking for us, which lead to most of us going AWOL the moment we stopped receiving orders, and the commander had no clue what to do on his own. Shame really." Rika responded in a grim tone, instantly shooting down any plans they may have had to seek out refuge in the capitol of Japan.

"Makes sense. Areas with the largest population are usually hit the hardest. I'll bet you guys wish you weren't so strict on those gun laws; but then again, England is no better." Marcus commented as he somewhat enjoyed playing the hindsight card when it came to gun control.

"I'll bet the Americans are having a blast. We should get a Second Amendment, or whatever it is that lets them get all those guns." Khota groaned as he remembered how easy it would be for one to simply go out and purchase a weapon when he was visiting that one memorable summer. His vivid memory instantly shattered the moment Saya knocked him on the head.

"People are being eaten alive and coming back as walking corpses! How can any of that be fun?!" Saya growled as she was narrowing her eyes at the groups marksman, clearly annoyed at the immature comment he just made.

"Lets not get off topic here. We still have the whole mutiny and risk of being divided to discuss still. Now I hear what you guys are saying, and personally I'd be unnerved too if my leader wasn't sure of what he was doing... but I do know what I'm doing here. So just have a little faith; that's literally all I'm asking of any of you." Frasier explained as he tried to sympathize with everyone on the opposing sides, knowing it would be in his best interests to start off calm and subtle.

"Frasier, I'm sorry, but I don't think we can go such a distance when all we can do is have faith in the unknown. We're all going to die if this ship runs out of fuel, if not by each others hands before that, of course." Rei said in an apologetic tone, picking up on everyone's mixed feelings on what he was requesting from them, easily able to convey it all in a saddened voice that required their current leader to give them more evidence that this could even remotely work out his way.

"Don't be sorry, Rei. This asshole is just bound to get us all killed with his half-baked plan. I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I don't plan on dying in the middle of the Pacific fucking Ocean!" Takashi intervened, just as Frasier was about to see Rei's logic, a look in his eyes that just said it all, a look of pure anger consuming any patience he had left as his arm slowly lifted the gun up.

"You know what, Takashi? You should be more polite to a man with a gun. It's only common sense." Frasier than responded as his finger was a single impulse away from blasting Takashi to pieces, his self-control ensuing in a battle of willpower to restrain himself from gunning the usurper down on the spot.

All stood silent as they were clearly at a standoff; Rei however caught everyone else by surprise as she stood in front of Takashi with both arms held out, a clear last ditch effort to keep Frasier from crossing a line he couldn't ever come back from. The hesitation in his eyes said it all, almost as if she knew he'd never risk taking a shot if an innocent civilian was in the way. Just as the crisis was at a critical level, a loud bell could be heard ringing that caused the group to look around in confusion for the source.

"Hold on, people...we've got company!" the boat driver's voice suddenly announced on the boat's loudspeaker as the boat began to violently sway back and forth, a sudden flurry of waves crashing against both sides of the boat before a dark shadow (even for nighttime) was cast over the boat. The sounds of the ocean were all of a sudden cut off by the sound of an unknown vessel that was only a few inches from completely smashing through their hull and leaving the crew to their fate in the cold waters they sailed on.

"Fuck! What the hell's going on?" Rika demanded as they all began to lose their balance one by one. Not even someone as heavily built as Frasier or balanced as Rei could keep their footing stable enough to stand up straight.

Suddenly, the group found themselves sliding towards the edges of the ship with hardly any rail to keep them from falling overboard.

"Everybody grab hold of one another!" Frasier instructed as he instinctively took charge of the dire situation, offering his feet to Khota after planting two of his knives into the wooden deck of the ship.

Random crates and objects began to hurtle towards the survivors as they held onto one another for dear life. The steel blades were just deep enough to keep from slipping, but Frasier's grip was starting to give, seeing how he had to hold on for the entire group's combined weight.

"C'mon! Stabilize...stabilize..." Frasier muttered between his muscle contractions as he could feel the boat settling down at a slow yet steady rate, his grip tightening while he drained every last ounce of remaining energy into keeping everybody from going overboard.

In the group's favor, the hellish rocking and shaking soon subsided allowing them to pull themselves together long enough to figure out what was happening. A chilling (if not ominous) breeze blew against their skin, causing even the strongest amongst them to shiver at the icy nip in the air.

"I think I'm gonna be sick..." Takashi groaned as he felt everything around him spinning, his stomach on the verge of releasing everything contained within while he tried to hold it in.

"Is it over yet?" Alice asked as Rika, who refused to loosen her grip until the little girl was guaranteed to be safe, was holding her, keeping Alice tucked nice and close to ensure she was the safest one out of the entire group.

"Not yet. Just be brave and hang on, kid. We'll get you through this even if it kills us." Rika responded in a surprisingly optimistic tone of voice as the boat continued to rattle, only to come to a complete halt as the reason behind the sudden series of events could be blatantly seen at the starboard side of the boat.

A massive vessel at least three times the size of their ship causally stormed alongside the small fishing boat. The sheer size could have easily torn right through the group's only chance at surviving while suffering no damage itself whatsoever from direct collision.

"What the hell is that?!" Saya demanded to know as she stared at the large nautical vessel before them. It was difficult for them to see anything outstanding other than the fact it was more than large enough to spearhead their ship without so much as a scratch to show for it.

"Somebody get a light up on that beast. Something is wrong here if there were no warnings or signals in the slightest." Rika then ordered as Khota scrambled for a flashlight while the others did a headcount to ensure everybody was still onboard.

"The USS Curtis Wilbur..." Saeko softly announced as everyone was curious at the sight of the beastly vessel in comparison to their boat. The armaments instantly caught their attention next. The sheer fact that this ship could blast their defenseless boat out of the water was more than enough to send a tremor of fear into their hearts.

"An American ship all the way out here? It must be on patrol, or maybe even got disconnected from a fleet...think anyone is even onboard, seeing how we nearly collided? Frasier?" Marcus inquired as all eyes focused upon Frasier while he did nothing but watch as the two boats began to gain distance from one other with each passing second.

Part of him knew it would be a wise decision to avoid pursuing the fully armed ship that nearly smashed into their hull without warning. On the other hand, if there were nobody manning the eerily quiet ship, then this would be a perfect tradeoff, and a guaranteed success with the group in terms of his popularity.

"Everyone, prepare to board! We're getting some results right now whether anyone is onboard that Destroyer or not!" Frasier announced, as he stood at the front of the fishing boat, ready to take on whatever challenge lied before him, ready to lead his newfound family to a better tomorrow despite, the great gamble.

Wasting no time, Frasier quickly made his way for the cabin where the stranger was still standing calmly at the helm now that he'd managed to avoid a straight on collision.

"Captain! I want you to take us in until we can all board that vessel. Do your best to keep us steady!" Frasier ordered as he stormed in to announce what was to be expected from the temporary hostage.

"What about me? Somebody should hold down the fort, right? Just in case something goes wrong..." the boat driver inquired as he kept his hands on the wheel, curious as to how this was going to go down.

"If things are as they appear, then we'll have no further use for you. You actually might be set free sooner than you think." Frasier responded as he gave a reassuring smile to the hostage, giving the otherwise emotionally distant man a hope to survive this encounter.

"Really? Well, whatever you say, kid. Just don't expect me to stick around if the shit hits the fan." the driver said with the same tired indifference as he began to steer the ship towards the much larger military vessel. Frasier rolled his eyes when he exited the room, watching as the boats were starting to become parallel.

"You know this is crazy, right? Boarding an American naval vessel even at times before nowadays is just asking to get shot. They might even consider us to be pirates!" Saya expressed out of logical reasoning, as she couldn't help but protest the plan to simply rappel onboard the U.S.S. Curtis Wilbur.

"I call dibs on being the first mate then! I think my pirate name should be Long Dong Silver!" Marcus chimed in, earning a giggle from Shizuka for the humorous comment while Saeko couldn't help but frown in jealousy at the thought of not being Frasier's #1, even if it was just a harmless joke.

"Get in line, Marcus. That title is mine and mine alone! Although the sentiment is cute." Saeko announced, playfully pushing him aside in a passive-aggressive manner before draping her arms around Frasier's shoulders to  
>symbolize her rank in the group.<p>

"Fine, but I'm keeping the name. Think it suits me better than you anyway." Marcus grumbled in consolation as the others were on the verge of falling over at the fact they were talking about something like this at a pretty dire situation.

"I'm sorry, did you two just forget the fact we're about to commit piracy? You have any idea how ridiculous this is?" Saya snarled as she was dwelling in fear and doubt, hoping that someone was willing to treat this scenario with more finesse and care.

"Relax. That's why Rika, Marcus, and I are going up first to scout it out. If anyone is actually there, then I plan to be as tactful as possible. If not...well, notice how I'm sending in the combat ready ones in first? Just have some faith and hope that you're wrong on this one, bookworm." Frasier confidently responded, making it crystal clear to the others that he intended to get everyone onboard this ship no matter what line he would need to cross, even if it meant attacking the U.S. Navy to do so.

"This is insane! You're insane! This whole plan is insane! You do whatever you have to, not like we get a say or anything..." Saya grumbled in defeat before pacing back and forth in the middle of her little rant, completely assuring all her doubts as if they had already happened.

"You know I won't let you go without me. For you to even consider us being apart is maddening to me. I'm going with you three." Saeko interjected when Frasier and Marcus both tossed a twin set of rappels over themselves, a loud *clank* ringing out as the hooks securely clamped around the metal railing.

"I'm having you stay just in case something goes bad and we don't make it back. Never put all your eggs into one basket, my love." Frasier responded as he felt what he was doing was justified based off of what could happen if the situation got any worse.

"So you're going to bring Marcus into a mission he may not come back from? Risky choice, don't you agree?" Saeko then argued as that observation actually caused Frasier to suddenly freeze up in place, instantly realizing how she had a very valid point.

"Hmm, you've made your case, Saeko. Marcus, you stay and be ready for anything while we handle this. Try not to fight with Saya, okay?" Frasier ordered as he changed out the team to go with him while he made sure his younger brother wouldn't get into another argument with the short tempered genius.

"So what do we do? Just sit around and hope for the better? Because I'm sure we can do something to help rather than play benchwarmer." Takashi asked out of curiosity, wanting to see if there was anything they could do to be of assistance.

"Unfortunately, I have to say 'no' for the moment. Believe me, if I had any available tasks, I'd put you to work, but I simply have nothing for you other than to stay put for now. This won't take long, Takashi." Frasier answered in a blunt yet sincere tone, letting him know that those not coming weren't going to be left out of the loop.

Having nothing else to say, Takashi just nodded as the three scouts began to steadily climb up the thick ropes keeping the two ships connected to one another. At first they appeared to be swaying, causing everyone to breath through their teeth in anticipation before watching them stabilize and adapt to the choppy movements.

"Are we going to be doing that too? It looks like fun!" Alice questioned with an innocent smile, hardly able to recognize the otherwise tense moment. However, she formed a look of disappointment when nobody answered her even in the slightest. Nothing was worse for a kid than to be completely ignored when trying to talk to someone.

Frasier was the first to land while Saeko and Rika were hot on his trail. All three scanned the deck to see not a single trace of another living soul. A small breeze blew by as they waited for some kind of response from the crew of this ship. However nobody and nothing had shown up to greet them.

"It's all clear! Start bringing everybody aboard." Frasier ordered in a short voice, Saeko and Rika raising an eyebrow at the fact he was being so quick to jump the gun.

However, things did appear quiet for the time being. Saeko and Frasier both helped pull up individual group members while Rika kept a vigilant watch in case the crew spotted them. Eventually, everybody was onboard and hiding behind some cover in case things weren't going to go their way.

"I don't like this...maybe we should fall back and stick to what we've already got." Rika suggested in a soft whisper as she had a gut feeling this ship was not worth the potential trouble.

"Why? Are you afraid? I thought you were a fearless soldier, or was Shizuka exaggerating that too? You can go back if you aren't tough enough for the job." Saeko responded in a somewhat taunting manner while Rika scowled and knew someone who was barely considered an adult wouldn't get away with testing her.

"So you and your boyfriend can fuck again? Not going to happen, kid." Rika hissed as that first remark caused Frasier to blush out of embarrassment, which then turned to anger at the fact they were acting like kids. He then could hear a banging noise against a nearby bulkhead, a damp yet powerful thud that kept on echoing out the more he thought about it.

"Both of you shut up and listen. I don't think we're alone after all. Be ready for anything." Frasier snarled as he caused a sense of concern and worry to sprout in the group while he approached the bulkhead with a pistol in hand.

"We're so dead..." Khota groaned to himself in anticipation as he watched Frasier and Rika stacking up against the door, fearing that in one single motion they'd all be slaughtered and simply dumped into the freezing cold ocean afterwards.

"What do you think is going on in there? Maybe somebody is doing some repairs inside?" Saeko inquired as Frasier slowly turned the wheel to the bulkhead to maintain the element of surprise.

"No clue. We'll get our answer soon enough, but lets try to see if we can get them to help. If not, we take a hostage. I'm not going to die in the middle of nowhere. I refuse such a fate!" Frasier responded heatedly before the door opened up to reveal an adult figure standing in the middle of the hallway. The only source of light could be seen far down to the opposite end.

***Thud* **

All three survivors watched in shock as it appeared the figure was the source of the mysterious noise by continuously banging its head against the steel wall. Out of curiosity, Rika slowly held up a flashlight to reveal that there was nothing outstanding about this figure other than the obvious case of insanity and standard naval outfit.

Suddenly, before anyone could even think of what to do next, Zeke began to bark at the figure, which instantly stopped smashing its own face into the wall. Rei quickly bolted over and scooped up the frenzied companion, but it was too late for the stealth approach. All four of the survivors watched in horror as the figure slowly turned its head to reveal the other half of the face had been completely torn apart, a single strand of nerve fibers holding in the dangling eyeball that swayed side to side.

***BLAM!* **

A single round ejected out from the side of Frasier's pistol as the bullet whizzed between the eyes of the infected sailor that already began to shamble towards them. A fresh coat of crimson red painted the side of the bulkhead as Rika, Saeko, and Rei sprinted back to warn the others of the impending danger.

"What the hell was that? I thought we were going to do this quietly!" Saya demanded to know as she ran towards the fleeing party, only to realize that they wouldn't run unless it was something they couldn't handle.

"It's the infected! The ship must be infested with Them! I knew it was too good to be true." Marcus estimated as he ran towards the lines to start helping the others back over, only to watch as both lines were disconnected.

"What the fuck...? No...NO!" Takashi muttered before he cried out in anger and frustration when he realized that the boat driver had just ditched them at the worst time possible. Everyone ran over, only to feel their hearts sink in despair at the sight of their only hope steadily abandoning them to the unknown scores of undead that were most likely heading for them at this very moment.

With nothing left to lose now, Takashi ran at top speed towards Frasier with a knife in hand. In a single fit of boiling rage, Takashi brought his arm down, only for Frasier to tightly grasp his forearm without even looking at him. With a well-placed kick to the stomach, Takashi was sent hurtling back as Frasier kept the knife in his possession.

"You have any idea what you've done?! We're not only trapped out in the middle of the fucking ocean...but now we're trapped in the middle of the fucking ocean with Them!" Takashi roared out as the adrenaline rush had caused him to mentally block out the pain he would normally be feeling after a kick like that.

"Precisely, Takashi. We're not trapped though, not on a vessel as powerful as this. These things were built to last long journeys in a much shorter time period compared to that dinky ship we were just on." Frasier responded as he finally turned his head, only to see everybody (including Saeko) staring at him with glares of anger and distrust.

"Yeah, great ship! But you're overlooking the fact it means nothing to us when the infected are in control! Takashi was right...we should've just turned you back in to Kibou City." Saya announced in a bitter tone before softly admitting that she completely agreed with Takashi for once.

"Please, the infected are nothing more than a minor roadblock. Saeko and I have killed over a hundred in a session before. The moment we destroy those things, we're in command of a fully operational military vessel! Just try and process the key advantage I'm delivering here to you guys." Frasier explained as he could see a light of hope in Marcus, Saeko, Khota, and Rika's eyes, which all instantly understood the potential payoff for success on this otherwise suicidal mission.

"He's right...if we clear those halls out, we'd be set for the remainder of our trip to America!" Rika said as she (along with the others who saw the value of this boat) walked over to Frasier's side, ready to take the U.S.S. Curtis Wilbur by force from Them.

Meanwhile, the others stood conflicted and uncertain on what to do. At first they could do nothing but wonder and question if Frasier's plan was worth the potential gain. It would be no easy task to try and wipe out an entire naval vessel infested with infected sailors.

However, there were literally no other options left for those who did not fully accept this risky plan. One by one, they walked over to look into the seemingly abandoned interior to see the corpse Frasier created. Luckily, none of the other infected sailors (if there were even any left) could be seen heading in their direction just yet.

"Fine, you win. So what do we do now that the ship is our only hope? We don't have that much ammunition, since we had to leave on such short notice." Takashi said in defeat as he asked Frasier for the next step in his plan.

"Conserve any ammo we have left. This is a military ship, so we should be able to find an armory if we can get a blueprint or layout of this place. I know it's an instinct, but don't pull that trigger unless its the only difference between someone being bitten." Frasier instructed as everybody in the group began to go over their personal ammunition count. They didn't have nearly enough ammo to take down a full infestation, but they certainly had enough if backed up into a corner.

"I'm scared. Do we have to go inside? I really don't like it here!" Alice began to sniffle as she wiped the tears off of her eyes and onto her sleeve, Shizuka naturally picking up the fearful child and gently rubbing her back to calm her nerves.

"Don't worry, kiddo. Once we take care of Them, we'll be safe. I bet they even have a big enough mess hall to satisfy our bellies for months, if not years! No more having to eat those filthy rations." Rika said in a somewhat motherly tone that had completely caught everyone off guard seeing as she was the last person to show compassion or sympathy for anyone else.

"This just keeps getting weirder and weirder." Rei whispered to Saeko as they both watched Frasier, Takashi, Khota, and Marcus preparing to be the first to scout out the next few halls to see just what kind of threat level they were dealing with here. It was more than clear though that blood was going to be shed tonight.


	34. Act 11: Voyage Part 2

**Act 11 Voyage Part 2**

**Z-Day+34**

"So what if there are any survivors? Do we try to convince them to join us…or...?" Takashi asked as he tried his best to load up the pump action shotgun he'd become so familiar with, uncertain how they would react if they found another survivor onboard.

"That's a really big 'IF', Takashi. However, if for whatever reason we do find someone still alive here, we will try diplomacy. Otherwise…we do what the situation calls for best." Frasier answered, as he was being somewhat vague on what they would likely have to do.

"What's that supposed to mean? Shouldn't we help anyone we can, seeing how this is technically THEIR ship?" Khota questioned as they began to carefully pass by the first infected sailor the group had encountered so far.

"If someone has been bitten, or is in the process of turning, I'm not risking one of us to help. We've all become too softened by Kibou City's walls. We rarely had to worry about trusting someone we had only just met. The easiest day was yesterday." Frasier answered as he then motioned everybody to stop while he held out the combat knife in his hand at an angle that allowed him to see a full view of the next hall.

He let out a deep sigh when he noticed the entire hall was a bloody massacre. Walls were coated with a dark shade of dried up blood and the floor was even littered by scattered chunks of torn up innards while the smell of decomposing corpses could be smelled not too far off. One could only imagine the hell that had broken loose when the ship was overrun with Them.

'Christ, good luck trying to find survivors.' Frasier thought to himself as he felt there was no way anyone could last an outbreak for very long on a ship with compact halls filled with the undead.

Mentally shrugging off the thought of any potential survivors, Frasier could now focus solely on keeping everyone quiet so as to avoid the infected at any key opportunity. He could then hear a rustling sound coming from the next room, but there was no distinct sound of ripping and tearing from what could be assumed to be a feeding frenzy.

"What do you think could be going on in there? I can't imagine what the infected get up to when they have no source of food for an extended period of time." Marcus inquired while whispering in a soft voice, very curious as to how the undead would function after long gaps in time without feasting.

"With any luck, they might resort to eating one another, or just shrivel up like raisins. What do you think, Frasier?" Khota suggested, providing the best theory he could before looking to their leader for his own input on Them.

"I think we're about to get our answer, so keep quiet and don't draw any unnecessary attention." Frasier responded before they moved against the wall, cautiously following it until they were stacked up at the doorframe to the first actual room that didn't just lead to another hallway or corridor.

All four of their hearts were pounding heavily against their chests while they listened for any unique or unheard of sounds from the infected. To their dismay though, all that could be heard was the sound of heavy wheezing and deep gasps for air, nothing out of the ordinary.

However, for what sounded like a rough estimate of at least thirty infected sailors, there was no sound of boots shuffling or bodies being dragged. Things were certainly not as they should've been. At this point, even Frasier was worried by this strange change in the standard behavior they'd become so accustomed to.

Knowing that the infected were completely blind, Frasier completely skipped using his knife as a mirror and peered his head around the corner, only to look surprised when the infected sailors all stood like mere statues, each one wheezing and rasping, yet Their heads all hung low.

"Are they...sleeping?" Marcus asked in astonishment as he was next to see what was going on with Them. Both him and Frasier recoiled to determine their next course of action.

"It makes sense if you think about it. These things most likely go into some kind of a hibernation to keep from starving...or at least stall it to a high degree." Frasier estimated as he then leaned against the wall smiling. If the infected sailors were all dormant, then they could easily walk right on through without detection.

"Why are you smiling? This hardly seems like the time or place, considering just what happened here." Takashi hissed, somewhat annoyed that he wasn't in on whatever Frasier was currently thinking about.

"I'm thinking that if we can get to the bridge and figure out how to control this bad boy, we can easily pick Them off one at a time. We just need to find our way there first." Frasier answered as he already began to move into what could easily be identified as the mess hall, due to all the tables and rotten rations that laid about the floor. Multiple piles of gore-covered bones could even be seen in the middle to show that the infected had fed on some unfortunate victims here.

Without any reactions from Them, the others in the group followed Frasier through the crowds of the undead. Their smell was absolutely nauseating, the sights of mutilated human remains practically stomach-churning, but each one knew that if they made a single peep, it would risk waking up the entire crew. Nothing would be worse right now than having to suppress a nagging urge that refused to go away.

Khota suddenly stopped dead in his tracks (causing the others to spin around) when his foot accidentally stepped on one of the infected sailor's feet. His eyes widened, his whole body going cold, as it felt like he had completely alerted the first of many corpses that were going to tear into him. The jaws of the one he stepped on began to snap back and forth, but eventually stopped.

What was one of Their greatest strengths was now working to the group's advantage, seeing how the nerves in the foot (among everywhere else) were completely dead once the infection had taken over.

However, with enough perseverance, the group was able to pass through without waking a single one of Them. Each one let out a mental sigh of relief before climbing up a set of stairs that had signs directing whomever read them to specific sections of the ship.

"Okay, behind this door should be the bridge. Seeing how this is the only entrance, I'd say it's a safe spot to set up our gear. Not to mention it would be a perfect place to line up our defenses, just in case any packs come our way. Nothing more one-sided than a bottleneck kill zone." Frasier said with a confident grin before he opened up the bulkhead with Marcus and Khota aiming downrange at whatever could be waiting for them, while Takashi watched the rear flank in case any of the infected did hear them.

The moment their leader stepped through the doors, he instantly jumped back when out of the corner of his eye; he could see a steel combat knife lashing out towards him. In a swift motion, he clutched the forearm of whoever was behind the attack, quickly pulling his attacker forward into the wall, causing a deep *thunk* to ring out. Noticing there was another survivor honing their sights on him, Frasier quickly pulled the survivor up and held him up as a human shield with the knife held up to his neck.

"No! Hold up! Don't do anything to him! I surrender!" a male voice desperately pleaded as he held both hands up after setting his weapon down to show he was willing to be at their mercy so long as they didn't kill his friend.

"Relax. We aren't here looking for any trouble. We would've knocked on the door had we known anyone was still alive in here." Takashi said in an attempt to announce that there was no reason for any hostilities. Frasier then followed this up by releasing his hold on the clearly African-American man in a marine uniform, watching as he backed away to re-join his friend, who wore the standard sailor outfit excluding the fact that his shirt wasn't tucked in.

"So…now that we've gotten all that out of our systems, let's make with the introductions, seeing how it is rare to find survivors who're willing to play nicely these days." Marcus suggested as he saw nods of agreement from those around him.

"Good idea. My name is Eddie Santos, former SN of the United States Navy," the man who surrendered announced enthusiastically before picking his M4 Carbine Rifle back up, holstering it along his back. He had hazel green eyes, and his skin color showed he was clearly of strong Hispanic decent. His body build however was average for anyone in his class.

"And I'm Corporal David Hayes of the U.S.M.C. Sorry about the knife earlier. I've been so jumpy lately that I didn't even consider there would be any survivors looking for us anymore. At least ones that didn't come onboard so quietly." the black marine known as David explained apologetically as he made it crystal clear he swung the blade out of fear and nothing else. He had a standard issue buzz cut, as all soldiers were given, and his eyes were a light brown. He had a moderately powerful upper body, but his lower body didn't seem to be as well developed.

"No hard feelings, David. Just make sure to know whom you're stabbing before you commit to it next time. I'm Frasier Markle, leader of this group. This here's my younger brother, Marcus, and two of our friends: Takashi Komuro, and Khota Hirano, both obviously hailing from Japan. I'll be sure to introduce the others after they get here. I'm sure they'll be relieved to hear that we've made some new friends." Frasier responded, showing he held no grudge before smoothly introducing all three of his compatriots, earning a look of surprise from the two men when he mentioned there were others with them.

"There are more of you guys? Perhaps the entire population hasn't died out after all! After the marine base we were stationed at in Okinawa fell and nearly everyone either got torn apart or cut and ran, me and David were beginning to think we and the crew were all that was left. But man, you have no idea how glad we are to hear there's other people still alive and kicking!" Eddie said with a sigh of relief.

"You got that right, man. Speaking of which, how many more are we expecting here? Don't get me wrong, I'm not against seeing some new faces, but I certainly want to know how many civvies we're going to be protecting." David inquired in an authoritative voice, showing concern and willingness to help defend Frasier's group.

"We can handle ourselves, but I'm glad to see you two are willing to work with us on this. As for the answer to your question, we have ten survivors, plus a small dog." Frasier said in a defensive manner, somewhat offended that David didn't consider them strong enough to look out for themselves. However, he knew that being in the military (or in Frasier's case, trained for it) gave them both a sense to protect those who could not protect themselves.

"Ten?! Are you for real, ese? I know this doesn't sound like much, but just meeting one survivor is considered a blessing by now, but ten?! Have you guys been together the entire time, or did you all just kind of combine groups after awhile?" Eddie asked out of astonishment as he was visibly blown back at the rising hope for the human population.

"It just started with me and the others, but eventually we met up with Frasier and his two younger brothers. After the youngest passed away and our group was on the verge of dividing, we teamed up just in time to come out on top of things." Takashi answered in a way that didn't show any resentment at the fact he and Frasier had a hard time getting along at first. He also was smart in neglecting to mention anything involving Kibou City, seeing how the mention of a city that wasn't overrun with Them and was still standing would only encourage the two survivors to head back.

Suddenly, Frasier walked over towards a window and opened it up before tying a line of rope that went all the way down to the deck. Within seconds, the two groups watched as Saeko vaulted over the ledge and stood before the others with an intimidating look in her eyes.

"I see we aren't alone after all. I'm going to assume they can be trusted if you haven't disposed of them already." Saeko said with a confident demeanor as she circled around Frasier, wondering if he was being too trusting of the two new survivors before them.

"I try to keep my finger away from the trigger when I can. But that is a good question, my love...can we trust you two?" Frasier answered before turning his gaze back to Eddie and David, wanting to ensure he wouldn't be putting their group at a risk he could avoid with just two bullets.

"Hey man, end of the world means we need to stick together and watch each others asses. So yeah...you can trust us so long as we can trust you. Sound good, amigo?" Eddie responded in an honest voice, as he was clearly more than willing to give Frasier's group a chance to work with him and David.

Both sides simply smiled and nodded in response as the rest of the group began to pile onto the bridge until Rika was the last to climb the rope. Now that everyone was within the most secure section of the ship, it was time to get down to business and discuss what was to be done between both groups.

"So can someone explain to me what's going on now? And just who are these two?" Saya demanded to know before asking for information on David and Eddie, wanting to ensure there was no risk of working with whom she considered strangers.

"These two are the only survivors we've come across so far, at least as far as we know. We also learned something new about Them." Khota answered in a confident tone, instantly catching the attention of everybody who had yet to witness the event beforehand.

"Oh, is that so? Feel free to explain in full detail, dear." Saya said with interest as she raised an eyebrow to see what Khota had to say about the infected if it helped increase their chances of survival against Them.

"It may seem odd...but it appears without food, the infected actually go into what appears to be hibernation. I mean, lets face it, those things are a walking definition of defying reality...why not tack on the fact they could potentially last decades or even centuries unless put down?" Khota explained with slight hesitation, expecting to be yelled at or belittled before everyone for making such a remark.

However, everybody new to the concept just sighed and formed looks of disappointment, hoping their newfound discovery would've given them an advantage against the undead corpses that plagued this ship. Anything at all to give them an edge would be more than welcome.

"You guys are looking at this the wrong way. Those things are just sitting ducks now, and with enough firepower we can finally catch our breath after all the running we've been doing lately. We just need to push a little bit further." Marcus said as he was anxious to claim a naval vessel for themselves.

"I agree with this guy, he knows what's up. However, shouldn't we know what you guys could bring to the table? I'd love nothing more than to work together, but I can't let anyone watch my back without me knowing a single thing about them." Eddie expressed as he made it clear more introductions would be needed if the two groups were to be working together. Rika was just seconds away from going off on an angered rant about how their group was calling the shots, but she instantly bit her tongue, knowing she had to play it cool.

"A fair request. Very well, allow me introduce the rest of the group. This is Saeko Busujima, my personal advisor, our melee expert, and MY woman. The pink-haired girl is Saya Takagi, our self-proclaimed genius. She has a bit of a temper, but don't take it personally. This is Rei Miyamoto, our spear fighter, and probably the easiest person here to talk to, especially for newcomers such as yourselves. The blonde is our former school nurse, Shizuka Marikawa, and just so you know, don't take her flirting to heart because she does that to everyone. And as for the angry-looking one, she's Rika Minami of the Self Defense Force, 5th best shot in the whole damn country I believe, so try not to get on her bad side like I am right now. You've already met Takashi and Khota, and I think that just about covers everyone." Frasier explained as he paced back and forth, going over every member of the group and giving their new allies a rundown on what they could expect them to bring to the table, smiling to himself as he noticed Alice instantly stepping forward to say something.

"Hey! You forgot about me!" Alice said in a hurt voice, upset that everyone but her was introduced to their new friends.

"Oh of course! And last but not least our little ball of sunshine, Alice Maresato. We've been looking after her pretty much since this whole thing began." Frasier explained as he tussled her hair, watching Alice form a proud little grin of satisfaction.

"What about you and your brother? I mean, I know your names, but there's no way in hell you're just some random kid from a private academy or whatever. Not after the way you managed to disarm and toss a Marine around like it was child's play." Eddie inquired, as he knew there was more to Frasier and Marcus than they were letting on, clearly able to see they were more than mere students.

"Fair enough. If we're going to be working together, than I guess there's no use in keeping secrets. My brother and I were both trained by our father to be in the British Special Forces one day. Frasier started out younger and far more intensely than I, so I guess you could consider him unofficially part of the S.A.S. now, because that was our father's goal and his ultimate destiny. Me on the other hand...well give me two years, and I'm more than confidant that I would also be qualified for that honor." Marcus said as he felt it would be wise to let their new friends know who they really were, since there was clearly no use in hiding it from them.

"Damn, that definitely explains a lot. At least I don't feel as bad for being beaten by a teenager now..." David muttered aloud for all to hear, showing his sense of humility as he then smiled out of relief, knowing he wasn't the only muscle onboard now.

"So now that we're all good on names and introductions, what are we going to do next?" Rei asked, clearly wanting to know what their next move should be, not wanting to waste the valuable time they had now.

"That depends. Are you two willing to allow us to use your ship? You could get court marshaled for allowing civilians to take a fully armed naval vessel." Frasier said as he turned his gaze to David and Eddie, curious if they were going to even let them take the ship to California.

"We sent out a distress beacon weeks ago, but clearly those pendejos in the top brass don't give a flying fuck about us. So I say this ship belongs to us now. That is if we can even get it going again. I only know how to start it up and navigate it, but I think we've sustained heavy damage in one of our engines. We'd need an engineer to repair it, but I doubt there's anyone else alive onboard, let alone an engineer." Eddie gladly announced, only to bring up a vital hitch in their plan that also explained why the ship was just drifting out wherever the waves led it.

"Can you guys open up the security feed and check if the armory is unlocked? If so, we can actually load up and wipe out all of the infected onboard. Afterwards, we can look for any other survivors." Rika suggested, as she was curious to see if they were even given access to such a thing.

"I think some of the others got into the armory and tried fighting back, but were eventually overwhelmed. They should have some spare ammunition and weapons we can use. With any luck, we might even find one of them still breathing." Eddie announced with great optimism at the end, earning a few respective nods of agreement before he began to type onto a nearby computer console to bring up the security feed for all to see.

"What happened to all those people?" Alice asked as she could see the grisly images no girl her age should ever have had to see. The fact she saw this instantly triggered a parental instinct in Frasier as he quickly scooped her up and took her to the other side of the room.

"Just more monsters, Alice. Nothing you need to see here. You just let me and the others take care of Them, just like always." Frasier answered as he then opened up a bag and dragged out a sleeping bag for her.

"Can I come? I really want to help you guys this time. I never get to do anything other than watch or hide. It isn't fair." Alice began to protest, as it was abundantly clear that she could no longer idly stand on the sidelines anymore.

"You know we can't let you do that. If anything were to happen to you...we could never forgive ourselves." Frasier explained as he zipped up the sleeping bag with Alice inside of it.

"B-but you can teach me how to fight, I just know you can. Please? I don't want to lose you guys either..." Alice began to plead as she was on the verge of sobbing, the very thought of anyone else dying simply overwhelming to her.

"Of course, I'll teach you myself. But only when you're older and if you promise to drop it for now. I have work to do now so just you rest and let your Onii-chan take it from here." Frasier responded in a comforting tone as Alice began to slowly close her eyes only to smile at the end when he came to acknowledge her as a sibling now.

Meanwhile, those who watched were visibly shocked to see him acting in such a way that would imply he actually cared for someone who wasn't Saeko or Marcus.

"You guys are seeing the same thing as me, right?" Takashi questioned as even he respected Frasier for caring for Alice's well being, something he realized they both had in common.

"Yeah. I guess while the end of the world can bring out the worst in some...others it can only bring out the best." Rei answered as she smiled to herself to see there was still some humanity pooled within Frasier, knowing that he had not allowed his natural instincts to dictate who he was.

"You guys aren't the only ones with kids. I lost contact with my family after we were forced to set sail from Okinawa. My cellphone gets no signal and it seems the internet's completely shut down as well, so I haven't been able to reach them for the several weeks we've been out here. So if it's all right with you, I'd like to land in California. If there's even a chance they're alive, I'm going to take it." David suddenly announced, as he could be seen holding back some serious emotion that no doubt must've been boiling up for weeks now.

"Yeah, I second that idea! I've got mi familia to look out for back in LA. If any of them are still there or even breathing, I have to find them." Eddie added as he turned away from the security feed, knowing he had to throw in his vote if this was going to become a debate. Luckily they needed to go where Frasier's group needed to go.

"Then you're both in luck. We need to get to California and find a pilot willing to escort us to Europe. So I guess that means for the time being we're going to be working together longer than anticipated. But first things first...I want those dead bastards off of the ship...off of our ship." Frasier said as he walked back to signal that it was time they stopped hiding and take the fight to Them, immediately tossing the bag filled with the remaining ammo and guns they had on them.

It was just moments later that David, Marcus, Rika, and Frasier attached every last sidearm to their sides before checking their main weapons over, not wanting them to jam up in the middle of a fight. The others meanwhile either kept an eye on the infected or were setting the spare gear aside for easy access. Not much was left, seeing how the driver of their previous boat left them behind.

"So we're just going to jump on in and start blasting away at whatever looks grey? Don't get me wrong, I'm all for it, but what do we do when the rest of Them start moving in on us? Surely we don't have enough ammo for all of Them, even with what me and Eddie threw in." David brought up out of curiosity as he looked over to Frasier for an answer, knowing that there had to be more to this plan than just a simple search and destroy mission.

"We're going to make our way towards the armory. If it's locked, we'll have your friend unlock it for us." Frasier responded as he motioned over towards Eddie, who was comfortably sitting in a chair beside the security monitors.

"You do realize he doesn't have authorization to open it, right? It's not gonna happen without the Captain's key card." David brought up, causing Frasier to stop dead in his tracks, momentarily stunned at the sudden news.

"Can he get us in?" Frasier then asked, as he didn't even bother turning to face the marine. The very next answer would determine whether or not they'd be able to carry on with the mission.

"Yeah, but I'm also sure that if someone with his authorization tries to unlock it, an alarm will go off. All the infected will wake up and things will get really ugly." David answered as he bowed his head, wishing there was some alternate way of getting into the armory without having to risk either being killed r facing a court marshal for once not following the rules.

"That works for me. With those weapons and the knowledge of how the undead function, we stand a much better chance than the rest of the crew did." Frasier said as he then found Saeko standing before him with a look that practically predicted what she was going to say next.

"Let me guess, you want me to stay here to protect everyone staying behind while you have all the fun to yourself?" Saeko said as she rolled her eyes with a voice that showed nothing but disappointment and neglect. Takashi couldn't help but listen in with high hopes that Saeko and Frasier's relationship wasn't as nearly as strong as everyone thought it was.

"As a matter of fact, I was just about to insist that you come along with us. I saved the best part just for you just so you could fight at my side. But if you are so certain that I'm going to have you play babysitter, maybe I shou-" Frasier responded in a cool and confident tone as he leaned forward to see the glowing smile emanating from Saeko's face before she covered his mouth with hers to keep him from finishing his sentence.

"And here I thought you wouldn't notice. Guess those pearly blues are for more than just looks." Saeko said warmly with a grin before walking out of the room, ready to start decapitating anything grey should the need arise. She then began to patiently hum a cheerful tune while waiting for the others.

"Better get going before she goes off on her own. Also, try to control yourselves. The last thing we need to lose is one of our best fighters." Marcus said to Frasier, as he knew it wouldn't be long before Saeko would practically drag his elder brother by the ear if he didn't hurry up.

"I'll be just fine, Marcus. You just focus on keeping everyone safe up here until we get back. It's a big responsibility, and I trust you'll make the right choices should the need arise. Also, keep an eye on Eddie. I know we're meant to be allies here, but you never know what a man is thinking until it's too late." Frasier said in response before having to whisper the last bit of his instructions, just preparing for any possibility or scenario as always.

Marcus looked back at the sailor who appeared to be acting normal as he flipped through the security monitors on random sections of the ship. He then glanced back, only to see Frasier was already leaving with Rika and David.

The younger Brit simply smiled to himself as he then walked over to see Saya lying down beside Alice, practically shielding the little girl's body despite their being no need to do so. Marcus never did like Saya's condescending attitude, but he certainly could appreciate and respect her motherly affection and the sense of priority whenever it came to Alice's well being.

Marcus then looked over to see Rei and Shizuka talking to one another about something with Khota while Takashi was standing out by one of the windows, sulking as usual. Seeing how everyone else was preoccupied, Marcus decided to go and watch the screens to monitor the progress of the others.

"So what other sections of the ship are there that we'd want to clear out first?" Marcus asked as Eddie sat back in his chair and began to bring up a feed showing the mess hall.

"Well, first things first. We'd want to secure the food reserves at all costs. David and I barely managed to snag a couple of rations before being forced to retreat up to the bridge. There were a few others who made their way here, but those were the same ones who tried to take the ship back from the infected. Don't need to tell you how that went down again." Eddie replied as they could see their group sneaking through the crowds of infected in their supposed hibernating state.

"Where do we go after that?" Rei asked curiously as she leaned over a nearby chair to watch the steady progress being made throughout the mess hall, her heart racing as she couldn't help but feel incredibly nervous to see them walking so close to the infected.

"After that, we want to try and look for survivors or blueprints for the ship. I know the engines took some damage, but who knows what else could be busted after the past few weeks without anyone to perform maintenance on this beauty." Eddie answered as he was constantly spot checking for any of Them that may have moved or appeared to be waking up.

"If we don't find an engineer, we might be able to have Saya take a crack at it. You'd be amazed at what that girl can do with her brain when she isn't lecturing or yelling at one of us." Shizuka brought up, showing great confidence in Saya's abilities to adapt to an otherwise impossible situation.

"Let's just hope it doesn't come to that. Last thing I need is to be in another debt." Eddie said as he then twisted some controls, flickering the security monitors to find the right hallway to view where the others were currently heading.

Meanwhile, Frasier's group took a moment to stop when they noticed a gory mess in the middle of their route. David knelt down and picked up what appeared to be an FN SCAR Mk 17 rifle with a severed hand still attached to it. He took his utility knife and carefully pried each finger off before tossing the mutilated hunk of meat aside and offering the rifle to Saeko, seeing how she was only armed with her steel katana.

"Thanks, but those aren't exactly my style." Saeko suddenly responded in clear if not slightly accented English.

"Suit yourself. I just hope you're as good with that blade as you claim to be. It would really suck if we died because we only have three people using guns." David said in an understanding tone, yet at the same time it was clear that he didn't like the idea of the team being shorthanded in terms of being armed.

"Let me take that. Unlike my girlfriend, I'm much more qualified for that. I think I'd be more comfortable with a rifle rather than a silenced pistol anyway if the dead catch onto us." Frasier stepped in, knowing that Saeko could and would argue with him for hours on end about what was more practical to be using against Them. David safely handed the young Brit the weapon, only for Frasier to quickly check it for damage before slinging it across his back while he kept the silenced pistol in hand.

"How much further until we reach the armory? I swear I can hear those things moving in on us with each passing second." Rika announced as she began to feel slightly paranoid the longer they stayed in one spot.

"Down that hall and to the right. I just hope Eddie can get it open for us without waking the rest of Them up. The quieter we do this the better." David said as he peered around a corner to see the heavily reinforced door that had a sign reading 'ARMORY'.

Without hesitation, the group moved in and prayed for the best as David gripped the handle and pulled only to sigh in distress when it refused to budge.

"Damn it...guess we're going to have to go loud. Do you think they can see us still?" David announced as he turned back to the others, only for the locks to suddenly pop open, which was instantly followed by a loud alarm that pierced the otherwise silent vessel.

"Does that answer your question? Everybody move inside, now!" Rika said sarcastically before snapping motioning everyone into the armory. David and Frasier quickly pushed the door shut as they could already see multiple shadows moving in the next hallway.

When they turned around, they were greeted with the massive arsenal of military grade weapons and ammunition along with plenty of body armor for everyone in the group to wear. However, any celebration to be held was instantly cut short when the door already began to take a beating from the outside. The sound of nails could be heard scratching against the door.

"Will these be enough?" Saeko asked everyone else, seeing how she knew little to nothing about guns.

"Oh yeah, we've definitely got the upper hand here. Let's just hope that the rest of Them don't converge on this position before we're done here. We'll only be able to get off so many shots before having to reload." Rika answered as she could be seen loading assault rifle magazines by the bundles into her satchels.

"How about the others? How're they doing so far? I know we left them with a shotgun and Rika's sniper rifle but will that really be enough?" David brought up with concern in his voice, knowing that if the others had to face more than a few of Them, things could become problematic.

"He's right...is there an intercom in here we can use to contact the bridge?" Frasier agreed as they all instantly began to search the walls for a built in intercom. However, they all stopped looking when they realized that the sound of the infected trying to break in suddenly ceased entirely.

"Please tell me I'm the only one who can't hear those fucking zombies trying to bust in..." David groaned; as he was hoping it was just his ears giving out randomly and not the fact the infected had moved on to attack everyone on the bridge.

Without even thinking, Rika and Saeko pushed the door wide open only to realize that the infected were nowhere to be seen.

"Only one place They could be going now...we need to attract Them back here right now!" Saeko announced as she began to draw the pistol strapped to her thigh, firing an entire clip into the hallway, bullets bouncing and deflecting off of the walls.

"Hey! Hey! Don't waste ammo! For all we know, we'll need every last shot. Besides, we need a constant noise going off to really lure them back in." Frasier snapped as he then began to scan the area for something he could use to bring Them back to their fraction of the group.

"Anyone have a lighter? We can use the ship's fire alarm if we can get some smoke going." David suggested as he pointed to a nearby smoke detector hanging overhead. Saeko and Frasier instantly turned their gazes towards Rika.

"What are you two looking at?" Rika growled as she crossed her arms around her chest, not even able to react fast enough when Frasier reached into her vest to pull out a cigar.

"Don't act so innocent." Frasier said before he boosted Saeko up until she could use the lighter to light up the cigar in hand. Seconds later, another alarm went off that continuously beeped while the group was sprayed with sprinklers in response to the fresh smoke.

"You little bastard! That was my last one!" Rika cursed in Japanese; David raising an eyebrow while Saeko and Frasier both smirked in response.

"I'll find you a thousand new cigars, Rika. So stop your bitching and focus all your attention on Them. If it helps, you can pretend They're me." Frasier snapped back in defense, watching the disgruntled sniper simply scowl before she decided to harbor her anger for later.

"If we both survive this, I hope you realize we're not finished with our previous conversation, Frasier." Rika hissed at him as he could see a flaring look of determination in her stone cold eyes. However, he showed no fear as he then pulled her by the arm until their chests slammed together.

"By all means, Rika, I look forward to it." Frasier whispered in a combative tone of voice before she pushed him back, somewhat glad to see he was going to give her a challenge as expected.

"Hey! Go back to English and get ready to fight! We're not alone anymore." David snapped as he wasn't ready to become food because of the two strangers arguing over whatever it was they could've been saying now of all times.

**{Dredd OST - Order in the Chaos}**

Frasier and Rika both turned to face the approaching shadows of the first of the infected that were just returning back to them, both temporarily setting their differences aside as they drew their rifles.

"Saeko, wait for my signal before rushing in. Let us get a clip off before you and I move in to secure the mess hall. Rika and David! You two cover this hall at all costs. It's the only one that appears to lead to our flank. Now let's show the undead why we're at the top of the food chain!" Frasier announced as he began to take command, giving orders as the others couldn't help but nod in agreement, ready to take the ship back from the Them.

Seconds later, a single shot from everyone but Saeko went off as two of Them stepped around a corner, the bodies instantly slumping against the wall as more began to appear. Round after round was fired off, each individual shot echoing throughout the entire ship as the survivors stood their ground.

"Don't fire unless you can guarantee a clean headshot." Rika reminded just in case Frasier and David were going to go crazy on the trigger. However, they both acknowledged her suggestion by allowing her to finish off her clip on the first wave.

Despite the vast amount of bodies being piled up, the undead were now filling every gap until the hallway was littered with fresh ranks of infected that moved closer and closer with each step taken.

"Shit...at this rate they're going to push us back into Engineering." David muttered as the others could see the distance being closed at a steady yet frightening pace.

"He's right...Saeko! Let's try to even the odds by separating this little excuse of a horde." Frasier agreed before turning to the swords-wielder of the group who was more than eager to start swinging her katana around.

"How do you plan on doing that? I don't think you two have a chance at getting through Them." David questioned, as he couldn't fathom the idea of anyone being able to physically bypass what stood before them.

"Just you watch. You've clearly never seen these two in close quarters combat before." Rika clarified as she then watched Frasier firing a full-auto volley of bullets that tore into the kneecaps of the front row of infected, their bodies dropping only to be dragged along the floor by their decrepit arms.

The moment the rifle began to make a clicking noise, Frasier tossed the weapon aside as Saeko drew her blade out after great anticipation, licking her moist lips as they both darted towards the oncoming horde with great zeal in their hearts, both using the crawling infected to launch themselves over those still standing. David could only feel his jaw drop as he witnessed the fearless teens charging into the flesh-eating monsters like it was mere child's play.

"Not bad. Not bad at all. Now lets see how the Self Defense Force likes to fight." David said in an encouraging tone as he began to start shooting alongside Rika now that Frasier and Saeko were no longer in their path, the bullets blasting away the skulls of the next front row of infected sailors into meaty giblets that flew in all directions at once.

"Try and keep up!" Rika said with a wide grin across her face as she quickly popped in a fresh magazine, eager to be challenged by someone who wasn't a mere teenager.

Meanwhile, Saeko and Frasier slammed the mess hall doors behind them only to turn around and face roughly twenty of Them with hungry expressions, Their decaying jaws hanging wide open as necrotic drool began to pool around Their feet. A look of overwhelming joy could be seen on Frasier and Saeko's face at the sight of a genuine challenge that was more than welcome to the deadly duo.

"Heh, close quarters and us being outnumbered 20 to 2. I almost feel sorry for Them...almost." Frasier said to Saeko with a wicked smile as she couldn't help but feel the impulse to cut loose and mentally loosen the restraints she had to keep on herself.

Splitting up in different paths, the infected slowly encircled the two bloodthirsty survivors, almost as if making sure there was no escape. However, what the infected couldn't comprehend that it was Themselves that were trapped in retrospect, not that it mattered though, seeing how They lacked even a basic sense of danger.

"Don't overdo it. Your heart is still weak." Saeko warned as she watched Frasier holster his rifle only to use both hands to grab a nearby table, swinging it around to pin five of Them against the wall.

"Nonsense! I'm as strong as ever, and no walking corpse can best me!" Frasier shouted back in a prideful roar as he then drew out his pistol, blasting the struggling infected trying to break free from the table, drawing out his knife, ready to enjoy the thrill of feeling the blade digging into his foes.

Saeko simply rolled her eyes at the reckless behavior as she then plunged her katana through the chest of an oncoming corpse, impaling it at an angle that actually managed to pierce the skull of the one standing right behind it. In a single withdrawal of the sword, she took a split moment to enjoy the sight of the blood that smoothly gushed out only to instantly decapitate the first one that had continued moving despite the hole in its chest.

She then twirled around in time to dodge a pair of hands reaching for her shoulders. With a flick of her wrist, the pair of hands was sliced clean off only for the infected corpse to come back for another attack.

"My, somebody is a real glutton for punishment!" Saeko said to herself in amusement as she then gripped the fallen sailor by the hair only to slam it onto the floor, bringing the tip of the katana straight down with a twisted look of satisfaction in her blue eyes. She then turned to see her lover slamming his boot down with such force it caused an infected sailor's jaw to shoot out a few meters across the room.

Seeing that alone sent powerful tendrils of pleasure throughout her very being, a hot feeling burning within her chest as the sight of violence was pure bliss. However, she didn't realize that this also perceived Frasier as a worthy challenge to her skills. Saeko quickly shook her head in an attempt to keep control of her darker urges before returning to the task at hand.

Frasier on the other hand was having no problem allowing his more twisted side to be unleashed upon Them. At split moments he'd even forget Saeko was in the room if it wasn't for the sound of her sword slicing through flesh and bone that he couldn't help but notice.

"Come on!" Frasier viciously snarled as he was slashing and bashing any of the remaining infected that got in his way with his blade

However, he was hardly even noticing his chest was starting to ache until it was far too late to allow his body to cool down. Frasier let out a soft grunt of distress, knowing that Saeko was going to come to his aid now.

"Frasier! Get down!" Saeko warned as she instantly rushed in to his defense as predicted. Frasier slowly fell to one knee as he began to feel his vision blur due to over stimulating his heart after the past couple of hours with no rest.

He didn't even realize that most of the infected were already dead, but to him it felt like he was surrounded. At least he felt this way until Saeko slowly dragged him up by his collar and glared into his eyes.

**{}**

"I warned you to be more careful! You damn well know you can't be overexerting yourself. What do you think could've happened if I wasn't here to save your ass? Well? Answer me!" Saeko scorned as she shook him by the collar, her voice drenched with concern and anger towards his behavior. She tried her very best to come off as a professional but even she couldn't hold back the emotions behind every word she shouted.

"I would've thought of something...I always do, don't I?" Frasier responded, as he was already beginning to feel at ease despite Saeko's lecture. He instantly regretted those words, knowing she was going to find a way to punish him for being so reckless and foolhardy.

"You need to learn how to control your energy output...I think you need to meditate with me for awhile when this is over, and nothing else." Saeko calculated before letting him go, watching him stagger in place before regaining some balance, a soft sigh of relief escaping his lips seeing how she was going to let him off with what he considered a warning.

"Frasier! You alright?" Marcus' voice suddenly announced as the sound of footsteps approaching could be heard echoing nearby. Saeko and Frasier both turned around only to see Marcus sprinting towards them with Takashi's shotgun in hand.

"I'll be better after some rest...why are you down here though? You should be protecting everyone else, Marcus." Frasier responded in an attempt to avoid talking about his condition, shooting his younger sibling a scowl of disapproval.

"Well, we were watching you doing what you do best, but you suddenly stopped, and it looked like you were having heart problems again...you sure I'm the one that should be playing benchwarmer right now?" Marcus explained as he noticed Frasier's heavy breathing while Saeko wiped the tainted blood of the infected from her blade.

"I think he's right on this one. Let him take your place so Shizuka can administer your heart medicine. I won't allow you to risk your health any further than you have been recently. Unless you think you can get past me." Saeko warned in an authoritative tone, grabbing Frasier by the wrist like a small child that needed supervision.

"Do I really have a choice?" Frasier grumbled as Saeko grinned at the response before kissing his cheek out of affection, slowly pulling him back towards the bridge. Marcus chuckled to himself before he realized he had been completely ditched in a room filled with remains of Saeko and Frasier's rampage, except for one that had its lower body pinned to the ground by a table. It's lower jaws continuously snapped as a ghastly groan was all it could emit.

"Shut up." Marcus said nonchalantly before blowing the rest of it into chunks from a single blast, the pinned corpse ceasing all movement entirely as well as letting the silence finally take its toll upon the room to perfectly signify the bloodbath held there just moments ago.

'Man...I wonder if those two even know the meaning of the word restraint.' Marcus then thought to himself as he took a moment to look at the carnage his brother and Saeko left in their wake, more than grateful to know they were on his side.

He then shifted his attention towards the locked door when something began to heavily bang against it. Figuring it was most likely the infected, Marcus ducked behind a knocked over table and aimed his shotgun down range at the doorframe. If he was going to be ditched, the least he could do was get some kills under his belt after all.

However, he immediately ducked down when the sound of automatic fire burst through the door, causing it to swing wide open with Rika and David standing there soaked in the blood of the dead. Marcus quickly rose back up to run over and greet their return.

"Where is the other two? They alright?!" David asked as he noticed it was Marcus who was greeting them instead. He even almost sounded like he was concerned for their well being.

"Yeah, for now anyways. Did you guys manage to kill the rest of Them? We could only access so many monitors." Marcus answered before asking questions of his own, curious for their answer and hoping to hear that the infected had been purged from the ship.

"I think we actually took out the main bulk. There's no way that was the entire crew right there, but it was certainly some good progress tonight. Don't tell me the other two are already calling it quits." Rika responded in a calm tone before realizing that something must've been wrong with Saeko and Frasier if they let Marcus take over.

"Just recouping I guess. Best we join them and see what's next on our agenda." Marcus suggested as Rika and David were more than eager to catch their breath after such a rough battle with Them. It was only a matter of time before they would be going after the rest of the infected that plagued this ship.


	35. Act 11: Voyage Part 3

**Act 11 Voyage Part 3**

**Z-Day+34**

After slaughtering the infected sailors within the mess hall, the survivors took ten minutes to catch their breath before discussing their next step in the plan to take back the ship from Them.

"So the mess hall is ours, and the armory is finally accessible to us without needing to worry about any of Them sneaking up on us. What should we focus on next?" Frasier questioned everyone as he was wondering if they had any opinions or ideas to bring up.

"I say we should fortify our positions first before moving out and stretching ourselves thin. Those tables could make good barricades if not obstacles to block any stragglers or packs. Although I'm pretty sure we killed most of Them in the first sweep." David suggested, as it was more than obvious that the group would need to take things slowly in order to avoid any incidents that could result from anyone being too reckless.

"I think he has the right idea here. But when we do plan on expanding, what major area should we hit next? I suggest we find some schematics so I can start on those engines. The sooner we can get back onto land, the better." Saya agreed.

"And do you have any idea where we could find those? I doubt the U.S. Navy just leaves those lying around for anyone to see." Takashi said as he then looked over to Eddie and David who would clearly be the only ones with an answer to their dilemma.

"He's right. However, to get those schematics, we'd have to look them up on the ship's database, which is going to be in the captain's quarters..." Eddie began to explain before he went silent after mentioning the captain of the ship. Clearly that name had some emotional ties to it.

"Something we should know about your captain?" Rika inquired, as she didn't show any sympathy in her voice despite the emotional strain on Eddie's face.

"When we were trying to figure out what the hell the screams were that were coming from down below, we quickly found out when a cadet came running in. We figured she was hurt and needed medical attention, but it turned out she'd already succumbed to the...whatever you can classify this shit as. Nobody started to use or even consider lethal force until three others had been bitten.

"Soon, more and more of Them began flooding the room. While our numbers dropped, Theirs only grew. The captain and those who were still alive were trapped in a corner with no way of escaping. It was like something out of a nightmare. No matter what we did, those things just wouldn't stop coming for us." Eddie said as he told everyone just what exactly it had been like when the dead had taken over this ship.

"How in the world did you survive? Surely something must have happened for you to survive to this day?" Rei asked as she found herself (along with the others) drawn in by the story, wanting to hear what happened next.

"I tried my best. I had to loot from one of the other sailors while They were tearing his guts out. I shot at Them, but I was so goddamn scared, I couldn't do anything. Those things kept killing the rest of us one by one. So I did the only thing I could do and crawled into an air vent, leaving my friends and captain to die...you have no idea what it's like to live with that kind of guilt. ¡Coño! Every time I close my eyes, I can still hear those men screaming!" Eddie finished as he cupped both his hands over his face, the traumatic shock more than his physique could bear to handle. His body could be seen visibly shaking as he felt the posttraumatic stress wearing him down intensely.

"Shizuka, give him a sedative. Lord knows he could use one." Rika suggested as Shizuka nodded in a silent agreement before wandering over to grab her medical bag, carefully sorting through it until she pulled out a small dose of morphine she had managed to actually smuggle out with her during her escape with Marcus at the hospital back in Kibou City.

"Here. It may sting for a moment, but it'll certainly help you ease that pain." Shizuka said to Eddie in Japanese, completely forgetting the fact he didn't understand a word she was saying. However, Marcus quickly translated before Eddie could ask what she had just injected into his arm.

"I don't think any medicine can just so easily take away the...ooohhhkay, I take it back..." Eddie began to protest in a gloomy tone before instantly mellowing out from the effects of the powerful opiate.

"I don't suppose we all could get a dose of that, huh?" Takashi questioned, as he couldn't help but feel the urge to find a good pick-me up to help distract his mind from most of his problems.

"Don't even think about it unless you're at your lowest, Takashi. You have no idea how easy it is to become addicted to morphine. The opium in it will make you go crazy from withdrawal, so none of you ask for any unless you're seriously hurt or mentally breaking down." Shizuka warned in her most serious tone, knowing that if any of the kids under her watch became addicted, they'd suffer a living hell from withdrawal seeing how she only had a limited supply. The others nodded in response to the momentarily serious nurse, nobody even noticing Rika bowing her head with a look of absolute shame and regret.

"I think break time is over. Now let's get started on building those barricades and cleaning up the mess Saeko and Frasier so kindly left for us. Afterwards, we can finally get a warm meal in our bellies. Now let's move out." Rika announced after shaking the momentary distress from her mind, once more taking control of the situation.

"I'll go first. Just in case we have any unexpected guests." David volunteered as he had more than enough energy to spare, grabbing his rifle to go and secure the cleared mess hall.

"I'll go too. I might as well check to see if the food is any good." Frasier announced as he began to stand up only to be pulled back by Marcus of all people.

"No, you stay here. I was watching you on the security feed. As badass as you were, I could tell you were putting too much strain on your heart. I'll go this time." Marcus corrected after expressing his observations on Frasier's behavior during the fight.

"So what? I can-oh, fine!" Frasier began to argue, ready to protest and explain how he was more than strong enough to push on. However, he instantly stepped down the moment he noticed how everyone from his group was staring at him with looks of disbelief and concern.

"Don't worry. I'm sure there will be plenty more of Them for you to kill in California. Just take it easy for Christ's sake." Marcus said reassuringly as he proceeded to put on the most armor that was recovered from the armory. Luckily it was adjustable and able to fit his build perfectly.

"How do I look?" Marcus then inquired, as he wanted some personal feedback from the others, taking great pride in what his father planned for him and his brothers.

"Like a real man. You nearly had me there, Markie. Just need to grow a beard now..." Shizuka replied in her energetic, bubbly tone of voice, as she showed no shame in blatantly flirting with the second youngest member of the group.

"Father would be proud. Just don't get cocky out there." Frasier responded before warning Marcus not to be overly confident. It was clear though that he was more than overwhelmed with family pride and honor to even notice Shizuka's flirtatious comment directed towards his younger brother.

"I know he would be. Just know that he never gave up on you. At least not in the way you think." Marcus responded in a more serious tone before moving out to help David secure and start cleanup on the mess hall.

Everything was quiet for a few moments on the bridge. Nobody knew what to say or do until Eddie began to mutter loud enough for all their attention to be focused on him.

"What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost. Or worse." Saeko noted as she was pacing around Eddie like a shark, wanting no secrets to be held.

"I could've sworn I just saw something moving around in the captain's quarters. I'm not sure what it was, but it was definitely a hell of a lot faster than any of Them." Eddie answered as he nervously panned the security feed around to see if he could find another angle.

"So you're saying there might be more survivors then? That's good news, right?" Rei said before wanting to confirm that more survivors were to be considered a good thing at this point.

"That depends. If there's a survivor out there, who's to say what kind of state he or she could be in by now? Especially after a bunch of flesh eating monsters eat all of your friends and fellow crew." Saya answered bluntly with no issue on showing her cynical perspective on the matter. She then adjusted her glasses before letting out a sigh of stress, knowing it was just one more thing to keep her up at night.

"So how do you think the rest of the military is handling all this? Not just the United States, but also everywhere. I'm sure you guys must've heard something back on land?" Eddie asked as he brought up something nobody ever bothered to consider, seeing how they had come to rely on themselves for so long.

"We haven't really been able keep up with the modern news. Seeing how it happened worldwide, and the fact nobody had any clue what or where They came from. Also seeing how an EMP was launched at Japan, I can only imagine how desperate the U.S. is really becoming." Frasier answered as he leaned back, completely unaware of the fact that he was in for a big shock along with the others.

"It could've been worse you know..." Eddie admitted, instantly grabbing the attention of everyone once more.

"Something you feel like sharing?" Takashi questioned, keen on learning exactly what Eddie meant by those words.

"Four tactical nukes were launched at Asia to help cripple any potential threats that the United States may face, seeing how they had no idea if the outbreak originated from China or any other potential power that could attack while we were losing millions by the day.

"With no confirmation on who was meant to be the true Commander and Chief, some of our nuclear submarines launched a preemptive strike against the East. I don't know about the other three destroyer-class ships, but the Curtis Wilbur was overrun when we had just received the orders to knock our designated nuke straight out of the sky. But with nobody to blast it, I could only assume the worst had happened." Eddie explained as the others were simply mortified to hear such a thing, to know that this very ship was the reason why they had to go without power while enduring the hell of the outbreaks.

However, Frasier was affected most by this trouble news as his eyes began to twitch, his body trembling with boiling rage, as he felt ready to go on another blood frenzy. He had to bite down on his own lip just to avoid anyone from hearing the grunts and growls he made trying to contain the rage that was festering within. The mere thought of knowing that his parents died because of this vessel was killing him. It was even worse knowing that he couldn't explode into another uncontrollable killing spree at this very moment.

Before any attention could be drawn towards Frasier, the group suddenly heard some commotion coming from the mess hall. Not wanting to take any chances, Rika, Khota, Saeko, Takashi and Eddie rushed down the stairs to check on David and Marcus, only to see that they had simply stacked too many tables upon one another, causing an avalanche.

"I told you it wouldn't work. We should have a smaller wall, but reinforce it with two stacks rather than one big one." David said to Marcus as they began to pick apart the mess they made and try another configuration. They then turned around to realize they weren't alone.

"What was all that about?" Takashi questioned, as his English was awkward to understand at first, but understandable to say the least.

"Just testing to see how high we can stack these tables. They're much heavier than they look by the way, so don't let any fall on you." Marcus answered before giving a friendly warning to the others.

"So this is our mighty defense against the flesh eating monsters that are practically twice as strong most of the group?" Rika questioned in a pessimistic tone of voice as she shook her head at the lack of materials available to them.

"We plan on using left over cans and hanging them by our entry point so anyone or anything that brushes against them should create enough noise for all of us to hear." David explained as he held up a small hollow can that had a bloodstain on it, the smell more than unsettling to the others due to the vegetation rot from what used to be the contents of that can not being properly preserved.

"Well, if everything is secure, then let's get to work on moving these corpses. We can't really have a proper meal until we clear the entire area, and they smell bad enough as it is." Rika ordered as she began to start leading by example by dragging the first of many bodies aside to the entrance of the room.

"I'll grab a mop and try to wash the blood off. David, where can I find the janitor's closet?" Marcus volunteered as the others began to go around the fallen corpses, making sure each one was truly put down and simply not playing dead. Although whether They were capable of such tactics was still unknown, it never hurt to check.

"There should be some supplies nearby if I'm not mistaken. Keeping an eye out for cleaning gear was the last thing on my mind for the past couple weeks." David said apologetically while he continued to create a winning combination with the tables for their makeshift barricade. Marcus simply nodded as he passed everyone else in the mess hall that were primarily focusing on removing the fresh corpses.

Meanwhile, Frasier was pacing back and forth on the bridge, completely bored out of his mind already, seeing how Marcus, Saeko, and Shizuka were all making sure he wouldn't push himself too far again.

"You know they're going to need me at some point or another. Just let me go down there to at least check on them." Frasier said in an attempt to bargain if not convince Saya and Shizuka that he'd be all right this time around.

"If anything was happening, we'd be hearing it. Not to mention the fact we have those security cameras to watch out for danger. You just sit tight before I break out the sedatives." Shizuka said in an attempt to actually talk him out of leaving while she pressed down on his shoulders to restrain him to the chair.

"But I...you don't...understand...they need...me..." Frasier began to mutter before his eyes opened wide only to slowly close as he felt Shizuka's fingertips massaging at his very muscles with unexpected expert precision. No matter how hard he tried to resist, he slowly relaxed to the point he actually fell asleep trying to fight back.

"Sweet dreams." Shizuka softly whispered as she kissed his cheek, a sly grin of victory forming across her face as she had managed to practically incapacitate one of the strongest members of the group so easily.

"Wow. I didn't think anyone could do that to him. How did you of all people even manage to do that?" Saya commented with a hint of astonishment in her voice as she observed Frasier's figure, noticing how calm and subtle he looked compared to how he normally was when awake.

"Nothing fancy or hard to learn. Just good old fashion pressure points. He had a lot of tension in his body, so I was able to remove some of it with my magic fingers." Shizuka proudly explained as she pointed to the areas she massaged before Frasier went silent, excluding the occasional sigh of relief he'd let out.

"I'll be sure to remember that one. Always nice to have an advantage over these boys." Saya said, as she knew it would be interesting to try and perform this little trick somewhere down the line.

"So do you really think we can fix the engines, Saya?" Shizuka then asked, as she was curious to know if Saya could even attempt something she had no direct knowledge of.

"I honestly have no idea. Even if I can understand the schematics, I would need the tools to do so. Not to mention the parts if any replacements would be needed." Saya fully explained, as she was being brutally honest in her scenarios of repairing the engines properly.

"That bad, huh? Well I can only hope we're able to find a way. We may have some food now, but how long will that last?" Shizuka said in what little faith she could hold for their survival.

"And that's if we don't tear into each other if tensions keep getting high like they have been." Saya brought up as they looked down, knowing this group was already on the verge of breaking up, and that was even before they were trapped on the Curtis Wilbur.

Hours later, the sun finally began to rise over the beautiful Pacific Ocean, the rays of light reflecting off of the warm blue waters as the ship drifted right on through. Alice slowly opened her eyes only to let out a tiny yawn before sitting up to see nobody was around. Her heart instantly sank into worry and panic as she bolted up only to be slightly relieved to see Frasier resting in one of the chairs.

"Hey. Wake up!" Alice began to beg as she crawled up onto his lap, softly shaking his shoulders until he was fully alert and aware of her presence.

"What is it, Alice? Did you have a bad dream?" Frasier asked, as he looked down at the worried child, not even aware that it was morning.

"No! I just woke up and nobody is here. Do you think they left without us?" Alice asked in a frightened tone of voice.

"They must be downstairs clearing out the monsters we killed while you were sleeping. Let's go check on them." Frasier explained as he carried Alice with one arm while leaving his other arm free, just in case something was actually wrong.

As he descended down the stairs, he felt Alice clenching tighter and tighter onto him until they both entered the room to see everyone was alive and eating at one of the many tables that David didn't use for his barricade.

"Ah, looks like they're finally awake. About time too." Takashi observed as everyone looked over their shoulders to see Frasier and Alice approaching with puzzled looks on their faces.

"You guys are eating? Last I checked, we were fighting for our lives here. There better not be a single one of Them left on this ship if we're all dropping our guard so easily." Frasier announced as he scanned the room with his eyes, looking to see that the undead corpses were completely removed from the area, most likely tossed overboard.

"Relax, kid. While you were asleep last night, we managed to clear out the mess hall and set up a formidable wall of tables. Only a few of Them showed up anyways, and your brother handled it pretty well." Rika said to reassure Frasier's worries as he slowly calmed down when everyone else was visibly agreeing with her.

"Come sit down, Frasier. Now that you've caught up on your rest, you can come eat. A warrior of your caliber still needs to eat before a long day of fighting after all." Saeko explained with her prized katana sheathed and resting in her lap. She then moved over to give him some space.

Still amazed that he had been able to sleep for so long, Frasier eventually gave in to the growing hunger and sat beside Saeko with Alice still in his lap. Her small hands instantly started picking up bits of food before Frasier could even look at the rations they were given.

"Hungry little scamp isn't she? So who are the lucky parents? That smile of hers reminds me of my kids." David inquired as he couldn't help but think of his own daughters back home in the States. The rest of the group however had looks of woe as they bowed their heads, knowing their unanimous answer.

"We found her right after another survivor killed her father. We never found the mother, but I think it's safe to say she didn't make it." Takashi said bluntly, not even noticing the fact that his words were tearing right into Alice.

Everyone looked at him; shocked he would assume she couldn't hear a word he said. Before anyone could think to react, Alice instantly began to sniffle while her little lips trembled, her eyes watering to the point she couldn't even attempt to hold back her sadness any longer.

The weeping child bolted out the room and straight to the bridge, the bulkhead slamming behind her, but that didn't stop the concerned group from hearing Alice crying uncontrollably. Their heads then turned around to shoot Takashi looks of contempt and disapproval.

"Nice one...talk about subtlety." Marcus commented as he shook his head in disgust.

"You couldn't have waited to answer that question? She may be little but she isn't an idiot." Saya snapped as everyone got up to rush to Alice's aide only to find that she had slammed the bulkhead shut.

"I wouldn't have asked if I knew this was going to happen. I'm so sorry, guys." David said apologetically as he couldn't help but feel personally responsible for what had happened.

"Don't worry about it. It was motor mouth here that really dropped the ball. I think we should give her time to think on it. Maybe she'll learn on her own to accept it." Rika suggested as the others were quick to caudle and protect as much of Alice's innocence as possible.

"She's only seven! This is something that requires nothing but comfort and nurturing." Rei intervened as she spoke in a defensive tone of voice.

Unable to think of anything to respond with, Takashi could only grunt and look away as he had only just realized that he had made a big mistake. He then watched as Frasier walked past everyone else and stood before the door.

"What? Aren't you going to add to the list of insults?" Takashi questioned bitterly as Frasier walked by him.

"No. There are bigger priorities here, Takashi." Frasier answered bluntly before passing everyone else, slowly turning the bulkhead and closing it behind him without giving anyone else a chance to follow him.

Saya attempted to open it only to realize he had locked it. A look of anger formed as she could only hold her tongue until he came back. Nothing got under her skin faster than the fact she wasn't allowed to help Alice, almost as if there was a mother/daughter-like bond between the two.

**{Walking Dead OST - Alive} **

Frasier slowly walked towards the tiny sleeping bag sitting in the corner of the room, only to find Alice lying face down with her face buried into the soft cushiony insides. Her sobbing could easily be heard despite there being little to no room for any sound to escape. The moment he gently placed a hand over her shoulder, she instantly responded with a distressed whine.

"No! Go away!" Alice cried out as she swatted his hand away, not even noticing the grim look on his face; a look that completely showed his understanding on every little feeling that was pulling the painful strings in her heart.

"Alice, I know why you're upset." Frasier attempted to explain in an approachable voice, making sure that she didn't see it as an aggressive gesture.

"No you don't...you can't know what it's like. When will you stop lying to me? I don't like it. I hate it." Alice sobbed as she tilted her head sideways so the sleeping bag didn't muffle her words. She kept her eyes clenched tight though so he wouldn't see the tears in them.

Frasier was visibly taken aback by those words, wondering she meant until it hit him like a pile of bricks. He then remembered back when he had left her to Takashi's group, leaving before she could introduce him. It may have seemed like a small and insignificant thing to him, but he had made a promise to her, and even he knew that promises meant everything to little kids.

"I know what I did was wrong, Alice. If I had known back then that you wouldn't like me for it, I never would've done it. Things were complicated back then, and the best solution for me was to simply vanish, seeing how you'd finally reunited with your group." Frasier began to explain, his voice carrying genuine regret as he sat down beside Alice, knowing this would most likely take awhile.

"Kazoku." Alice suddenly announced as she slowly opened her eyes, rubbing the remaining tears away to show she wasn't as sad anymore, as much as she was determined.

"Kazoku? Family? I-I don't understand…" Frasier said with a puzzled expression, completely caught off guard for once by the little girl.

"Yes, because that's exactly what they are. They're more than just a 'group'. We're a family, and you became part of my family when you and your brothers saved me. I know my parents are gone, and I know they'll never come back...but that's okay, because you guys are my new family, and we have to look out for each other. Because that's what a family does best." Alice expressed as she finally sat up and made eye contact with Frasier, watching him lower his head, as he didn't realize she had taken his leave so personally.

"But if you're at terms with your parents being gone, how come you ran off when Takashi mentioned them?" Fraser asked, still uncertain what could've set her off if it wasn't about her deceased parents.

"Because it made me think of you guys all dying or leaving me…like you did. It gave me this really painful feeling in my tummy...then I just couldn't stop crying." Alice confessed as she began to sniffle again.

"Why would you ever think of such a thing? You know we would never abandon you. How do you think Saya or Rei would feel if they knew you felt that way about them? Alice, you're the number one priority here. Don't ever forget that." Frasier lectured, as he was somewhat astonished to see that Alice would even imagine such a horrid thing happening.

"I heard how you guys were fighting. How everyone might split up." Alice tried to explain before she felt Frasier holding her head to his chest.

"We're just not sure what to do next. Nothing seems certain, and with every step we take, we must be vigilant for trouble. But I promise you that no matter what we do, we will always do what's best for you. I swear my life on it." Frasier vowed as he attempted to reassure Alice that everything would be all right for their family.

"No! Don't say that! If you break the promise, then you're going to die...take it back!" Alice demanded as her tiny fists pounded against his armor. A fierce look of determination could be seen burning in her eyes.

"I mean every last word. Now come on, everyone is waiting out there to see if you're all right. You're tougher than this, Alice. I know it." Frasier said as he then motioned Alice to stand back up, watching her smile with a new aura of confidence as she followed him out to the bulkhead. Both of them watched as the group recoiled back after their ears were perched against the door to listen in on how someone as ruthless and dehumanized as Frasier could calm a hurt child without force.

"I don't believe it. He actually did it." Saya said in a surprised tone of voice, as she was beyond relieved to see Alice smiling cheerfully again. She quickly cleaned the lenses on her glasses to make sure she wasn't simply seeing things.

"I guess there really is a humane side to him after all. It would be nice if he showed it to us more often." Rei brought up as they watched the two walking back down to the mess hall.

"Don't you guys have a ship to be purging?" Frasier's voice suddenly carried out from the next room. Everyone began moving back in, only to see he wasn't even remotely ready to head out.

"Well we talked it over while you were in there, and it's you we were waiting on. So are you ready to do what you do best?" Marcus expressed as he was certain Frasier was more than willing to add more his kill count.

However, Frasier set down his fork and turned to the others with a smirk on his face.

"No." Frasier answered bluntly as he watched nearly everyone fall over in reaction to something they never thought he would turn down.

"'No?!' What do you mean 'no?' You're always in the mood to kill something." Marcus said in a confused if not flat out concerned voice, as he was almost certain this was some sort of bad joke.

Saeko then approached and placed the back of her hand against his forehead, checking to make sure he had no fever. She was even more skeptical than the others; she knew he must have been planning something big if he was to pass up an opportunity like this.

"Shizuka, you may want to give him a physical later. I think he may have hit his head or something." Saeko suggested as she watched Frasier frowning at their unnecessary shock.

"I'm going to sit this one out. Can't hog all the glory now, can I? Besides, you guys are right about me needing rest, and I think Alice agrees with me staying. Isn't that right, Alice?" Frasier said in an attempt to explain his out-of-character decision, watching as Alice turned around with a warm, affectionate smile on her face.

"We're going to make origami." Alice announced excitedly as she held up a piece of paper in her tiny hands.

"Frasier...are you sure this is what you want? I don't want you to be complaining later when we finish off the last of Them." Saeko questioned as she raised an eyebrow, wanting to ensure that he wasn't going to regret his decision.

"I'm fully aware of that, my love. All I ask is that you keep an eye on Marcus for me. He's a good fighter, but he can be reckless when he's... 'In the zone' as he calls it." Frasier requested as he felt her lips softly pressing against his before backing up, nodding in acknowledgement as she felt a sense of honor that he could trust her with such a task.

"Alright! Lets roll out!" Saeko ordered, as the others were more than ready to move out and retake the captain's quarters of the ship. Rika and Khota were eagerly waiting by the door while Saeko, Marcus, and David headed over to finish the fight.

Moments later, the team stood before the door to the captain's quarters. The walk through the eerie halls went much simpler than initially expected, with just the occasional zombie impeding their progress only to be instantly slain without hesitation.

"You guys ready? Because I sure as hell am." Marcus announced as he could be seen trembling all over in anticipation. It was more than clear he was ready to prove himself not just to the group and Frasier, but to himself as well.

"Before we left, Eddie warned me not to damage any of the monitors or electrical equipment. So watch where you're shooting." David brought up as he made it clear they had to keep themselves from potentially destroying their only hope of controlling the ship.

"Not a problem." Saeko responded as she slowly drew her katana with a confident look in her eyes. Only a few things in life now could match up to the savor of battle for her.

"Nothing better than a challenge, I always say." Khota added as he found himself excited to make sure every shot he made would penetrate the moist, squishy grey skulls of his targets.

With everyone ready, nothing now could keep them from finishing what they started, with Khota, Rika, and David stacked up on the sides of the wall while Saeko and Marcus were prepared to breach inside.

"Remember, watch where you point that thing." Saeko reminded Marcus as he slowly nodded to show he understood before flicking the safety off.

Wanting to get the drop on the unknown amount of undead corpses inside, Marcus slowly pried the door open, only to see it was completely pitch black inside.

"Light. Someone get me a light up here." Marcus softly whispered as he didn't dare turn away from the darkness in case one of Them was to pop out at the last second. Saeko even was on edge, ready to pull him back in case multiple zombies came out at once.

Quickly passing the flashlight to Marcus, he shined the beam of light into the room, only to raise an eyebrow at the sight of nothing more than the standard massacre he'd come to expect from the ship.

Taking an extra big risk, he began to tap his foot on the ground, frantically scanning the room to find any signs of Them. However, there wasn't a single gurgle or groan to signal the presence of any undead. Everyone felt a sense of concern at the fact there wasn't any of Them in the control room.

"I see bodies, but I don't think those ones are going to be getting up anytime soon. Proceed with extreme caution." Marcus announced to the others before handing the flashlight back to Saeko since she only needed one hand to fight.

The group slowly walked into the room guided by the light in Saeko's hand while trying to keep themselves from announcing their rising suspicion.

*SLAM*

"What the hell was that?!" Rika snarled as everyone began to look around, uncertain what had just happened. All of their heart rates skyrocketed from the very thought of being blind while the undead were nearby.

"It appears we aren't alone after all. Everyone keep calm and stick close together." Saeko said in a calm voice as she began to close her eyes, allowing her sense of hearing to replace her sense of sight.

"Easy for you to say, but I can't exactly share your optimism." Khota muttered as he began to instantly hyperventilate. Everyone noticed there was the occasional sound of footsteps coming from within the room. Heavy breathing could then be heard that even unnerved Saeko herself.

"Saeko...flash the light over here please..." Marcus requested as his voice was carrying a feeling she could sense in just about any living creature. Fear.

When the light flashed over Marcus, everyone could see a knife being held at his neck, while behind him was a survivor wearing a tattered uniform that resembled one an officer would normally wear. Both his eyes were completely bloodshot while his hair was missing patches from his scalp.

"Well, well…it looks like I have a trespasser on my ship." the clearly deranged officer softly chuckled in amusement as he began to look at everyone who stood before him. His hands were trembling as the blade against Marcus' neck was constantly at risk of piercing his skin.

"Holy shit...is that you, Simmons?" David gasped in absolute shock at the sight of a former crewmember, his lower jaw trembling at the thought of how this man could've possibly survived all alone.

"Ah, Corporal Hayes. Thank God. It's so nice to see you made it out alive after all. Now, help me detain these intruders. And it's Lieutenant Simmons, by the way, but that's okay, because you and I are going to survive this outbreak and arrest these trespassers." the man known as Simmons explained as then proceeded to wave the knife around to point at Rika, Khota, and Saeko.

"Hold on, sir. These kids are actually helping us retake the ship from Them, and are actually willing to cooperate with us! Please, just put the knife down..." David said in a soft tone, knowing that the wrong tone of voice or any sudden movement might set off Simmons.

"No! These people are not authorized to be here! And don't think for a second I won't court martial your sorry nigger ass for trying to defend these scumbags. If this is a mutiny, I'll have to kill them so I can deal with you-" Simmons snarled viciously. He began to tremble even more now that he mentally interpreted David to be against him now.

"For fuck's sake, Simmons, they're just kids! Don't you dare hurt that boy or I swear to God I'm going to blow your fucking head off!" Eddie's voice suddenly roared out as his silhouette could be seen in the doorway before turning on the light switch to reveal a pistol in his hand aimed directly at Simmons' head.

"Eddie? What the hell are you doing here?!" David questioned as everyone's attention focused entirely upon him, seeing a powerful glare in his eyes as he stared down Simmons.

"What the hell are you going to do with that? Last I checked you were a timid little fuck when it came to shooting another human being. How you made it here, I'll never understand, but this traitorous behavior doesn't surprise me in the slightest." Simmons responded as he pointed the knife at Eddie, speaking to him in a condescending voice.

The instant the knife was away from his neck, Marcus instantly sprung into action and caught Simmons off guard by flipping him over his head and flat onto his back. Before Simmons could even consider grabbing him, the young Brit was already far out of his reach while the others kept their weapons trained on the insane lieutenant.

"Traitors and pirates! All of you! You think I'm going to be captured by the likes of you? Not on my terms-not on my..." Simmons barked out like a wild animal. Before anyone could react, he ran the knife along his own neck. All that could be heard was a bloody gargle before he completely shoved the metal blade into his neck.

Everyone watching cringed before watching lieutenant Simmons drop dead in a pool of his own blood. Khota covered his mouth to prevent himself from vomiting at the traumatic scene before him while David and Eddie cautiously walked towards Simmons' motionless corpse.

"Crazy son of a bitch...but I guess I can't expect much else from someone who must've been alone this entire time." David muttered as Eddie checked over the fresh corpse to make sure he wasn't already bitten by one of Them.

"I know what you mean. He doesn't appear to be bitten...hold on, what the fuck is this?" Eddie began to agree before pausing a moment to look over what appeared to be flesh between Simmons' teeth and fingernails.

"That looks like flesh. What the fuck has this guy been eating?" Rika questioned as she walked over to investigate the scene.

"It's not what…it's who. You guys may want to look at this." Marcus corrected as he motioned everyone to follow him to see what he had unfortunately discovered.

Everyone walked over to see multiple crewmembers piled up against a corner of the room. Their skin and meat had been peeled away so smoothly it couldn't have possibly been by the infected, which were known for tearing apart Their victims like wild animals.

"That crazy son of a bitch was a fucking cannibal!? No wonder he completely flipped..." Eddie commented as they noticed that none of these corpses had any bite marks one of Them would normally leave.

"What's worse is none of these guys appear to be bitten. So they were actually survivors that must've been left behind when the captain made a last stand. Eddie...how come you never noticed this before? I thought you had those security cameras set to watch this place." Saeko added before questioning Eddie when she noticed something didn't seem right.

"The lights weren't on, so it was just a dark screen whenever I would check. When your flashlight turned on, I saw a glimpse of someone moving around, so I rushed down to warn you guys." Eddie explained as he then began to activate one of the consoles, his fingers pounding away against the keyboard.

"Oh my God. You guys aren't going to believe this!" Eddie then announced as his eyes frantically scanned the screen multiple times to make sure he wasn't misreading anything.

"What is it now? I don't think we can take anymore of this crap." Rika groaned as she and the others were expecting more bad news to be piled on.

"I just did a diagnostic run on the ship, and it turns out Simmons just had the engines powered down to conserve energy from what I can tell. This means we can finally kick this ship into top gear! Hahaha! Oh God, this is such a big relief." Eddie proudly announced as the ship suddenly began to rumble when he flicked on a switch. The entire ship made a low humming noise as the engines came back to life.

"What about the ship's weapons? Can we use those in case we run into any potential threats?" Marcus questioned as he was beginning to think like Frasier, always wanting to have a contingency for every potential scenario.

"Yeah, I don't think the undead are really capable of sabotage." Eddie snickered, as he was beyond relieved to know the ship was fully operational again.

"Let's get back to the bridge and get Eddie on the wheel. I think he's been looking forward to it." David suggested before they all nodded in agreement. One by one, they left the room and never looked back once, leaving Simmons' body to rot with the rest of the many corpses in the room.

When the small team returned, Frasier and Shizuka, who stood at the entrance to the mess hall, instantly greeted them, both of their expressions showing they had some questions.

"I presume that rumbling was because of you guys?" Frasier questioned with a raised eyebrow before he noticed Marcus lifting his shirt up to hide the stranglehold marks on his neck.

"Hey, what was that?" Frasier instantly demanded as he gripped Marcus' collar and pulled it down to see the red imprint on his neck. A look of anger instantly began forming in his eyes as he glared at everyone else accusingly.

"There was another survivor, and things didn't go as we had planned. However, we do have some good news if that helps." Khota brought up, only for Frasier's death glare to cause him to slowly talk in a progressively quieter voice.

"We found another survivor who managed to sneak up on me and put a knife to my throat. After I broke free of his hold, he killed himself, rather than allow us to take him in. But it's okay, because I'm not hurt and you have no reason to explode...please don't explode..." Marcus began to explain in a confident voice, only to start panicking when he could see the burning rage in Frasier's eyes before he pinched the bridge of his nose while he closed his eyes.

"I guess you're right, Marcus. If you're all right, then no harm was truly done. So what was that rumbling anyways?" Frasier sighed as he then returned to the previous subject, thankfully much more calm now.

"It turns out the ship was just on lockdown. Eddie managed to run a diagnostic check, and all that's left is to let him work his magic on the wheel. We can finally continue the journey." Marcus explained. Frasier smiled, only to look past his younger sibling when Rika began approaching with a stern look in her eyes.

"Hey. Now that we're finally on the move, I think it's time we finished our little discussion from before." Rika said in a confrontational tone of voice as she stood face to face with Frasier with her authoritative shades on.

"Don't think I've forgotten about that so easily. So what's it going to be? The ball is in your court, Rika." Frasier responded defiantly as he stood his ground, expecting nothing less than a knife to the gut.

There was a momentary pause as they just glared at one another. Neither one would blink unless the other did first. Those watching slowly began moving towards something they could hide behind as if they knew the fighting wasn't over just yet.

"After all the hell we went through, I've been watching every move you make, every decision you made. After some debating, I think you should be in charge." Rika announced as she then watched Frasier open his mouth to respond with a harsh comment only to instantly recoil back when he realized she was letting him be in charge.

"W-what? You mean it? No tricks or any secret agendas?" Frasier them questioned with a raised eyebrow, uncertain whether or not he heard Rika right.

"But only on one condition: I'm second in command of how we do things, and when we encounter other survivors, especially military, we're telling them that I'm the one in charge. I've seen how you handle yourself under the pressure, but they certainly haven't, and your age will be seen as an easy target." Rika explained as she paced back and forth, watching the others form looks of hope that Frasier would accept the very generous offer.

"And what about me? I'm his second in command no matter what the circumstances are." Saeko said in a defensive tone, making it clear her relationship with him meant a lot more to her than anyone would expect.

"No, Saeko. Rika's right. She is second in command of the group. Her experience and age is the perfect qualification." Frasier intervened before Saeko and Rika could escalate the matter of who would be his second in command.

With a look of devastation and hurt, Saeko was about to storm out of the room, only to feel Frasier's hand wrap around her slim wrist. She turned her gaze to see that he clearly had much more to say.

"You didn't let me finish. You're not my second in command because that would imply you are lesser than me. But the reality is you're my equal, so as of now, you're my personal advisor on everything we do from here on out. Others are much better at expressing their emotions than I am. So I'm going to leave it at this: You're the only one I fully trust to give me an honest, mature opinion on whatever choice I make. If I'm going to have someone prevent a potentially bad call, I want it to be you, Saeko." Frasier confessed before he bowed his head, completely aware that even he could make a mistake or a bad judgment call, and when he did, he'd want Saeko to be the one to dissuade him from doing something they'd all regret.

"And you say you don't have a way with words." Saeko grinned before leaning towards Frasier, only to catch him off guard by suddenly nailing him in the stomach, watching him grunt in pain before smiling while she casually strolled away.

"Glad that's finally over. I guess all we can do now is wait. How long until we reach land?" Khota sighed out of relief before looking over to see what Saya had to say about it.

"Not sure, maybe a few days or weeks? I can look at the stars later tonight and see where we're currently located." Saya answered before stretching her arms back, Khota somewhat surprised there was no insult or sarcasm to be had from her this time.

"Alright! We're finally going home, amigo! Oh how I've missed those cabrons back home." Eddie cheerfully announced to David as he began to plot the Curtis Wilbur's course.

"About damn time. We can only pray now that the home front is holding up better than everywhere else on the planet. I just hope we aren't too late." David responded, clearly confident that that they would be returning to a more civilized setting than the one they'd been forced to leave from several weeks back.

"Firing those nukes off without following proper protocol, then shooting down said nukes without authorization... I just hope this isn't what I'm thinking it is." Frasier brought up as he unknowingly earned an angered look from David.

"Got something you want to say, son?" David inquired, as it was clear his patriotism didn't hold any tolerance for his country being doubted in their ability to function.

"From what it sounds like...now I could be wrong here, and I seriously hope I am, but if I'm right, then I'd say the United States of America is going to be in a state of complete anarchy." Frasier said in a cryptic voice that sent chills through everyone else before he walked away, only hoping that it was just him being paranoid.

"Is it over?" Alice then asked as she looked up at Rika, wanting to know if they had truly taken care of all the undead monsters on this ship.

"Yeah...we kicked Their asses all the way back to hell." Rika responded as she gave Alice thumbs up, Saya nearly falling over at the fact such a vulgar thing was said to Alice, while the others who stayed couldn't help but laugh when they saw Alice's response.

"Kickass!" the young child practically yelled before raising a first in the air, a true sense of victory now filling the air. Now all that remained was to simply wait out the remaining voyage and hope that nothing else could possibly go wrong. It would be a few days before anyone could rest easy, but in time they would be able to finally relax and catch up on some much needed rest.

**Z-Day+38**

Several days later, not a single one of Them was heard from to this day. The ship had traveled through a great distance in only a short amount of time. The group was more than relieved to go from fighting for survival to looking for something to keep themselves entertained.

"Okay...that was a pretty awesome kill, but one time I actually managed to crush one with nothing but a cinder block. Dropped it off an overpass and the dumb bastard walked right under it. Man, you should've seen it splatter." Marcus proudly announced as he was reminiscing unique kills with Saeko, Khota, Rika, and Frasier; the only members of the group who could truly enjoy killing Them.

"I say that's more luck than skill. Now slicing over five heads in a single swing of the blade? That's a challenge!" Saeko said as she practically scoffed at Marcus' feat. Everyone either rolled their eyes or chuckled at the fact she would have to be using a sword to get the job done.

"It doesn't matter what you say. I still think guns are better." Khota mentioned as he was particularly biased on the matter. Rika was nodding in agreement, seeing how she never really used melee tactics.

"That's why being ambidextrous is the way to go about it. Swords AND guns." Frasier exclaimed in triumph as he swung a knife in one hand and a pistol in the other. A smirk shone on his face as the others scooted back in case something went wrong.

"More like unbalanced." Saya's voice announced through the room as she approached them with a look that said she had good news.

"What is it, Saya? Something of interest come up?" Khota asked as he looked up at her, hoping that everything was okay, seeing how their luck had been very consistent so far.

"I think this is worth getting up for. Captain, feel like getting up as well?" Saya responded before she turned her attention to Frasier, curious as to how he'd react to her call.

"Very well, but it better be good." Frasier grumbled as they followed Saya out to see what all the commotion was about.

One by one, they walked out to see the others were already standing on the main deck, looking out at the distinct structure in the far distance protruding from the horizon. Every last member of the group was in awe at the unmistakable sight. Some would doubt or question whether it was simply a trick of the light.

"I don't believe it. Is that...? Am I just seeing things?" Takashi questioned as he began to rub his eyes while trying to convince himself it was the real deal.

"No, you're not. I see it too." Rei responded as she smiled at what everyone's eyes were locked onto. A massive oilrig towering in the distance, a place they could possibly be able to call a home now, so long as they stuck together and were ready for anything.

**NOTE TO ALL READERS: the chapters from here on out are the original. the ones before them were rewrites and there won't be anymore for awhile so things will become very screwy wen you go past this chapter. By all means try to piece it together but it is currently under my to-do list and will be addressed ASAP! thanks for reading, all support is appreciated! **


	36. Act 21 Jungle's of the Dead Part 2

Act 21 Jungle's of the Dead Part 2  
>Z-Day+78<p>

Torches illuminated the village as the sun was now under the horizon. The survivors all stood in the center of town, each a prisoiner to what would appear to be the famous Amazons.

"The Amazons? How the? No way, that can't be right." defied Saya. More and more villagers approached the center of town to check out all the commotion.

Suddenly the doors to what would appear to be a temple opened up. All the Amazons in the area then got down on one knee with their heads hung down. Out from the door way stepped out a tall and powerful looking woman wearing an elegant headdress.

She walked down the stairs of the temple standing before everyone else. "Rise my daughters." she said in a peaceful yet powerful tone. She then saw the prisoners and that there were men among them.

"Ahh, it has been many years since your kind has stained these lands with their filthy presence. I am Mother Talsa, who are you?" asked what seemed to be the leader of the tribe.

She was speaking in Japanese so Takashi stepped forward to answer the question. "My name is Komoru Takashi, we were just passing through the jungle until you guys kidnapped us."

Mother Talsa narrowed her eyes and made a waving motion with her hand. "Very well, the women are free to move about. The men stay tied together."

Two Amazons walked over and untied the girls, they then shortened the rope keeping Takashi, Khota, Marcus, and Frasier tied close together.

"What are your names my sisters?" asked Mother Talsa in a peaceful voice as she walked before them.

Rika took charge and answered for the group. "My name is Rika, the women in our group are: Rei, Saya, Shizuka, Alice, and Saeko."

"Very beautiful names-" she then turned her head towards Takashi. "-and what are you names? What makes you so special?" Mother Talsa asked in a much more stern tone.

Takashi stepped forward first and said "I'm the leader of this group and I make the big decisions here." Mother Talsa then looked over to Khota.

As Takashi stepped back Khota moved nervously forward. "I'm Khota... I'm the gun lover and can outshoot most I cross paths with." After that statement he stepped back trying to remain calm and show no fear.

Marcus took that as his signal to step forward. "The name is Marcus; I have a few basic military skills. Oh I'm also the comedic relief of the group and do a pretty damn good job at it thank you."

A few of the village girls laughed and giggled at that last remark. However Mother Talsa's eyes rolled un-amused and motioned him to move backwards. Marcus then stepped back as Frasier slowly stood forward.

He just stood there and looked at the Amazonian chieftain. She observed him and slowly became impatient. "What are you waiting for? Tell me who you are and your skills." demanded Mother Talsa.

"Oh right he doesn't talk anymore, long story, don't ask." explained Khota feeling a bit bold. Mother Talsa raised an eyebrow to this distinction and smiled a bit.

"So this one is not able to speak the ignorance of man? Then perhaps he shall be the one who will listen to my words. Come! Follow me young one." ordered Mother Talsa.

"Mother, what do we do with the rest?" asked one of the ambushers. Mother Talsa looked at the females of the group. After a few seconds of quick decisions she made her mind up.

"Give the women shelter and have the men be their personal slaves. They are now under Amazonian law!" replied Mother Talsa as she walked back to the temple awaiting Frasier's company.

"Wait what about his wounds? At least let me patch him up!" shouted out Shizuka concerned over Frasier's health.

Mother Talsa held her hand up. "Only the strongest of their gender may live among us. You may do as you see fit after I teach him our ways." she explained.

The villagers all stood back up and went back to their prior activities. Some stayed and watched observing the interesting outsiders.

"You better get going Frasier, it would be unwise to anger their chieftain." advised Rika as the rest of the group walked away with the guards ordered to escort them.

Frasier looked at Saeko then sighed looking up at the temple. He slowly took a few steps up the stairs unsure of what to expect from Mother Talsa. With each step he took he could feel sharp pains from the two blood stained welts on his back.

When he reached the top, two guards stood at the side of the door each armed to the teeth. They also wore jaguar pelts along their torso to signify their killing skill. Frasier also noticed that their swords were strikingly similar to western styled blades.

However one stepped to the side as the other opened the door for him. "Behave or I'll take the pleasure of tearing your spine out." warned one of them as he entered the temple.

Frasier slowly walked in as the door closed behind him. All seemed dark from within except for the small light the torches provided. "Come, follow me and learn of our history." ordered Mother Talsa.

Meanwhile the rest of the group was walking through the dirt trails throughout the village. "Think he will be ok?" whispered Khota to Takashi.

"He's been through worse, I'm sure he will be ok... I hope." replied Takashi taking the highly aggressive females into account. They were all stopped and ordered to enter a large hut.

"This is where your party shall live for now. No man is allowed to roam free unless accompanied by a woman." explained one of the Amazons.

"Thanks... I'll keep that in mind." said Rika as she walked into their hut. After a few seconds to observe the area it was a lot more different than the outside led to believe. "Wow this place is a lot nicer than I expected." she thought to herself.

Everyone else walked in and took in the situation. "So now what? I guess we just live with them until we can plan things out?" asked Rei.

"I'm afraid so, at least we can rest and catch our breath. It's been a real hectic month." replied Saya as she claimed a cot. "Come to bed with me Khota." she then ordered wanting to cuddle.

"Oh uh sure ok!" stuttered Khota as he gladly joined her. As he cuddled to her side obediently he whispered "You know I'd do this regardless of you being in charge of me." Saya blushed a bit and held him tight unable to think of a clever response.

"I'm tired." yawned Alice as she stretched out her tiny arms. She then crawled into a cot with Shizuka and Rika as they settled down. "Night night everybody." whispered Alice still feeling fear from earlier.

"We should get some rest also. Care to join me Takashi?" asked Rei sweetly. At first he didn't respond, Rei then looked over to see he was already snuggled into a cot and fast asleep. Rei just sighed and found another. "I guess not." she said in a sad lonely tone.

"So it's just you and me now." said Marcus to Saeko. She just let out an anguished sigh and walked away leaving Marcus to himself. "And then there was one." said Marcus softly to himself.

He then looked out the window of the hut to see if anyone was around. Marcus then slowly climbed out to go spy on what his older brother was up to. With it being nearly midnight it seemed like everyone would be asleep.

Marcus careful crept through the village towards the temple. He slowly made his way past the huts and froze when a group of Amazons walked by.

"Can you believe it? I've always heard the stories, but I've never actually expected to see a real live man in my lifetime." said one.

"I know! They are so similar yet so different than us. Do you think Mother will let us interact with them?" asked another.

"I sure hope so; I'm really fascinated with them and their ways. Not the evil ways of course but just how they're different from us." said the first one again.

Marcus just rolled his eyes and waited patiently for them to pass by. When he moved he accidentally knocked over a ceramic pot. It hit the ground and rolled around.

"Hey what was that?" announced a girl from the group that passed by. Marcus panicked and quickly froze in place hoping that he could blend in with the surroundings since it was dark enough.

"I didn't hear anything, c'mon let's get going! Mother doesn't like it when we are out this late." said another girl.

The one curious Amazonian walked back towards the area where Marcus was. She looked around and knew someone else was here. "Hello?" she softly asked aloud.

Marcus remained silent and breathed very gently. The girl then looked where he was and slowly reached her hand out. Marcus closed his eyes and slowly sucked in his stomach to avoid being felt.

"Ariel! Don't make me come over there!" warned the same girl from earlier.

The Amazonian known as Ariel then pulled her hand back and quickly darted off. Before she left she looked back just in time to see a figure scatter away. "Hmmmm." she softly hummed out to herself.

Marcus quickly ran to the temple and slowly made his way up onto the roof. He carefully scaled the roof trying not to break anything on his way up. "Easy... easy." he thought to himself as he finally reached the top.

He peered through a small hole to see what was going on inside. To his disappointment no one was inside to spy on. "Damn, they must be somewhere else in the temple." thought Marcus to himself.

He slowly climbed down the rooftop and gently landed on his feet. When he turned around he was face to face with one of the temple guards. She gripped his neck and held him high against the wall.

"You should not be here outsider, and you're alone! Where is your female escort?" demanded the tempered woman.

Marcus was paralyzed with fear and closed his eyes unable to answer her. She held up a fist ready to pound his face in. "I won't ask again, where is your escort?" the powerful Amazon asked.

"Right here!" answered a female voice.

Both Marcus and the temple guard looked over to see Ariel standing not to far behind them. She slowly walked over and smiled brightly.

"Ariel? You know better than to be out this late, but I guess you were just curious about the male so I'll let it go this time. Take him back to where he belongs, and then it's strait to bed with you!" ordered the temple guard as she dropped Marcus.

He landed with a thud and watched as the temple guard left them to return to her routine patrol. Marcus then looked over to see Ariel standing over him.

She had tanned skin yet very pretty blue eyes. Her hair coloring was auburn and tied back in a pony tail. The muscles she possessed were very tone and made a perfect athletic build. Her height was about 6ft tall. She seemed to be somewhere between Marcus and Frasier's age.

Marcus slowly stood up and coughed a bit feeling the oxygen return to his lungs. "Thanks... you didn't have to do that though." thanked Marcus.

"Actually if I did nothing she probably would have pulled your head off." said explained Ariel. She then walked a bit closer and smiled a bite feeling curious about Marcus. "So your Marcus right?"

"Yeah how did you know? Oh wait I announced it before the entire village duh." said Marcus who was surprisingly nervous. Ariel quickly picked up on this and giggled a bit. "What?" asked Marcus as her giggle actually made him blush.

"Your the comic relief remember? Your just naturally funny." explained Ariel. She then offered her hand to him feeling she could trust him. "Follow me?" she then asked confidently.

Marcus looked at her hand then back to her. He then slowly reached out and felt her warm hand against his. "Where too?" he then asked as she gently gripped it.

"There is much to see when the sun goes down in this beautiful jungle. I wish to share it with your kind." said Ariel as she looked into Marcus' emerald green eyes.

He slowly smiled and nodded. "You're ok with me being an outsider... and being male?" asked Marcus.

"It makes you all the more interesting, to be honest I'm very fascinated by your kind." replied Ariel. They both walked together out the village and into the jungle. Luckily everyone else was either asleep or not in the general area.

Many sounds could be heard wherever they went. The animals would go about their business making as much noise as they could. Yet it all seemed very peaceful and calming to the two teenagers.

Ariel would occasionally look over to the mysterious yet intriguing stranger every now and then as he just stared off into the life that flowed through the jungles. She wanted to learn more about him, everything that made him tick.

Ariel stopped him at a tree and asked "Can you climb?" Marcus examined the fairly thick tree and shrugged his shoulders.

"Let's find out." he said as he jumped onto it and tried to pull himself up. At first he went up but his luck quickly ran out as he just slid back down to the ground. Ariel giggled a bit and helped him up.

"Like this." she instructed as she wrapped herself around the tree. She then pushed off with her powerful legs going up as her arms would gradually move higher. It only took Ariel a few seconds for her to climb to the first set of branches.

Marcus quickly learned and copied everything she did. To his surprise it actually worked, he was actually scaling the thick tree! When he was near Ariel's level, she reached down and pulled him up in one powerful motion.

"Not bad... for a guy!" joked Ariel as she looked at Marcus trying to balance himself. "Take your shoes off; they're just going to throw you off balance with your natural footing.

Marcus acknowledged her suggestion and slipped both shoes off holding them in one hand. He then looked up to see a full moon high above in the night sky. "Woah." is all he could pass through his lips.

"Beautiful isn't it?" asked Ariel as she looked up and down Marcus' body. She then walked to his side and took his hand again. Marcus then looked back down at her hand.

"We really should get back to the village Ariel. I wouldn't want to get you into any trouble." said Marcus as he let go feeling shy.

Ariel nodded and smiled. "Thank you for accompanying me." she said as she watched him walk towards the base of the tree.

Marcus looked over at her and smiled back. "Thank you for saving my ass from that temple guard." he replied before he slowly scaled down the tree.

Ariel felt a warm presence within her body that she had never experienced before. She then shrugged her shoulders unable to answer her own question and jumped down the tree.

She jogged a bit to catch up with him and led him back to the village without catching any unwanted attention.

They stood by his designated hut, before Marcus could go in Ariel asked "Will I see you again?"

Marcus smiled and nodded slowly. "Yes, I can't see why not. Unless Mother Talsa decides to kick us out or something."

"I'm sure she will be ok with you guys. She seems to be very accepting of your elder brother. That is a very good sign." reassured Ariel.

Marcus felt a lot of stress break off knowing they were ok for now. "Then I guess I'll be seeing you tomorrow. Goodnight Ariel." He then entered the hut and closed the door very slowly behind him.

"Goodnight Marcus." Ariel hesitantly whispered feeling the warmth again.

She then managed to cool down and made her way to her hut. That night was a night she would not forget about anytime soon. The night men came to the secret village of the Amazons! 


	37. Act 21 Jungle's of the Dead Part 3

**Act 21 Jungle's of the Dead Part 3  
>Z-Day+79<strong>

Deep within the temple, Mother Talsa walked with Frasier explaining everything about their Amazonian culture. Many paintings and carvings were within the stone walls, all telling of the hidden culture the world only knew as a legend.

Mother Talsa guided Frasier, teaching him of how the tribe was created. Both were accompanied by her two loyal bodyguards, Vitani and Alexandra.

"Long ago as a child, my mother brought me to this jungle while she was studying the wildlife of the rainforests here. She was recently divorced from my father because he was a cruel and abusive man, she didn't even bother saying goodbye to the cold hearted bastard.

While we were traveling with a group of explorers and researchers our ship was lost in a storm. My mother and I were the only ones who survived it all. For the next four days we traveled along the river hoping to find civilization.

When all seemed lost we were picked up by some natives. Luckily my mother was very well educated and she was in fact able to converse with them. They brought us into their own village and took care of us.

However the men of their tribe were no better than my father, women were treated like they were not even people. My mother that day snapped and began to not only hate my father... but any man she encountered.

She was the smartest among the entire tribe. So she took action and was able to motivate the women to eradicate the men of the tribe. One dark night, the women slit every neck of every man, after that they made her the leader of the tribe.

However it didn't just end there. With no men around my mother expanded the tribe, she created a sanctuary for any woman in the world that would need it. She sent out advocates to different nations, each secretly spreading the word to whom they knew they could trust.

It wasn't long before we had women from all over the world within our tribe. At first it was tough because we all spoke in our own native tongue but soon we were able to work together and learn each other's own language. Which is why we are able to understand anything your group says.

As our minds became sharp and educated from our shared knowledge, our bodies became strong and tough from the jungles we inhabit.

With multiple nationalities within the tribe, our cultural influences were all being pooled together boosting and compensating the flaws each culture brought along. We soon blossomed into a very powerful tribe, even religion was not an issue.

We said no to every other religion because all were the same when things came down to it. The Bible, the Quran, and even the Torah... all written by man. Once that was brought up it was soon decided that we would worship the two goddesses: Venus and Earth.

With an established religion and hierarchy we had little problems. Years later my mother passed away and I was the new chieftain, I was only 17 at the time. One problem that needed to be address was our population. With no men we had no children, it was a problem that required outside intervention.

So I had some advocates steal a few samples from sperm banks and had them being it here. Those who were potent and willing took the seeds and a new generation was born. An Amazonian generation!

It was glorious to have so many new daughters added to the tribe. However we had a few males among the generation. The idea of men being brought back to the tribe was highly controversial at the time. Most wanted to simply kill the male babies to prevent any chance of losing this paradise.

Then there were others that couldn't bear the thought of killing children or their own spawn. So they split off into a sister tribe to raise the men on their own. Before I let them break off, oaths were made. One being that they must understand the original tribe is the supreme force between the two.

They then left for awhile and went their own separate way. We would occasionally interact with the females of the sister tribe. But one night as I had predicted, the males returned and tried to over throw me.

However they were not fully developed or as experienced as my loyal sisters. In one bloody battle all the men were once again purged from our secret society. The sister tribe now understood that any male is potency for trouble.

Years after that little conflict I had a daughter of my own, one to continue my legacy as chieftain. Just in case something were to happen to me. She is young and knows very little of your kind. Other than what I've told her of course.

So there you have it, the history of our people. You've seen our accomplishments and how strong we are. I'm sure you have a few questions now?"

Frasier nodded slowly and signed "So you're not the Amazons from the tales, but in fact a matriarchal society that follows the legend very closely?"

Mother Talsa smiled a bit and answered "My, I didn't expect you to get it that fast. Perhaps your inferior gender is in fact capable of producing a worthy spawn."

Both her bodyguards smirked a bit as they towered over him at 6'5. "So this is the Alpha-Male of their group?" asked Vitani. "No no. He isn't their leader, so he can't be." answered Alexandra.

"But he is the strongest is he not?" questioned Vitani.

"Perhaps you should ask him yourselves." suggested Mother Talsa as she slowly walked up the stairs back to the main hall of the temple, leaving Frasier alone with them.

They both turned to watch her leave and then looked back to where he was last. To their surprise he was gone without a trace.

"What the hell! Where did he... how did he?" they both stuttered as they looked back and forth for him. But Frasier was nowhere to be found within the temple.

He was off limping through the village still in massive pain from the whip. The cold winds sent chills down his spine. Without even knowing which hut it was theirs, Frasier luckily stumbled into the correct one.

As he looked around he could see that everyone was fast asleep. At a very slow pace he managed to wander around the large hut looking for a place to rest. However there was no bed or cot for him to rest upon.

"Bollocks." he thought to himself as his back was beginning to sting even more. He then heard something and turned his head to see Shizuka right behind him, face to face.

"About time you got back here young man!" she whispered. "Now lie down on your tummy and I'll see what I can do about those welts." Shizuka instructed.

Frasier nodded and cleared a wooden table. He then slowly climbed onto it and planted himself down. Shizuka then walked over with what little medical supplies she had left.

"This may sting a bit honey." she warned as she applied some sort of jell to her hands. Frasier nodded and closed his eyes waiting to embrace the pain.

Shizuka gently placed her hands on his back. The initial contact made Feasier's eyes shoot wide open in pain, his fists were gripped tight and his eyes even began to water.

Shizuka carefully rubbed in slow, yet through motions. She rubbed up and down his back as he tried to hold the searing pain back. Frasier breathed softly eventually getting used to the horrid stinging sensation.

After a few minutes Shizuka took her hands off his back and walked to his front side. She kneeled to his level and whispered "Don't try to get up, just lay here until the sun rises." She then handed him his shirt back placing it on him. "I'm also sorry about Noah... he was a good kid."

She then kissed his cheek and walked back to her cot humming to herself. Frasier blushed a bit then crossed his arms placing his head between them.

"How does that nurse get me every time?" he thought to himself. He then just shook his head unable to figure it out and closed his eyes wanting to finally get some rest. "Brother..." he then sadly thought as a tear went down his cheek.

**(Several hours later)**

The sun slowly rose and brought sunshine across the village. Everyone within the tribe began to arise to begin their day. The survivors each woke up feeling their stomachs grumbling.

"Ugh I'm soooo hungry!" whined Marcus as he got up.

"Well we never did get to eat after that little mishap last night." replied Saeko as she then saw Frasier lying on the table before her. She quickly dashed over and looked at him. "Is he ok?" she then asked as Shizuka got up.

"Not sure, let's see if he can stand up." answered Shizuka as she walked over with a hilarious case of bed head.

Alice giggled a bit as she sat on Rika shoulders. "Hehe your hair looks funny!" laughed out Alice as she watched Shizuka quickly attempting to fix it up.

Shizuka then gently lifted Frasier's shirt off of his back to see how he was doing. To everyone's surprise the welts were barely even visible anymore.

"Wow, I wasn't expecting my medicine to be this effective." said Shizuka as she examined the wounds.

"He always did have a very miraculous recovery whenever injured." clarified Saeko as she kneeled before his face.

"So kind of like Wolverine's healing power?" asked Khota.

"That makes more sense to me. Why didn't she just say that in the first place?" asked Marcus.

Saeko rolled her eyes a bit and ran her hand across his face. "Wake up Frasier." she gently whispered into his ears.

His eyes twitched a bit and slowly opened to see her before him. He gently smiled under his bandana and reached out for her hand. She gently held his and nudged her cheek against his cheek feeling warmth from it..

Alice then whispered "Mmmmaaarrriieedd." loud enough for everyone to hear. Both Frasier and Saeko blushed at that remark. Everyone else let a chuckle or giggle out. Frasier then sat up and stretched out a bit.

"So how do you feel?" asked Shizuka curiously.

"A little numb right now, but much better thank you." translated Rika as she watched his fingers move. "Also we aren't married Alice, but maybe one day that will need to be changed."

When Saeko heard that she couldn't help but smile at the thought. She lifted his bandana and kissed him on the lips. After that Saeko stood up and walked towards the door of the hut.

"If we plan on eating, we should get moving." suggested Saeko. She then just walked out to wait outside in the sun.

Everyone but Takashi was now up. Rei walked over and gently nudged him. "C'mon Takashi time to wake up!" said Rei.

He just tossed and turned in his cot ignoring her. Rei scowled a bit and shook harder. "Takashi! Get up now." ordered Rei feeling annoyed now.

Suddenly he turned over with his arms up in the air and accidentally hit her across the face. Rei let out a yelp and fell over onto her rear. Her eyes watered a bit and she gave up at that point.

"Ohh that can't be good." commented Khota as he watched the entire thing from the doorway.

Saya then walked over and offered her hand to Rei. "Didn't see that coming. Want me to give it a go?" asked Saya as she pulled Rei up.

Rei just shook her head and stormed out in anger. "Just leave him, I'm in no mood for his crap." replied Rei. Khota quickly hoped to the side to stay out of her way.

Saya then walked back over to Khota and took his hand. "Think she will be ok?" asked Khota as he resumed his original position.

Unsure of what to expect Saya simply shrugged her shoulders. "Not sure. It's their relationship Khota, not ours. Takashi better be careful though, we are in a society that isn't entirely making friendly." explained Saya.

Khota nodded as they walked out the hut leaving Takashi to himself. "Well I just want to put this out there, I would never hit you no matter what." said Khota.

Saya looked to him and grinned a bit. "Good to know, because if you did I'd beat the crap out of you. No that's too nice... I'd get Frasier to do it!"

Khota shuttered at the thought but kept moving. "Haha no thanks! I've seen what he does to those he fights, it's not a desired fate I can tell you that much right now." replied Khota nervously.

Saya let out a laugh and tussled his hair for a bit. "Don't worry you're not as foolish as bonehead back there." reassured Saya. Khota blushed a bit as they both just kept going.

Meanwhile Takashi still remained half asleep. He just tossed and turned, grumbling to himself. Completely unaware of what everyone else was up too. 


	38. Act 21 Jungle's of the Dead Part 4

**Act 21 Jungle's of the Dead Part 4  
>Z-Day+79<strong>

The group walked through the village in attempt to find some food. All of their bellies began to rumble from starvation. However Marcus soon forgot about his hunger when he saw Ariel walking with her friends.

He felt himself become red as waved to him. "Hey Marcus over here!" Ariel called out. Everyone's attention then focused on the young Amazon as she ran over to them.

"Friend of yours?" joked Rika as Marcus looked down shy.

When he looked back up Ariel stood there before him. Their eyes both locked onto one another. "Ariel..." was all Marcus could legibly blurt out.

"Pheromone levels indicate that the one known as Ariel, wishes to mate with the one known as Marcus." announced Giru making things much worse for the flustered teen.

The rest of the group couldn't help but snicker at that remark.

"Mate? What is mate?" asked Ariel innocently. "Also who said that?"

Giru then popped out from Saya's bag to introduce himself. Ariel at first was weary at the technological masterpiece.

"What is that? It talks like a human yet it clearly isn't one of us." questioned Ariel.

"It's a robot, but I guess you wouldn't know what that is though... think of it as an bunch of pieces of metal scrapped together to create a human-replica." explained Saya.

Still unable to fully understand what a robot is Ariel just nodded her head. It was a bit silent until the group's stomachs began to rumble again.

"You guys hungry? I can take you into the main food hall if you need something to quench your hunger." offered Ariel.

"That would be most appreciated Ariel." thanked Saeko as she held her aching sides.

"It would be an honor for me to help our new guests. This way!" instructed Ariel as she grabbed Marcus' hand and pulled him with her.

"Well it seems that Marcus has a little girlfriend." commented Shizuka.

"Yeah but when did this all happen?" asked Khota.

"Not sure, but I'm more curious about the history of this place. Care to share Frasier?" asked Saya.

Everyone then remembered that he was with Mother Talsa for the entire evening. Before they could ask any further he pulled out a small device from his right pocket. He then picked up Giru and inserted the device perfectly as if intended for the small robot.

"Giru gave me this recording device before I entered their temple. He can explain everything to you guys later. Now let's go eat before we start dropping like flies." signed Frasier as Giru translated for him.

"Clever little thing aren't ya?" asked Rei as she rubbed the little red visor.

"I am created to learn and adapt." explained Giru before he closed into his ball form. Saya then took him and placed him where he belonged.

"Hey guys wait up!" shouted Takashi as he ran over to catch up with the group. Everyone except for Rei slowed down for him. She just narrowed her eyes and scoffed at his presence. After being hit only moments ago, part of her was resenting him.

"Sorry about that, so are we finally going to eat? I'm starving!" said Takashi between quick breaths.

Zeke walked in front of the group leading them to where Marcus and Ariel presumably ran off too. The smells that came from within the food hall made everyone's mouth water up.

"It all smells sooo good!" whined Khota as he tried to pull the door open. However it wouldn't budge, he began pulling frantically on it. "No no no! It's not fair."

"Khota..." said Saeko as she pushed the door open slowly. Khota then pushed the door forward to see it worked perfectly fine.

"Ohhh... I knew that, hehe I definitely wasn't about to panic or anything." said Khota as he turned red. "Can't believe I just did that." he then thought to himself feeling embarrassed.

When the females of the group entered they were openly welcomed and invited to sit with Mother Talsa as honored guests. However when the males walked in they were immediately told they had to wait outside until all the women finished.

"Can't believe they just gave us the boot! I know it's their village but come on, we're starving!" vented Takashi.

"Plus that wild pig wasn't even their kill." translated Khota for Frasier.

"Hmm? What do you mean not their kill?" asked Takashi curiously.

"While you guys were setting up camp, Saeko and I hunted that beast down. It was my kill and they're eating it as we speak." said Khota as he watched Frasier's fingers carefully.

"Well go figure, anyways think we can scrounge up something before we starve to death?" asked Khota as he held his sides.

"There might not be any need too." replied Takashi as he peered through a window. He could see Alice walking over with food in her pockets.

The door to the food hall opened up slowly as the little girl walked out cautiously. "Hey guys! I brought you some food." whispered Alice trying to be sneaky.

"Much appreciated, thank you Alice." said Khota as he helped disperse the food among the males of the group. Once she closed the door behind her everyone spared no time to scarf their food down.

"Hey anyone else notice Marcus isn't here?" asked Khota.

"Who cares, more food for us." replied Takashi as he took another bite.

After a few minutes of stuffing their bellies, the guys sat against the wall feeling major relief from satisfying their hunger. Meanwhile Ariel and Marcus were sitting in the tree they climbed the previous night.

Marcus opened his mouth wide only to sink his teeth into the ripe green apple in his hands. Ariel watched as he chewed away at the fruit. Normally she was taught by her mother to eat with a little bit of decency. But this his way was somewhat intriguing to her.

"Careful Marcus, it's very easy to choke when you eat like that." warned Ariel.

Marcus swallowed his current mouthful and grinned a bit. "Don't worry about me, I have a much bigger throat than you do."

Ariel then observed this new information and studied Marcus' slim yet masculine form. She blushed at her lack of knowledge and didn't know what to say.

When they both finished eating Ariel asked "So what's the outside world like? Is it true that men rule over women?"

"Yes, we'll no... both kind of. A long time ago women had little to no rights, but times have changed and they have acquired much power in the world. One of my people's greatest leader was in fact a woman.

'Margret Thatcher, she'll give you a thrasher' my father would say. True women aren't as influential as they are here, but they've come a very long way." explained Marcus.

With that said, Ariel then asked "So what's with your brother? Is he a mute?"

Marcus sighed and shook his head. "No, while we were traveling to the U.S.A. our younger brother was bitten by one of Them. Frasier was the one to pull the trigger. He lost some of his sanity that terrible night and took an oath to never speak until every last one of Them is eliminated from the planet."

Completely unaware of the rapidly growing threat to their species, Ariel raised an eyebrow. "Them? Who is Them? Are they a different nation than yours?" questioned Ariel.

"What? No the infected, or freaks as I personally call them." answered Marcus. However Ariel still was puzzled by this new information and shook her head.

"My god... you girls really don't know do you? The entire world has been attacked by these... these... creatures. They do nothing but consume and devour the flesh of any human unfortunate to be caught in their grasp.

A single bite will kill you and rapidly turn you into one of Them. So many have perished against the relentless freaks. I guess since you guys live so far away from the rest of society you've yet to face the global threat that threatens our species." said Marcus.

Ariel stood there in total shock and disbelief. She finally spoke up and said "I overheard my mother a few days ago that all her advocates have yet to report in. Do you think they've been infected?"

Marcus shrugged his shoulders unaware of their fate. "I'm not sure, there are plenty of survivors but we are losing people by the day. Many conflicts have arisen among the even the most powerful of nations since Z-Day. We should go tell your tribe of the unknown threat." suggested Marcus.

Ariel nodded and began to leap from branch to branch. Marcus followed her swinging off any vines he could in order to keep up with her. In a few minutes of traveling, they both ran through the village and stormed into the food hall.

The room however was entirely empty at this time. "Where is Mother?" asked Ariel as she looked around the room unable to see her.

"She's leading a prayer right now Ariel, you know better than to disturb her. What is it?" answered one of the girls left to cleanup.

"It's very important that I talk to her right away." explained Ariel.

"Then that's where we need to head. Where too?" asked Marcus.

"The temple at the center of the village. You go back to your group, this may be awhile." instructed Ariel.

"They're at the armory right now. Can't miss it." said the helpful Amazon as she cleared a table.

"Got it, I guess this is goodbye for now?" asked Marcus. Ariel turned to him and looked into his eyes.

"Not a goodbye, I'd say it's more of a see you later." said Ariel. She then quickly kissed Marcus on the lips and ran off to the temple alone. Marcus could do nothing but stand there speechless.

He then shook his head and ran off to find the forge. When he got outside he looked around to see smoke from a stack of huts. "Bingo." said Marcus to himself as he made his way over towards the source.

After a minute of navigating, Marcus managed to find part of his group. Shizuka , Takashi, Khota and Alice standing back, all were watching as Frasier was crafting his own blade.

"What's going on here?" asked Marcus as he approached them. Alice turned to him and hugged his legs while looking up at him.

"Mother Talsa said Frasier could forge a sword since Takashi accidentally broke the machete ." explained Alice.

"I said I was sorry!" commented Takashi feeling annoyed by Alice bring that up.

"Where is everyone else?" asked Marcus as Zeke sat at his feet wagging his little white tail.

"They're just out on a hunt for some more food. Not sure when they will be back." answered Shizuka.

"Why didn't you go?" questioned Marcus.

"Well I'm not really the hunter type, I play more of the healer role in our happy little family." replied Shizuka feeling embarrassed she couldn't participate.

Suddenly the steaming metal hissed as Frasier dipped it into the water. The steel glowed a hot red while Frasier carefully moved it with tongs.

The Amazonian in charge of the forge walked over and observed the weapon. "Hmmm not bad... not bad at all! If my knowledge is correct it's the same style an English Knight would use."

"That works for me." signed Frasier feeling pride in his home land he hoped too return to one day.

"Hey how come Saeko's sword doesn't look like that?" asked Alice out of curiosity. Khota then walked over to answer that question.

"Well Alice, they both come from different cultures, so they use different types and styles of blades. Saeko's blade is much sharper and thin, yet it will need to be sharpened more often.

Frasier's blade however is more broad and thicker, thus not needing to be sharpened as often.

Both blades are deadly though because in their hands hardly anything stands a chance. I can only imagine the destructive capability they could unleash when they fight side by side!" said Khota explaining to the young girl.

Alice just nodded her head and enjoyed the pretty colors the sword made before settling into its proper color. "It's ready!" announced the Forge worker as she brought over the handle she crafted for the blade.

She then took over and within minutes the blade was complete. After examining it she set it down and said "Well don't just stand there! Give it a go."

Frasier nodded and held the blade up examining it. He gave it a few swings causing everyone to back up for obvious reasons. A grin soon appeared on his face showing approval.

Suddenly Ariel wandered into the room. Everyone looked over as she had a distressed look on her face. Marcus slowly approached and stood before her.

"So what did Mother Talsa say?" asked Marcus.

Ariel just shook her head and sighed. "She doesn't believe it. She thinks that we are independent from the rest of the world, and that we would have nothing to be concerned over if it was real." explained Ariel in a disappointed tone.

"Wait your people don't know about the infected?" asked Takashi.

Ariel just shook her head, then she looked over at Frasier hahding him a folded piece of paper. She said to him directly "Mother wishes for you to take this map and travel to the Cave of Wisdom. She believes it will benefit you greatly."

Frasier at first raised an eyebrow questioning this offer. He then remembered Saeko was away so he had nothing better to do with himself.

"Care to join me Khota?" signed Frasier.

"Wait you want me to go with you? Why me? I mean I'm honored at the offer but I don't see why you choose me." replied Khota.

"Because you're the only one here who knows sign language dummy." said Takashi in a bit of a harsh tone. He was still hating himself for hitting Rei earlier.

"Oh yeah huh guess that would be a good reason. Let's get going!" said Khota. Frasier smiled and sheathed his sword to his side walking out with Khota towards the edge of the village.

On the opposite edge of the village along with the huntresses, entered Saeko, Rei, Rika, and Saya. All feeling warmed up for the day after partaking in the hunt.

"Wonder what the boys were up to while we were gone?" asked Rika aloud as she carried a spear in both hands.

"Not sure, wonder what they will think of these new outfits." replied Rei as she looked down at the extremely revealing loin cloths they now wore.

"I bet their jaws will drop." joked Saya.

"Among other things." added Saeko. They all let out a series of laughs and dropped off the food they gathered at the food hall. After getting the last known location of the group they made their way towards the forge.

"Yay! You guys are back!" exclaimed Alice as she ran over to hug the returning group. "Can I come along next time?" asked Alice with high hopes.

"Maybe, it's dangerous for a young girl in the jungle." warned Saya as she held Alice up in her arms.

"Put me down! I'm not a baby. Right Zeke?" asked Alice. Zeke let out a bark and wagged his tail as if he was agreeing.

"Well be that as it may, Zeke doesn't set the rules around here." replied Saya. Zeke then let out a small whine and laid down waiting for something to happen.

"So where is Khota and Frasier?" asked Rei. At first she received no response. She then turned to see that her prediction was right. Marcus and Takashi both were stunned by the outfits.

"They both went out to the Cave of Wisdom. It's a sacred place only a select few can ensure. They say that you can go mad from the experience." explained Ariel.

"Why did they go?" asked Saeko not liking the last bit of what Ariel said. Saya walked out motioning Saeko to follow her.

"Mother thought it would be a good idea for them to go. I don't know why, I just do what she says when she says." replied Ariel.

"Then I guess all we can do is wait outside for their return." suggested Saeko. She then walked out and stood at the head of the village patiently with Saya. Both waited for their men to return.

**(Two hours later)**

After a few hours of climbing the steep path up the mountainous region, Khota and Frasier finally made it to their destination. Both stood at the edge of the cave that faced them.

"Think this is the right spot?" asked Khota as he tried to catch his breath. Frasier shrugged his shoulder unsure of the answer to that question.

"Enter alone young hunter." echoed out an old yet powerful voice from within the cave. Frasier stopped for a moment to assess the situation. He looked back at Khota then back to the cave.

With one big sigh he marched forward with his hand very close to the handle of his blade. Every step he took was taken with caution. Soon he became surrounded by darkness.

He turned back to see that there was no light behind him. "That can't be... there was light there just a minute ago?" Frasier thought to himself.

"This cave is a representation of you. Your inner turmoil blinds you from seeing the light." answered the same voice.

Frasier quickly jumped a bit and drew his blade out of reaction. "Was that? No couldn't be... just my mind playing tricks on me." thought Frasier trying to reassure himself.

"This is no trick boy! Every thought you create I can hear. Every thought I create you can hear, understand?" snapped a the mysterious voice.

Frasier gripped his blade and thought "Show yourself damn it! I'm in no mood for games." He closed his eyes and tried to sense where the voice was coming from.

"As you wish." said the voice. Suddenly a bright red light illuminated the entire cave. Frasier opened his eyes and turned once more to see an old woman sitting with her legs crossed on a rock behind him.

"So you're the one my daughter sends to me. Yes... I sense great potential in you, yet so much inner pain. So much you have been through. Yet you push on with an overwhelming willpower. Shutting all but one out from your most darkest of places. Saeko Busijima... am I correct?" asked what appeared to be the Elder Mother Talsa spoke of earlier.

"Do not speak that name!" growled Frasier in his mind as he pointed the blade towards the mysterious Elder.

"Put that away boy! It will do you no good here. It won't bring back your parents or Noah; especially when you won't even talk to anyone about it aloud." scolded the Elder.

Frasier sighed and sheathed the sword in its proper place. He then dropped to his knees and sighed.

"I miss them so much Elder. It's driving me mad at the thought I couldn't protect my little brother, it also burns my pride knowing I've failed half my final promise to my father. Marcus and Saeko are all that's left, without them I'll crumble away from the inside out." confessed Frasier.

"It's regret young hunter. But it's all in the wrong place! You regret what you have done in the past, when you should really regret what you haven't done yet." said the Elder.

Frasier began to breathe heavily as his mind was boggling with contempt towards himself. "Ugh get out of my head! Ggggrrruugghhh." groaned Frasier in his most deepest of thoughts as he remained to stick to the vow.

"You're going through a metamorphosis; do not fight it any longer. It's time you unleashed your full potential!"

The red light began to flash and change colors. Frasier let out a cry of anguish and realization finally breaking his inner turmoil.

"Protect Marcus with everything you have, and if you truly love Saeko then go be with her not as her boyfriend... but as her husband." instructed the Elder.

Frasier then stood up as only a small spark of the original light remained within the cave. He looked down to see a pool of water before him.

Frasier looked very closely at his reflection. His physical features remained the same. But when he looked into his own eyes he could see the proud warrior that was locked away for so long finally unleashed.

"Thank you Elder." he said in his new and much more powerful voice. His reflection then vanished to reveal a shinny jewel in the pool of water.

Frasier slowly reached down and picked it up. A bright sapphire gem attached onto a silver chain, a very beautiful pendant just lying there for him. "It's no wedding ring but it will do." said Frasier testing out his new voice.

It was much more mature and darker than before. He then could see the light in the tunnel reappear behind him.

While waiting outside, Khota could hear footsteps from the cave drawing closer and closer to him. He quickly jumped back a bit ready for anything.

However his worries faded away when the figure walking out was just Frasier. "So what happened in there? Did you see that Elder Talsa was talking about?" asked Khota curiously.

"Didn't you hear or see any of it from out here?" signed Frasier.

Khota shook his head and said "No you walked in for a few minutes then it became very quiet. Then you just walked right back out. Why you ask? What did you learn?"

"Never mind then, I need to see Saeko right away. I'll need you to translate for me." signed Frasier.

"Oh uh sure ok. Is there any specific reason why you must see her now?" asked Khota as they began to walk.

"It's a surprise so let's just hurry ok?" signed Frasier. He then began to jog at Khota's pace making sure that he didn't leave him behind.

**(Two hours later)**

The sun was high above the village as Saeko waited patiently for her lover to return. "You think everything is ok? What if something is wrong, he may need me." worried Saeko as she paced nervously back and forth.

"I'm sure they're ok, just have some faith in their abilities. I miss Khota just as much as you miss Frasier." sympathized Saya.

"Hey look here they come now!" shouted Alice pointing towards the horizon. In the distance Khota and Frasier could be seen walking triumphantly side by side.

"They made it!" exclaimed Shizuka as she watched them enter the village.

As they drew closer villagers began to crowd in wonder at what had happened at the Cave of Wisdom.

"Saeko... we need to talk about us." translated Khota as Frasier took her hand softly.

"Yes? What is what Frasier?" asked Saeko as she gazed into his eyes never wanting to be seperated from him for that long.

"I... don't think... we belong together?" said Khota in a confused voice at the end.

Saeko's eyes nearly teared up immediately. "Oh... I... I'm sorry you feel that way... I understand." she said in a broken voice. Before she could run off in agony she felt Frasier's hand tighten around hers.

She looked at him as he then dropped to a single knee with his head lowered. It looked as if he was bowing to her.

"I know we belong together my love... Saeko Busijima... will you be my wife till the day I perish against the scourge of the undead?" asked Frasier aloud surprising everyone not by simply speaking, but by his new voice as well.

Almost speechless, Saeko dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms as tight as she could around him. The force was nearly powerful enough to topple him backwards. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she knew her answer to that question a long time ago.

"Yes of course I'll be your wife! It's been a dream of mine for so long for us to be more." Saeko answered in a cheerful voice. She then felt Frasier slip the pendant he found in the cave around her neck.

She looked down to see the beautiful jewel over her chest. Saeko then looked up to see Frasier looking right back at her. Suddenly everyone began to clap around them knowing a celebration was in order.

"Damn that boy sure has class." commented Rika as she clapped. The rest of the girls in the group nodded as they continued to clap and cheer.

"I told you guys they were married! They just didn't know it yet." added Alice as she ran up to them. They both held her then lifted Alice high in the air as they stood up.

"Tonight Saeko we will be wed just as fate has intended." announced Frasier as he then kissed her lips. Saeko returned the passionate kiss, as they both set Alice down.

Perhaps not everything was so bad in the Amazon village, at least for now. 


	39. Act 21 Jungle's of the Dead Part 5

**Act 21 Jungle's of the Dead Part 5  
>Z-Day+79<strong>

After the establishment of their marriage, Frasier and Saeko both agreed to not see each other until the ceremony. Despite them hating the idea of not seeing one another, both knew it was a proper tradition.

All the guys hung out at one side of the village while all the girls were helping Saeko prepare on the other.

"I can't believe Mother Talsa is letting you do this. You'd think since she has a sketchy history with our kind you wouldn't be allowed to marry within the Amazonian territory." said Khota.

"So did I, but she recognizes that Saeko agreed to this and respects her wishes as a fellow female. I can only imagine what those girls are planning as we speak." replied Frasier as he leaned against the wall of the hut behind him.

"I still can't get over your new voice, you sound like Keith David! Why do you get the bad ass voice? Ugh so jealous." complained Marcus.

Frasier let out a chuckle and patted his brother on the back. "Do not worry little brother, one day you will have a strong voice as well. Just give it time."

"What if I started smoking today? That may speed things up, I'm sure Rika wouldn't mind if I used some of hers." joked Marcus.

"Yeah... unless you've travelled through time till your eighteen then forget about it." explained Frasier being the closest thing to a father Marcus had now.

"I'm kidding I'm kidding!" said Marcus playfully. He then tapped Frasier on the shoulder and whispered. "Now that your talking can I tell you something alone?"

Frasier nodded and walked with Marcus outside the village. When they felt that they were alone both sat under a nearby tree.

"So what is it you wanted to talk about?" asked Frasier.

"You know that girl from earlier, the one that you guys thought was my girlfriend?" asked Marcus.

"Yeah, Ariel right? What about her?" questioned Frasier. Marcus took a deep sigh and pulled something out of his pocket.

It was the badge of Officer Hitomi, the woman Marcus was involved with before she died at the hands of Kraven.

"You miss her don't you?" guessed Frasier. Marcus nodded and became more serious with his tone of voice.

"It haunts me every night that I couldn't protect her, that I couldn't even be there when she died. Like I've failed and don't deserve to move on." confessed Marcus.

"Marcus... I know it's painful. I know you're in a very dark place unsure of what to do. However Hitomi loved you and would want you to be happy as well. Grieving over her won't bring her back; she has been avenged and can rest in peace now.

If you love Ariel then don't hold back. She clearly has a thing for you; she watches your every move. Ariel is young and has never been with a man before. So take things slow brother." recommended Frasier. 

"How do you do it?" asked Marcus.

"Do what?" asked Frasier unsure what Marcus meant by that question.

"Everything! You have the military skills, you're an amazing leader when given the chance, no one has ever beaten you in a fight, you seem practically invincible, and you're even marrying Saeko Busujima to stop it all off." explained Marcus.

"Marcus… I've had a life that wasn't even mine to choose. You know just as well as I do that our father wanted me to be the best of the best. He wanted a soldier Marcus, not a son but a soldier. Ever since I was six years old he has been training me for war, it's all he has wanted me to know, to aspire too. I didn't get a social life of my own, nope just taught how to kill and be a mindless tool. Luckily however when he sent me to Japan to suppress my sudden streaks of free will I met Master Busujima. He was able to harness my life less killing power and make something of myself… I was no longer a soldier… but a warrior. As for Saeko… well let's just say that our weaknesses have only pushed us much closer together." explained Frasier.

"Well yeah that does make sense... Ok I'll also give it a shot with Ariel, thanks brother." replied Marcus as he hugged his elder brother. Frasier smiled and took Marcus back to the village.

"Hey the Amazons have these hot springs not too far from here! Let's go try it out before the ceremony." suggested Takashi.

"That doesn't sound half bad actually. Alright let's get going, I'd say we have a few hours before it begins." said Frasier.

Meanwhile the girls were already at the hot springs. Each one was giving Saeko advice and fixing her hair up for her defining moment.

"So you two are finally tying the knot huh? Is this really what you wanted Saeko?" asked Shizuka as she braided Saeko's hair.

"I've wanted this for a long time. I just wish my father could be here to see this, to see me become a full woman." sighed Saeko.

"We all knew you became a woman every since that night in Kibou City." reminded Rika.

Rei, Saya, and Saeko all suddenly recalled that each of them lost their virginity that one memorable night.

"Oh yeah! We never did talk about that, everything kinda went to hell the next day." reminisced Rei.

"Well now is a good time. Why don't we? Unless you guys are too scared." suggested Saya. Rei and Saeko both raised an eyebrow to that comment.

"Ok you first." they both said grinning. Saya quickly shut up and wasn't expecting to be first to tell.

"Well, Khota was very gentle and we both were weary of what to do. However everything was perfect." explained Saya.

"For me Takashi was unable to control himself, he just jumped right in. It stung at first but overall it felt great afterwards." said Rei.

"Alright that just leaves you Saeko." commented Rika. Everyone looked over to her waiting for an answer.

"We did a lot, I can tell you this though. I made sure he was rough and powerful, the things we did were bliss for me. Being gently sounds sweet and all but it wasn't really my style. I wanted it to hurt." explained Saeko grinning.

Everyone was a bit shocked at how she said it but then laughed a bit. "Wow you kids really have become close." commented Shizuka.

Ariel then walked over to join them. Everyone smiled and greeted her when she joist with them.

"So what do you think the boys are up too?" asked Shizuka curiously.

"Probably talking about the same thing we just did. I mean they're boys so what can you expect?" asked Rika.

"What were you guys just talking about?" asked Ariel unaware of the previous conversation.

"Oh, we were just trading stories about our first time, you know... sex." explained Rei.

"Hmm we should go spy on them and test that theory. I just saw them heading for one of the other springs not too long ago." suggested Ariel.

"Oh I like that idea! Lead on Ariel." said Rika as everyone stood up to move on out. They carefully wandered over towards the location Ariel spoke of and watched.

"There they are." whispered Saya. "I can't seem to see Frasier though."

She then looked down to see their clothes were not with them. Shizuka picked them up and grinned. "Hey look they left their clothes here unattended, you know what that means." smirked Shizuka.

"You mean they're naked?" gasped Ariel covering her eyes. Rika gently pulled her hands back down.

"Nows a good time to learn, there's nothing to be afraid of kid." explained Rika. "If anything this is an anatomy lesson."

"Let's go a bit closer to hear what they're saying." whispered Rei as they began to sneak around the foliage. When they got close enough they listened in closely to the current conversation.

"Come on they have one female! That implies a species that lays eggs." stated Marcus.

"Oh my God, you're crazy! They're so obviously mammals!" argued Khota.

"Please! She would be a estrus 24/7 if she didn't lay eggs." replied Marcus.

"Smurfs don't lay eggs! I won't tell you again! Papa Smurf has a fucking beard! They're mammals." explained Khota.

"Ugh this is what they talk about? Cartoons? This is stupid lets go back." whispered Saya unamused by the conversation.

"What about the anatomy lesson?" asked Ariel curiously actually believing what Rika said.

"Hmm another time. Unless they have a reason to get out then I wouldn't expect you to see anything anytime soon." said Rika.

The girls then dispersed and went back to tending to Saeko's big night. Meanwhile the guys settled down and remained quiet momentarily.

"Are they gone?" whispered Marcus.

"Affirmative." announced Giru as he turned off the thermal scanner in his visor.

"Ok you can come up Frasier." said Takashi as he gently paddled the heated water with his palm.

Suddenly Frasier sprang up from the hot spring. He gasped for air than began to cough heavily. After spitting out some water he sat back down.

"That's why I don't let you smoke brother! This is what I'm talking about that was like 3 minutes under there!" gloated Frasier as he caught his breath. "Nice acting by the way guys, doubt I could think that fast on my feet."

"Yeah yeah, you've made your point." said Marcus accepting defeat. "Hey I'm gonna get going and see where Ariel is."

"Alright, just don't be late for the ceremony." requested Frasier as his younger brother ran off. Marcus quickly found his clothes slightly moved over from where he left them but was too busy to notice anything.

He then began to jog down the path he came from. After a few minutes of jogging Marcus managed to find his way on the dirt path. He then was lucky enough to spot Ariel swimming alone in a nearby grove. She was on her own, without anything to stand in his way he approached her casually.

"Psssht, Ariel!" whispered Marcus.

Ariel immediately jumped and looked over to see it was just felt relived and calmed down a bit. "Oh hey you, care to join me?" asked Ariel.

Marcus smiled and jumped right on into the water with her."Why are you still wearing your clothes?" asked Ariel curiously. Marcus raised an eyebrow to that question.

"Yeah, aren't you?" asked Marcus. Ariel just shook her head and jumped up a bit showing her breasts to him. Marcus' jaw nearly dropped and immediately crossed his legs trying to settle down. 

Suddenly there was a rustling in some nearby bushes. Ariel out of reaction pushed Marcus under the water. Then she turned around in time to see two of Mother Talsa's bodyguards pushing through the bushes.

"Ariel!" called out one of them as she broke through able to visually see her in the water.

"Yes? What is it?" asked Ariel trying to hide Marcus's head behind her when he came up for air. He slowly breathed through his nose trying to maintain silence.

"Your mother wants you us to go to our sister village. We are to bring our sisters for the celebration. Put something on and follow us." ordered the bodyguard.

"Ok just give me a few minutes." requested Ariel as the bodyguards left the area. When they left she pulled Marcus out. He gasped for air and shook his head getting his hair out his eyes.

"Next time warn me before you try to drown me." joked Marcus as he swam in a stationary position. Ariel hugged him tight pressing her chest against his.

"Sorry about that Marcus, I have to go now. You should probably head back to your brother's wedding. I'll be back soon." replied Ariel.

She then began to swim off to shore dressing herself quickly. Marcus couldn't help but stare at her perfect figure. He was but a boy after all.

After she left she made her way towards the bodyguards to join the walk for the sister village. Marcus however wanted to see the sister village, as well as be near Ariel.

He quickly got out and followed her. Marcus took extra precautions to not even let Ariel be aware of his presence. After climbing a tree, Marcus was good to go.

Ariel and the two bodyguards ran through the jungle covering the land they knew with incredible speed. Marcus swung off the vines and leapt from tree to tree. The drums and music from the village could be heard from all the way out in the jungles.

After ten minutes of pursuing the Amazons, they all finally reached the sister tribe. The two bodyguards were first to enter it, the sun was slowly falling in the distance bringing night upon the village.

"Oh my god." muttered Ariel.

The village was in ruins, a few bodies and bloody remains of fallen Amazons laid scattered around the village. Ariel had to be strong and held her tears of loss back. She observed the cause of death of her sisters.

"Most seem to have died from blood loss, those bite marks however look human." explained a bodyguard.

"You mean it wasn't a wild animal? Perhaps a wild animal did this?" questioned Ariel trying to deny the horrible knowledge of what really did this.

"No... If it were true then why aren't there footprints? All I see are the prints we make." replied the bodyguard.

Suddenly a nearby tree branch snapped and something fell in the bushes. The bodyguard and Ariel both jumped back and faced towards the sound. The bodyguard drew her spear and carefully walked over towards the bush.

Suddenly two hands popped out showing sign of surrender. "Alright I surrender." said a voice from the bush.

"Marcus?" asked Ariel as she walked over. Marcus knew there was no point in hiding and stood up revealing himself.

"Yeah, it's me. What happened here?" asked Marcus unaware of what was going on. He then sniffed the air and had a worried look on his face.

"What is it?" asked the bodyguard as she noticed Marcus' new behavior. Marcus then turned back to them.

"That stench, I've smelled it before. Ariel we need to get out of here now!" warned Marcus as he knew exactly what was wrong here.

Ariel quickly became concerned and looked at the boy she has been falling for. "Marcus? What's wrong?"

Suddenly the second bodyguard could be heard struggling. Everyone turned towards the nearest hut and felt their hearts sink as the sounds of the struggle ceased.

The second bodyguard then lumbered out of the hut. She had blood all over her face and neck. Her skin was slowly becoming more and more grey. The eyes in her skull were rolled back completely unfocused.

"Hey? What happened... did you find anyone in there?" asked the first bodyguard unaware if the true threat.

Before the bodyguard could run over to her comrade, Marcus grabbed her forearm. "Wait! She's not human, not anymore anyways." warned Marcus.

"What are you talking about? She's fine! Isn't that right?" asked the bodyguard. She pushed Marcus aside and continued only to have Ariel hold her back. The bodyguard looked down at her.

"Listen to him! Why would he just lie about something like that?" protested Ariel.

Suddenly Marcus grabbed the spear from the bodyguard's hand and threw it at the infected bodyguard. The spear impaled her and knocked her onto the ground.

"No! You filthy swine I'll have your head for that!" growled the bodyguard as she drew her saber from her side.

Before she could get close enough to stab him Ariel pointed towards the infected bodyguard. "Wait look!" cried out Ariel as she witnessed the true horror of the infected. The corpse slowly pulled itself up and continued to limp towards them as if nothing happened.

"By the goddesses... what the hell happened? She's... What do we do?" asked the bodyguard now beginning to understand what Marcus was talking about.

"You have to destroy the brain or disconnect the spin from the head. Nothing else will substitute, they are relentless fucks. A single bite will kill you so be careful." explained Marcus.

"Anything else?" asked the bodyguard.

"They hunt by sound, all other senses are dead as far as we can tell." added Marcus.

The enraged bodyguard nodded and sighed heavily. She then pointed her saber at her infected comrade. Focusing the explosive rage she was about to deliver Marcus was now being channeled towards the undead abomination.

Suddenly she rushed forward and with one powerful swipe decapitated the infected bodyguard. The head rolled off the shoulders as the body spurted out blood. It then just slumped over with the spear still in its chest cavity.

Suddenly horrid groans of infected could be heard as they were alerted to the current position of the three. The bodyguard growled and knew Ariel must be protected at all costs. She drew her dagger and began to scrap it against her saber.

"What are you doing? They will only be attracted to you." whispered Ariel.

"I know! Go, both of you! Tell your mom what has happened here Ariel, if all of the sister clan have been infected then they will be heading for our home!" shouted out the bodyguard.

"What about you?" asked Marcus as he took Ariel's hand.

"I'll hold these abominations off as long as I can! Protect that girl, she is the only heir to our matriarch!" ordered the brave warrior as she began to slice away at the infected that came too close to her.

Marcus accepted the order and ran with Ariel. Both climbed the nearest tree and made their way across from branch to branch. As they travelled the jungle they spotted large clumps of infected heading for the original Amazon village.

"I can't believe we just left her there, we have to go back." said Marcus.

"Do not worry, she is one of our elite hunters, the 'Jaguar Warriors'." explained Ariel.

"Wait she also said you're the last heir to the matriarch. What she mean by that?" asked Marcus.

"Well, everybody calls Mother Talsa simply 'Mother' for leader purposes, but when I say mother it actually means something. My full name is Ariel Talsa." explained Ariel.

Marcus was completely caught by surprise by this news and nearly fell off a branch. Ariel spun around and caught his hand pulling him up.

"No time for mistakes. I'm sorry if you feel I've deceived you Marcus, forgive me." said Ariel.

"Don't worry about it." said Marcus. He then instinctively kissed Ariel, pressing his lips tightly again hers. Marcus then pulled back and looked into her eyes as her cheeks became bright red.

"By the goddess'... that was..." stuttered Ariel as she then shook her head. "We should keep moving before it's too late."

"Agreed." said Marcus.

Both teens then continued their mad dash for the village hoping to beat the infected to the punch.

"I do." said Saeko and Frasier at the same time. Both stood a foot apart facing one another. Their eyes locked onto one another. Saeko wore a kimono and had her hair in very beautiful curls. Frasier was wearing his casual outfit feeling awkward tat e wasn't properly dressed, but at the same time didn't care because he was now officially married to Seako, the love of his life.

"Then I herby pronounce you Frasier Markle and Saeko Busujima as man and wife!" announced Mother Talsa. Everyone let out a cheer and clapped widely for the newlyweds as the music started up again.

"Stop! Everyone stop the music!" shouted out Marcus as he ran over by the musicians slapping the instruments out of their hands. Ariel ran over and began to help him in disrupting the music.

"What is the meaning of this?" demanded Mother Talsa raising her voice above all the commotion. Everyone became silent and looked at her then too Marcus and Ariel.

"Infected! Your entire sister tribe has been infested with the freaks! All are now heading right for your homes ready to destroy everything you hold dear!" explained Marcus.

"I let your kind stay and you bring up wild stories?" scowled Mother Talsa.

"Mother he is right! I've seen them for my own eyes. It is like the stories of the undead that you told me when I was a little girl." said Ariel standing up for Marcus.

"Ariel we have discussed about this. For all I know this is some made up story that he has managed to make you believe!" argued Mother Talsa.

Both stared one another down unsure of what was to come next.

"It is no story Mother!" shouted a voice from the crowd. The bodyguard from earlier made her way over with a hand over her hip. "They both speak the truth, it's no lie. I've seen the infected and fought with them. They are powerful and unrelenting abominations that are not to be underestimated."

She then slowly drew her saber and held it to her neck. Her hip had a large bite mark across it. "Long live the Amazons!" she then shouted before slitting her own neck.

Everyone let out a loud gasp and watched in horror as one of their finnest branch of warriors just slit her neck wide open. Mother Talsa watched mortified and closed her eyes.

"Mommy... what do we do?" asked Ariel hoping her mother could now understand the truth.

"Take the children to the temple and head for the lower halls." ordered Mother Talsa to Ariel personally. The powerful matriarch them turned to her sisters. "Sisters! Prepare for battle, we face an enemy that has claimed one of our tribes. Let us avenge them in one glorious battle!" shouted Mother Talsa.

The Amazons all raised their fists in the air letting out a powerful shout of unity before they all scattered to their homes and the armory to prepare themselves for battle.

Marcus looked at Ariel before she had to leave with the youth of the village. "Hey... I know things are hectic but... Just know you've given me purpose to fighter harder. I love you Ariel." explained Marcus.

Ariel then took his hands and smiled. "Then go win and show me the love you speak of when this is all over." said Ariel smiling.

They both then kissed before having to separate from each other. Marcus watched as Ariel and the other youth were escorted by the Jaguar Warriors.

"Brother!" called out Frasier as he approached him. He held his knight sword in one hand while carrying a simple broad sword in the other. "Take this and fight at our side." said Frasier as he handed Marcus the broad sword.

Marcus gripped the handle and examined the weapon curiously.

Saeko then approached them wearing her old battle outfit from Kibou City with her wedding pendant worn proudly across her neck. "I guess that makes us family Marcus, ready for a real battle?" asked Saeko.

Marcus smiled and was glad to see Saeko was no longer hostile towards him. "You know it Saeko, or should I call you sis?" asked Marcus.

Saeko laughed a bit and held Frasier's hand.

"Just call me Saeko for now." She then turned to Frasier and grinned knowing that this battle was already won with their combined effort. "You know I still owe you something for the pendant." reminded Saeko.

"Do not worry about it Saeko, we have more important things to worry about right now." replied Frasier.

Saeko nodded and looked over to see Rika and Khota setting up their gear while accompanied by Amazonian archers.

"Hey save those bullets! We will still need them for later. Just spot for the archers unless you absolutely need to shoot." shouted Takashi as he and Rei walked over. 

"Where are Saya, Alice, and Shizuka?" asked Saeko.

"They're in the temple with the others, I hear there are a lot of infected out there." answered Takashi

"Just like old times, hopefully it won't be like Saya's place." said Rei bringing up how they had to retreat.

"Actually we won that battle." reminded Frasier. Rei then looked over to him.

"Oh? Not like you were there." teased Rei as she stuck her tongue out.

"Actually I was, and I earned the nickname 'Shinigami' among the troops." replied Frasier.

Rei just shrugged her shoulders and smiled. "So you should have no problem with what we are about to face then."

Frasier sighed and wasn't sure if he actually could currently. "That was when I was in my prime. After that fight with Kraven, Marauders, and Infected at Kibou City my body went without training for weeks. I'm sure I'll be ok though so long as you guys are around to back me up."

Everyone smiled and was ready to fight the infected once more.

"These Amazons are tough no doubt about that, but they've yet to face this enemy before. Think they will be ok?" asked Takashi.

"We will have to wait and see how they fare." replied Marcus.

After that said, the villagers returned armed with weapons of their choice. Each dressed with leather armor padding for extra defense.

"Warriors prepare for battle!" ordered Mother Talsa as she stood before the survivors.

"Mother Talsa, the abominations hunt by sound. Perhaps we can use that against them?" asked Marcus.

The powerful matriarch nodded and snapped her fingers motioning for drums to be set on a rooftop. A few Amazons already began to beat on the drums catching the attention of the undead filth that wandered towards the village.

Spears and swords clanged together ready for a fight. Torches illuminated the village giving the Amazons and survivors light in the darkness. After a few minutes for preparations, low pitched groans could be heard from the jungle. The Amazons watched as what was once their sister tribe limped towards them with blood smeared over their mouths and bodies. Their grey skins and hellish sounds made it clear they were no longer human.

A hail of arrows launched up into the air, but when they came down most were not effective unless it was a headshot. About ten infected were killed in the first barrage, discouraged by this Mother Talsa ordered the archers to fire off everything they head. Yet barrage after barrage did nothing. The arrows would slow the infected down, but not enough to where it could cripple Them.

"This isn't working; they just soak up the damage and keep attacking." Said Mother Talsa amazed and angered at the same time.

"Aim for the heads, that's a one shot kill." suggested Takashi.

"Warriors charge those abominations and fight for your homeland!" shouted out Mother Talsa.

All the Amazonian warriors that were on the ground, let out a ferocious war cry charging directly into the infected horde. They would tackle the first infected they would encounter and quickly implant their blades and daggers into their victim's skulls. Despite their opposition being their own sister tribe, the Amazons were almost as relents and vicious as the infected.

Even those who were bitten kept fighting on; some were even begging bite the infected back. The grey flesh was torn right off the infected as the warriors would slice, bludgeon, and stab their way to victory.

"Alright enough standing around, let's do this!" shouted out Frasier as he drew his blade out. He let out a booming shout along with Saeko as they charged side by side. Both the eastern and western styled blades danced together as they cut entire limbs and torso in twain.

"Doing alright?" asked Saeko as she impaled an infected warrior through the tip of her katana. She enjoyed watching the blood trickle down the steel and onto the dirt.

"Yeah I'm fine for now, I'll let you know when I need to retreat." replied Frasier as he head butted an infected warrior cracking her skull. He grinned as he heard the horrid crackling noise of his enemies' bones being shattered and snapped.

Marcus joined in and went back to back with his brother. He played more of a wingman role cutting down the infected Frasier was surprisingly not attending to. Marcus enjoyed the weapon he was using; it was the perfect size for him and was still enough to swing without tiring himself out. Yet it also felt very natural for him to wield.

He sliced at a torso causing the intestines to spill out across the ground. The smell nearly made him vomit but didn't keep him from swing a second time across the neck sending the head flying from its original spot.

As he turned around he came face to face with an infected woman. Out of reaction he held his blade up in time for the teeth to bite down onto the iron blade. The undead fiend pushed forward knocking him onto his back. However Marcus learned from previous encounters with the infected and rolled over so the infected woman was under him now. With one mighty push, the sword snapped the rotten teeth out of the way and continued on cutting the top half of the clean skull off.

"Yeah how you like me now?" gloated Marcus. He then flinched when another infected woman was already in his vicinity. He then watched the walking corpse collapse into multiple pieces before his very eyes.

Behind the corpse stood Saeko smiling at her brother in-law. Marcus just stood there amazed at how she was so calm and experienced at killing the infected. "Don't just stand there start fighting!" ordered Saeko as she swung her blade horizontally, decapitating three infected at once.

Marcus nodded and continued on assisting his elder brother greatly. "Don't tell me you're slipping!" joked Marcus as Frasier cut down an infected woman then stomped on her skull sending brain matter everywhere. Frasier grunted in response to his little brother, he then watched as Rei used to trusty bayonet to take out more a few infected with quick jabs to the temple.

"So how did things go with Ariel?" asked Frasier.

"Pretty good actually, I kissed her and turns out she is the biological daughter of Mother Talsa." replied Marcus feeling proud of him.

"Really? So your kissed an Amazon princess, either your really lucky or in a lot of trouble." joked Frasier.

Marcus let out a few laughs as the night continued with constant battle. Frasier eventually began to lose his energy; Saeko took quick notice and carried him on one shoulder. Takashi watched and then whistled for Khota and Rika pointing at the two retreating.

Both held up their sniper rifles and began to pick off any infected that came within ten feet of the two. Saeko gave them a thumbs up as she reentered the village with Frasier. "You did well my love, don't be discouraged by having to fall back. We will soon have the opportunity to train you back to your prime and even further beyond." explained Seako.

Frasier could only nod in response as his sweat drenched his face. Saeko then just sat beside him and whispered "Now that we are married it won't be long until we have kids." She then lovingly laid her head against his sore shoulders.

The Amazons soon gained the upper hand in the battle seeing how the infected functioned and were able to expel all traces of undead from their home land. With blood and constant perseverance the Amazons prevailed and managed to defend their land.

**(A few hours later)**

**Z-Day+80**

Morning soon arouse as the battle that was just barely fought outside the village was nearly cleaned up from remaining parts of bodies. Marcus looked around for Ariel, when a crowd cleared e could see her waiting for him. He carefully made his way over to her and kissed her without any thought. She however managed to surprise Marcus by slipping her tongue inside of his mouth.

"Ahem." announced Mother Talsa as she stood with the rest of the tribe behind her. Ariel and Marcus immediately stood apart and were unsure of what to say. "Well at least you've fallen for a good boy. So now that we have defeated the infected scourge that threatened our very existence I must thank you Marcus Markle for saving my people from a massacre. If there is anything I have learned is that your kind isn't so bad after all."

"Well we couldn't just stand by and let you guys die off like that. Deep down we are all the same species and need to stick together. We were lucky today, that was nothing compared to what the rest of the world is facing as we speak." explained Marcus.

"Mother Talsa… we thank you for your hospitality, but must now bid you a farewell. Last night reminded me that our group must continue our journey for England. That is the only true safe haven from the infected, hopefully one day we shall meet again." interrupted Takashi as everyone else in the group walked over with their bags and personal belongings.

"You're going?" asked Ariel with sadness in her voice. She then looked at Marcus and then looked down. "I guess this is goodbye then huh?" Tears began to flow down her cheeks.

"Take your time Marcus, we will just be waiting outside the village." said Frasier before leaving Marcus with Ariel.

"Not goodbye, see you later." said Marcus quoting Ariel. She smiled a bit and hugged him extra tight still looking down. "I'll be back on day Ariel, maybe I'll even be able to bring you along with me." said Marcus.

He then slowly walked away, looking back at her the entire time. Ariel then let out a sigh and knew that her fate was to stay here and succeed her mother when the time came. Or at least that was what she thought until Mother Talsa said "Go on Ariel, if there is one thing I have taught you… it's that you always follow your heart."

Ariel looked up at her mother and had the biggest smile on her face. "Mother… I'm lost for words. Are you entirely sure? What if I need to take over for when you… you know." questioned Ariel.

Mother Talsa smiled and held her daughter one last time before she said "Don't worry about me; I've still got some time left on this planet. Now go be with Marcus and show the world what being an Amazon is all about!"

Ariel nodded and replied "I will." She then ran full speed towards Marcus joining their group as they walked forward into the sunrise, unsure of what they would face next on their great journey.

A few days later in the jungle, two figures wearing cloaks over their heads examined the raft left by Takashi's group not so long ago. They looked at the camp site left behind and knew that they were on the right path. "Won't be long till we find those outlaws and collect our bounty from the council." said one of the figures as the other one stood there pondering about their target.

"I'm coming for you Frasier, I never miss a bounty!" said the first one to himself as he took out a combat knife and carved into a tree. "Nobody gets away from Durge!"


	40. Act 22 The Great Escape

Act 22 The Great Escape  
>Z-Day+74<br>(6 Days Ago)

"They just finished interrogating that merchant; the brothers are heading towards the U.S.A. We all know we can't simply send in troops to go get them, the costs would be too much and we are spread thin enough as it is." said the representative of District-C.

"Which is why you're sending me!" announced a voice from behind the room. A tall man with a hood over his face to hide his identity.

"Ah, gentlemen this is the infamous bounty hunter know as…" said the C-Councilor before being interrupted.

"Durge… and that's all you shall know me by, other than the world's greatest assassin." proclaimed the hooded man. He stood there with his arms crossed and looked sternly down at the councilors.

B-Councilor just narrowed his eyes un-amused by the attitude. "So tell me why you are the one who will be dispatched to take care of the young man who defied us? What makes you so sure you can handle him after he has had such a massive head start?"

Durge then turned to him and walked over very slowly. His boots were loud and put fear into those around him just by the sound of him walking. He then bent over to the scared councilman and lifted his hood to reveal his right eye was all cut up.

"See this! A bastard by the name of Kraven did this to me; I managed to kick the crap out of him despite the injury. He retreated and knew he was no match for me. Before I could get my revenge on him though, that fucking Hero came in and robbed me of my vengeance! I want his head for denying me that pleasure; I will make him curse his own mother for giving him life. Right after I tear his heart out from his chest. Does that seem good enough for your standards?"

The frightened councilman just nodded and remained silent. Then the councilman from District-D spoke up. "You will need a partner for this task though; we want to make sure everything goes right. There is no room for failure… which is why we present Rhys Lone, he was a vigilante for the city but after that unfortunate day he seeks retribution."

"Very well, I prefer to work alone but if he seeks the same revenge than I guess I can share… maybe." announced Durge. "So what he do to you?"

Rhys remained silent at first, but then he turned to Durge and said "He shot me, I was foolish enough to believe he would come in peacefully."

"Huh… it hasn't been that long though. How are you able to walk without limping or anything?" questioned Durge. Rhys shook his head and laughed a bit.

"It's all about superior willpower and a goal I have to complete. I will find him and we will settle what has already been set into motion." explained Rhys. Durge nodded then grinned and stretched his arms out.

"Well enough standing around here… lets go get your eye fixed up!" announced the B-Councilor. Durge accepted the order and exited the room as Rhys stood there looking out at the window.

"Be ready my old friend, be ready." He softly muttered to himself remembering what he was tasked to do, what his new goals were now. Rhys watched as dawn was finally here.

With the sun just now rising; Ryou ran from ally to ally avoiding any detection from the guard patrols. After creating a distraction to help his friends escape, the council branded him a traitor and has been hunting him ever since.

It was dark times for Kibou City. All but one of the original council was now dead. Their replacements were beyond useless and had always out voted the only competent one among them, Souichiro Takagi.

No one was allowed in or out of the city, not after yesterday. Patrols increased and would bring in anyone who wasn't in by the new curfew to the council themselves. It was basically martial law now. Ryou had to get out, but it wouldn't be easy... he would need help on this one.

Suddenly the ground began to shake, he quickly went prone besides some knocked over garbage cans. A heavily armored convoy rolled by and stopped in the middle of the street. Troops hopped out of the vehicles and began going door to door.

"They must be searching for me." Ryou thought to himself. He could hear screaming from within the homes they entered. It pained him greatly to hear them... but he had to meet up with an old contact. She was waiting for him under what was known as "The Underground".

Not that catchy but then again names don't really mean shit when it gets results. When there was an opening Ryou quickly crouch-sprinted towards an armored transport and crawled under it.

There was a manhole beneath it, this would take him directly to the sewers. The smell would be terrible but it was the safest way to get to his destination. Ryou carefully wedged his sword under it and lifted it making sure he didn't create any unnecessary noise.

Ryou slowly crawled into the hole getting a good grip on the ladder, then he slowly dragged the manhole cover over his head sealing it above himself. It was very dark now, and smelly.

After adjusting to the change of atmosphere, Ryou slid down the ladder and reached for a flashlight attached to my belt. He turned it on lighting up the tunnel he was currently in.

With no worries of being detected, Ryou ran at full speed through the concrete tunnels trying to find The Underground. The filthy water splashed against the walls as his boots pounded against it with each step he would take. The sooner he could get out the better.

After a few minutes of running in circles he could hear voices. Ryou followed them and soon stumbled upon a source of light in the tunnels. Without a doubt Ryou knew it was them... who else would be hanging out down here?

As he approached them their voices stopped. Suddenly Ryou was blinded by a bright light! Out of reaction he covered his eyes unable to see a thing.

"Wait that's him! He's ok, put your lights down you'll blind the poor guy." said a familiar voice.

It was her alright, none other than Julie Chen. Ryou lowered his hands and blinked a bit trying to get the spots out of his eyes.

"About time you got here! You do know the council has stepped their game up right?" asked Julie as she opened her arms for a hug. Ryou smiles warmly and hugged her tight.

"Oh what more patrols? C'mon Julie we can easily evade them, it's really not that hard if you know their time schedule." Ryou said feeling confident everything will be alright.

Julie then stopped and turned to him with the most serious look in her eyes I've ever seen. "Ryou! Now isn't the time for your cocky attitude... they've sent in a bounty hunter." explained Julie with a small hint of fear in her voice.

"So? It's just one guy, nothing we couldn't handle." Ryou said feeling that Julie was over exaggerating this possible new threat.

"Yeah, well that one guy used to work for my father and he doesn't take prisoners alive if given the choice. He's a relentless killing machine, never failed a single contract. I've even heard a rumor that he removed his own testicles so it wouldn't be a hindrance to his performance. This guy makes Kraven look like a god damn pushover." explained Julie.

Ryou stopped and shuddered at that horrible thought. Kraven was one cold ruthless bastard, but the way she described this guy really did make Kraven seem like nothing.

"Well what's his name?" Ryou asked out of curiosity as Julie began to walk again.

Julie stopped for a second "Durge." was all she said before moving on.

The name alone seemed scary, even being completely hidden from the society above them didn't give Ryou comfort now. Julie's hideout was pretty decent now that he looked at it; it actually had furniture and everything.

Only downside is it's in the filthy sewers. But at least with the floorboards in place Ryou wasn't getting lord knows what on his boots. There were a few others waiting around, he immediately recognized one.

His name was Johann, a powerful German survivor that Ryou fought side by side with during the battle for Kibou City. "He must be trying to get out of this hell hole as well." thought Ryou to himself.

"Ahh good to see friendly face." said Johann trying to speak Japanese as best as he could.

"The feeling is mutual, put it there pal." said Ryou holding his forearm out. Both shook hands and smiled, Julie then made a whistling noise to grab their attention.

"Alright people, we are good to go. Stick with me and I'll keep you alive!" exclaimed Julie. Everyone began to grab their belongings and was ready to head out.

Julie pulled a small device from her waist belt. With a quick twist it turned out to be a glow stick. The tunnels became illuminated by the green glow, but the smell was still no better.

Ryou was quite impressed with what Julie had been up too all this time. Being out alone in the real world made her extremely resourceful, she even knew where to get some decent food. However, since Frasier and his brothers escaped with Takashi's group, things went from bad to shit storm.

So Julie decided to help out by leading entire groups of people out of the city. With no one daring enough to do such a thing Julie knew she had to help out. Even if it meant a terrible demise.

After thirty minutes of traveling up the tunnels Julie came to a stop. "This is the tricky part guys, the guards have a few patrols around here and any loud noise we make will echo out. So keep it quiet!" warned Julie.

Everyone nodded as Julie continued on. Ryou and Johann both felt their hearts racing as they could see the shadows of the guards through the sewer grates. Despite the fear, everyone made it out of the tunnels and into the outskirts without detection.

"Phew that was a close one." whispered Johann now able to speak without worry of being detected. Ryou nodded as he then took a big inhale of fresh air.

"Ah that's so much better!" Ryou exclaimed aloud. Julie immediately turned to him and held his lips.

"Shh! We aren't clear yet, you know as well as I do that there are patrols on the outskirts... But yes it is a better smell." hissed Julie.

Ryou nodded and wiped his mouth a bit. Johann couldn't help but let out a chuckle from their behavior. The escaping civilians all moved on following Julie without question.

"So where do we go after this?" asked Ryou.

"I managed to snag a boat, we can take it over to the mainland, I plan on going back to China and see if my father is ok." replied Julie.

Ryou then looked over at Johann curiously. "What about you? You can't really intend to be heading for China." questioned Ryou.

"Your right, my destination is Germany! My brethren need me and I hope to join one of the clans that have risen to power during these dark times." replied Johann.

Suddenly vehicles could be heard approaching from the road not to far away. Everyone began to panic but Julie kept calm and whispered  
>"Quickly! Get inside those abandoned stores and keep quiet about it. We can make it." ordered Julie.<p>

The groups ran into the stores vaulting over the open windows and kicking down the weak doors. It was dark but it was at least out of site from the patrol.

The jeeps stopped as a hooded figure held his fist up. All the guards watched and were observing his behavior. "Everything alright bounty hunter?" asked a guard.

The hooded figure jumped out of the vehicle and looked around. He sniffed the air and then had a devilish grin under his hood.

"Search this area, there are some civilians trying to escape." said the hooded figure. He then walked back to the jeep and sat down.

"How can you be sure?" asked one of the guards.

"You can smell them, perhaps you idiots can check the sewers after this is over." explained the bounty hunter as he lit up a cigarette.

"You heard him! Get moving!" ordered what appeared to be a second bounty hunter.

The guards accepted their orders and went from building to building searching for civilians. Ryou crawled under a counter and whispered to Julie. "Is that Durge?" asked Ryou. Julie responded with a nod as she felt her heart ready to burst from her chest.

Ryou sat back against the counter then realized something. "Hey! I think I know who the second bounty hunter is. His name is Rhys Lone, though what he is doing with someone like Durge I have no idea." explained Ryou.

"How dangerous is he?" asked Johann curiously as he scooted over towards us.

Ryou and Julie both turned over as Johann had to put extra effort to crouch down due to his size. "Rhys used to be S.P.F. with Frasier and I. He quit though and became a free lancer. I guess he took the offer to hunt down the trio of brothers we all know and love." explained Ryou.

Suddenly Julie's face scrunched up trying to hold back a sneeze. Ryou quickly held up his hand over her mouth. Julie slowly settled down and managed to hold it down. Ryou let out a quick sigh of relief and removed his hand.

He then sat back accidentally knocking a few items off the counter. When they hit the ground a loud noise rang out.

Durge turned towards the store and grinned under his hood. "Perfect." The guards immediately began to hustle towards the store ready to storm it.

"Shit... Everyone go out the back door I'll hold them back." whispered Julie trying not to give their plans out aloud. The civilians immediately began to make their way out the back as Julie began to open fire with her FN P90.

She managed to take out half the patrol in a single clip. The rest managed to enter the store. Johann and Ryou both stayed behind to help their comrade.

Ryou drew his blade and blocked a spear that was heading right for him. After deflecting it he dashed forward and stabbed the wielder through the neck. Blood splattered out and soaked the sword within seconds.

Another guard charged Ryou only to be hit with a heavy cash register. Ryou looked over his shoulder to see Johann recovering from a throwing motion.

Johann was smiling as he then vaulted over the counter top to engage the next guard. He grabbed his spear from the man's hand and snapped it into two bits. Johann then placed one hand against the guard's face slamming it into the wall knocking him out.

As a third guard went for him Johann threw the tip of the broken spear like a throwing knife. The sharp tip hit the man right in the arm. He let out a cry of pain and dropped his weapon; he then retreated back outside as the only survivor.

Durge growled and held a pistol out; he fired at the retreating guard killing him in a head shot. "Worthless, no wonder they hired us... Ok kid pay attention and watch the master do what he does best." announced Durge as he stepped off the jeep heading for the store alone.

Rhys just sat there in silence and hoped that no one he knew was in that store. He narrowed his eyes and watched as his monstrous partner headed for the escaping civilians.

"All right party is over! Time to die!" bellowed out Durge as he smashed through a door. The wooden door stood no chance and splintered all over the place.

Johann leapt over landing on his sides to avoid the debris that came flying towards him. Meanwhile Ryou charged Durge head on with his sword raised high. Durge simply stood there and gripped Ryou's forearm to one side completely halting the attack.

He then slammed a powerful blow to Ryou's solar plexus taking the fight entirely out of him. Ryou dropped his sword and fell to his knees coughing uncontrollably.

"Ryou!" called out Julie as she tossed the empty gun aside and charged with a knife.

However her charge was quickly cut short when Durge picked up Ryou and tossed him at her. Both were knocked down and barely able to put up a decent fight against the new contender.

"Hey asshole! Let's see how you handle a German!" announced Johann as he challenged the new threat one on one. Durge however welcomed this and pounded his fists together.

"Your move kid!" replied Durge holding his fists up.

Johann rushed forward and threw the first punch. Durge quickly stepped back and was quick to retaliate with a jab. Johann saw this coming and held up his arms in time to block it.

As the blow impacted against his forearms, Johann let it slide past and delivered a clean punch to Durge's jaw. He then delivered three more consecutive blows unleashing his fury. It seemed as if he had the upper hand.

However Durge began to laugh and was merely accepting these heavy punches. "Hehe... Not bad kid..." he then gripped Johann's hand and gripped tight. "...but not enough to beat yours truly." Johann grunted in pain and tried to deliver suprise blow to the face.

All it did was skim across Durge's hood revealing a scarred up face and a cybernetic eye in place of his right eye. The mechanical eye glowed red and blinked a few times. "Is this it? I could have sworn you possessed a greater challenge for me... guess I was wrong." grinned Durge as he held his fist back ready to finish this fight.

Suddenly Johann twisted his prosthetic fingers off in time to break free. Durge missed and ended up punching through a weak wall. Johann quickly made his escape as Ryou and Julie were just recovering. He picked them up and scurried out the store knowing he wouldn't have much time.

"Hurry we need to get to the boat and get the hell out of here!" groaned Julie as she managed to walk on her own. "It won't be much further if we hurry!"

Everyone moved at double pace as Johann was in an adrenaline state keeping up while carrying Ryou.

Durge growled and pulled back violently trying to free himself. "Ggrrrr get back here I'm not done with you!" shouted Durge as he began to punch at the weak wall breaking himself free. He then turned around to see a familiar man standing before him.

"Ah, you again... Heh thought when I killed two of your squad mates you would have learned to stay away from me." joked Durge in a more calmed tone.

"You may have killed Traynor and Lawson... but you can never kill the spirit of Wolf Pack!" snapped Private Wilks as he gripped the combat knife tight in his hand ready to avenge his fallen comrades.

"If only you fools realized that you're on a losing side... Perhaps they would have lived if you simply didn't resist the new laws of your city... no matter though, I'll gladly reunite you with your squad!" replied Durge.

Wilk's let out a cry of anger and rage as they both charged forward, ready for a fight to the death. 


	41. Act 23 Land of the Dead Part 1

**Act 23 Land of the Dead Part 1**

**Z-Day+90**

A warm summer breeze blew by in a sunny field. The sun was at the center of the sky indicating the time was roughly noon. Eleven survivors, a robot, and their dog all quietly travelled through the meadows.

It was only a few hours ago that they reached America via raft and they all desperately need some rest. Tension was slowly beginning to rise as thirst also became a concern. After about thirty minutes of walking, Saya fell to her knees.

"I can't do this anymore! I need something to drink right now!" she cried out unable to contain her pain.

Khota walked over and knelt beside her, he reached into his vest and pulled out a canteen. "Here, take this... there isn't much but it should do the trick." said Khota as Saya reached for it.

Saya tilted her head back and guzzled down what was left in the canteen. When it was empty she shook it trying to get every last drop out. She let out a sigh then handed it back to Khota.

"Thank you Khota..." said Saya softly whispered as she struggled to get back up. Takashi and Khota both pulled her up to her feet. "We should try to find a house, maybe we can get some fresh water."

Frasier nodded and coughed a bit feeling his throat drying up. "Yeah... hopefully we don't run into any of Them. We've been lucky so far."

The group pushed on through the dry weather feeling the searing sun across their necks. Alice then tugged at Marcus' hand. "I'm tired, can we please stop? My feet hurt." asked Alice.

"We can't stop now, if we stop we will just sizzle in this damned sun! Just suck it up kid." snapped Takashi unable to take much more of this heat.

Alice nodded and tried to hold her tears back. Marcus walked over and picked her up. "C'mon kiddo I'm sure we won't have to go much further." reassured Marcus. Alice nodded once more then hid her face in his shirt.

Rei roughly nudged Takashi's shoulder and gave him an irritated look. "You didn't have to be so hash with her. She's just a little girl." replied Rei.

Takashi gripped his fists and just pushed on ignoring her. After a few minutes later, Marcus was already exhausted from carrying Alice.

They soon approached a creek and could see a house in the distance. "Hey look there's some water, finally!" exclaimed Takashi in a better mood now that water was available.

Before he could run off to it, Rika reached out and grabbed his collar. Takashi fell back and scowled at the unexpected action.

"Hey? What gives?" yelled Takashi. He tugged and pulled away trying to free himself.

"Takashi, that water is filthy. If anything it will make you sick! I'm sure we can find fresh water in that house over there." replied Rika as she let him go.

He tumbled a bit then weighed his options. "Hmph... Fine! Just hurry up though, I'm going to lose it any minute now." said Takashi as he led on.

The group dragged themselves towards the creek. When they looked more closely the water was clearly not drinkable.

"See dumb dumb? If you drank that filthy water, it may have really hurt you! Takashi?" said Saya.

Saya along with everyone else, turned their heads to see Takashi, Marcus, Khota, and Ariel drinking out of the creek. "What the?... Idiots! What did Rika just say?" shouted out Saya in a rage.

"They drank iky water!" commented Alice as she felt her stomach clench at the sight.

Takashi sat back with a look of relief on his face. "Hey you guys can nag all you like! I'm not thirsty anymore. Wouldn't you two agree?" asked Takashi as he looked over at Marcus, Khota, and Ariel.

"Yeah I'm alright, what about you Ariel?" asked Marcus while he brushed some grass off his knees.

"Yeah, taste isn't so lovely but I think we should be ok." replied Ariel as she wiped her mouth off.

"Yeah I'm just-" said Khota before he uncontrollably vomited all over himself. He began to cough and held his sides in pain. "-ok I take that back!" said Khota trying to stabilize himself. He staggered back and forth trying to hold it in.

Everyone else had looks of concern on their faces. However Takashi, Ariel, and Marcus all had looks of terror knowing that it was very likely they would become sick from the water as well. Each one felt their stomach beginning to ache.

"Oh you've really done it now brother." said Frasier as he shook his head in disapproval.

Saeko then put her hand on his shoulder. "We should take them to that house and see if there is any available room. If so we can let them rest and get some clean water." suggested Saeko.

Frasier looked at her and nodded, he then walked over to assist Marcus and Takashi in their movement making sure they didn't wander off from the group. Rika and Saya both helped Khota while Saeko assisted Ariel.

The group slowly pushed on through the filthy water making sure to stick close together. Shizuka carried Alice on her shoulders while Zeke was carefully nestled between her breasts.

When they crossed the other side Rika held a fist up. "Hold on, I'm gonna go see if I can spot anything up ahead."

She set Khota down, leaving Rei and Saya to attend to him. Rika then unholstered her sniper rifle and crouch-sprinted up the grassy hill. Her movements were quick yet silent, she then aimed the weapon scanning the area.

Other than the house, and a town in the distance, nothing of any interest could be seen. Rika then whistled letting everyone else know it was safe to come up.

"How are they holding up?" asked Rika as she looked down at the rest of the group making their way up.

"The sooner they can get some rest the better." answered Rei as she began to sweat heavily.

When they reached the top of the hill things were much easier. However the heat was still a constant opposition that ceased to let up anytime soon. Their throats all became tight and dry.

Rika approached the door and knocked on it a few times. "Hello? Is anyone home?" she asked in English. There was a silence indicating no one was home.

Rika slowly turned the door knob and pushed the door forward. She entered ready for anything to spring out at her. The house seemed very clean and showed no sign of infected.

"Ok guys I think we're clear. Get those idiots in here-" said Rika before she felt her body shut down and collapse.

"Rika!" shouted Shizuka in a very worried tone. The blonde rushed over and kneeled to get friend trying to help her up.

"What's wrong with her?" asked Frasier as he set down Takashi and Marcus onto the same couch. Shizuka held her hand against Rika's forehead.

"She's suffering from dehydration, she must have fainted. Please help me get some water." begged Shizuka as she stroked Rika's hair trying to comfort her.

Frasier quickly found the kitchen and pulled open all the cupboards trying to find where the cups were located. After a few seconds he managed to find some cups then filled them with water from the refrigerator.

He then rushed back into the room to see no one else has entered the house. After setting the drinks down, Frasier rushed out the door to see Rei and Saeko both collapsing to the ground.

"Oh no... they must be suffering from the dehydration as well." thought Frasier to himself as he walked over only to drag everyone outside back into the house.

Now only Frasier, Saya, Shizuka, and Alice were awake and healthy. The group had taken a severe blow and needed to desperately recover. Rei and Saeko were somewhat able to move after receiving water but were unable to travel anywhere.

Shizuka took off her shirt and set it under Rika's head for support. She then stood up wearing only her bra and skirt.

"Is there anything you can do for them?" asked Frasier as he and Saya gently set down the last incapacitated member of their group.

"Well... if anything I'd say they would need some antibiotics. That nasty water they consumed must have all kinds of filthy bacteria swimming around in it. If we could get into town then we should be able to fix them up." explained Shizuka.

"Very well. I'll head into that town not to far from here and try to find some antibiotics. You guys stay here and try to keep things under control." ordered Frasier.

"Who put you in charge? Takashi may be unable to give the orders, but I think we at least should wait." protested Saya as she set bowls down for anyone who might throw up.

Takashi turned over and vomited into his bowl as soon as Saya finished her statement. Saya then realized that there may not be a next time if they didn't get the help they needed.

"Ok, but you should at least take Shizuka along with you. You don't wanna bring the wrong medicine back or the wrong type." said Saya.

"Yeah, you make a good point. Shizuka do you think you will be able to travel?" asked Frasier as he filled up some empty water bottles.

Shizuka nodded and grabbed a bag to fill with whatever they may discover along the way. Frasier stood over Saeko and kneeled down besides her. She had her eyes slightly opened and smiled when she saw him.

"Try to get some rest, I shouldn't be gone for too long." whispered Frasier as he then kissed her forehead. He looked at the pendant her gave her on her chest, seeing it made him smile a bit.

"Alright let's get going!" said Shizuka as she walked out the backdoor. She then spotted a clothesline and decided to take a red shirt hanging off the line. Just so she could avoid any unwanted attention if there were other survivors.

After Shizuka put the shirt on; Frasier, Alice, and Saya all walked out to join her. Shizuka looked puzzled when Saya and Alice were with him.

"Wait I thought it was just me and you." Shizuka asked Frasier.

"Yeah me too, but then Alice convinced me that we could bring more stuff back if they carried the bags and it would be easier for me to fight without having to carry everything." replied Frasier.

"Hmmm fair enough... so any idea how we can get to town?" asked Shizuka curiously.

"We aren't walking! That much I can tell you right now." replied Saya as she stretched her sore legs outwards.

"I saw a truck parked outside the house. Let's go check it out!" suggested Alice hoping someone would take her advice.

"Alright let's go see if we can catch a break." acknowledged Frasier as he followed Alice towards the truck.

The little girl took his hand and led him across the dirt road to the very front of the house. Just as Alice mentioned before, the pickup truck was there and seemed to be in working condition.

Frasier peered through the window and hoped the keys would be left in the ignition. To his disappointment there were no keys to be seen. He stood back and looked down at Alice.

"What? What's wrong big brother?" asked Alice with a look of concern on her face.

"There are no keys in the truck, I'm afraid we can't use it until we can find them. Sorry kiddo looks like we are walking this trip." answered Frasier.

Suddenly there was a commotion from within the barn. Both Saya and Shizuka rode by on two horses. One was a light tan color while the other was a white with splotches of brown. Alice's jaw dropped as he saw what almost every girl wanted.

"Horses! You guys found horses? Can we keep them? Oh I'll call you Biscuit... and you can be Appleseed!" said Alice with glee and excitement.

Shizuka and Saya both giggled at her childlike innocence. Frasier walked over and looked at the two powerful creatures. "Where did you find them? Is there a barn nearby?" asked Frasier.

"Mhm, they were just left in their stables so we thought it would be a good idea to let them loose and take them in as close as we can to town." answered Saya.

"Do you two even know how to ride a horse?" asked Frasier as Shizuka helped him up onto her mount.

"Yeah, we both learned while we were young so have a little faith in us." said Saya as she helped Alice up.

"Very well, I guess I don't have a choice one way or another." replied Frasier.

"That's the spirit. Heyah!" exclaimed Shizuka as she ordered the horse to move forward. Frasier wrapped his arms around her waist holding tight as he was rocked forward.

Both horses rushed through the fields, trotting under the scorching sun as if it was nothing. Frasier and Alice both watched and took in the beautiful landscape.

After a few minutes of running through fields and meadows, the group soon managed to find a paved road that would take them right into the town. The site was quite a mess the closer and closer they got to their target.

Abandoned cars were scattered and crashed into one another. Suitcases later open spilling their contents all over the road. There were even the fleshy rotten remains of some unfortunate souls who were caught by the infected.

"How are you holding up Alice?" asked Saya as she kept her eyes focused on the road. Alice however was far too enthralled and captivated by the enjoyment of riding a horse.

The sun was slowly beginning to make its decent as Shizuka and Saya slowed down. Both of them tied the horses to a lamppost and made sure to secure it so the horses wouldn't wander off.

"What if one of the monsters finds them?" asked Alice with concern. Frasier lifted her up and off "Apple seed".

"Don't worry about them, the infected don't seem to be interested in anything other than us Alice. I don't know why, but then again I'm not a scientist." replied Frasier.

Alice nodded and had her backpack ready to load whatever she may find out in the eerie town. Frasier walked in the front keeping his eyes peeled for any signs of a medical facility.

The streets were littered with trash and wreckage from cars. The silence was nerve wrecking but the survivors of Z-Day were day by day growing accustomed to stressful situations.

Frasier knew he was being watched by someone, he looked at the roof tops and windows as if expecting to be ambushed. Yet nothing that would require any concern ever presented itself. Shizuka then spotted something blowing in the wind.

"Hey a map! I got it!" exclaimed Shizuka as she ran off to catch it.

"Shizuka wait!" called out Alice. "We need to stick together!"

When the wind stopped blowing the map gently landed under a bus. Shizuka then got on her knees and crawled half way under the bus trying to reach for it. Her arm stretched out and grasped the map.

Little did she know, the noise and commotion she had caused attracted a few infected lingering about. Frasier spotted one heading right for her, he sprinted down the street and tackled the abomination.

Both struggled and grappled at one another. Frasier viciously slammed the skull into the pavement killing the infected after a few slams. He then reached out grabbing the leg of another one as it was focused on Shizuka.

The creature groaned as it was dragged away. Frasier then lifted his foot only to bring it down on the back of its skull crushing it from the pressure.

"Shizuka get out of there! More are going to show up and I may not be able to handle them in this heat." ordered Frasier as he drew his knight sword.

"I can't... get out. I'm stuck." replied Shizuka.

Frasier then looked over at Alice and Saya as they caught up. "Go help her while I hold Them back. We can't fail now." ordered Frasier.

Saya and Alice both grabbed Shizuka's legs and started to pull back with as much force as they could without hurting her. They both felt their hearts race as they could hear more and more infected approach from all directions.

After a few adrenaline pumping seconds later they finally managed to get Shizuka out. Shizuka rubbed her breasts and said "Ow! Man that's going to hurt in the morning. Thanks guys!"

She then noticed that they were surrounded by Them. There was no easy way out of this one. "Quickly up the bus!" shouted Frasier no longer needing to be quiet.

He leaned against the bus with his hands up. Shizuka was first to go up, she put her feet on his hands and was lifted up. Shizuka then pulled herself on top and was ready to help the next person up.

Alice then was lifted up just enough to where Shizuka could pull her up. Then Saya went not too long after. All three were now safe and out of reach.

Frasier then jumped up and managed to grab onto an open window. "Give me your hand!" ordered Saya as she reached for his. Both their hands were only a few inches apart, but Frasier pulled his hand back to reach for his sword.

Two infected managed to grab his legs. He swung the blade at them trying to break free. Despite his effort they were too strong and managed to yank him off the window. He landed with a thud and had to quickly recover.

His sword was dropped and slide into the crowd of infected. With no other options Frasier instinctively rolled under the bus for safety. The infected just stood there pressing themselves against the bus. Luckily none were smart or coordinated enough to lower themselves to go underneath the bus.

"Is he ok? Frasier are you alright?" shouted out Alice.

"Yeah I'm ok but I'm afraid I can't reach my blade. There are too many of Them for me to make a break for it. Find something to draw them away from the bus." replied Frasier as he tried to find anything the could use.

The three girls sat there unable to find anything of use on top of the bus.

"Hey what about Giru? He could create a good distraction!" suggested Shizuka.

"What? No way! He's one of the most advanced machines on this planet, I'm not letting him break over this." protested Saya.

"But if we don't get out of here we can't help our family." butted in Alice. Saya couldn't resist the innocent child and let out a sigh.

"Fine... just be glad I'm such a nice person." commented Saya as she pulled Giru out her bag. The small machine lit up, his visor blinked a few times before remaining open.

"Heeeeellloooo." said Giru as soon as he saw Saya, Alice, and Shizuka looking down at him.

"Giru I need you to listen very carefully." requested Saya.

"Listening." replied Giru.

"I want you to go create a distraction, do whatever it takes to draw these infected away from us ok?" asked Saya.

"Affirmative." replied Giru as he then deployed his arms and legs. He walked along the roof of the bus and scanned the area for any potential distractions. "Target acquired!" announced Giru.

The mini robot then climbed down the side of the bus and moved as fast as he could through the streets. The infected payed no attention to him whatsoever as he climbed up a parked car. Giru scanned the windshield for any structural weakness.

When he found the spot he wound his tiny robot fingers into a fist and punched the windshield causing it to shatter. Upon the impact a car alarm went off catching the attention of all the infected within earshot. They slowly wandered away from the bus and towards the car.

Giru meanwhile was already back looking at Frasier who was still under the bus. "Does you need assistance?" question Giru.

Frasier slowly pulled himself out from under the bus and coughed a bit. "No I'm alright, nice job Giru." replied Frasier as he patted Giru on the visor.

Giru let out a few beeps or recognition then went back into his ball form when Saya hoped down to pack him back up. As Shizuka got down, Frasier approached her.

"Frasier I-" was all she could say before he interrupted her.

"Don't touch anything, don't say anything, don't do anything unless I say so? Got it?" snapped Frasier as the heat wore his temper thin.

Shizuka stood there and nodded in silence feeling ashamed for nearly getting everyone killed. Frasier sighed and then asked her in a more calm voice "Are you ok?"

Shizuka just nodded and handed him the map. As he took it he looked over to Saya and Alice. "What about you two?" They both nodded and gave him a thumbs up.

"Alright there is a nearby pharmacy store, luckily we will be able to find what we need. Let's just stick to the plan and no running off this time." commanded Frasier.

The group then made their way through the streets avoiding the infected whenever they could. When they couldn't sneak around Them Giru would be deployed to create another distraction.

Night would soon be upon them if they did not hurry up though. Luckily the pharmacy as in their sights with no infected to get in the way. Frasier went in alone and looked around to make sure it was clear to enter.

With no other survivors or infected in sight he signaled everyone else to move in. They all entered the store and immediately headed off in two different directions. Saya and Alice went to check for any unspoiled food they could use while Frasier and Shizuka browsed through the medical department in hopes of finding the antibiotics.

Meanwhile outside the store, two figures were watching the entire thing. Both waited and watched in hopes that Frasier would wander off alone.

"Rhys I can take on all four off them no problem at all... forget waiting around that bastard is mine. It's payback time!" growled Durge as he set up a wrist rocket.

As Saya and Alice were going over the candy isle near the door a red laser slowly appeared. When Frasier caught wind of this he sprinted over and tackled both of them. "Get down!" he ordered as a high pitched wail could be heard from outside.

A small pointed rocket crashed through the glass doors and exploded on impact behind Frasier. He shielded Saya and Alice as he landed. Luckily the shrapnel was only sent out in a small radius.

"FRASIER! I'VE COME FOR THEE! SHOW YOURSELF OR I'LL KILL EVERYONE IN THAT STORE ALONG WITH YOU!" bellowed out Durge as he stood outside the store.

Everyone was hiding under the shelves hoping the new threat didn't have anymore tricks up his sleeve.

"What do we do?" asked Alice as she curled up to Shizuka.

"You guys go out the back and head for the farm, I'll indulge this new threat and hold them off." answered Frasier.

"By yourself? In case you haven't noticed he just shot a rocket at us. You'd have to be insane to fight someone with that much firepower alone." hissed Saya disapproving of this suicidal plan.

Frasier laughed a bit and leaned back against the shelf he was under. "Yeah we'll I'm the only one who's combat capable here so it's my call. You guys can't do anything to help... besides I've never lost a fight, and now isn't the time to start." replied Frasier confidently.

He then vaulted over his cover and walked through the wreckage that was the front of the pharmacy.

"He's insane... he's completely insane." remarked Saya as she watched Frasier walking away in the open.

"Go get'em Frasier!" shouted out Shizuka trying to motivate him.

"Come on we have to go!" whispered Alice as she dragged at both their hands. The three escaped through the back entrance as Frasier went through the front.

"You rang?" asked Frasier as he was approached by both Durge and Rhys.

"You know you've caused quite a stir back in Kibou City sensei. The council even hired both Durge and I to hunt you down. To bring you back so they could use you as a scapegoat for all the problems they caused." explained Rhys.

"However you also robbed me of my vengeance against that bastard Kraven. So I'm afraid your not going to be brought back alive." announced Durge as two wrist jagged blades emerged from his right gauntlet.

"We shall see about that." replied Frasier as he drew his sword once more.

Durge walked forward leaving Rhys behind him. "You stay here unless I call for you kid. This is my revenge and I won't risk you getting in my way." warned Durge.

Frasier and Durge then both locked onto one another. Both began to walk around circling each other. A single drop of sweat fell of Frasier's brow, Durge saw this as a sign of fear and charged.

Frasier took a step back and raised his blade blocked Durge's first swing. The gauntlet and sword both clashed together. Both of them let out low pitched growls and grunts as one tried to overpower the other.

Durge was much bigger and eventually wore Frasier down. Frasier quickly rolled to one side when he was forced to give way to the powerhouse. However Durge was already on the attack pursuing him.

Durge swung back and forth trying to break Frasier's defense. Frasier would occasionally swing his sword at Durge but wouldn't be able to get past Durge's bladed gauntlet. He stepped forward thrusting his sword in a stabbing motion.

Durge twisted to one side then with a flick of the wrist knocked Frasier's sword out of his hands. The sword slide across the parking lot and out of Frasier's sight. Durge then reached forward and gripped Frasier by the neck lifting him into the air.

Durge's bladed gauntlet was raised high ready to strike. Frasier out of reaction swung his legs backwards only to bring them forwards. His feet kicked right into Durge's jaw disorienting himself brute.

Out of anger Durge head butted Frasier then tossed him into a car. Frasier bounced off the windshield and landed hard onto the pavement. Durge retracted his gauntlet blades and watched as his prey was now making a full on retreat.

Frasier limped into an alleyway only to fall over against some garbage cans. Durge stood over him and picked Frasier up again.

"Tell me your not the guy who took out Kraven-" said Durge as if disappointed. He then slammed Frasier into a brick wall and watched him slide down back to his knees.

"-Tell me it's someone who has some balls, and not some no talent asshole with a smug attitude." finished Durge. He then picked Frasier up and tossed him against some loading pallets abandoned long ago. The pallets snapped and broke under his weight.

Durge grinned and loaded another wrist rocket. He fired it off not even using his cybernetic eye to aim. The tiny rocket flew by and exploded behind Frasier as he rolled forward.

Smoke quickly filled the alley blocking all sight. Before Durge could even consider switching to thermal vision he felt a sharp pain in his stomach as Frasier charged forward through the smoke slamming him against a wall.

Frasier delivered two powerful blows to Durge's jaw. Yet Durge couldn't help but grin at the fire sparked within his prey. As Frasier threw another punch, Durge caught his fist and gripped it extremely tight.

Unable to fight back Frasier grunted and couldn't fight back. Durge then delivered a heavy punch to Frasier's stomach, then another, and another. Frasier coughed up blood and spit as this new threat was far to powerful for him to handle alone.

He quickly swung his feet up again trying to catch a break. However Durge already learned from last time and moved his chin back dodging it entirely. Frasier then twisted his body around barely breaking free from Durge's grip.

Frasier fell onto his rear and quickly scooted back trying to get some breathing space between his monstrous and him. With no other option Frasier grabbed some broken glass and clinched it firmly. He then tossed it as quick as he could at Durge's face.

Not expecting this, Durge covered his eyes and neck from the sneak attack. When he opened his eye he could no longer see Frasier. However his cybernetic eye could see small drops of blood on the ground. Durge grinned and called out for Rhys to follow so he could witness the end of their hunt.

Meanwhile Frasier was moving as fast as he could through the dark abandoned streets. As he made his way looking for a place to hide, it began to rain. At first it started as small droplets of rain but soon progressed to heavy rain fall.

He then turned to see both Rhys and Durge approaching him not to far away. His fighting spirit and morale was low, worst was his pride was wounded. Never once has he lost a fight, always trained to be the best.

With nowhere to go Frasier knew there was no point in hiding. This would be his last fight. At least it would have been if Shizuka didn't come riding along between the two. She held her hand out and whisked Frasier away making a daring escape from the bounty hunters.

"He's getting away." commented Rhys wondering what Durge would do next.

"No matter, he is wounded and his fighting spirit is broken. Only a matter of time before we catch him again." replied Durge as he looked up at the rain. "Come on let's get out of this rain."

Frasier could barely feel his left hand as bits of glass remained in it. His breathing was heavy and raspy as he tried to hold in his pain. Shizuka quickly led the horse into a nearby yard. She hopped off and led it into a manually operated garage.

When the horse was carefully secured she closed it in so it wouldn't wander off and could remain warm from the storm.

"Where is Saya and Alice?" asked Frasier as Shizuka helped walk him into the abandoned house. She opened the loose door and helped him in.

"I sent them off to return the antibiotics to the rest of the group. I also made sure Saya knew what to do with the medicine." answered Shizuka.

"Why did you come back for me? I gave you an order to retreat." questioned Frasier.

"I couldn't just leave you behind with those awful men, guess you've met your match huh?" replied Shizuka.

Frasier coughed and held his sides in pain. "Yeah... I guess you could say that. It was reckless to come back for me though-" reminded Frasier. He then leaned over and hugged Shizuka and whispered "-but thank you." finished Frasier.

Shizuka held him back then pulled him to his feet. "You're in terrible condition, let's get you set down so I can fix you up." ordered Shizuka taking command of the situation.

Frasier didn't reply and just accepted her orders. They found a table in the dimly lit house and set him down onto it. Shizuka looked down and hoped she could help him recover in time.

It was a rough day for the survivors, and it was only going to become worse from here on out if things didn't change soon.


	42. Act 23 Land of the Dead Part 2

**Act 22 Land of the Dead Part 2  
>Z-Day+80<strong>

**(One Hour Ago)**

Saya and Alice both let out a sigh of relief as they could see the barn within their line of sights. The skies began to darken as it was clear a storm was brewing. Luckily the horse they rode was fast and made it home in time before they could all be soaked to the bone.

"Quickly get inside Alice." ordered Saya as she took Biscuit to the stables in the nearby barn. After closing the barn doors Saya ran with the medical supplies in her bag. Rei held the door open for her as she ran inside.

"You get what you need?" asked Rei.

Saya quickly set the duffle bag down in the living room and quickly unzipped it. She then pulled out the antibiotics Shizuka managed to scavenge from the pharmacy.

"Yeah, help me distribute these out evenly." requested Saya as she separated four equal doses as ordered by Shizuka.

Rei and Saya both helped Marcus, Ariel, Takashi and Khota take their medication. Saya looked at Khota and gently brushed his hair looking down at him.

"How long do you think it will take?" asked Rei as she looked down at Takashi worrying about his health.

"Well we were able to assess the problem early. Plus they just received the medication so I'd give it a few hours before we should let them move about." replied Saya.

Saeko then walked in with Rika surprised to see that only Alice and Saya have returned.

"Where is Frasier?" asked Saeko.

"Yeah... and where is Shizuka?" asked Rika.

"We were ambushed by someone, someone with some real firepower. Frasier stayed behind to hold them off while we escaped with the medicine and food. Then Shizuka went back for him to make sure he was alright, there was nothing I could do." said Saya.

Saeko and Rika both walked towards the window looking out as rain began to pour down from the cloudy skies. Both felt deep concern over the two lost members of the group.

"You guys can't go out there, it's too dangerous to travel in that storm." said Rei.

Saeko sighed and walked towards another room. "Unfortunately I have to agree with you on that. I'm going to meditate upstairs, please don't disturb me." requested Saeko

"Understood, and Saeko... He will make it, if anyone can survive out there it would be him. Besides he's British so rain isn't a problem for him." reassured Rika.

"Thanks, but it's not the rain I'm worried about." replied Saeko as she left the room.

With that said the room was left in an awkward silence for a few moments. With the next hour though, all the incapacitated members were beginning to wake up. Marcus and Ariel were the first to wake up and move about.

Saya then took the liberty of explaining the current situation to them. At first they were surprised but when Frasier and Shizuka were nowhere to be found they were inclined to believe it.

"So my brother is out there in that storm? With what sounds like another Kraven? Well what are we waiting for? Let's go find him!" announced Marcus.

Before he could exit the house, Ariel took his hand and pulled back. "Wait! The storm is too powerful, if you go out there we might lose you as well. Please just be patient ok?" requested Ariel.

"Yeah... I guess you're right, so now what do we do?" asked Marcus.

"We just simply wait." responded Rei as she opened her rifle up for inspection.

When Khota finally rose up Saya couldn't help but wrap her arms around him. "Khota! Thank god your ok... you ever do something that reckless again I'll hurt you!" exclaimed Saya.

"Ahaha ok ok I understand! Your crushing me Saya." squeaked out Khota as he gasped for air.

Saya let go and sighed a bit. "Sorry, you really had me worried though. C'mon let's go get you washed up, you smell worse than Zeke." joked Saya as she took Khota into the upstairs bathroom.

Rei then watched as Takashi sat up. He looked over at her then back down.

"Rei... I'm so sorry; I was just reckless and thirsty. I didn't mean for all that this to happen." explained Takashi.

"Its fine Takashi, I can't really expect better." replied Rei in an apathetic tone

"What? I said I was sorry! What more do you want?" asked Takashi in an increasingly angry tone.

"You know what Takashi? Words don't cut it this time. You're the leader of the group, yet your impulsive behavior nearly got you along with three others killed! You've been really pissed off at the ones you love, you even yelled at Alice. She's just a little girl don't expect her to be as strong as us. Oh and to top it off you hit me back at the Amazon village. Takashi you really need to grow up... Until then I don't think I can be with you." explained Rei as she then walked off.

Takashi gripped his fists and stormed off into the kitchen to get some water. Rika and Saeko could do nothing but just watch the entire thing, both were unsure of what the future was going to be for the group.

"I hope things get better soon, this group is barely being kept together by a thin thread." said Saeko.

"We just need to catch a break of luck or something, maybe we should change up how things are decided." suggested Rika as she watched the rain.

There was a small silence for awhile. Thunder would ring out claiming the skies even now and then. Alice spent most of her time with Zeke and Giru playing hide and seek. At first it was fun but when Giru could use thermal sensors things it sort if took the fun out of things.

"When will they be home?" asked Alice as she looked up at Saeko passing by.

"I'm not sure, I just hope they are doing alright." replied Saeko as she looked down at her pendant. 

_{Dinosaur-The Cave}_

Shizuka finally managed to pull the last of the glass out of Frasier's hand. He laid there unable to feel anything whatsoever in his left hand. With a spray of antiseptic Shizuka found in the medicine cabinet, Frasier let out a few grunts of pain trying to keep quiet.

"It's ok to scream, I know it's very painful. I wouldn't think any less of you Frasier." commented Shizuka as she wrapped what little gauss she could scavenge around his wounds.

"No, it's not that. I could give away our location if I was too loud. Durge is out there waiting for me, I hate to admit it... but I can't beat him alone." explained Frasier as he sat up a bit.

"Don't worry about that, with all this rain I doubt he could hear us." explained Shizuka as she gently pressed Frasier back down. "You need to rest; the group can't afford to lose you too."

Frasier sighed and knew there was no point in arguing with her.

"Hey, I'm going to take a nap... just call me if you need anything ok?" asked Shizuka.

Frasier nodded as she knelt down to kiss his cheek. She then got up and walked into another room. Now alone, Frasier reached down and pulled up on his dog tags. He just stared at them and sighed wishing his father was here.

The thunder rang out loud in the skies as the rain heavily poured down against the roof. A few hours had passed by yet the storm was going strong as ever. Shizuka finally returned feeling fresh and full of energy.

In her hand she held a bottle that had yet to be open. Frasier turned his head over to see her sit beside him. Shizuka then held the bottle out before him.

"Where you get that?" asked Frasier curiously.

"I found it in a cupboard, might as well put it to go use right? Think you could open it? I couldn't find an opener anywhere." replied Shizuka.

Frasier slowly wrapped his fingers around the bottle and looked at the label. Most of it was scratched out but it was distinctly from the 1930s.

"You sure it will be ok to drink this?" asked Frasier as he gripped the cork and pulled as hard as he could.

Shizuka nodded and replied "Yes, or at least I hope it is. Either way might as well enjoy things while we can."

After a few seconds Frasier managed to pull the cork out, he then handed the bottle over to Shizuka smiling. She gently took it and took a few sips straight out the bottle. Shizuka then held the bottle back to him offering him some. Frasier just shook his head and held his hand up.

"Don't tell me you're not going to have me drink all this by myself." joked Shizuka while she playfully shook the bottle a bit.

"Ah fine guess a few sips wouldn't hurt." gave in Frasier.

He then took the bottle back and titled his head. The red liquid filled his mouth and gave off a delightful taste. Frasier then set the bottle down and smiled, he then let out a soft laugh.

"You've never had alcohol before have you?" asked Shizuka.

"Well I accidentally drank Saki once... what's even weirder is how I had always expected my first drinking experience to be with my father... Oh if he were here... Hahaha Durge would be in a million pieces right about now, and I would still be a disappointment" said Frasier in a progressively saddened tone.

Shizuka took the bottle and set it down. She then turned back to him and hugged him tight comforting his sorrow.

"It must have been hard having to do what you did to your parents and brother. Just know we're all here for you ok?" reassured Shizuka.

"All I ever wanted was my father's approval. To be what he wanted, I never got a life of my own. You know I've never even danced with a girl before? Hell Saeko was my first kiss... among other things." admitted Frasier as he looked up at the ceiling.

Shizuka stood up and offered her hand. "C'mon get up, I won't stand for you missing out on something as big as dancing with a girl." ordered Shizuka.

Frasier at first hesitated but then took her hand, pulling himself up. He staggered a bit but then managed to stand up properly. Shizuka took his hands and put them on her hips then she placed her hands gently over his bruised shoulders.

They both stepped back and forth. Their movements went all over the room in slow yet precise steps. Both were silent and looked at one another. After a few skins and twirls Frasier had to stop.

Shizuka gently helped him sit back down. "That was very good, I feel somewhat honored that I was your first dance." said Shizuka.

"Thank you Shizuka, I'm sure Saeko will enjoy a dance once there is time for it. If there is ever a guy you need help with, just know I've got your back." responded Frasier as he held his right hand against his site ribs.

The two friends smiled at one another and would occasionally take sips from the wine bottle. Both just sat there going back and forth with their life stories.

At one point Shizuka asked "I wonder how things are going for everyone else."

"Well we should be able to move out soon. It looks like the rain is clearing out now, I say we move on out while we have a small window of opportunity." suggested Frasier.

"Can you walk?" asked Shizuka.

"Yeah, I feel much better after getting some much needed rest. Thanks Shizuka." said Frasier as he pulled himself up only feeling a slight pain in his chest.

He then walked outside only feeling a small drizzle pat against his face. Shizuka helped open up the garage to find their horse eagerly ready to go.

"That a girl, let's just get you out of here nice and slow." Shizuka softly said to the horse as she led it out into the yard.

After mounting the horse Shizuka offered her hand. Willingly accepting it, Frasier was pulled up right behind her.

"Ready?" asked Shizuka.

"Ready." replied Frasier as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Heyah!" shouted out Shizuka giving Appleseed the order to move on out.

The horse jumped over a wooden fence, and then it trotted through the streets avoiding the obstacles lying in its path. However Shizuka was skilled and managed to guide the strong beast without any excessive effort.

"Doing alright back there?" asked Shizuka as she looked back to Frasier.

He gave a quick nod then looked over her shoulder to see a thin line at their level. Without warning he pulled back on her taking both of them off the moving horse. When they landed Frasier managed to cushion her fall.

"Not bad kid, I doubt even I would be able to see that trap before my upgrade." announced Durge as he walked over from his hiding spot with Rhys at his side.

Frasier groaned a bit and watched as Durge lifted his spiked boots ready to stop on them. With quick reaction Frasier pushed Shizuka to one side then quickly rolled the opposite direction.

Durge's boot barely missed and made a loud ***THUD*** against the concrete sidewalk. Frasier now aware of the skill level of his opponent was much more cautious in his fighting style.

Durge quickly pursued his prey and reached down towards Frasier. However Frasier managed to recover fast and kicked both feet out hitting Durge in the face disorienting him for a split moment.

Covering his tingling face with one arm, Durge swung his other arm in an arc knocking Frasier against a wall. "Oooommpphh" was the sound that escaped his lips as he made impact. Durge then managed to regain focus and continue his onslaught.

"Any last words whelp?" asked Durge as he lifted Frasier up by his neck ready to fulfill his revenge.

"Yeah, just one thing... HEYAH!" announced Frasier.

Suddenly Appleseed let out a loud neigh before running off away from them. Durge couldn't help but let out a cocky laugh.

"That's it? Your trick was too have your horse run away?" questioned Durge unaware of what was really going on.

Frasier then gave him a smirk and added "Along with you."

"What?" asked Durge before he was instantly dragged away by the rope that was connected between his foot and Appleseed's saddle.

"GGGRRRAAAHHH, RHYS! GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE!" shouted Durge as he was dragged away.

Rhys then turned to Frasier and walked towards him. Shizuka suddenly stood between the two and held her arms out as if shielding Frasier.

"I won't let you hurt him!" warned Shizuka. "Don't try anything!"

She then felt Frasier's hand on the back of her shoulder. "It's ok Shizuka. Rhys is a friend, it's time I let you in on what's really going on." said Frasier.

Shizuka then lowered her arms and looked back and forth between the two.

"You see, back in Kibou City I knew I'd need someone who could act as a double agent for me. Someone who could be my eyes and ears for when the new council would pull a move as radical as this.

The first step was finding the right candidate, Ryou would have been good but his service along me would have made him far too conspicuous. However Rhys was a vigilante and no longer with us, so on the night of my exile I contacted him and Yuki. We set up a plans and everything."

"But I watched you shoot him... twice! How can he still be able to walk so well after such a thing?" asked Shizuka.

"Simple, I missed on purpose. The caliber of those hand cannons could have torn his limbs off if I truly hit him where it seemed I did. The blood spilled was simply staged and just what they use in movies.

Once he was taken to the hospital, we had Yuki fill out forms and write up false reports since she was a nurse at there. This was what gave Rhys a background and reason to go after me if the council were to do such a thing. As you know they sent two bounty hunters, what you (along with the council) didn't know was that one was my apprentice and double agent." explained Frasier.

He then turned to Rhys. "Well done my pupil, it's good to see a friendly face out here. Have you been practicing your technique as instructed?" asked Frasier.

Rhys smiled under his hood and nodded.

"Yes my master, I wish I could stay but if we are to maintain our illusion then I must go assist that bastard Durge. Stay safe." replied Rhys as he began to run off towards the direction Durge was dragged away to.

Soon it was just Frasier and Shizuka once more. With the rain gone and no sign of Durge, both of them slowly traveled through the lonesome streets. Eventually they managed to reach the dirt path that would take them back to the farm everyone else was waiting at.

The rain however had turned most of the dirt into mud. Despite making it harder to traverse through, Shizuka and Frasier pushed onwards knowing that their family was just a few hundred yards ahead of them.

Rika looked through her scope and could see the two figures treading through the mud. She smiled to herself then slid off the roof.

"Hey guys heads up! They're back!" announced Rika as she ran to the front of the house. Everyone else quickly dropped what they were doing and headed outside to see Shizuka and Frasier in the distance.

"They made it!" exclaimed Alice as Zeke let out a few barks of excitement. She then ran off ahead of everyone else as they walked towards them. Frasier dropped to one knee and embraced the child as she hugged him tight.

"Not too tight Alice, I'm a bit fragile right now." requested Frasier.

Alice quickly let go and looked up at him. "What happened? Did you beat the bad man?" asked Alice.

"Unfortunately no, despite my efforts this new threat was far too powerful for me." explained Frasier. He then looked up to see Saeko looking down at him.

"My god what happened? Quick get him inside." ordered Saeko as she helped Frasier up. She then helped him inside the house leaving everyone else behind.

Marcus watched at first but then turned to Shizuka. "What the hell happened to him? He looks worse than when he fought Kraven!" asked Marcus.

"We were attacked by two bounty hunters, Frasier tried to hold them off while we escaped. However I went back and got him out before they killed him. Oh it also turns out that Rhys is one of the bounty hunters and he's been a spy for Frasier secretly." explained Shizuka.

"Hah the clever bastard, he always did think like mum." thought Marcus to himself as he looked back to see Saeko and Frasier entering the house together.

"Wow must be one tough son of a bitch if Frasier couldn't stop him." whispered Khota to Saya.

Saya then gave a light elbow to his sides. "Hey! Watch your language around Alice, even if your whispering something. That little girl practically hears everything we say." warned Saya.

Everyone outside walked back inside and went off to do their own thing for awhile. After an hour of peace and quiet a horn could be heard from outside.

Frasier walked out with Khota and could see two pickup trucks parked outside the barn. Suddenly the sounds of guns could be heard being primed.

"Hey Earl you were right! They're foreigners trying to take your land. The president was right, what should we do?" asked a voice.

"Give them a warm Brotherhood welcome!" replied the one named Earl.

The clicks of the safety could be heard as they aimed their weapons. Khota tackled Frasier behind a small ditch in the terrain. Gunshots quickly rang out through the murky skies.

"You alright big guy?" asked Frasier as he checked himself for any bullet wounds.

"Yeah I'm good... but those shots didn't come from those guys. No, it came from the river behind the house." pondered Khota as he peered up to see what was going on.

He could see a fresh blood stain on one of the windshields. The next thing Khota immediately spotted was one of the attackers lying on his sides holding his arm.

"Oh Christ they shot him! Quick pull back!" shouted one of the unknown locals. More gunshots could be heard going off and shattering the windows on the trucks.

The engines roared loud and immediately drove off in full retreat. Everyone in the house kept their heads low and made sure to avoid going near any windows.

Suddenly two ATVs (All Terrain Vehicle) drove up to the side of the house with two men on each one.

"You kids alright?" asked one man.

Frasier a bit weary at first stuck his head up and replied in English "Yeah, thanks for the help! Who are you guys?"

"No time to explain, we're going after those goons. Take your group and get down to the ferry by the river. Victor will take care of you kids." ordered one of the mysterious riders.

The engines on the small vehicles revved up and drove off in pursuit of the pickup trucks. Frasier and Khota watched until they were out of sight.

"Come on we should do as he says." said Frasier speaking in Japanese breaking the silence.

When they saw the two moving freely, the entire group ran outside to see what was going on.

"Hey! What's going on? Why did they shoot at you guys?" asked Saya impatiently.

"No clue, let's just do as those guys say and head down for the ferry they said should be down by that river." replied Khota quickly.

"Are you sure that's wise? What if it's a trap?" asked Rei as she pulled one of the two duffle bags along her back.

"Those guys just saved us so let's show them out thanks by trusting them." said Frasier as Saeko tossed him the second bag.

The group was now fully mobilized and ready to go. As they jogged down the steep, grassy hill, a ferry could be seen waiting. The driver honked the loud horn indicating he could see them.

"Hello there folks." announced a friendly old voice across the loudspeaker of the ferry. "All aboard Ol' Betsy!"

"Hello!" replied Alice innocently as if she thought the ferry driver could hear her.

As the group approached the ferry, they cautiously walked on the wooden docks ready for anything. At first they saw nothing, but then a door opened up and an old man walked out to greet the survivors.

He was a thin man wearing a green fisherman's jacket and hat. He had a white, medium sized beard that was a bit scruffy. His eyes were once blue but with age seemed greyer. On his hip a .44 Magnum was visible to all.

"Name's Victor, sorry about that Who-Ha earlier. Your with a friend now." explained the one known as Victor.

"I thank you, who were those guys that attacked us?" asked Marcus speaking English.

Victor in a somewhat surprised tone replied "Oh my you don't know? Those were followers of the West, the scourge of freedom, members of a new order. The Patriot Brotherhood." 


	43. Act 23 Land of the Dead Part 3

**Act 23 Land of the Dead Part 3  
>Z-Day+81<strong>

"Brotherhood? What are you on about old man?" asked Marcus in English as he leaned against a rail on the ferry. Ariel copied him and also leaned on the rail.

"I'll tell you everything kiddo, just let me get Ol' Betsy running first." replied Victor as he slowly limped his way over towards the control mechanisms of his vessel.

Frasier walked over and sat with Marcus giving him a disapproving look.

"What?" asked Marcus.

"Don't be rude Marcus, that man is helping us in case you haven't noticed. You should also be wearier of your actions and choice of words-" said Frasier as he then leaned in to whisper. "-especially around Ariel, she watches and learns everything from you. Remember this is an entirely new world for her. Takashi may have been in charge, but in the end she will listen to you every time."

Marcus realizing his faults, nodded and watched his older brother tussle his hair before walking away.

"So which one of you is in charge?" asked Victor as he walked out from the deck letting the Ferry run on its own gently down the Mississippi River.

"Well I was... but things have changed. Now we all vote on group matters." replied Takashi trying to be humble about it.

"Ah, well hopefully things will work out just fine." replied Victor trying not to push on the touchy subject.

"So Victor, what happened to the United States? I've always heard stories of how this was the most powerful nation known to man. Yet it looks like everywhere else." asked Frasier.

Victor sighed and sat on a fold up chair on the deck. "Gather round folks, I'll tell you the story of how the great United States has finally fallen." announced Victor in an sad tone, mourning his nation.

Everyone walked over and sat around Victor as he lit up a lantern for light. He then stroked his white beard and leaned back in the chair.

{Eli's Theme- Let the Right One In}

"Times have been tough before, but ever since the day those... things arrived, everything changed. The first three days were chaos, everyone trying to figure out what was going on. With most of our politicians dead it was tough to know who was in charge and who to rally under.

On the fourth day we were informed that it was not only the United States that was under attack, but the rest of the world. That's when they also told us they launched E.M.P. attacks against potential threats in the Far East.

Survivors among the states had very different views on how the military approached the situation. It created a great rift in leadership and how we should see the world.

Four types of states were color coded. There are Red, Blue, Green, and Yellow States. All having a significant meaning to each one of them.

Some survivors believed that it was fitting that we dealt a pre-emptive strike against the enemies of the states. Their xenophobic fears got the better of them and clouded their judgment. On the fifth day they were soon known as the Patriot Brotherhood. Anyone who was seen as a foreign threat along with the infected was to be eliminated at all costs.

Last I checked Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and South Dakota were the states that were charted as Brotherhood territory. Those are the Red States and should be avoided whenever you can. They are under the leadership of President Herman Geralt.

Then you have folks who believe in quite the opposite. That every man deserves our trust and companionship that we are all equal despite what we are on the outside. Their goal was to preserve the old ways for as long as we could. On the sixth day they were recognized as the Fellowship of a New Age.

The states that they protect are Missouri, Iowa, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Tennessee. These are known as Blue States. Their leader is General Anderson.

However there were then folks like me who actually felt that survival was more important. That the government can squabble about whatever they want, while the common man just tries to get by with what he's got. They call us the 'Stranded' because we are between the Red, Blue, and Green States.

Those neutral states are Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Idaho, Mississippi, Alabama, Ohio, and North Dakota. We simply have no main authority except among ourselves.

Finally we have the states that are far too infested with the infected to claim any major footholds for humanity. These places do have a few areas where different factions try and strive, but it isn't really working for anyone.

All the states I've yet to mention are known as the Green States. Right now neither faction has enough manpower or enough supplies to reclaim an entire Green State. Plus the infected are in every state, just not nearly as bad as the Green States though.

The following month was just dedicated to building and bolstering all our chances of survival against the infected. Walls and defenses were created, entire communities combined into small settlements. Even supply routes were drawn in order to ensure the survivors could hold out.

In the Mid-West many soldiers and volunteers were sent to protect our food production by both factions. A spark of collaboration between two differing factions. My two grandsons volunteered to go help. Their folks died during the outbreaks... I promised to look out for them before their mother died.

But those stubborn boys insisted they go out and volunteer to help our divide nation in any way they can. They're about your age, very young and full of spirit. I couldn't stop them from being doing what they wanted. I'm just too old as you can already tell.

Things were stable for awhile, but one month later the Brotherhood attacked! They began making hostile pushes and trying to grab Blue territory. However the Fellowship stood strong and held them back.

Despite the sacrifices made the Brotherhood was pushed back defeated. It claimed the lives of my two grandsons... When I heard of this I knew that the Fellowship was the right group to join. I don't want vengeance… but I do want to make sure this doesn't happen to anyone every again.

Every since that day, I've been traveling down the great Mississippi River. Safely guiding families and travelers in this here ferry boat. Despite what this dark world has taken from me I keep the light going for others.

It makes me happy knowing an old man like me can help you young kids. It just hurts so much when you lose everything and still can breathe." explained Victor as his voice became progressively sadder as he spoke.

"I'm so sorry for your loss, we've all lost someone close to the outbreaks and the events that soon followed." said Shizuka as she put her hand on the shoulder of the old man.

Takashi and Rei looked at each other, both knowing the other was thinking of Hishashi slowly becoming one of Them on Z-Day.

Alice was thinking back when her father was killed by another survivor who was just trying to survive. How he gave his life to protect his daughter.

Khota looked down as he remembered how he had to mercy kill the police girl known as Asami back at the mall parking lot before she could be bitten.

Rika let out a sigh of remorse knowing her old sniper partner, Tajima, was gone and could never come back. That his sacrifice shall never be forgotten.

Frasier and Marcus both thought of their younger brother Noah, slowly dying on that accursed ship. Frasier then saw the faces of his parent's faces before they died, he knew there was no way he could tell Marcus at such a young age something so tragic, especially after witnessing Noah's death.

Saeko closed her eyes remembering her father before he died at the hands of Kraven. She wrapped her arm around Frasier's arm and held him tighter than usual. Both comforted each other just trying to keep the other away from insanity.

Even Ariel had lost both bodyguards that watched her since she was just a baby. In only a few days her entire world changed, only to be brought into an entirely new one.

No one in the group was without loss; it was merely their unity and strong bond that kept them close together. Their experiences and combined efforts turned them into a formidable group.

While traveling down the Mississippi River on Victor's Ferry, the clouds began to disperse leaving the storm behind. Two days went by traveling down the great river, on the third day the ferry reached its destination.

"Haha wake up folks!" announced Victor in a more cheerful mood as he reeled in his fishing line.

"What? What's going on?" asked Takashi as he walked towards the front of the boat.

Everyone else soon woke up and stumbled to the front to see the mighty stronghold before them. Sandbags and barbwire were set up along the perimeter. There were .50 Caliber Turrets were set up all aimed West, each one manned by a two-man team.

Despite the heavily armed base, the survivors felt calm knowing that they were at a friendly haven free of infected. Rika could even see multiple sniper nests hidden within the terrain.

"This is one of the forward bases that respond to any hostile Brotherhood activities. If they make a push the soldiers here will make sure to push back tenfold." explained Victor as he secured the ferry to a nearby dock.

"You would think with all this security they would stop us or at least send a party." asked Rei aloud.

"On the contrary, we could see your vessel for miles. Especially when it's Victor, can't miss the only ferry operator around." responded an older voice from above them.

"Is that you Carter? Get down here and meet some new friends!" shouted out Victor motioning his hands for his friend to come over.

A man wearing a United States officer uniform walked down to greet the survivors.

"You kids look like you've been through hell and back. Come with me, your with friends now." ordered the man known as Carter.

He then simply turned away and walked up the stairs to the main base. Everyone then followed looking around at the soldiers and engineers constructing defenses. Many voices were heard not even concerned by the new visitors.

"Set up those tank traps over there."

"Make sure those TOW missiles are calibrated."

"If a mouse farts in this minefield, I want his ass blown sky high!"

As the group stood in the main building, they stood face to face with Carter.

"I'm Commander Carter, what can I do for you guys? I'm sure Victor has already fed you guys up with his bean stew." joked Carter.

Marcus held his stomach and groaned a bit. "Ugh don't remind me."

Carter let out a small chuckle then became a bit more serious. "Alright if you're not hungry then perhaps you need a place to rest?" asked Carter.

"That won't be necessary; we need to speak to your pilot. James, I think that was his name." explained Frasier speaking English.

Carter immediately noticed the British accent and knew why Frasier would want a pilot.

"Ah, you're trying to get back home to the United Kingdom. We've been seeing the broadcasts for all true citizens to try and find their way home. Yes, we have a pilot but he's been preoccupied so you'll need to talk to him about it." explained Carter.

"Alright, thank you sir. Where can I find him?" asked Frasier surprised Carter was able to figure things out so fast.

"He should be by the Motor Pool, can't miss it." responded Carter as he pointed to the South side of the base.

Frasier nodded and turned to everyone else. "You guys wait by the ferry, I'll go talk to James and try to get things going." said Frasier.

"Got it, good luck." replied Saeko before she kissed his cheek. She then followed everyone back to the ferry to await development in the details.

Frasier smiled watching her walk away, he then walked outside through another exit and made his way toward the Motor Pool.

Broken down cars and damaged armored vehicles were scattered around the area. Mechanics and engineers with a variety of tools at their disposal were hard at work scrapping whatever they could find of use.

After finding his way into that section of the compound, Frasier found a lone man talking on a radio set.

"James? James Henderson?" asked Frasier.

The man ignored him and kept talking into the radio.

"Yes I know! I miss you too; I just need to find the right team to come get you guys. If this stupid civil war wasn't going on I'd be there in a heartbeat. Tell my son I love him. Ok... Goodbye." said James into the radio.

He then turned to Frasier. "Yeah, that's me. What do you want kid? I'm a bit busy in case you haven't noticed." replied James.

""Well I hear your a pilot and can take my group to Europe. Can you help us out?" asked Frasier.

"Not now, I've got problems of my own." replied James as he began to walk away.

"Let me help you, I'll scratch your back, you scratch mine." bargained Frasier.

James then turned to Frasier talking to him face to face now. "My wife is trapped out in California with my son. Until they are here with me, I can't help you out. I'm sorry." explained James.

"But you're a pilot, why can't you just fly over and get them?" asked Frasier.

James just shook his head and replied "Well the civil war has escalated pretty far to the point it would be too dangerous to fly over Brotherhood territory without authorization. They would shoot me down before I could get anywhere close. I'm going to have to go there by foot once I can go on leave in two months."

"Two months? Look I've traveled all the way from Japan, if I by some miracle can bring them back... will you do it?" asked Frasier knowing this was the quickest if not the only way to get to Europe safely.

"Well I guess I have no choice. Her name is Maria, my son is named Brian. They're hiding out in a high school right now, Maria is a teacher. She managed to get a radio and has been keeping contact ever since. Please stranger... bring my family home!" pleaded James.

"Very well, but my group will need a powerful vehicle to get us over there. Plus the supplies and fuel to get us there." said Frasier.

"Of course! The boys and I can easily get transportation set up by morning. But as for supplies you should head east to the town not too far from here. Just tell them that Commander Carter approves this and the nice town folk should give you what you'll need." explains James.

"Very well, I'll go notify my group right away!" said Frasier. Both men nodded to one another then rushed away in different directions. Each one had preparations to make.

Frasier walked down the stairs to see the group all patiently waiting for him on Victor's ferry.

"Hey! So what's going on? Manage to talk to that pilot" asked Takashi.

"Yes, he's agreed to help us get to Europe. There's a catch though." replied Frasier.

"What's the catch?" asked Saya raising an eyebrow as if she was expecting a catch.

"We have to bring his wife and kid back from California." answered Frasier.

Everyone except Alice, Marcus, and Ariel had looks of surprise and horror on their face. It was quite for a bit, then Ariel broke the silence.

"Well what's the problem? Let's just go get them and get out of here before we get caught up in the civil war." suggested Ariel.

"The problem is that California is the furthest state to the west. Hundreds of miles to cover, if not thousands." explained Saya.

"Not to mention y'all would need to pass through Brotherhood territory and enter the worst of the Green States." added Victor.

"That's why I'm going with whoever wants to go. Those who won't go can stay at the base while whoever comes with me will journey out towards the West." explained Frasier.

Everyone nodded and knew that there was no need for any clarification.

"I'll give you guys a few minutes to think things out." said Frasier before he walked away and sat atop the stairs looking out towards the Motor Pool. He could see the James gathering a few free workers to help him out.

His head turned back when multiple shadows were over him. He smiled to see everyone there, all willing to go with him.

"It was decided that if one goes we all go! We're a family and family sticks together!" announced Alice as she hugged him.

Frasier stood up and looked at his companions. It brought him some relieve that he wouldn't have to go alone now.

"So how are we even going get to California?" asked Rika.

"They're making our transportation as we speak. Right over there I believe." replied Frasier as he pointed towards the men working on a large Black SUV.

"Perfect! I'll go assist them with Giru. Maybe pick up a thing or two. " announced Saya as she began to walk towards their new mode of transpiration.

"I'll go with you!" shouted Khota as he jogged off to join her.

"C'mon we need to gather supplies for the trip in the next town." said Frasier as he walked the rest of the group over into the town not too far from base.

As they approached a store a group of friendly commoners passed by waving. The group felt confident everything would be ok. They entered a convenient store and began to take all the food and supplies they would need.

"Take everything that may be of use, no restrictions just take what you kids' need." said the owner after receiving a call from the base that it was ok.

"Make sure to get condoms." whispered Saeko as she snuck up behind Frasier only to walk away with Rei to pick out different foods to bring.

Frasier blushed and looked away only to see that Marcus had overheard everything. Marcus just gave a smirk and laughed a bit.

"What are you smirking about?" asked Frasier.

"Oh just the numerous names popping into my head for you." replied Marcus as he leaned against a shelf. "I think my favorite is Rambone, at least for now."

Frasier sighed and walked to the counter and whispered to the owner what he needed. The man then reached under the counter and handed him three boxes.

"Trust me, I know how kids are. You'll need them!" joked the owner.

Frasier chuckled a bit to himself and thanked the old man before hiding the condom boxes in his shopping cart. He then walked over to Takashi and looked at his cart.

"Hey you got any chocolates?" asked Frasier.

"What? No, I'm pretty sure it would just melt in the heat anyways. Why you ask?" questioned Takashi.

"Because it's only a few days before Saeko's time of the month." whispered Frasier.

"So? She's your woman you deal with it." snickered Takashi.

"It will be your problem too Takashi. Besides if she is going through all that so will the rest of the girls, except for Ariel and Alice." hissed Frasier.

"What? Why?" asked Takashi intrigued by this new source of info.

"Well when woman are together long enough their menstrual cycles are going to eventual sync to go off at the same time." explained Frasier.

"Oh wow... good call man." said Takashi as he immediately began to fill his cart with Dove chocolates. "Do you always think ahead like a military commander?" asked Takshi soon after.

"It's never hurt me before." replied Frasier with pride. Both then smiled and looked over to see Shizuka and Rika eyeballing the chocolates.

"Hey good call boys!" said Rika as she gave a thumbs up.

"Our heroes." teased Shizuka as she hugged them both.

Roughly thirty minutes later, everyone had finished with gathering the supplies and was ready to set out. They all pushed their shopping carts out the doors after thanking the generous store owner.

As they entered the base they could see the mechanics putting on the last of their finishing touches onto the powerful machine.

"Wow those guys really amped things up. Look at that beast!" exclaimed Marcus as he walked over with everyone else.

The SUV had plenty of modifications added to it. Most notable was the chain linked fencing on the windows, the cattle-sled at the front with spikes, and even the heavily armored plating on the body of the car.

"That's no car, that thing is practically a mobile fortress." commented Rika as she opened the back trunk and began loading the supplies.

Frasier, Marcus, and Takashi helped out while Saeko, Shizuka, Rei, and Alice climbed into the passenger seats.

After the last of the group was in, Rika took the wheel and turned the keys in the ignition. The engine roared out and was fully operational. James then walked towards Frasier's window.

"Good luck out there kid... You'll need it!" announced James.

"Just be ready for takeoff when we get back!" replied Frasier confidently. He then nodded to Rika to go.

The security gates rolled open slowly making way for the survivors as Rika drove forward. As the soldiers watched, the SUV soon became a small dot in the horizon.

"You think they'll make it?" asked Carter.

"Doubt it, but then again they're as likely to survive out there as we are." replied James before he went back inside to tell his wife the good news. 


	44. Act 23 Land of the Dead Part 4

**Act 23 Land of the Dead Part 4  
>Z-Day+82<strong>

A lone infected man wandered out from under a billboard onto the highway road looking for its next meal. Its grey feet slowly dragged along the dirt and burning hot asphalt.

The caw of a nearby crow could be heard as it watched the infected man walking into the middle of the road. It then lifted its small black head to see a moving object in the distance.

_**{No Rest for the Wicked-Cage the Elephant}**_

Dust could be seen being plowed out of the way by a fast moving vehicle. Its added chrome plate-armor gleamed brightly in the sunlight. Its cow sled plowed through anything that got in its way. The infected man could easily hear it approaching.

His feet began to instantly change course and move towards the source of sound. He let out a few moans and groans to alert any other infected that may be close by. Heavy wheezing could be heard as the black SUV was now in its "sights".

Its mouth opened wide groaning even louder than before. Saliva began to drip from the mouth and onto the hot pavement. The SUV kept going at full speed driving right past the infected man. A loud ***wha-ching*** sound could be heard as the two crossed paths. The infected man stopped moving and just stood there motionless.

At first nothing happened, but then its neck twitched as the head slowly fell off the shoulders. It landed on the ground with a ***plop*** and rolled off to the side of the road. The body soon toppled over and crumpled up.

"Haha that's another ten points for me Saeko!" laughed out Marcus as he sat back down sheathing his broad sword back into its case.

"Don't gloat until the game is over little brother." replied Saeko calmly as she sat back waiting for an opportunity to score more points.

Saeko then looked down as she saw her husband resting his head on her lap. She gently ran her hand across his cheeks feeling his facial hair that began to grow since last night.

"Wake up my rugged ronin." whispered Saeko as she leaned in with her lips inches away from his ear.

Frasier eyes began to twitch as his mind processed her words. They then shot open only to narrow back down to normal size. He then slowly smiled when Saeko was the first thing he saw when he woke up.

"Is everything ok? What's going on?" asked Frasier still trying to fully wake up.

"For the last couple of hours we have been playing car games." replied Saeko as she ran her finger tip along Frasier's facial hair enjoying the touch against her skin.

Frasier then put a hand to his face just discovering the extra hair. He let out a groan making it clear he disliked an undisciplined appearance.

"I spy with my little eye something... blue!" exclaimed Shizuka as she drove the SUV down the open road.

"The sky?" asked Khota.

"Don't be stupid! That's way too obvious to be the correct answer." snapped Saya.

"It was the answer seven times in a row when Alice was it." commented Rei with a smirk on her face.

"That means nothing!" replied Saya as she crossed her arms annoyed that someone as gifted as her couldn't figure out the most childish of games.

"It's ok Saya, I'm just really really really good at this game." said Alice trying to make her feel better as she opened up a bag of skittles and offered Saya some.

Saya couldn't help but smile at the offer; she then took a small handful. Alice smiled and sorted out her favorite colors to eat last. Zeke let out a few playful barks as he stuck his small white head outside the window.

"Hey guys I need to go to the bathroom! Can we pull over soon?" asked Takashi as he crossed his legs trying to hold it in.

"Is there any rest stops?" asked Saeko as she looked out the windows watching the beautiful landscape.

"According to this map... there should be one just up ahead." replied Marcus as he looked down at a map while Ariel tried carefully open up a water bottle.

"These foods are so tasty! Do people normally eat these sweet foods?" asked Ariel curiously.

"If you're an American." joked Marcus.

"Don't even start Marcus." warned Frasier as he sat up no longer resting his head on Saeko's lap.

"What? I'm just kidding." replied Marcus.

"Don't set a bad example for Ariel, last thing we need is for her to pick up on stereotypes." explained Frasier.

"Oh right... yeah well anyways the rest stop is just up ahead." said Marcus trying to change the subject.

Shizuka spotted the small structure and slowly pulled over a few yards away from the rest stop.

**{}**

All that could be seen in the area was two restrooms and a few un-bolted benches were knocked over. The rest however

"Let's try to approach this slowly. If we aren't careful we could end up in a sticky situation, and I like my hands clean gentlemen." said Frasier as he wrapped his pistol holsters around his thighs.

Everyone else slowly got out the car and began to stretch slowly. Their bodies felt cooped up having sit in the car for so long.

"Frasier you and bladder boy go check out the men's restroom. Saeko and I will go check out the ladies' restroom. Remember to check your corners and be cautious of your surroundings." order Rika as she pulled out her standard issue pistol turning the safety off.

The rest of the group stayed back to watch as the four slowly walked forward heading towards the abandoned rest rooms. Takashi gripped the baseball bat tight as he clenched his thigh muscles trying to hold it in.

Frasier held both hand cannons out ready for anything to pop out at him. As Takashi pushed the door open they both noticed the lights were out. Takashi boldly turned the lights on and scanned the room for any signs of movement.

Unable to hear or see anything, they both moved in yet keeping their guard up. Frasier went up to each stall and kicked in the door while holding up his hand cannons straight forward. Each time a door was kicked in he was relieved to see no infected corpses ready to greet him.

"Phew, guess we got lucky Takashi." said Frasier as he holstered his weapons. "Takashi?" asked Frasier when he didn't get a response.

He then turned to see Takashi standing (zipper down) in front of a urinal relieving himself. Frasier just chuckled to himself and looked into a grimy mirror. He could see his facial hair was define rely back now.

"Hmm I guess I can be scruffy for a few days." thought Frasier to himself hoping they could find a razor soon.

He then walked outside to tell the group it was safe in the men's restroom.

Saeko and Rika both walked up to him slowly.

"It's empty on our side too. Guess we got lucky huh?" asked Rika aloud.

"Yeah, so I guess we stop for an hour then get back on the road?" asked Frasier.

"That seems to be the plan." replied Saeko responded Saeko as she pointed towards Marcus and Khota turning one of the turned over tables upright.

"Things are going pretty good so far, whose territory do you think we're in?" asked Rei.

"Well we came off of the Mississippi River in the eastern part of Missouri. So we should be at the Western part of it. So my guess would be near the border between Fellowship and Brotherhood Territory." answered Marcus clearly knowing a thing or two about maps.

"And here I thought you were just a clown." joked Saya.

"Well when you stop assuming you know a person, things won't come off as a big shock to when they prove you wrong." replied Marcus with a smirk.

At first Saya looked like she was going to pop a blood vessel. Khota looked back and forth at the two expecting Saya to berserk at the insult. However, Saya took a deep breath and actually began to laugh at that remark.

"Alright I've got the sandwiches, eat up guys!" exclaimed Shizuka in a very cheery mood as she set out plastic plates and cups.

"It's so strange, these things you call plastic. You sure it's ok we just throw them away when we're done?" asked Ariel as she observed the material.

"They're very easy to make so don't worry about it. You won't need to preserve them as much you did with your wooden ones back at your tribe Ariel." explained Saya.

The scout teams soon joined back with the group and sat down all ready to eat. While eating, Frasier noticed that Marcus and Ariel were sitting closer to each other more than usual.

"Hey Marcus, whatcha got there?" asked Frasier curiously.

"Hm? Nothing why?" asked Marcus clearly hiding something.

"Marcus." said Frasier again giving him a look that broke his will.

"Fine-" responded Marcus moving the hair off his ear revealing a headphone in his ear socket that connected to another headphone in Ariel's ear "- I was just showing Ariel how we listen to music plus it's entertainment for the road. I spy is only tolerable for so long." explained Marcus.

"Marcus it's ok, you can keep the iPod. Just promise to keep it off so it doesn't distract you when we are walking around in unknown areas. I need your wits about you." said Frasier.

Marcus smiled and nodded as he went back to eating. "Thank you brother, I won't make you regret it." said Marcus in a grateful tone.

"I'm surprised he didn't take it from him. What made him change his mind?" whispered Shizuka into Saeko's ear.

"He's learned that if he tries to control everything his sibling does then it will only cause resentment between the two. After them running away and Noah's death, Frasier has changed a lot in his method of authority." explained Saeko.

The gang all enjoyed the lunch Shizuka packed earlier before her driving shift. The fun and joy lasted for quite awhile uninterrupted. After opening a few soda bottles Khota spotted something moving out in the horizon.

"Hey guys we've got company!" shouted Khota as he pointed out to a few moving figures in the distance.

A few infected figures all groaned as they moved towards the rest stop. Khota quickly darted back towards the SUV to grab his trusty sniper.

He pulled it out and then backtracked to the table moving a few things to set up a bi-pod.

He looked down the scope and began to fire rapidly. His finger pulling fast against the trigger. The infected all began to drop as the bullets whizzed right through their skulls.

Despite the outcome Khota missed a few times wasting precious ammo. For the last one he pulled the trigger once more. He heard that dreaded *click* that indicated he was out of ammo.

He then looked around for any spare magazines in his pockets or vest. Unfortunately he found nothing. It scared Khota knowing that he was out of ammo and completely defenseless.

Suddenly out of impulse Rika grabbed Frasier's hand cannon and fired a single round. The infected woman's head made a ***pop*** as different chunks of its face were scattered from the high caliber weapon. Rika knew it was over and turned the safety back on.

Khota began to breathe heavily as he felt aggravated that he actually missed a few shots. Rika noticed this and walked over after tossing Frasier back his hand cannon. As he caught it he spun it around his right index finger and placed it in the holster.

"Khota it's ok. You did well, the skirmish is over now." said Rika softly.

"I missed..." muttered Khota as he slumped his head over.

"So what? Even I miss sometimes, and I'm in the top five in the world!" replied Rika not seeing it as a big issue.

"It's the end of the world remember! Every shot counts, I don't get to miss!" snapped Khota breathing heavily in self-disappointment.

Rika gently put her hand on his shoulder. Khota turned his head to her with tears in his eyes.

"Khota calm down, if you want I can take you under my wing and guide you. You're a fine marksman but I can take you much farther." explained Rika as Khota began to slowly calm down.

"Well... I can't deny such an offer... thank you." replied Khota as he packed the empty rifle up and walked back to their vehicle.

Everyone stood there in an awkward silence. The shots fired were bound to attract unwanted attention, so it was decided that the group kept moving.

Now it was Frasier's turn to drive. Everyone would play road games as he drove done the quiet highway with hardly any interruptions of peace other than the occasionally infected he would simply run over.

Later that night things remained quiet, everyone was slowly beginning to shut down and drift to sleep one by one. Everyone except for Frasier that is, he kept his eyes wide open as he watched for any movement or objects in his path.

For the first thirty minutes everything was quite. Suddenly a loud wail went out, followed by five more others. The skies then lit up with colorful explosions. Everyone immediately awoke to the sound and looked outside the windows.

"Are we under attack?" asked Ariel not knowing what fireworks were.

"No no... Those are just fireworks; they're just colorful explosions in the sky. Usually used for a celebration." answered Marcus teaching her more about the outside world.

"Wow those look pretty!" said Alice in excitement as more and more began to go off.

Frasier stopped the vehicle at the top of a hill to get a better observation of the situation. Rika handed him her sniper rifle slowly as he stood on the roof of the car.

While adjusting his view, he could see down the scope a few camp fires. As the men walked into his sights it appeared to be soldiers of the Fellowship celebrating. Then he could see soldiers in entirely different uniforms with them, by process of elimination it was the soldiers of the Brotherhood.

Oddly enough they weren't killing each other. Frasier then climbed back down to explain what was going on.

"Well? What's up?" asked Takashi as the fireworks continued to explode in the background.

"Well as odd as this may sound... it seems like both the Fellowship and Brotherhood are celebrating something together." replied Frasier unsure of what it could be.

"What? Are you sure? That can't be right if what we've been hearing is true." contested Saya.

"Wait... what's the date today?" asked Marcus.

"Ummm... Oh it's the fourth of July!" answered Shizuka who miraculously kept track of the days this entire time.

"Of course! That's why... it's the yank's special day. Which explains the fireworks." concluded Marcus.

"So? That may be their day of creation but it doesn't put the war on hold." commented Rei.

"On the contrary, during the Great War the soldiers stopped fighting on Christmas and actually celebrated together." responded Frasier. "What's to stop the Americans from celebrating their independence from the crown together?" questioned Frasier.

"It comes to show that even in times of war and crisis where humanity is put at its worst form, it can also be at its most humane form." said Ariel taking note of the little history lesson.

"Well either way this is good for us." said Saeko.

"What do you mean? We're not American, we don't get to celebrate." said Alice unsure by what Saeko really ment.

"Well normally those two factions fighting would be a major problem for us since we would be put right in the crossfire. However, with the current cease-fire we should be able to pass the frontline without any risk." explained Saeko so even Alice could understand.

"Oooohhh ok!" replied Alice smiling as her attention was quickly transferred back to watching the continuous barrage of fireworks.

Frasier slowly stepped on the gas pedal and drove straight down the road. The group passed into Brotherhood territory as if they weren't even watching. Regardless, the stroke of luck was just what the survivors needed.

Frasier turned the headlights off to avoid visual detection. The SUV slowly made its way into the Brotherhood territory of Kansas. It wouldn't be long until the group would reach California at this rate, but what/who they will run into remains to be unknown.

From half a mile away they were being watched by a pair of binoculars. The owner of them grinned and slowly set them down.

"It won't be long until I catch my prey Rhys, and this time I won't underestimate Frasier Markle. We shall have our revenge soon enough my friend." announced Durge as he walked back to his motorcycle.

"I'm sure something will be done once we make our move." replied Rhys as he walked back to his motorcycle.


	45. Act 23 Land of the Dead Part 5

**Act 23 Land of the Dead Part 5  
>Z-Day+82<br>**  
>The SUV passed a sign, on the sign it read "Topeka 10 miles West". Frasier had his thoughts kept to himself up until this point. He slowly pressed down onto the brake pedal.<p>

"Hey what's wrong? Why we stopping?" asked Takashi.

"We're about to enter the first town, we've managed to avoid detection from the other towns but it will be dawn soon." answered Frasier.

"Plus we need to stop and fill up on gas. We have our own supply of it but it's better if we're able to save it for later on or an emergency." added Saeko as she sat loyally by Frasier's side.

"I think we're going to need a plan if we are going to interact with these crazy people." suggested Saya.

"What do you propose?" asked Takashi as he opened up a fresh water bottle.

"I think we should disguise ourselves, also we will need a story as to why some of us can't talk." explained Saya trying to think of where they could find disguises.

"Oh wait what if we say that Marcus, Ariel, and Frasier are part of the Brotherhood, and their orders are to take us far West for interrogation?" suggested Rei.

"Hmm that may work but where will we get disguises?" asked Saya trying to find a way to make the plan work.

"Maybe we can find some Brotherhood soldiers and they happen to go 'missing' in the middle of the night." suggested Frasier phrasing it so Alice wouldn't understand it.

"That sounds like our only option for now. Also maybe it's best that only Ariel and I talk to anyone out here. Your accent is too thick to really make it believable." commented Marcus.

"Perhaps you're right, we will see when we cross that bridge." replied Frasier as he tapped his fingers along the wheel of the SUV.

"Hey, I can see four Brotherhood troopers over there!" warned Rika as she climbed down the roof with the binoculars in one hand.

"Where? I can't see anything." said Khota as Rika held handed him the binoculars.

"Right over there by the barn, see it?" asked Rika as she tried to point it out to him.

"Yeah I see it, looks like those are the ones that will go missing." replied Khota.

"Ok you guys sit tight, Saeko! Ariel! Follow me and keep quiet." ordered Frasier as he turned the car off and tossed the keys to Shizuka. "If anything happens get everyone out."

Shizuka nodded as all three got out the car and crouched down. They quickly darted through the wheat fields keeping their movements swift. The cool summer winds blew by as the three hunters of the group slowly circled around to the back of the barn.

Frasier used his fingers to instruct the two girls as where to go. All three spotted and decided to enter through an open window. Frasier kneeled down and held his hands out. Saeko went first and was slowly lifted up to the windowsill. Ariel then followed the same procedure and hopped down leaving Frasier on the outside.

Frasier carefully scaled up barn by using the ledges and holes he could grab to pull himself up further. He looked down at the four Brotherhood soldiers as they lit up a fire to burn corpses.

"Ugh these bodies smell like shit! Let's get this over with." said one of the four men.

Frasier watched as one of the men walked away towards the barn doors walking inside.

He watched as Ariel slowly skulked in the shadows stalking her prey. She slowly drew her Amazonian dagger and pulled the man's head back. She slit his throat claiming a silent kill.

After it was over, Saeko and Ariel both dragged the lifeless corpse and hid it in a bale of hay. Frasier grinned as everything was running smoothly.

After a few minutes of waiting the other three soldiers became impatient.

"Damn it what is taking him so long? You two go check on him." ordered one of the three remain soldiers.

"Yes sir!" acknowledged the two troopers who began to jog over towards the open front of the barn.

As soon as they vanished from his sight, the soldier clearly in charge looked down at his paper booklet checking off a list. He then felt a sharp pain in the back of his skull.

His vision became black as all his memories faded away. He felt his own blood trickling down the back of his neck. It felt warm and fresh to him as his body slumped down to it's knees and toppled over to one side.

Saeko slowly pulled her katana backwards releasing her victim. She had to give an extra tug to fully release her sword from the barn wall she stabbed through. The other two soldiers heard the commotion and spotted her.

"Hey you stop!" one shouted as they both fumbled around trying to turn the safety off for their weapons.

Frasier took this opportunity and leapt off the rooftop landing on both of them to break his fall. One of the soldier's neck snapped from the pressure creating a horrid *snap*.

He then grabbed his commando dagger and pulled the helmet off one of the last troops.

The cold steel pierced the skull instantly stabbing into the brain. Being hit so fast the man was unable to even scream as he body went limp from the damage. Frasier then wiped the blood off the blade and onto the back of the motionless soldier's neck.

"Good work, let's try to take these uniforms off of them before it gets soaked in their own blood." instructed Frasier as he already began to pull the uniforms off the first two.

Saeko and Ariel both went off to collect the other uniforms seeing how the previous owners wouldn't be needing them. While dragging the one from outside Saeko noticed a red dot on Ariel's torso moving up to her red.

"Watch it!" warned Saeko as she pushed Ariel out the way.

A bullet zipped by barely missing both of them. Saeko and Ariel both kept themselves planted on the ground just barely being under the cover of a sheet metal fence.

"What the hell was that?" asked Marcus concerned for Ariel's safety.

"Sniper! Everyone stay down I'll handle this!" ordered Rika as she set up a bipod on the hood of the SUV.

Everyone else got out of the SUV and crouched down to avoid being a target. Rika aimed down the scope unable to spot the shooter. The sound however came from around the field nearby.

Frasier heard the shot and quickly whispered out "Is everyone ok? Someone say something."

"We're ok Frasier, but I think we're still in his sights. You think everyone else heard it?" whispered Saeko.

"I'm sure of it, I don't think they can see the shooter though or else we would have heard a second shot by now." replied Frasier as he held the dagger out trying to find the shooter in the reflection.

It was no use though, without the sun it made it nearly impossible for him to see anything in the knife. Frasier sheathed it and looked out towards the SUV. He narrowed his eyes and was able to focus just barely enough to see Rika set up.

Frasier then looked his shoulder sticking his head out of cover. He quickly pulled back in time before a bullet struck against the side of the barn. It was a very risky move but it still wasn't enough for Rika to pinpoint the location yet.

"See anything?" asked Marcus as his concern became higher and higher for Ariel.

"Not yet, but it looks like the shooter missed. I'm certain he's over there by those trees but I don't want to give my position away or we lost the element of surprise." explained Rika.

Frasier knew they didn't have time for this delay. Without warning he sprinted out towards the field running in the clear opening. The Brotherhood sentinel began firing off his scoped hunting rifle.

"What the hell are you doing big brother?" thought Marcus as he watched his older brother use himself as live bait.

Saeko bit her lips hoping Frasier knew what he was doing. With each shot missed was a miracle but also a bit closer every time.

"Gotcha." Rika muttered to herself as she fired a single round.

The bullet was projected through multiple openings of the environment as it sped towards its target. The sentinel fired off one last round before the top half of his skull was blown out through the exit wound. Frasier fell over in the field vanishing from everyone's sight.

"Frasier!" shouted both Saeko and Marcus as they ran out of cover knowing it was safe now that Rika fired.

"No no no no! You can't die like this!" was all that Saeko could think as she sprinted towards his last location.

"God damn it why did you have to play the hero?" thought Marcus as he ran for the same spot as Saeko was going for.

When the both arrived they both began to frantically search the wheat field.

"Frasier where are you?" thought Marcus as he felt his neck swelling up from the possibility of another brother dying.

He then noticed some of the wheat stalks were bent over. Marcus and Saeko slowly walked over to see Frasier laying on on his stomach face down in the dirt.

"Oh god... No..." whispered Saeko. She slowly fell to her knees and crawled over to him to make sure he was dead.

As her hand reached out Frasier's eyes slowly opened up. "Is it clear?" asked Frasoer whispering.

Saeko and Marcus both felt their hearts jolt back from shock. Taking that as a sign of yes, Frasier sat up and brushed the dirt off his chest.

"Your alive? You son of a bitch, I thought we lost you!" shouted Marcus as he playfully punched Frasier in the arm.

Saeko took deep sighs of relief as she observed Frasier's body.

"Where you hit?" she asked trying to sound calm and in control of herself.

Frasier shook his head as he looked over twice to be sure.

"Nope, not that I can tell." responded Frasier wiping the sweat of his forehead.

"Then why did you fall over? You had us worried there for a minute brother." asked Marcus.

"I tripped over a gopher hole, luckily I didn't break my ankle or anything that could hinder my movement." answered Frasier as he stood up.

With that said they all smiled and walked over to see Ariel still laying probe on the ground. Marcus ran over and knelt to her.

"Ariel are you ok?" asked Marcus patting her back relieved beyond belief that she was alright.

"Yeah I'm just waiting." replied Ariel.

"Waiting? Waiting for what?" asked Marcus.

"Until, Saeko says it's ok to get up." replied Ariek taking the order very seriously.

"It's ok to get up, we're safe... for now anyways." reassured Marcus.

He helped pull her up and walked with her inside the barn to change into their new temporary outfits. When they came out each one was wearing a tan uniform with pouches and pokers for gear. Along with the standard issue helmets with face wraps.

Saeko walked up behind Frasier and tripped him falling over onto a nearby hay bale.

"Opps." said Saeko in a flirtatious attitude as she slowly straddled him.

"Saeko what are you doing?" asked Frasier as he checked over her shoulder to make sure no one could see.

Saeko began to grind her hips down onto his as she felt her hormones take over. She pressed her hands against his chest as their lips began to battle it out aggressively.

"Hey Frasier what's taking so long?" shouted out Marcus as he reproached the barn.

"Oh uhhh just making sure this outfit fits me properly just head down to the car. I'll be there soon." responded Frasier trying to hold his moans back as Saeko playfully bit his neck.

"Alright you wanna play rough I'll play rough." grinned Frasier as they both sank back in the hay. Saeko reached into her pocket and pulled out a condom tearing the wrapper with her teeth.

Several minutes later they made it back to the SUV both drenched in sweat. Everyone gave them a look unsure of what to think.

"You guys alright? Everything good to go?" asked Rika.

Frasier nodded as he wiped his forehead and smiled.

"Yeah, thanks for taking out that sniper by the way. Doubt we could have made it without ya." thanked Frasier.

"Khota has been observing the weapons you guys brought back." said Saya trying to change the subject.

"AR-15 rifles, these aren't United States military standard issue weapons. Either the troops are running low on the good guns, or these guys were just conscripts." estimated Khota from the situation.

"Well whatever the case is, we now have more ammunition and can continue onwards." said Takashi un-intrigued by Khota's discovery.

He then turned over to Saya and pulled his vest off. Khota then carefully placed it over Saya without even warning her of his actions.

"Khota? What are you doing?" asked Saya unsure of his intentions.

"Making sure you don't get hurt. It's dangerous out here and I can't risk you getting hurt." replied Khota and he zipped it up securing it around Saya.

Saya simply blushed and looked down feeling out of place for questioning his sweet intentions.

With no reason to argue in the matter, the group slowly drive forward leaving the small barn behind them. With nothing left to hold them back the reached Topeka as the sun began its ascension.

**Z-Day+83**

As the car drove (after proper clearance) by the barricades and outer defenses, the walls had posters that would read. "They'll take your gun." "They'll take your business." "They'll take your wife." "They'll take your land."

Frasier pulled over the SUV and parked it along a gas station with a middle aged man as an attendant to ration out the gasoline. He slowly walked over and looked inside as Frasier rolled down the window.

The middle aged man saw Marcus and Ariel sitting in the front of the car along with Frasier. He grinned at the sight of foreigners being at the mercy of the Brotherhood.

"Well well what do we have here?" asked the attendant.

Frasier pushed the door open and walked out to get the gasoline needed.

"Hey! I'm talking to you-" said the attendant unsure why Frasier didn't answer him.

"Don't worry about him; he just had a rough night trying to catch these filthy foreigners." replied Marcus in a perfect American accent.

The attendant turned his head and looked over at everyone in the back. Saeko, Rei, Takshi, Saya, Shizuka, and Khota all were tied up with scarves around their mouths used for what seemed like gags.

"What you plan on doing with them?" asked the attendant as he was eyeballing Shizuka's chest.

"We have orders to take them out West for interrogation. Very busy so we should stick to the schedule." replied Marcus.

"You think I could do some interrogation of my own? I've got a few methods of my own." chuckled the attendant as he looked at Saeko.

Behind him stood Frasier with a blood thirsty look in his eyes after hearing that last question. His fists were clenched tight. His blood boiled wanting nothing more than to snap the neck of the man in front of him. If his face wrap wasn't on his teeth would be baring. His teeth grit tight as he slowly drew his knife.

Marcus saw Frasier and had to act fast; if he didn't do something then things would get ugly and fast.

"Sorry but we really need to get going! We're on a very tight schedule and need to keep moving. Isn't that right Corporal?" asked Marcus as he looked over to Frasier with his commando knife held just above the attendant's head.

The man slowly turned his head over to him; Frasier quickly hid his knife behind his back and nodded to Marcus keeping the blade hidden. Frasier didn't even dare look the bastard in the eyes as he slowly took the wheel and drove off in a hurry.

"Have a nice trip!" shouted the attendant mocking the non-whites of the group.

Frasier held his hand out and gave the man the finger before disappearing into the streets. When no one was around Marcus let out a deep sigh of relief. His heart was pounding and he felt his armpit become wet with sweat.

"That was way too close! Frasier I know its hard hearing that but you can't just kill when we are in the middle of enemy territory." lectured Marcus.

Frasier remained silent as he just kept his eyes on the road. Saeko pulled off the pretend gag and gently rubbed Frasier's shoulders trying to relax him.

Suddenly they could hear a commotion not too far away.

"Hey, go pull over and see what's going on over there." suggested Saya as she pulled the scarf off her mouth.

As the town center became visible, everyone could see the citizens of the town gathering around a wall with five men chained against it. Everyone was shouting vicious racist words as kids began to throw stones at the men.

"Saya don't let Alice see any of this." ordered Takashi.

"But I want to see what's going on." protested Alice only curious like most children would be when an adult say's to not look at something.

Saya placed her hand over Alice's eyes and whispered "Hush munchkin now isn't the time."

A well dressed man walked out before everyone and then announced "These men are spies for the traitorous Fellowship. For their actions they are condemned to death by a firing squad!"

The people of the crows cheered and watched as four Brotherhood conscripts lined up in a row and took their aim.

One of the men then protested and shouted "This is bullshit! We're not spies! Most of us have been living here for years, we aren't traitors I can prove-" he was then cut off as his body (along with the other men chained against the wall) was filled with lead. All five of them slowly fell over dead before they could even touch the ground.

The crowd once more cheered and went wild for the carnage they desired. Everyone in the car felt heart stricken by the horrendous scene they just endured. The crowd then became silent as one of the men lined up was still alive. His chains were shot off so he began to crawl towards the crowds reaching up as if expecting help or mercy from them. The announcer for the execution drew out a revolver and shot the man between the eyes.

"I think I'm going to be sick." announced Khota as he placed his head between his knees.

"Hold it in Kho-" ordered Saya only to be cut off in the middle as Khota vomited into an empty bag of chips trying to be resourceful.

Takashi and Rei both scooted back from Khota as the stress became much more intense within the car.

"Just let it all out, I know it's hard. It's alright." comforted Alice not even aware of why Khota was throwing up.

"Let's just try to get out before we end up like those guys." said Rei as she felt her heart still sinking from the monstrous act that they just witnessed.

Ariel took Marcus' hand and squeezed it lightly. Unsure of the threat she just knew what she saw wasn't good even by outsider standards. She pulled her helmet off not even caring about the disguise anymore.

Marcus held her tight gently stroking her hair trying to keep her in a state of comfort. She pulled off the face wrap and kissed Marcus softly then just rested her head against his chest.

As they left Topeka and entered what appeared to be an abandoned town, Frasier noticed the sadness of the group as the execution back in Topeka had shaken the morale of the group. He then noticed a nearby novelty shop and pulled over.

"Why are we stopping?" asked Takshi.

"Is something wrong Frasier?" asked Saeko unsure of his current actions.

Frasier slowly walked out the car and pushed the doors open checking the place for an infected. When things were clear he walked out smiling and looks out at everyone.

"You coming in or what?" asked Frasier as everyone looked at him as if he was crazy.

"I think your husband has finally gone insane commented Rika to Saeko as they walked into the store.

"Well? What is it?" asked Saya feeling more impatient than usual.

"Just thought we could all take a bit of stress of our backs after what most of us just saw." replied Frasier as he held a rock in his hand.

After saying that he spun around and threw the rock across the store shattering a display case in the back. Everyone nearly jumped out of their skin at what he just did.

"Are you nuts? What if They hear that?" snapped Saya trying not to yell.

"So what? Have you even tried to take a load off? Here take this and just break something, give in to your primal sense of destruction!" replied Frasier as he placed a second rock into Saya's hands.

Suddenly another smashing noise could be heard from the store. Everyone looked over to see Takshi and Marcus tipping over a isle creating a big mess.

"That's the spirit!" smiled Frasier as some of the group began to understand what he was doing.

"Guess if you can't beat them… join them!" announced Saya as she tossed the rock smashing a window.

Frasier chuckled as the rest of the group went off to smash, well everyone but Saeko that is feeling somewhat concerned about his new behavior.

"You ok? This isn't you Frasier, you're normally more clam and quiet about these things." questioned Saeko.

"No, this is just the side you never saw in me Saeko. This is what I was like before I was sent to Japan, what my father tried to lock up and keep dormant within me. The untamed chaos of London, I was a natural hell raiser with Javen. I wasn't sipping tea or munching on biscuits… fuck that stereotypical bull. I was living it up every day! My point is watching that execution made me realize that we need to let loose when something as stressful as that happens to us." explained Frasier.

"I see, well it does seem to be working." observed Saeko as she watched the rest of the group enjoying themselves.

"Go join up with them, I'll be right here waiting." said Frasier as he looked down at Saeko.

She smiled and decided to indulge in the mindless destruction of the story helping out with smashing and crushing everything.

As the group smashed everything they could get their hands on, no one noticed the large figure approaching the store. It slowly drew closer and closer moving just slow enough to the point even Frasier couldn't hear approaching.

**{Killing Floor OST-Containment Breach}**

Saeko turned her head and watched as everything went in slow motion for her. She watched as a taller and bigger figure stood above Frasier. She quickly rushed over with her hand on the hilt of her blade.

Frasier looked down to see a shadow above him. He slowly turned in time to see Durge standing before him. With little to no time to react, Frasier held his arms in just barely blocking the savage kick Durge delivered.

The kick sent him onto his back, Durge quickly followed up and stomped his spiked boot down on Frasier's chest. Without the body armor the spikes would have pierced his lungs and heart. Durge then held his bladed gauntlet up only to bring it down toward Frasier.

***Wa-Ching***

That was all that could be heard as Saeko's blade collided with Durge's gauntlet. He looked up with anger as he was being denied his kill.

"You bitch." growled Durge before all hell broke loose.

"That's Mrs. Bitch to you pal." replied Saeko coldly with a fiery hatred in her eyes.

Durge lunged forward swinging his gauntlet around, however Saeko knew what he was capable of and dodged with little effort. She used his anger problem against him leading him away from Frasier.

"I thought I would expect something better from an assassin. You can't even kill a few kids." said Saeko as she blocked and leapt back for some breathing space.

"You haven't even managed to hit me yet! It's only a matter of time before you slip up." commented Durge wondering why Saeko wouldn't even go on the offensive.

He then looked into her eyes and noticed they were looking towards the entrance of the store. The group was making a break for the SUV as the fighting went on. Durge smirked realizing she was only trying to distract him. He raised an arm aiming his last wrist rocket towards the car.

He quickly pulled his hand back when Frasier threw his commando knife at his hand. Durge then looked over to see Frasier's kick him in the stomach causing him to kneel forward in pain. Saeko then took the opportunity to bring her sword down upon his neck only to be blocked by his gauntlet.

Saeko then brought her leg around giving Durge a quick backspin to the face disorienting him.

"GO! Start driving!" ordered Frasier as he motioned whoever was driving the car to go.

He then took Saeko's hand and ran with her towards the rear exit of the store. They both ran into the parking lot trying to lure Durge away and surely it did as he burst through the door in a rage.

"You won't escape me this time Frasier!" shouted Durge as he pursued his target with determination.

Saeko and Frasier both hid inside a clothing store waiting for Durge to burst in. Their hearts both raced as they knew he was five times worse than Kraven ever was.

"What now?" asked Saeko as she handed Frasier his knife back.

"I say we make a break for it. I can hear the SUV not too far from here. Run and don't look back." answered Frasier as he drew his hand cannons.

"What about those?" asked Saeko wondering why Frasier couldn't simply shoot Durge.

"He wears heavy body armor; even these bad boys can't penetrate. I would need a clean head shot and I doubt he's going to stand around and let me take his cap off." explained Frasier.

The SUV then stopped in front of the store as Shizuka honked the horn knowing they were both right in her line of sight.

"C'mon let's get out of here!" shouted Rika as she aimed one of the AR-15s for covering fire.

With no Durge in sight, the two split off members made a dash for the car. In the corner of his eye's Frasier could see Durge's mechanical eye glow red as it aimed for where they were heading.

He slowed down and began firing his pistols. Durge immediately moved as his wrist rocket went haywire and nearly blew up right in his face from the sudden movement. As it went off, Durge's body was sent back through the weak wall structure.

Frasier stopped running and knew this was a perfect chance for him to finish Durge off once and for all. He then turned to Shizuka.

"Meet me by the nearby shopping district! I need to finish him off." ordered Frasier as he then ran towards the hole in the wall ready to end this game of cat and mouse (with two hand cannons).

"Surprise…?" said Frasier as he ran through the debris and into the alley with both hand cannons raised up ready to fire at Durge only to see that he was no longer where he should have landed.

"Surprise!" announced Durge as he managed to ambush Frasier knocking him against the stone brick wall.

Frasier dropped both guns and looked up to see Durge already on top of him pressing his knee into his stomach. 

Durge's hands tightly wrapped around Frasier's neck slowly squeezing the life out of him. Unable to put up much more of a resistance Frasier could only flex his neck trying to buy himself time.

"Ready to die whelp?" asked Durge at he put even more pressure into his grip.

Frasier began to feel his head throb as he could do nothing but kick and squirm violently. Suddenly Rhys appeared and threw a chain wrapping it around Durge's neck pulling him back as hard as he could.

Durge dropped Frasier and viciously struggled against the chains growling. Frasier gasped and took rapid yet heavy breathes trying to fill his lungs with oxygen. He then reached for whatever he could find around him.

"Rhys? You fucking traitor I'll tear you a new one when I'm done with him!" shouted Dirge.

He then looked forward in time to see Frasier with a rebar rod in his hands. Frasier quickly plunged the metal bar straight into Durge's mechanical eye. Dirge let out a cry of pain and anger swinging himself around violently. Glass and blood filled his open eye socket as the metal rod firmly remained in place.

Rhys quickly dodged in time rolling over to Frasier as Durge made his retreat. Before they could catch him, Durge held up his wrist revealing multiple tubes connected to his gauntlet.

"Burn you little bitches." growled Durge as he squeezed the grip.

Flames fumed out towards the two as they both dived for cover behind a nearby garbage dumpster abandoned in the ally way. The entire ally became illuminated as Durge used all of his fuel.

"You never said he had a flamethrower." said Frasier.

"Never said he didn't either!" replied Rhys as the flames slowly burned themselves out.

Both peeked from around the corner of their cover to see that Durge was out of sight. Rhys quickly ran towards the street looking out to see there was no sign of him.

"Damn... he got away!" growled Rhys as he gripped his fists tight.

"I left a rebar rod in his eye, I'm pretty sure this is the end for him. He will just bleed out." reassured Frasier.

"No, unless you find a body then he isn't dead. I've witnessed horrible things from that monster... it will be hard to sleep knowing he's out there waiting for us to slip up." replied Rhys unnerved by the thought of getting on Durge's bad side.

Suddenly a noise could be heard from behind them. An infected woman wandered into the alley. Frasier held up his pistol but then noticed that the infected were also begging to wander the streets as well. The fighting from earlier had attracted all the nearby infected.

"C'mon Rhys, I'll fill you in on what we've been up to and all our plans on the way back." whispered Frasier as they both began to leave the section of what seemed like an abandoned town.

Within about thirty minutes of walking and evasion of the oncoming infected, Rhys and Frasier both made it to the assembly point.

"Where are they? They should be right here!" said Rhys.

"Easy Rhys, they must have moved on with all the infected coming in. We can catch up, I know where they're heading." answered Frasier trying to calm his student down.

He then looked around the area to see a few infected corpses lying still and with holes in their heads. Tire tracks and bullet casings could also be seen making it clear that the group had engaged the infected before leaving.

"If you say so, but how will we catch up?" asked Rhys pointing out that they had no vehicle.

Frasier looked around the area and noticed a few motorcycles parked outside a nearby bar.

"Let's try those bikes!" suggested Frasier as he jogged over towards them hoping the keys would be in one of them.

Unfortunately none of the keys were left in the ignition. Frasier then looked at the doors of the bar and motioned Rhys to prepare to enter.

Frasier handed him one of the duel pistols since they had no other weapons on them. Both of the boys slowly opened the door expecting an infected or two to be waiting right there.

Oddly enough though, there was no ambush, just a blood stained floor with the scent of cigarette smoke in the air. Bar stools were broken and tipped over, glass bottles shattered and left about the place.

A few infected bodies were all laid out scattered along the bar. Each one had a striking resemblance: each one had a cross bolt lodged in the skull.

"Hey check this out!" whispered Rhys in case they weren't alone.

Frasier looked over as Rhys pointed to a man with a modern crossbow resting between his legs. It was pointing straight upwards showing that the previous user had committed suicide.

Frasier walked over and picked up the X-Bow. After inspecting it he walked over pulling out all the arrows he could find in the bar adding up to ten. Rhys meanwhile searched around eventually finding a two keys to a motorbike. Hopefully they were the ones that match the bikes outside.

"We're going to need better clothes, Durge messed our outfits up pretty bad." commented Rhys.

Frasier then looked over at the biker clothes whose owners would no longer be needing them. "Hmmm."

**{Black Strobe-I'm A Man}**

The doors to the bar slowly opened up. Both Frasier and Rhys slowly walked out in their new outfits ready to roll out.

Rhys wore black jeans with a white t-shirt. His boots echoed throughout the lifeless streets. His right hand gripped a crowbar. He wore black shades with both hand cannons attached along his hips.

Frasier wore a sleeveless sage green shirt and torn up blue jeans. The crossbow was holstered along his back by its leather strap. His commando knife was strapped to his left bicep for easy access.

A few infected that wandered over into the area heard the doors swinging open. They let out a few groans as they limped towards the two boys. Rhys casually walked over and swung his crowbar smashing the teeth out of the nearest one. Frasier fired the cross bow taking down an infected woman that was approaching Rhys.

Rhys then tripped another one and stomped until there was nothing left but blood, pus, brain matter, and bits of skull where the man's head used to be. Frasier took his knife and stabbed between the eyes of an infected child then snapped its neck without remorse knowing it was no longer a human being.

After recovering the arrow and wiping off the blood, they both grinned at one another. However more and more infected were coming into the city in great number, Frasier and Rhys knew it was time to get going.

They looked over at the bikes and quickly found the right matches to the keys Rhys found. The motorcycles revved up and were good to go with plenty of fuel left for the long trip.

Both student and master sped down the road at full speed heading towards the sunset letting nothing get in their way of reuniting with the group. Both bikes raced down the road eventually becoming tiny dots on the horizon, and then those dots simply vanished as the sun began its descent. 


	46. Act 23 Land of the Dead Part 6

**Act 23 Land of the Dead Part 6  
>Z-Day+83<strong>

"I can't believe this... after all that we just left him there." announced Khota feeling that Frasier was not going to be heard from again.

"What choice did we have? The infected were moving in and we couldn't be sure if he even managed to beat that crazy psychopath." commented Takashi.

"Even if he did beat Durge... there were a lot of infected moving into town. He was in bad condition last time they tangled." replied Saya.

Shizuka then slammed the car breaks causing everyone to jolt forward. Her fingers gripped the steering wheel.

"He's gonna make it, we all know it! He's a professional and can handle himself just fine." said Shizuka trying to deny any doubts in her mind.

Everyone slowly calmed down as Shizuka kept moving forward. They would try to enjoy the beautiful American landscape that wasn't filled with the untamed infected lingering around for their next meal.

Saya then looked over at Alice as she would eat one gummy bear then drop one out the window.

"Munchkin, what are you doing?" asked Saya curiously.

"I'm leaving a trail for Frasier so he can find us." replied Alice in a sweet yet naive voice.

Saya smiled at her and gently tussled Alice's hair not knowing what to do if anything happened to that innocent little girl. It pained Saya knowing that Alice was living in a cruel unforgivable world, but at least she was with friends that eventually became family to her.

Shizuka began to drive again as the group settled down knowing their missing comrade was one of the toughest members and would be able to make his way back to them.

Saeko meditated in silence saying nothing to anyone. Her thoughts were constantly getting the better of her thinking that he was in trouble.

Marcus noticed this and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Hey... don't worry about him. If it makes you feel better he survived against the infected and he took on armed thugs without his vision. He will find his way back to us." assured Marcus.

"Thank you little brother... That means a lot to me. I guess you're not the clown I used to think of anymore." responded Saeko. "I'm sorry how I treated you and Noah back in Kibou City."

"Don't worry about it, it was understa-" said Marcus before his left ear ached in sudden pain.

He pulled out the headphone as he looked over. Ariel was messing around with the iPod and must have turned the volume all the way up. She then looked over and handed it to him with a sad look on her face.

"I'm so sorry I didn't mean to, I didn't know what it would do." apologized Ariel wishing she never messed with the strange device.

Marcus rubbed his ear and felt annoyed by the irritating ringing noise.

"Don't worry about it, just a little loud is all." replied Marcus trying to tough it out.

Rei just looked out the windows watching whatever would pass by the car. Sometimes it would be wreckage, sometimes it was just nature untouched by man, but most of the time it was the infected roaming the country.

"Where are we now?" asked Takashi curious of their current location.

"I'd have to say we're nearing Salt Lake Citu, Utah." replied Marcus as his fingers traced the map.

"If that's the case then we should be able to fill up here and keep moving." said Saya as they approached another set of barricades similar to the ones they saw in Kansas.

**{Fallout New Vegas OST-How the West Was Lost}**

It was different though; there was no gate keeper or anyone to open the gates. Something wasn't right and everyone inside the car knew something was wrong.

"I'm going to climb up there and see what's up." announced Marcus as he put his face wrap and helmet on.

He then climbed out and began to scale the twelve foot high wall trying to avoid getting caught on anything sharp. When Marcus reached the top he looked over and could see nothing but an empty town.

At first it worried him no one was home, but then he realized that the home belonged to the Brotherhood so it could be worse. Marcus then hopped down on the other side and pulled a lever activating the gates.

They slowly swung open making way for the group. Shizuka slowly drove forward only to stop so Marcus could get back in. Afterwards the group slowly drove forward into the empty streets of Denver.

The houses and stores all had boards along the windows and doors. Cars and garbage laid scattered along the roads but stood no match for the SUV's cow sled.

Zeke let out a whine and curled up to Alice sensing something wasn't right. Alice gently pet his soft white fur not even able to grasp the concept of what was wrong with things being too quiet.

"Hey let's stop at that department store. We're going to need better weapons if we are to survive out here." brought up Kohta as he checked how much ammo the group had.

"Think we can find anything the people of this town already haven't used?" asked Saya.

"It's worth a shot, we won't have much ammo at this rate and things are only going to get worse if we can't defend ourselves." said Takashi as he nodded to Shizuka to pull over.

She slowly stopped by the front of the store. Everyone slowly walked out and stretched a few sore joints out before heading in.

Takashi then looked over at Alice and asked "Remember... what do we do if we see one of Them?"

"Run to an adult and wait by them!" answered Alice remembering this lesson from awhile ago.

"And if you can't find one?" followed up Saya.

"Find a place they can't reach me and be quiet." finished Alice feeling proud of herself.

"We've had her with us since the beginning of the outbreaks and have to be extra careful so she doesn't get hurt. Alice's father died protecting her and then we came along when infected were heading right for her." explained Rei to Marcus, Ariel, and Rika who weren't ever really informed about how Alice joined the group.

"Marcus what is this place?" asked Ariel curious as she looked around the abandoned Home Depot.

Everything was so strange to her, even the new smells were intriguing to her.

Khota meanwhile was looking around excitedly checking out the different varieties and opportunities this place was presenting him. All the tools and materials he saw gave him multiple idea's at once.

Saya looked over at him and remembered when they first meet on Z-Day. She remembered how he managed to turn a simple tool into a fully functional weapon.

"Let's set up and try to find some materials, I've got so many ideas right now, it's borderline insane." grinned Khota as he felt himself enter his element.

**{}**

Meanwhile, Frasier and Rhys sped down the highway road not even taking an occasional swing at the infected they encountered. While traveling towards California, Rhys felt that it was best he returned to Japan. He missed Yuki and it only made him feel worse when he thought about Durge going back to Kibou City.

Rhys slowly stopped in the middle of the road and held out a map. Frasier noticed this and stopped besides him.

"What's wrong? We need to keep moving if we are to catch up with the group." reminded Frasier.

"I'm sorry, but I need to return home. Know that Durge is aware of our surprise attack I'm not sure me being here will do much. I also need to go in case he goes back to Kibou City." explained Rhys.

"I understand, give Yuki my regards and thanks helping, how will you return home?" asked Frasier.

"Probably by boat, don't worry about me I'll find my way home somehow. My only regret is that we couldn't train some more." replied Rhys.

He then handed Frasier the map and looked out at the beautiful Rocky Mountains of Colorado. The lush green pine forests that surrounded them, a waterfall could even be heard not too far away from where they were.

"Good luck Rhys and thank you for doing what you did." thanked Frasier holding out his hand.

"Don't worry about it, just make don't get yourself killed ok?" requested Rhys as he shook Frasier's hand.

"No promises." grinned Frasier as they let go.

Rhys just smiled as he then turned his head forward and began to move along the road. He then took a fork in the road that would take him through a different course.

Frasier just stood there looking out as his thoughts were only focused around returning to his group. "Good luck Rhys." he softly muttered under his breath as he then revved his motorcycle up and sped down the road taking the other fork in the road that would take him down towards the 405 Highway.

"Don't worry guys, I'm on my way." thought Frasier as he let nothing hold him back now.

While traveling down the forest roads he noticed a big tent set up. It was all torn up and had no sign of life. Frasier could feel his stomach gurgle as it had been nearly fourteen hours since his last meal.

He got off the bike but kept it on incase he needed to make a quick getaway. His crossbow was loaded and aimed forward as he cautiously approached the ragged tent.

With one hand he pulled open the tent open while the other hand held the crossbow. His finger was so close to the trigger the slightest of movements would have fired the loaded arrow.

All he could see inside was a bloody sleeping bag, a broken fold up chair, and a few open cans of provisions. Suddenly he heard a crunching noise of a few sticks behind him. Frasier quickly spun around in time to see an infected man standing before him.

It's mouth opened wide letting out a low groan as drool dripped out from its jaw. Its hands reached out grabbing Frasier's crossbow. Frasier was unable to pull away so he bought himself some time by firing the crossbow at point blank range sending the arrow into the infected man's heart.

The creature staggered back only to limp forward to continue its onslaught. Frasier dropped the crossbow as he then reached for his commando knife and dug it deep into the infected man's skull; he then twisted the knife causing instant death for the abomination.

Frasier twisted the knife back and jerked it out violently letting the blood come gushing out onto the dirt he stood on. He just looked down at the infected creature and noticed a hunting rifle was strung along it's back.

After pulling the arrow out of the chest cavity, Frasier pulled the hunting rifle off of its previous own to claim for himself. After checking the corpse for ammo, he then slung both weapons along his back and walked over to his motorcycle knowing he had already wasted enough time here. 

"Alright I think it's time we go over what we've come up with in the last hour!" announced Khota as he finished putting a few small springs in his new custom made weapon.

"What did you come up with?" asked Marcus as the rest of the group walked over to see Khota surrounded by all types of materials and tools.

"I came up with the perfect weapon! It's as powerful as a rifle, but silent as a whisper." replied Khota.

"What? How is that even possible?" questioned Takashi unsure of wether Khota was just making things up.

Khota then pulled out what looked like a BB gun and set it on the table. He then held up a canister and twisted it onto the back where to the stock should be. Under the barrel of the contraption he pumped a lever and then aimed it up at the ceiling.

"Just you watch." said Khota as he aimed down the little sight he painted light green.

Khota pulled the trigger and hit one of the lights causing that part of the store to go dark.

"Whoa, I take it back. How does that thing work?" asked Takashi astonished at the power of the new invention.

"It's a pneumatic weapon dummy." explained Saya as she felt even more impressed by Khota's unique ingenuity.

"Ok, now let's pretend that we don't know what that is." said Takashi as he ignored Saya's little comment.

"Well think of it as a light sniper rifle that works with compressed air and shoots small lead bullets. The user just needs to pressurize the tank manually to shoot." explained Khota proudly.

"What makes you sure that will be enough to pierce a skull?" asked Rei as she was still looking up at the broken ceiling light.

"I thought about that so the user may have to over pressurize the tank for a more powerful shot or for the long-range shots. Just a heads up though, if you wait too long, the pressure will leak eventually and return to normal levels." answered Khota.

"Nice! Takashi, Ariel, and I found some beer bottles that haven't been broken or used yet. We just added a few rags scattered around the place and created some good old fashioned Molotovs." said Marcus as he set out ten of them.

"Not bad, not bad. Do you know how to use them though? Don't want them to end up blowing up in our faces." commented Khota as he observed how long the rags were.

"Yeah, during the first night we used them to torch an entire neighborhood worth of Them. So yeah don't worry about whether I know how to throw a glass bottle or not." replied Marcus.

"What about you guys?" asked Ariel as she looked over towards Rika and Rei.

Rika pulled her backpack off and opened it up to reveal they had managed to find a few RC cars. Alice looked at them curiously and knew she had to try one of them.

"Can I try?" asked Alice wondering what the cars were actually for.

"These aren't toys Alice." replied Rika.

"Yes they are!" said Alice

"No… what I mean is they won't be toys for what we are using them for." explained Rika and a more understanding voice.

"So what will we use them for? asked Alice.

"Yeah, please do tell." commented Saya.

"Well there are and have been situations where we can't see something at a distance due to whatever the reason may be for keeping us stationary. So Rei and I decided to put a camera or something equivalent onto them to help with recon." explained Rika.

"Hmmm I don't know. Do we even have anything to put on them?" asked Saya unsure if this idea would even work.

"If we find something then I can't see why it wouldn't work. Besides what have you come up with? So far you've been talking down on everyone yet you have nothing to show us." questioned Rei.

"That's what you think." replied Saya as she walked back to Khota's table and pulled out what appeared to be a water gun.

Takashi, Marcus, Rika and Rei all began to laugh unaware of Saya's inventions true purpose.

"Yeah keep laughing." muttered Saya as she held the device up aiming away from everyone else.

She gently held down one of the two triggers activating a lighter. Then she held down the second trigger that ejected liter fluid from the squirt gun. When the fluid touched the fire it ignited instantaneously. The flames touched a shelf and quickly began to burn the appliances on it.

Everyone stopped laughing as they watched Saya demonstrate that she turned a harmless squirt gun into a deadly flamethrower. When she felt that was enough, Saya pulled her finger off the first trigger then pulled it off the second.

"Yeah! What now?" laughed Saya as she felt immense pride in her creation.

Suddenly an alarm went off and water began to shower the area. Everyone felt ready to jump out of their skin when the wretched noise went off. It was clear to them that Saya's little fire was enough to activate the fire alarm.

"Shut that noise off!" shouted Takashi as he covered his ears.

"I don't know how!" replied Saya as she covered her ears.

"Uhhh guys we have company!" announced Shizuka as she pointed towards the front of the store.

Everyone ran over to her and could see hundreds of the infected wandered towards the store. The situation looked bad, with no easy access to the roof there was little time to act.

"Shizuka! Get to the car and park it against the front doors, we won't be able to handle this many infected if they all storm in at once. Saeko! Stick close to use and help us secure that SUV! Everyone else find a way to that roof! Double time!" ordered Rika in a furious voice.

All three then began to run towards the front of the store. As they got outside Rika began to fire the AR-15 at the approaching infected, while Saeko ran side by side with Shizuka. Five infected corpses were already within the perimeter of the SUV.

Saeko dashed forward with her blade and cut one down instantly. The momentum of her swing caused the head to fly clean off as the body tumbled forward. Saeko then jumped back to avoid a grab from the second abomination and swiped her sword in a windmill motion cutting the hands off.

The infected woman let out a shriek and rushed forward despite losing both hands. Saeko just grinned and stepped forward thrusting her blade forward into the chewed up eye socket killing the infected woman.

She could feel that sensational rush take over her body once more. Her eyes flared open as she cut the other three down like they were child's play. Saeko began to laugh and hum a tune as she began her rampage.

Meanwhile Shizuka was already in the car and began to drive towards the front of the store. She parked it just right so that the infected couldn't get in.

"Come on guys we're good to go!" shouted Shizuka as she honked the horn.

Everyone else had managed to get to the very top of the store and watched as Rika was pulling back conserving her shots. Takashi noticed Saeko was starting to actually push outwards not following the plan.

"Rika! Pull Saeko back, something's wrong." shouted Takashi as he pointed towards Saeko going off on her own.

"Damn it! These kids are going to get me killed." grunted Rika as she ran after Saeko.

As she got there Saeko was already coated in blood. Rika was catious when she approached Saeko. When Saeko was about to charge off again Rika quickly grabbed her and wrapped her arm around Saeko's neck.

"Get off me! This is what I need!" growled Saeko as she resisted Rika's hold.

"Get a hold of yourself! What would Frasier think?" reminded Rika trying to get through to Saeko as the infected continued to head towards the store.

Saeko softly sighed and realized she had to survive this fight if she ever wanted to see him again.

"Ok, you've made your point." said Saeko.

Both girls retreated towards the SUV and crawled through the seats locking the outer door behind them. They then ran up the stairs as Shziuka helped them find it in the back of the store.

They both walked up onto the roof and approached the rest of the group. Most of them were glad that everyone was ok, but Takashi had a look of anger in his eyes.

"What the hell was that? You could have gotten us all killed!" shouted Takashi in anger.

Saeko looked away in shame hating that she couldn't control the beast within her soul. As she looked back she opened her mouth to apologize only to feel the back of Takashi's hand slap her cheek. Saeko felt a sharp stinging pain as she stepped back a bit from the hit.

"Takashi what the hell was that for?" asked Rei.

"She could have gotten us all killed! In case you all haven't noticed." reminded Takashi.

"Oh we noticed that much Takashi, which is a problem. However we also have another problem." added Marcus as he walked over.

"Oh yeah? What's that?" asked Takshi as he felt himself resuming his old position of leadership.

"This." replied Marcus as he gripped his fist and violently struck Takshi across the face knocking him down.

Marcus then walked over and began to repeatedly hammer away at Takashi's face. Takashi put his legs under Marcus's stomach and pushed knocking him back. As Marcus staggered a bit Takashi rushed and tackled him to the ground. They both rolled over one another as they began to deliver and receive blows.

"All right that's enough break it up!" ordered Rika.

She (along with Khota, Ariel, and Rei) ran over to restrain the two boys. Saya and Khota held back Marcus while Rika and Rei held back Takashi. Shizuka kneeled down and held Alice in her arms as the child was frightened by the two boys fighting like this.

"I led this group during the beginning of all this! You think you know any better?" shouted Takashi as he squirmed to get free.

"You may have been the leader but when you start striking members of your own group then you've gone too far! I don't care how things were before we showed up Takashi, you're not the leader anymore. This group votes on matters now, you had no right for what you did." replied Marcus as he struggled to break free.

"What would you know? You've never been in charge of a group, the pressure and responsibilities are beyond your comprehension." said Takashi.

"True, and you don't realize how fucked you are. In case you forgot, Saeko is married to my older brother. Remember when he heard what that guy back in Topeka said about her? How he nearly killed him and expose who we are? What do you think he will do when he hears about how you hit her? It can end in many ways… all of them bad for you." warned Marcus as he began to settle down.

Takashi then realized this and settled down as he looked over at Saeko. He then felt his heart sink at the thought of how Frasier would react when to this.

"Look… I'm actually trying to help you. We won't tell him because that will only end in bloodshed." explained Marcus.

"You have a very funny way of showing it." replied Takashi.

"Well words don't really work in these situations, better I give you a few smacks then what my brother would have done. Let him go guys… he just needed to understand the severity of his actions." requested Marcus.

Rika and Rei both slowly let go of Takashi and watched his movements. Ariel and Khota both then let go of Marcus making sure this wasn't a clever trick of his. Takashi then walked over to Saeko; she wasn't even looking at the group. She was just looking out as a motorcycle went by on a bridge not too far from them.

"Saeko… I'm sorry about all that. It's just-" was all Takashi could say before Saeko turned around and placed her hand over his mouth.

"Shut up Takashi, you're not sorry for hitting me I can see it in your eyes. You're only afraid of how many bones Frasier will break when I tell him what you did. Just don't do it again and I'll consider your little apology." replied Saeko in a very cold tone.

She then took her hand off his mouth and turned back to look for a way to escape the numerous hordes of infected. The SUV managed to keep most of them back but a few would manage to slip through the doors. The group then all sat together and discussed what course of action to take.

Meanwhile Frasier drove down the highway. The desert sun ran along his neck as he rode alone. Everything was going well up until the point he had to stop because his bike ran out of fuel.

"No not now damn it…" he grunted as he smacked the side of it.

Frasier could then see something out in the distance, a few figures moving too fast to be infected. He quickly upholstered his hunting rifle and aimed down the scope.

He watched a woman running away as several men chased her down by a gas station. She kicked and struggled trying to fight them off. Quickly taking action Frasier pulled back on the bolt to see he only had one bullet left in the chamber.

He then felt his pockets to suddenly realize he was entirely out of .308 caliber rounds. Even his crossbow couldn't hit them accurately from this distance. Despite this set back, Frasier still felt confident enough to where he could just run down there and take out the rest by himself.

As he aimed down the scope again he saw them bend her over a car. Despite her mouth moving to let out screams, Frasier could hear nothing from where he was. He aimed the crosshairs slightly above the man's head that stood behind her.

Before pulling the trigger, Frasier noticed a car showing up. Even more walked out and all of them were carrying guns, some were even automatic.

Frasier then felt unsure of how he could save this poor woman. He hoped deep down that these men were here to rescue her but they were just here to join in. Perhaps they were all in a group together?

Either way, Frasier aimed back and forth trying to find the best target. It didn't matter which one he hit though since there were so much more of them than him. Most were even better armed than he was.

Every passing second he wasted holding back to calculate a strategy was just another unbearable moment for the woman down there.

Frasier wiped his brow slowly and looked down at the asphalt he was now laying on. There was only one choice left in his mind.

He took a deep breath and held up the hunting rifle confidently one more time. His scope slowly drifted from one man's head to the next, only to stop on the woman's head.

Frasier gently pulled down on the trigger watching as her struggle for freedom came to a quick and painless halt. As her head hit the hood of the car bleeding all over it, the cowards around her all ran off into their car speeding away from the fear of being shot from an unknown shooter.

Frasier then let go of the hunting rifle and let his head drop against the hard asphalt. Tears flowed from his cheeks as he realized once more that not everyone can be saved during these dark days.

He slowly stood up and wiped his face knowing this is how the world is now. After getting a grip of the new reality, Frasier slowly stood up and just left the rifle behind as he walked away.

With no gas in his motorcycle, Frasier was left with three options. He could either find another vehicle and use it to continue on. Another option was that he could just siphon the fuel out of one of the nearby cars since there was plenty to go around. Then finally the third option was to simply walk to California.

That last option was clearly out of the question since he was not nearly as prepared as he thought before. After he pulled the motorcycle over, he pulled out the rubber tube from a satchel and opened the little door to slide the tube into.

While loading up the fuel so it would go directly into his bike, Frasier peered into the opened up car. He then noticed something horrible even to his standards. A baby seat that was coated in blood, the sight and imagination of such a thing caused Frasier to stagger back.

When he neared the edge of the road, his foot slipped. Frasier tumbled down the steep ditch besides the road. His body tumbled down crashing into the hardened dirt and sand.

"Ok, so everyone knows what to do?" asked Saeko.

The group nodded and stood back as they watched Saya open up her bag. She then pulled the metallic orb out and tapped on the top of it.

"Wake up Giru." said Saya softly.

The machine slowly opened up his visor as he then began to glow red indicating it was active. As Giru was fully activated after so long he began to blink his visor trying to run a full analysis on his optics.

"What do you need?" asked Giru.

Rika kneeled down and held one of the RC cars in her hands.

"We need you to take this to that church over there and ring that bell to distract of all these infected. Think you can do that?" asked Rika.

Giru looked down at the RC car and scanned it. He then looked back up at Rika.

"Think? No. Know? Yes!"responded Giru as he pulled the small plastic driver out and tossed it aside to sit in the little car.

Rika smiled as Giru assimilated himself to the car. She then picked up the car and walked with Khota and Saya down the stairs to clear out the infected that managed to slip past the SUV.

Khota took point and aimed with his new weapon aiming for the nearest ones. He slowly pumped the tank taking his time to make sure the pressure was just enough to pierce the skulls.

"Hurry up Khota we need to keep moving if we ever want to get to California." said Saya as she checked her flamethrower for fuel.

Khota held his breathe and began to let his wild gun loving side take over. His fingers began to squeeze against the trigger as he descended down the stairs.

The lead balls zipped through the air at high velocity striking the targets. The infected Khota aimed at each took one to two hits each, the lead balls opened up perfect holes in their skulls.

Saya and Rika both smiled as Khota cleared a perfect path for them. As they reached the doors Saya took the lead and aimed her flamethrower. Her fingers pressed down on the first trigger activating the lighter, then the second trigger was pressed sending the flames out over the SUV.

The flames ignited the clothes of the infected that were caught in them burning the flesh off of their bones. As the flames cleared the way, Rika set the RC car under the SUV.

"Ok guys now!" shouted Rika.

Takashi then pressed up on the control sticks sending the car forward. Marcus held up the binoculars and guided Takashi at every twist and turn. Despite what happened earlier between the two, they were able to put the past behind them and work together.

"Alright… just a few more feet… right there you're good!" ordered Marcus as he watched Giru hoping out to enter the church alone.

"Think he can ring that bell?" asked Shizuka.

After a few seconds of asking that, the bells of the church began to ring.

"That answer your question?" joked Rei as she walked over to the exit to go downstairs.

When Marcus and Takashi managed to guide Giru back to the SUV they both walked for the door.

"Are we leaving now?" asked Alice as she felt afraid to go back down to the scary store.

"Don't worry Alice, everything will be alright. Let's just keep moving." ordered Shziuka.

"Come on guys let's get going before the small window of opportunity closes on us." ordered Saeko making sure everyone got out before her.

Before Takashi exited he looked back at her, she just looked at him once before he turned back and continued to move for the SUV. Everyone had made it to the SUV and was ready to go.

"Hit it!" said Marcus and Takashi at the same time.

Rika slammed her foot on the gas pedal speeding far from the Home Depot. Everyone began to cheer as the group had once again managed to evade the infected hordes.

Later that night most of the group was soundly asleep as Rika drove down the highway passing a gas station. As she passed it she noticed a motorcycle nearby connected to a car.

Despite the odd scene she made nothing of it and kept moving on towards Nevada. She looked back and watched as Alice was up still and dropping gummy bears out the window.

"Alice you shouldn't be up this late, you need to conserve your energy. Get some rest." said Rika.

"Because Frasier is going to need our help. Every gummy bear I drop will help him find his way to us." smiled Alice as she kept doing what she knew was right.

Rika unable to argue with her innocence kept driving down the road admiring Alice's naïve behavior.

**Z-Day+84**

Frasier slowly opened his eyes to see that the sun was still burning high in the sky above him. His body was drenched in sweat.

He looked at his chest to see a scorpion slowly crawl up towards his face. When the creature noticed his eyes moving it raised its tail upwards. Frasier bared his teeth and gripped the tail and tore it off with ease.

With no stinger to poison him, Frasier took a big bite out of the head killing the scorpion. He then began to eat what he could out of it. Despite his snack his belly still ached from lack of food.

His arms were all scratched up along the sides. Frasier groaned in pain as he tossed the remains aside and looked over to see one of his arrows had fallen out the quiver stabbed him through his side during the fall. He quickly down felt his back hoping the damn thing didn't hit his kidney.

Luckily the arrow missed and wasn't going through anything vital. However the pain was just enough to keep him down. Frasier laid his head back and coughed feeling a horrid sting in his side.

"Oh come on don't tell me that little arrow is what it takes to keep you down." announced a voice.

Frasier slowly held his head up trying to keep his eyes open long enough to see who it was.

"D... Dad?" asked Frasier.

"Who else? Get your ass up. You look like dried up dog shit on a bad side of road." ordered his father.

Frasier slowly began to sit up but the pain from his wound was to much to bear.

"All those years I spent making you into a soldier, all the time placed to shape your destiny and this is what I got?" asked his father.

"Screw you. Maybe next time... Don't send a fifteen year old to live in a foreign country with his alcoholic uncle." suggested Frasier trying to stay calm.

"Looks like you're the one that is screwed son. Your lying here and aren't going to do anything about it?" said his father making a good point.

"I'm trying, just give me a chance." asked Frasier as he pleaded for his father's help.

"You couldn't even kill those men who were rapping that girl. We both know you were capable of killing them in a blaze of glory." reminded his father.

"No... I can't die... Saeko... and Marcus both need me. My group needs me..." explained Frasier.

"Ah yes. Saeko Busujima. Haha it amazes me that you married a Jap! Have you forgotten how your grandfather, my father, lost his tongue to them in that POW camp the last time our people fought? You were supposed to marry a member of our race Frasier, you're a disgrace." said his father in a disappointed tone.

"I won't hold Saeko or her race for what happened so long ago. I did everything you ever asked of me. " argued Frasier.

"Really? You let Noah die under your watch! How long until you let Marcus die? Your no soldier at all! You stand alone son." reminded his father.

**{Godsmack-I Stand Alone}**

"Oh you're right father. I'm no soldier! A soldier follows his orders and nothing more. But a warrior, a warrior follows his heart." growled Frasier releasing his inner hatred seep out into his words.

Suddenly the image of his father faded away to reveal an infected woman leaning towards his face.

Frasier's eyes widened as he quickly threw his head forward. The infected woman sat back a bit as it was straddling him. Frasier quickly rolled over on top of it and crawled away to grab a fairly sturdy branch.

He then noticed an infected man walking towards him to join in. With no time to spare Frasier became volatile. Adrenaline pumped through his entire body as he began to viciously smash the heavy branch downwards crushing the putrid skull open like an old pumpkin.

After impaling the branch through its skull to ensure the abomination stayed down, Frasier crawled towards his crossbow hoping there was a loaded arrow in it.

He picked it up only to see there was no arrow loaded. His eyes quickly scanned the area only to see the quiver hanging out of his reach on the dune above him. The infected man drew closer and closer with each passing second.

With no knife, no nearby objects that could help, Frasier grabbed the shaft of the arrow that was still in him and pulled with all his might.

"Gghhrrrrraaagghhhh." was all he could shout out as the arrow slowly came out.

A sharp pinch of pain (as well as relief) was all he could feel. With no time to think on it, Frasier pulled back on the loader with both hands as his feet held the crescent front down.

When the crossbow made the *click* it made when ready to fire, Frasier quickly loaded the arrow into its place. He then leaned back as the infected man was standing right above him.

"Open up you tosser." mumbled Frasier as he fired the crossbow straight up.

The arrow struck its target! The infected man stumbled back at first. Frasier then rolled over to his good side as the infected man fell over forward causing the arrow to stay in place as its face slowly slid down into the hot desert sand.

Frasier slowly stood up despite the pain and let out a furious roar of triumph. He then walked over and held the arrow that was sticking out of the skull. As he pulled up his hand, his foot pressed down on the back of the skull causing the arrow to slide out clean.

After reloading the crossbow he loaded it once more then looked up at the slope he needed to climb.

"Come on sissy boy! Climb that little hill." ordered his father as he was standing above Frasier.

Frasier narrowed his eyes and slowly began to climb up towards the top of the slope. His hands gripped the rough terrain making his way up.

The scorching sun could be felt along his sweaty back as the burning sand suddenly gave way. Frasier held tight only sliding back a bit. His fierce determination kept him going as he reached forward.

"Come on! Take those high heels off and climb!" shouted his father.

There was now a burning fire in Frasier's eyes as he no longer cared about his father's approval.

"I bet that Jap bitch of a wife can climb faster than you!" taunted his father.

"Shut the fuck up... you don't know anything!" shouted Frasier as he climbed up even higher.

"Whatcha gonna do? Why don't you come up and make me!" challenged his father.

Frasier's hand slowly grabbed the hot asphalt. The sun had made it so hot it burned his hand when it touched the road. He pulled his hand back only to go back up and grip it around a cactus plant.

Despite the pain, Frasier kept going and never gave up in his struggle. He then got his elbows onto the top and pulled himself all the way up. As he stood up proud he looked around to see that his father was nowhere to be seen.

"Yeah... You better run!" shouted Frasier as he looked back and forth.

**{}**

With no other reason to stick around Frasier walked over and grabbed the quiver. He counted the arrows to see that they were where they should be. His commando knife laid against the road shinning in the sunlight.

Frasier walked over towards the knife and slowly knelt down besides it. As he gripped the handle he noticed a green gummy bear melted along the road. He gently pulled it up and observed it; he then looked forward to see even more of the melted colorful bears set out before him.

He smiled and then sheathed his knife as he walked back to his bike to see that the fuel tank was full. Frasier then cut up a random shirt he found and used to keep himself from bleeding anymore then he needed to from his arrow wound.

Before he could continue his travels he rode over towards the gas station from earlier. As he got closer he approached the dead woman he mercy killed.

He slowly walked passed her and began to dig a grave with his hands moving the soft sand out of his way. After about three feet of digging he could go no further, but he knew it was good enough.

Frasier then walked back to the woman and picked up her lifeless corpse. He carried her over to the grave and gently settled down her into it. After the hard part he began to push the sand back on gently patting it out.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save you. Times are hard out here, but you already knew that. If there was any other way I would have taken it stranger. Hopefully you're in a better place now… rest in peace." said Frasier in a soft yet regrettable tone.

He then walked away to his bike and drove off. His sides were stinting, but his will and love for his family kept Frasier going. It wouldn't be long before he would manage to catch up to the group now. 


	47. Act 23 Land of the Dead Part 7

**Act 23 Land of the Dead Part 7  
>Z-Day+84<strong>

Late at night the SUV slowly pulled up along a trail of abandoned cars and buses. Rika slowly got on top of a bus holding up the binoculars. In her sights was the school that James had described before.

She could see that the military must have used the school for a quarantine area during the ealier outbreaks. Tents and chain fences had been set up. Most of the parking area was taken up by the rows of wrapped up bodies set up within it.

Outside of the fence she could see hundreds upon hundreds of the infected.  
>There were a few within the perimeter of the fence just lingering around as most infected normal do when they don't sense anything.<p>

Rika jumped back down to the street level and put the binoculars away.

"Well? How bad is it over there?" asked Rei as if she already knew there were infected keeping them apart from their goal.

"It's pretty bad, normally we could just burn these freaks but if those flames reach the school then we may as well start swimming to England." replied Rika indicating that they couldn't simply use the molotovs to burn their targets without risking the objective.

"We need that boy and his mother alive if we want any chance of James to fly us out of here." clarified Saya.

"So what's the plan?" asked Takashi wondering how the group was willing to approach the delicate situation.

"Depends... but what we need to know is if they're even inside." brought up Ariel.

"She's right... for all we know this school is empty and devoid of life." agreed Saeko.

"What if we sent in a small team to silently infiltrate the school?" suggested Takashi.

"That works... but who would go? We'll need at least three to go." questioned Saya.

"I'll go." volunteered Saeko.

"Me too!" added Ariel.

"You can't have a party until I'm involved! So that makes three." said Marcus gladly putting himself on the line. 

"Let's go in the morning the infected own the night." said Takashi.

**Z-Day+85**

Early that morning Saeko, Marcus, and Ariel all jumped out of the SUV and quietly walked around the front of the fence making their way for one of the side entrances. Luckily the infected outside were only focused in numbers on the northern section of the fence.

Saeko and Ariel both held their hands out giving Marcus just enough of a boost to get over the fence without rattling it. Saeko and Ariel afterwards managed to climb over it without causing any ruckus.

As the searched the putter perimeter, Marcus noticed something about the school.

"Hey guys look how the top floor is all boarded up but the second floor isn't." commented Marcus whispering to keep the noise level down.

"Yeah you're right... perhaps those who did this are still around." replied Saeko.

"Let's hope that it's the people we want..." commented Ariel.

"She's right, keep you guard up just in case." added Marcus.

The three slowly walked up towards one of the boarded windows. Marcus slowly pressed his face against the glass window peering inside to see small figures moving.

"See anything?" whispered Ariel.

"Yeah, but they're too small to be the wife though. Must be a bunch of kids." answered Marcus quietly.

"Are they infected?" asked Saeko as she kept looking back at the infected within the perimeter making sure they were kept at bay.

"It's too dark to tell so only one way to find out." replied Marcus.

He then carefully walked around to see a side door with chains locked loosely around it. This was currently the best way to enter the building without causing too much noise.

Saeko placed her blade between loops in the chains and would cut them out individually as Ariel and Marcus held the cut off pieces so they wouldn't clatter once they hit the ground.

"There we are." whispered Saeko as she caught the lock and gently set it down with the rest of the scrap.

All three slowly entered the building watching for any signs of movement. They then approached the door that was connected to the classroom they were peering into just a few minutes ago.

"Careful, for all we know infected are within this part of the school as well." warned Saeko.

She then slowly pushed the door forward and walked in with the other two, Marcus slowly felt the wall only to find the light switch. He then flicked the little knob upwards. Ariel jumped back a bit surprised by the sudden light.

Marcus and Saeko couldn't help but laugh at the innocence. They then looked at the back of the class to see something entirely unexpected.

"Oh my god-" was all Marcus could say as he looked at the group of kids all huddled up against the wall.

"Are you guys here to hurt us?" asked one of the little girls shaking with fear unsure if these new strangers were to trust or not.

Marcus handed Saeko his broad sword and kneeled down to the kid's level after walking over to them in an unthreatening manner.

"No, I'm looking for someone very important. Although I guess introductions are in order, my name is Marcus Markle. What are your names?" asked Marcus trying to befriend the frightened children.

The little girl hesitantly walked forward and said "My name is Marry-" she then pointed over and said the names of the other kids in consecutive order "-and that's Ed, Frank, Zoey, Gabby, Taylor, and Jason!"

"So no one by the name of Brian?" asked Marcus as he looked among the children's faces slowly going from fearful to a more relaxed state.

"Oh and Brian!" finished Marry.

"Phew, ok well where is he? Is his mother around?" asked Marcus as he let out a sigh of relief knowing they didn't come all the way for nothing.

"He's upstairs looking out for his mom." answered Frank.

"I'll take you to him!" volunteered Zoey as she grabbed Marucs' hand and dragged him out the room towards the stairs to the upper floor.

Saeko and Ariel both giggled at the innocence of the young kid.

"So what are your names?" asked Marry as she looked up at the two older girls standing before her.

Saeko quickly switched over her language and said in English "My name is Saeko Busijima."

Ariel then walked over and pointed to herself "My name is Ariel Talsa. How long have you young ones been here?"

"We've been here ever since the monsters showed up. Our teacher… Maria… took all of us here when the army men were here." explained Gabby.

Meanwhile Zoey led Marcus right to the room Brian was in. Marcus pushed the door open slowly so he wouldn't scare Brian. As the door made a creaking noise, Brian spun around and saw it wasn't any of the infected.

"Who… Zoey who is that?" asked Brian angrily.

"He's here to help us." answered Zoey unsure why Brian was talking in an upset tone.

"My mom said not to let anyone inside, she said they're a lot of bad people and they will do bad things to us." reminded Brian.

"Relax kid I'm here to help." reassured Marcus.

"How can we be sure you're not a bad guy?" questioned Brian.

"Would your father send a bad guy to rescue you and your mom?" countered Marcus as he leaned against the wall folding his arms.

"You know my father? What's his name?" asked Brian feeling more comfortable at the mention of his father.

"James, he sent me and my friends to rescue you and your mom Maria. Where is she?" asked Marcus.

"She went out to a get food from the cafeteria on the outside of that big fence." answered Brian.

Marcus walked over and held his hand out for the binoculars. Brain handed him the binoculars and watched as Marcus pulled the blinds up to get a better view. Marcus held up the binoculars and looked through to see the SUV was still there, he could even see Rika as she was looking at the perimeter through her binoculars.

"What are you looking at?" asked Brian as he noticed Marcus wasn't looking towards the cafeteria.

"Our friends, they're going to get us out of here." replied Marcus.

"Really? Everyone?" asked Zoey excitedly.

"Uhhhh…" was all Marcus could blurt out as he remembered that the SUV wouldn't have nearly enough room for everyone to get back home.

He then began to pace back and forth unsure of how to get the kids out of here. Brian looked out the window and saw something that caused him to run out the door.

"Hey where is he off to?" asked Marcus.

"He must have to go pee. There is a bathroom in this building." answered Zoey unsure of Brian's behavior.

"So you know how things work with the infected right?" asked Marcus.

"The what?" asked Zoey.

"I mean the monsters." restated Marcus.

"Ohhh. No not really, only that they are grey, smelly, and go uuuuhhhhh a lot." replied Zoey in a naïve tone.

"Haha true-" laughed Marcus at the remark but then became very serious suddenly "-wait why is Brian outside?"

With no time to wait for a childish answer Marcus bolted out the room Zoey was in and jumped down the stairs. He shoved the doors wide open and looked all over the open area to see Brian running towards the fence.

"Momma!" shouted Brian as he ran to the side of the fence where his infected mother was standing at.

"No kid wait!" shouted Marcus as he caught up to the kid and tackled him to the ground.

However despite Marcus' intervention, all the infected had heard the commotion and began to all groan at once. Brian squirmed and tried to pull away unaware of the danger they were in.

"Oh perfect-" muttered Marcus as he pulled Brian back. Marcus then turned back to Saeko and Ariel as the kids stood behind them to see what was going on. "Go! Get those kids upstairs."

"C'mon move back inside kids." ordered Ariel as she motioned the kids to move back inside.

**{HoTD OST-Fuss Fuzz}**

Back at the SUV Rika slammed on the gas pedal driving at top speed towards the fence.

"Try not to get stuck out in that horde, if we stop we won't be able to move!" reminded Saya.

"I'll keep that in mind." replied Rika as she was already ramming into the school fence.

The SUV's engine roared out loud as it plowed through the fence. Some of the infected were caught under the metal monster instantly being crushed from the sheer power of the machine.

"Looks like we have reinforcements!" exclaimed Marcus as he held up the broadsword unsure if he could handle it without the proper training.

"Let's try to keep as many of the infected away from the building as possible!" ordered Saeko as she drew her blade.

She then dashed forward with her sword gripped tightly in her palms. The infected that were already within the perimeter were already at the first floor windows trying to find their way inside.

Saeko grinned as she cut her way down the row showing no remorse for her lethal blood rage. She then turned to see Marcus swinging his blade down right on top of an infected man's skull. The blade kept going down the neck but was caught in the torso.

Marcus desperately pulled back on the blade trying to get the sword out. Blood squirted into two different directions as the blade remained within the ribcage.

"Figures the first time I use this thing it gets stuck." shouted Marcus to Saeko.

Another infected man moved toward Marcus opening its mouth wide showing the flesh between its teeth. Marcus with no time to pull the sword out used his entire upper body strength to pull the impaled infected body over using it as a meat shield. With no other resort Marcus pushed the blade forward knocking both corpses down into the advancing infected to slow them down.

"Fall back inside we'll try to get some off your back!" shouted Khota as he tossed Marcus a spare crowbar.

The SUV drove on barging through the lighter clumps of infected and knocking over the parts of the fence that was in the way. Khota pumped his weapon four times then leaned out the window.

"Keep it steady!" requested Khota as he began to fire the high pressurized balls of lead at the infected trying to go in through the windows.

"She's doing the best she can. Let's just hope that all this noise doesn't bring in even more infected!" announced Shizuka.

Takasi rolled down a window and began to take wild swings with his baseball bat. Every time he got a hit, the skull would either splatter all over the place or make a bone crunching noise that sent chills down Rei's spine.

"Are those molotovs ready?" asked Rei.

"Mhm I just hope we don't end up getting stuck out her with no way out." replied Shziuka as she helped with lighting the molotovs for use.

Rei then rolled her window down and tossed it towards a big cluster. The glass bottle shattered upon impact as the flames sprang loose in all directions.

The flesh of the infected was seared from the bone by the intense heat. All the clothes the infected wore became ignited and helped spread the fire. Multiple corpses dropped where they stood and were burned to a black crisp.

Inside the school Marcus, Saeko, and Ariel were all pressing against the opened doors trying to keep the infected back.

"Ugghh push them back!" shouted Marcus as he pressed his hands on both doors pushing with all his might.

"Take that crowbar and put it between those door handles." ordered Saeko as she pointed to it.

Ed quickly ran over and handed it to Marcus trying to help out. Marcus grabbed it and wedged it perfectly into the door handles. The door budged opened slightly but was immediately stopped by the metal bar.

All three stood back and tried to catch their breath.

"Where is Brian?" asked Marcus.

"Upstairs, he was crying really bad." answered Marry.

"Saeko go try to calm him down, everyone else move upstairs and stay quiet." commanded Marcus feeling a part of Frasier within him.

When he got upstairs with Ariel they both saw the little kids were all pressed against the windows watching the SUV (along with Khota and Takshi doing their little drive by) with excitement and awe.

"Woah look at them go! They're actually not being eaten." commented Frank.

Marcus stood there and watched with them as Ariel walked over to join them. Marcus smiled knowing she was ok and held her hand tight.

Taylor noticed this and said "Ohhhh they're holding hands!"

"First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes… I always did forget that last part." chimed in Ed.

"Something to do with a baby, anyways you kids think we're married because we hold hands? Wait until you meet my big brother, he actually is married." responded Marcus.

"Aaaawwww." said all the little girls at once finding it cute.

"You have a big brother? Is he as big and strong as you?" asked Frank excitedly.

"Way bigger… if you think I'm good at killing the inf… monsters. Then you're in for a big surprise if we can find him." answered Marcus.

"Did you guys get separated? Where is he now?" asked Zoey feeling sympathy for Marcus.

"Yeah, we were attacked by a very very very bad man. He stayed behind so our group could get away. I'm pretty sure he would be here if Takashi didn't encourage members of our group that we needed to leave." explained Marcus.

"So who is his wife?" asked Gabby.

"Her." said Ariel as she pointed to Saeko outside fighting off the infected in her own little zone.

"Woah." said all the kids at once.

"Yeah woah… wait what?" said Marcus as he turned to see that Saeko wasn't with them, he then noticed Brian wasn't here either.

"Wait here kids and don't move a muscle!" ordered Marcus as he ran down the stairs to go find Brian.

The kids just obeyed him and just kept watching outside as the battle raged on. Marcus watched as Brian was heading for the door barely being held back by the crowbar.

"Momma!" cried out Brian once more as he could see his infected mother trying to force the door open.

"Brian stop! That's not her, at least not anymore." explained Marcus as he ran down the hall.

The crowbar suddenly slipped out gave way to the overwhelming pressure from the infected outside. Infected busted through the boarded up windows as well breaching the building.

Before they could grab Brian, Marcus rushed over and scooped him up. He then carried the heart broken kid back upstairs before it was too late for both of them.

"Quick barricade the door!" shouted Marcus.

Meanwhile Saeko leapt back with her blade held out scraping against the wall creating enough noise to draw even more infected to her. She held up her blade breathing heavily. Despite her love for killing infected she had worn herself out too quickly.

The first of many corpses approached her. Before Saeko could make a last stand an arrow whizzed past her head. The first infected woman toppled over before her. She looked back to see a motorcycle suddenly go off a ramp and land not far from her.

"Let's even these odds!" shouted Frasier as he held his hand out.

Saeko held her hand out grasping his as he kept driving. She flipped around and was now sitting behind him. Frasier drove right towards the infected mob.

Already knowing what he was going to do Saeko held her arm out with the katana at the end. Frasier then power drifted the bike leaving skid marks along the parking lot. Saeko's blade decapitated the first row of infected as a result.

"Where is my brother?" asked Frasier as he noticed the broadsword sticking out of a chest cavity.

"Inside with Ariel and a few others." answered Saeko.

"Few others? At least tell me one of them is who we need." said Frasier as he did another power drift.

"Yeah-" said Saeko before taking out more infected in the second sweep. "- unfortunately the mother is infected, only Brian and several other kids remain." explained Saeko.

Frasier drove by the dead man with Marcus' broadsword sticking out of him. He grabbed the handle tearing the torso in two as he pulled it. Frasier then swiped along the neck of the nearest infected.

"Drive down the middle of that gap!" instructed Saeko as she held her katana to the left side.

Frasier acknowledged her and drove at top speed towards the gap of infected that were burned from the molotov strikes. He held the broadsword to the right side of the bike ready for the massacre. When they entered the gap of infected the two blades sliced and carved down entire rows of infected within seconds.

The SUV drove by and everyone inside could see Frasier was back and taking names.

"He's back! He's back! I told you the gummy bears would help!" announced Alice as she hugged Rika from behind.

"Careful squirt I need to concentrate on the wheel." reminded Rika.

"Better start kissing up to Saeko Takashi!" teased Shizuka as she watched Frasier park the bike along the window then enter the building.

Saeko remained outside to make sure no more infected could get inside the perimeter. Frasier loaded an arrow in his cross bow as he hid behind a corner trying not to alert the infected right away.

There were at least ten on them in the hallway of the first floor. He then let out a loud battle cry trying to attract the infected to him. All the grey heads turned towards him and began to go straight for him.

Frasier fired a single arrow pinning the infected Maria against a wall. He then holstered the crossbow along his back and picked up the broadsword ready to charge the infected head on. His feet took off as his blade glided along the wall.

He then raised it only to bring it down diagonally along the shoulder of an infected woman. Despite the attack she kept moving in towards him. Frasier placed his leg up only to kick outwards sending the woman into the wall.

An infected man quickly grabbed his right forearm forcing it into the wall. While another rushed in to help Frasier held his foot out keeping that one at bay. He then used his left arm to keep the head back of the one holding his right arm back.

Unable to use the sword Frasier grabbed his commando knife with his teeth and swung his head sideways stabbing the dagger into the temple of the one holding his arm down. When it let go Frasier stabbed forward into the bloody eye socket of the one he was holding back with his foot.

With only a few more left he retreated upstairs. His side began to ache from his arrow wound.

"Ugh where is Shizuka when I need her?" mumbled Frasier to himself as his arrow wound reopened itself from the high amount of physical activity.

"Looks like it won't be long until the infected are wiped out from this area." commented Ariel as she and Marcus watched their friends finishing off the small amount infected left outside.

Suddenly the door made a loud bang as something was thrown against it. Everyone turned as the desks they piled up against the door began to wobble.

"Stay back kids I'll try to hold them off while you all try to get outside." said Marcus as he picked up a chair ready for a last stand.

The door kept banging over and over sending fear into the hearts of everyone of the room. The desks soon toppled over and were no longer barricading the door. Marcus held the chair up and slowly wrapped his fingers thigh around the legs of it.

The next time the door was hit it came clean off its hinges. Two infected corpses were thrown into the room as the door came down. Yet when they hit the ground their heads were already smashed in. Marcus then looked up at the door way to see a figure wander in with blood coated along his sage green shirt.

**{}**

"Brother…" muttered Marcus.

"Brother." smiled Frasier as he walked over dropping the bloody broadsword behind him.

"Is that him?" asked Jacob looking up at Ariel.

"It is… although it seems he had a change of attire while we were seperated." answered Ariel.

The hallway behind him was painted in infected blood and the floors were littered with ravages limbs. Both brothers embraced one another in a hug finally reunited once more.

"Ahem." announced Saya from behind them.

Everyone in the room turned over to see the rest of the group was with them now.

"So which one is the kid we need?" asked Takashi.

"That one over there." answered Marcus pointing towards the kid.

"What about us?" asked Zoey as she spoke for all the other kids in her group.

"Sorry but there is no way we can fit all of you inside our ride. Hopefully someone else will find you guys." explained Takashi.

"Are you mad Takashi? We can't abandon children!" protested Khota.

"Well how do you think we are going to get them all out then? We would have to leave behind a big chunk of our group to bring them with us." said Takashi.

"This is a school right? I'm sure they have a bus around here somewhere, we have plenty of time to find one." reasoned Rei.

"Even if we do find a bus with keys and gas we won't have nearly enough food for everyone. Even rationing the food would leave us hungry." brought up Takashi.

"The cafeteria will have food! Let's just take whatever we can find and load up. We can split off into two groups so this won't take as long, and don't leave anyone behind this time no matter what." said Saeko as she narrowed her eyes at Takashi for the last bit of that sentence.

With that said the group spit off into two groups. Group one consisted of Frasier, Marcus, Rei, and Saeko and they were to find the cafeteria. The other group was made up of Khota, Takashi, Ariel, Saya, and Rika who had to find a bus. Shizuka and Alice remained inside with the kids so they wouldn't wander off or be a liability if something went wrong.

When the first group found the cafeteria the doors were chained shut from the inside. Even Saeko and Frasier could manage to fit their swords in to break the lock.

"Any ideas?" asked Rei.

"Yeah let's find the weight room." said Frasier.

"I don't think now is a good time for a workout big brother." joked Marcus feeling glad that his older brother made it back to the group despite the odds.

Frasier pushed open the doors and looked around the room they were entering to see that the weight room was abandoned. He then walked over grabbing a 45lb bar.

"Marcus, add two plates to each side." ordered Frasier.

"Plates?" questioned Rei unsure of what Fraser was asking of Marcus.

"It's what you call a 45lb weight. A lot simpler when you need to save your breath for lifting these heavy things." explained Marcus as he added them on just as he was told.

"Ok now pick it up from the front I'll take up the rear." said Frasier as he lifted the back.

Marcus chuckled at that comment and lifted the front of the bar. All four walked outside and made their way back to the cafeteria waiting to see what Frasier had in mind.

"Ok Marcus on three we are going to run into that door and bust it down the old fashion way." explained Frasier.

"Are you sure Frasier? You look like crap, when's the last time you ate?" asked Rei as she then noticed the makeshift bandage at his side.

Before she could say anything Frasier set down the bar and held his side.

"What's wrong? Lift your shirt and let us see." said Marcus as he set the bar down.

Saeko slowly lifted it up to see the blood soaked cloth around his wound. She then lifted it to see that he was bleeding out of it.

"We need to have Shizuka look at that." commented Rei.

"No I've got a way that will save time and resources." protested Frasier as Marcus helped him up.

Both brothers walked over to the flames that were still lit from the molotovs. Frasier knelt beside it and grabbed one of the arrows from his quiver that never had been fired yet. He then held the metal tip into the flames letting it heat up.

"I see where this is going. Are you sure you're up for this?" asked Saeko placing her hand on his shoulder.

Frasier nodded slowly as he then placed the burning hot tip against the entry wound. His eyes began to water as the heat singed his flesh together. He then held the tip against the exit wound and sealed it together.

"Damn." thought all the other members of the team as they watched him cauterize himself.

"Let's go open that damn door." said Frasier as he rose to his feet.

Marcus noticed a fallen army man with a caved in skull. On the flak vest Marcus spotted a pistol in the holster. He pulled it out and looked at it.

"Hey I found a Beretta!" announced Marcus.

"Keep it, your lack of training with a sword will be a hindrance." ordered Rei.

Marcus nodded placing the pistol in a bag and moved on.

Meanwhile the second group was walking by the main office part of the school. They managed to locate a few of the school buses that didn't end up making it out of the school in time. Most had infected inside of them but one bus seemed to be pure of the walking corpses.

Takashi and Rika slowly pried it open as Khota aimed his custom built weapon at the door way. When no infected popped out he carefully walked up the stairs and looked down the aisle to see no presence of the infected. Just to be sure he got down on the floor and checked under all the seats.

However no infected were or possibly have ever been on this bus despite the others ones next to it. Khota then stood back up and pulled the sun visor down to see that the previous driver left the keys there.

"It's all clear guys and I think lady luck is smiling on us." exclaimed Khota as he dangled the keys.

"Awesome! I'll go set the bus by the other team." announced Rika as she got in the driver's seat and snagged the keys from Khota's hands.

"Let's go see how they're doing." suggested Saya as she began to already walk off without waiting for anyone's response.

With nothing better to do Takashi and Khota both followed her. When all three got to the outside of the cafeteria they watched as Marcus and Frasier both shouted "Three!"

The brothers then charged forward with their ram bashing the cafeteria doors wide open. The chains snapped and scattered all over the place. Luckily no infected were inside so the noise was of no concern.

After setting down the weights, the teams both walked in towards the freezer placed in the back. All seven of them smiled as there was enough preserved food left over for everyone.

"You guys manage to find a bus?" asked Rei.

"Yeah Rika should be here any moment now. I guess things are finally going our way for once." said Khota.

"Saeko go tell the others that we will be ready to depart soon. We'll handle the rest from here." said Frasier.

As Saeko walked off Takashi snuck away to catch up with her.

"Hey Saeko wait up!" said Takashi as he jogged up to her.

"What do you want Takashi? I'm pretty sure you need to be helping out with the food transfer." questioned Saeko.

"I wanted to talk about us." replied Takashi.

"Us? What about us? There is no us Takashi and there never was." replied Saeko as anger began to rise in her voice.

"Then what about that night at the Shinto Temple? When we kissed." reminded Takashi.

"That was you coming onto me. I didn't kiss you back Takashi." explained Saeko.

"Then explain why you didn't stop me?" asked Takashi.

This time Saeko had no answer for that one.

"See? Saeko I was there for you during the first outbreaks, I'm the one that saved you and kept you alive. Not Frasier, but me." said Takashi.

"I… I didn't know what to believe. The world was ending; maybe I did feel something for you before I knew he was still alive. However you stuck with Rei so that's your fault not mine. Now get the hell out of here before you regret it." warned Saeko.

"Just think about it." said Takashi as he walked away before his absence aroused any suspicion.

Saeko just stood there by the building with her fists gripped tight. She then punched the wall trying to keep a calm perspective of things. After a few seconds of getting a grip Saeko walked into the classroom and looked to see the kids were all gathered around Zeke.

All the kids would take turns petting his belly as he lay on his back. His little tail wagged back and forth enjoying the attention.

"Wow! Your dog is so cool Alice!" commented Brian as his worries became lessened by his love for dogs.

"Oh… why thank you Brian." replied Alice shyly.

"Alice you can speak English?" questioned Saeko as she approached everyone.

"Just a little, I learned from Giru! He speaks like… everything." replied Alice.

"Is it time to get going?" asked Shizuka as she stood up from the circle.

Saeko nodded and motioned to the bus slowly driving towards the building.

"Alright kids time to get going and remember not to touch anything until we get on to the bus." instructed Saeko as the kids all grabbed their backpacks and began to walk out single file.

As the kids made it outside the group made sure to stick close by unless some of the infected weren't entirely dead. So far everything was going according to plan. With no signs of the infected everything was at peace for now.

"All right boys and girls find a spot to sit down and if you need to go to the bathroom now is a good time!" announced Rika over the small intercom.

When everyone had found a seat the bus began to move rolling over and squishing the corpses under it. Organs were squirted out as bones were crushed. The kids sat down quietly unsure of what was to come next.

Meanwhile Saeko, Frasier, and (with much convincing) Alice were all on the motorcycle riding alongside the bus. To make room Frasier traded Marcus' his crossbow for his broadsword.

"So what do you think this place was called before They showed up?" asked Rei aloud.

"It doesn't matter what it was then but what it is now." commented Saya.

"What is it now?" asked Khota.

"High school of the Dead." answered Marcus.

The bus continued to drive on from California all the way to Kansas. On the late afternoon of the third day traveling back, the peace and quiet was suddenly interrupted.

**Z-Day+88**

"Hey look another motorcycle!" announced Frank as he looked out the window.

"What? Where?" asked Marcus as he walked over to see what was going on.

When Marcus saw the figure on oncoming bike he quickly ran to the front of the bus.

"Heads up guys we've got company!" announced Marcus.

Everyone in the front of the bus immediately jumped out of their seats now on full alert. Khota reached for his weapon and began to pump the lever while Marcus rolled down the window.

"Frasier heads up we have company!" shouted Marcus.

"Who is it?" asked Frasier.

"Durge!" replied Marcus.


	48. Act 23 Land of the Dead Finale

**Act 23 Land of the Dead Finale**

Frasier quickly evaded to the side in time dodging Durge's charge. Alice gripped his sides tight and closed her eyes not wanting to open them. Saeko drew her blade as her legs tightened around the seat.

Durge suddenly pulled out a long blade catching Frasier by surprise.

"Is that your Knight sword?" asked Saeko as she deflected the first few swings Durge made before passing them.

"Yeah when we first fought he managed to disarm me and I never got it back. I was overconfident the first time, but I think I can take him with a blade now." explained Frasier as he looked at his side to see Marcus' broadsword at his hip.

Khota stuck his torso out the window and began to fire away at Durge when he came back for another round. The crazed bounty hunter reacted by swerving and outmaneuvering anything that came his way.

"Where is my Beretta?" asked Marcus as he searched the bags for it.

Durge passed the bus and pulled a U-turn making another pass for Frasier. As the highway pursuit continued the two motorcycles went into an exit route taking them off course from the rest of the group.

"We need to get Alice out of the crossfire Saeko. We can't fight him if she is in the way." said Frasier.

"Alice when we stop I want you to run as fast as you can and hide." ordered Saeko.

Alice nodded and took deep breathes feeling as if she was going to be sick from the high amount of stress.

Frasier sped up and lost Durge for the time being. When the bike stopped Alice hopped off with her backpack and ran off as ordered. Frasier then sped off trying to lure Durge away.

The first building Alice saw was a church; there were plenty of places to hide in there for someone her size. She quickly ran into the church as her heart raced uncontrollably. Instead of taking the bait Durge followed her inside and watched as she backed into a corner.

Alice was paralyzed with fear as she closed her eyes tight. With her back against the wall, she held out her backpack as if expecting it to keep Durge away. 

"Please just go away!" shouted Akice as tears ran down her cheeks. 

As Durge reached out slowly, his head suddenly jolted back. Alice quickly opened her eyes to see Giru was within the bag had leapt out onto Durge's head. 

The small robot was actually protecting her. His metal claws began to sink into Durge's flesh despite the brute thrashing around violently trying to pry the robot off of him. 

"Run Alice." said Giru as his visor glowed different colors. 

The little girl nodded and ran off further into the church to hide. As she ran she didn't dare look back as Giru did his best to hold Durge off. 

"Come here you little cretin." growled Durge as he managed to grab a hold of Giru holding him up with one hand. 

"You want a piece of me? You want a piece?" asked Giru as he swiped his claws around trying to hit Durge. 

"No I want two!" replied Durge as he bent Giru over his knee and broke the poor little machine in two. 

He then tossed Giru's remains against a wall then walked towards the stage where Alice was hiding near. Giru's visor slowly dimmed out indicating he was no longer "alive". 

**{AVP 3 OST-Predalien Battle}**

Suddenly Saeko and Frasier busted into the church hoping they weren't too late. Durge turned around knowing he couldn't last long against both of them at the same time. He had to knock the fight out of one of them and fast. 

They both charged straight on giving Durge no time to think. All four blades collided at once. Saeko and Frasier both began to press down with all their might causing Durge to weaken his stance. As he fell to one knee he swung his gauntlet at Frasier causing him to jump back to avoid being sliced open.

Durge then got back up and spun around hitting Saeko with a backspin kick. The crippling force threw her into the church benches. Before she could recover Durge ran over and kicked one over onto her legs pinning her. He raised his foot and stepped down on her wrist causing her to drop the katana. Durge kicked it aside just in case she still had some fight in her.

Saeko let out a cry of pain as she was trapped under the bench with barely any oxygen to breathe after being hit in the solar plexus. Durge now only had one last opposition to face off with.

"This is how it was meant to be Frasier. Just you and I! I'll admit, you're my greatest challenge yet but all hunts must come to an end." announced Durge as he grinded his wrist gauntlets against Frasier's knight sword.

Frasier held the broadsword tight in his hands. His blood boiled as his eyes focused onto Durge. His breath became heavy as he then thought of how to use Durge's strength against him.

"You're right Durge, this is how it's meant to be." acknowledged Frasier.

He then tossed the broadsword aside watching how Durge would react. Durge just grinned and tossed the knight sword aside. He then detached the bladed gauntlet letting it fall alongside his feet. The metal gauntlet clanged against the floor but then remained silent indicating the beginning of the final battle.

"RRRAAAGGGHHHH." shouted out Durge as he charged forward with his right arm raised. His boots echoed throughout the abandoned church.

Frasier began by swinging his fist down like a hammer to bring the charge to a halt, Durge dodged to the side. Durge quickly threw a hook punch only for Frasier to move his torso backwards. He then came forward delivering a quick jab to the jaw. Alice watched as the speed they were going at was nearly impossible to follow.

They both stopped for a second to reset their stances keeping their hands up high. Frasier attempted to deliver another jab since it worked last time. Durge caught his wrist and twisted to the side, Frasier quickly threw his free elbow forward.

Durge let go of the wrist and swatted the elbow aside like it was nothing. He then brought his fist upwards in an uppercut motion. Frasier clapped his hand on Durge's forearm then his other fist around Durge's fist when it came forward.

Frasier then pushed both his arms outwards leaving Durge exposed. With a quick recovery he hit Durge with a palm strike causing him to stagger a few feet back.

"So long as I stand you will not harm them!" vowed Frasier as he stood there knowing that Durge wasn't going to run away this time.

Durge wiped his mouth one way and spat blood in the different direction. He then took his combat stance once more ready to fight.

Frasier came running forward throwing his foot forward, Durge clamped both hands around his shin only to let go and block a counter punch. Durge threw a hook punch trying to open up Frasier's defenses. After the first was blocked he threw another one to keep the pressure up.

In exchange Frasier attempted to deliver two punches to break the onslaught. Unfortunately after Durge blocked them he brought his hand down like a knife and struck Frasier on the shoulder sending immense pain to Frasier's neck. Despite anything he could throw with his fists Durge would block and immediately counter it. After taking a back hand to the face Frasier had to change his tactics.

Suddenly Durge threw up his leg towards Frasier's head. With no way to block it and remain vulnerable Frasier ducked straight down, as he stood back up he lifted his leg up to block Durge's low kick on the follow up.

Frasier went on the attack and threw up his leg once more in hopes that he could hit Durge's head and start up a combination of hits. Durge as usual blocked it as if able to see it coming a mile away.

Despite the lack of damage he has dealt so far Frasier conserved his air as Durge this entire time has been wasting his. Frasier watched the sweat drip from his opponent's brow as Durge threw yet another punch.

Frasier blocked it with both hands grasping it tight as he kicked at the same time striking at the sides of Durge's ribcage. Durge grunted only to show that one hand had caught the kick, he then grabbed Frasier's foot with his other hand and pushed upwards knocking him onto his back.

Durge then leapt straight up in the aie with a fist raised for momentum. As it came down Frasier moved his head to the side. When Durge's fist struck the floor boards it shattered from the sheer power and force.

With a perfect opening Frasier curled both legs back and kicked forward knocking Durge back. With hardly any air left Durge was pushed into a defensive mode. Both titans just stared one another down as Frasier got back onto his feet.

Frasier quickly kicked with his right leg then with his left leg. Both attacks blocked casually by Durge's forearms, but what caught him by surprise was when Frasier slid on his knees going low for the groin. Knowing he couldn't feel physical pain down there Durge let the punch go through.

Suddenly Frasier's fist went a bit higher going for the belly. Un-expecting this Durge was hit hard and set off guard.

Frasier with one final effort landed a perfect round house kick along Durge's lower torso causing him to bend over slightly. With his left hand Frasier stuck Durge across the face once then a second time with his right hand. To continue his streak of luck he kicked against Durge's left side this time causing another bend over.

Then to finish his combo and conserve his energy, Frasier knelt down while he made his hand straight to bring it down along Durge's exposed neck as his other hand made a fist and struck Durge in the side for good measure.

Durge however managed to grab Frasier's hand and spun around throwing him against the wall. Despite the volley of punches that followed after, Frasier managed to block each one with ease. When he struck Durge once more the fiend's head was turned to one side.

As Durge's head turned back, Frasier watched to see that his nose was knocked out of place. Durge's eyes were no longer filled with vengeance, now they were filled with pure rage. He gripped his nose and cracked it back into place. He then let out a blood curling shout as he rushed towards his prey.

Frasier himself was intimidated by the sight but in his mind he kept cool from the years of training. Durge threw punch after punch against the wall leaving massive cracks and holes when Frasier would dodge them.

Once one of his fists was caught in the wooden wall, Frasier struck back with rapid jabs to the torso. With his free hand Durge grabbed Frasier by the neck and slammed him into the wall. He then pulled his fist out of the wall and held Frasier with both hands throwing him up onto the stage knocking over the table was hiding under.

Candles that were lit landed on the table cloth igniting them. The young girl ran off with her backpack towards Giru as the two continued their final battle. She knelt down by Giru and cried as the sentient machine had given up what she considered life for her.

As she picked up the pieces in hope that Saya could put him back together she noticed something shiny was in the bag. Her small hands slowly wrapped around it pulling it out of the bag. Alice then looked over towards the fight watching as the fire began to spread towards the steeple. 

Durge still in his blood frenzy punched Frasier across the face going back and forth relentlessly. He then kicked against the ribs following up with an uppercut to the stomach then another uppercut to the jaw knocking Frasier off his feet and to the ground.

As Frasier got back up onto his feet Durge came forward bring his leg straight up into the air. As Frasier moved to the side he held his fist up. Durge then brought his leg back down forcing Frasier to block in an X formation with both his arms. With no way to block Durge's fists Frasier took a hit to the jaw. Durge then punched straight forward and finished off the battle by kicking Frasier right in the jaw knocking him over once more.

Durge then kneeled over him and pulled the commando dagger out from the sheath on Frasier's left arm.

"This is it Frasier! This is the part where you die!" shouted out Durge as he held up the commando knife ready to finish his contract once and for all. 

The knife came down fast. Out of reaction and desperation, Frasier held his palm out. The blade pierced right on through but was at least slowed down. Durge began to slowly press down with all his might as he had menacing look on his face. 

"This time Rhys won't come in to save you, your bitch Saeko isn't in any condition to stop me! After I kill you I'm going to kill everyone else in your little group." bellowed out Durge as his voice became more and more deranged. 

Frasier cried out in pain and anger as he tried to fight back. He could do nothing but put all his willpower and strength into keeping Durge from pushing the knife into his face. 

"I think I'll start from oldest to youngest. I'll make the kids watch me brutally tear your family up bit by bit! Then I'll slowly strangle the life out of each one with my bare hands." continued Durge as the knife kept going further and further down. 

Frasier's eyes widened as the fire within the church continued to grow. The tip of the knife drew closer and closer to his eye. 

"NOW DI-" was all Durge could bellow out before a gunshot rang out. 

Frasier then watched as Durge let go off the knife and slowly looked down at his own chest. A patch of red began to emerge growing in size where is heart was meant to be. 

Durge coughed up blood onto Frasier's face and slowly staggered back onto his feet. As he felt the blood trickling down his open wound Durge staggered a bit. 

"But I'm... the best... assassin... in the..." was all Durge could say before he fell backwards off the high stage and down to the ground level. 

A horrible piercing noise could be heard as he landed. 

Frasier held his right hand up then gripped the knife handle with his left. He slowly pulled it out causing his teeth to grit as he tried his best to resist the urge to scream.

He then sat up looking forward to see Alice in tears with the pistol in her small hands before him. Frasier slowly stood up and walked over to her. 

Alice still in fear held up the gun. Her hands trembled as she couldn't tell friend from foe. The fire within the church already had reached the steeple; it wouldn't be long until the entire place was going to come down. 

"Stay away... please don't hurt me..." begged Alice as her mind was in total shock from what she just did. 

Frasier towered over her only to kneel down before her. He looked Alice in the eyes and held his hand out softly. 

"It's ok Alice, the bad man is gone. Just put the gun down and relax." said Frasier trying to calm the frightened child. 

Alice dropped the pistol and fell to her knees sobbing. Frasier gently wrapped his arms around her and kept the small child close. 

"C'mon... let's get you out of here." said Frasier as he placed Alice up on his shoulders. 

While getting down from the stage, both looked over to see Durge was impaled on a small cross set out by someone long ago. The once clean cross was now coated red with the blood of the infamous bounty hunter. 

Alice covered her eyes as Frasier scanned the area for Saeko. 

"Saeko? Where are you?" shouted Frasier. 

"Over here..." announced Saeko. 

Frasier ran over to her to see the knocked over benches keeping her pinned down. He quickly lifted one up giving her the time to slip out. Saeko slowly stood up staggering a bit. She then sheathed her blade and held the knight sword. 

"Are you ok?" asked Frasier as he watched her legs. 

"It hurts to walk... don't worry about me. " responded Saeko as she limped towards the him. 

Frasier lifted Saeko off her feet and carried her at his front while Alice remained attached to his back. He moved as fast as possible towards the front door. 

With very little time left, he kicked open the doors running out into the front of the church. The flames crackled and soon consumed the entire church. Loud creaks could be heard coming from the steeple. 

Frasier came to a quick halt though when he saw that all the noise and commotion had attracted the attention of the nearby infected. They all limped and walked towards him as he could do nothing to defend himself without letting go of Saeko and Alice. 

As all seemed lost, a bright light appeared from the corner of his eye. A loud honking noise could be heard as the light became even brighter. The school bus came driving through running over the nearest infected. 

The doors opened up slowly as Takashi and Marcus came running out. They both helped their injured friend on board just in time. 

"Hit it!" ordered Takashi looking up at Rika. 

She began to drive forward leaving the infected far behind them. As Shizuka tended to Frasier's deep cut, everyone else in the back of the bus watched as the steeple finally gave way falling backwards. 

It crushed the roof of the church and caused the entire structure to collapse in on itself. The kids just watched the flames remain strong as Rika continued to drive West. 

"How is he?" asked Saeko as Rei placed ice on her bruised thigh and wrist. 

"It's really bad; I can't stitch him up if we're moving. We need to set up somewhere and fast." explained Shizuka. 

"Stop at the most convenient spot, we'll set up camp for a day or two. If we lose him then getting into England won't be easy." explained Takashi. 

"What about me?" asked Marcus. 

"Do you look like father?" asked Frasier. 

Marcus thought about it for a second then just shook his head. Rika kept driving as the kids began to gather around Frasier to see his cut. 

"Go on scram." ordered Frasier as he took up an entire seat by himself wanting to be alone. 

The kids ignored his attitude and just looked at him, Alice being one of them. 

"What do they want?" asked Frasier as he noticed Saeko towering above them. 

"They're curious... kids look up to the biggest and oldest males." answered Saeko as she walked through the tiny crowd to talk with him. 

"Can't they look from over there? I really don't want to be the baby sitter right now." explained Frasier. 

"Haha very well... c'mon kids lets go play a game." ordered Saeko as she motioned them to go sit elsewhere. 

Before leaving Saeko leaned over towards Frasier and kissed his cheek. 

"If you're feeling better later we can use the last one in the box." whispered Saeko before walking away. 

Frasier smiled to himself enjoying the thought then softly closed his eyes to get some much needed rest. 

"So it's really over huh?" asked Khota to Saya. 

"For now... yes I would say it is, but bear in mind that we have a long way before reaching England." replied Saya gently pressing herself into Khota. 

Khota just sat there feeling his face blush from Saya's affection. He gently reached over her shoulder and brought her closer to him. Saya softly smiled on the inside as she closed her eyes. 

"How will Giru be?" asked Alice as she sat with Rei. 

Rei and Takashi both looked at each other then back to Alice. 

"Well... Saya will do as best she can, but I'm afraid she can't fix Giru until we get better tools and equipment. Until then I'm afraid Giru is broken Alice." explained Rei trying to remind Alice that Giru is a machine not a human. 

"B-b-bbuut Saya can fix anything! She's the smartest person ever!" said Alice unable to see the difference in machine and man. 

"She will do her best but it will take some time. I'm sorry but there is nothing we can do about it." explained Takashi in a more serious and direct tone so Alice would get the message.

Alice nodded and walked away to join with the other kids to see what they were up to.

"Rika stop by that motel, we can try and barricade it with those nearby cars. The kids deserve some decent rest after all." said Shizuka.

Rika pulled the bus over into the small parking area then turned the engine off.

"Ok this is how we're doing things. The grownups are going to go check the motel out and see if it's safe or not. Meanwhile Frasier and Shizuka will stay here with the kids." explained Rika.

The kids nodded then just watched as Shizuka sat by Frasier's side stitching his hand up. After thirty minutes of careful searching the motel seemed to be cleared up of any infected presence.

"Must have been quite a battle, you should be ok but don't put any stress on it for at least a few weeks." advised Shizuka as she made some finishing touches on her medical work.

"I guess that means no fighting the infected then?" asked Frasier disappointed.

"I'm afraid not, and neither should Saeko. Her wrist looked pretty bad, please just let us take over alright? Our group is strong enough for you guys to relax for awhile." requested Shizuka.

"Alright I'll try, and thanks once again for the tune up. I don't know what I'd do without you." thanked Frasier.

"Judging by that wound I'd say bleed out?" suggested Saya as she walked into the buss.

"Is it safe?" asked Alice.

"Yes for now anyways. Little kids take the upper rooms while everyone else takes the lower floors. There are hot showers available youngest to oldest is how we agreed to distribute turns. Also we have Rika and Khota keeping lookout as we rest tonight. Now everyone get moving!" ordered Saya taking command.

"Hey Marcus." whispered Frasier trying to grab Marcus' attention when he walked by the bus.

"Yeah what's up?" asked Marcus.

Frasier looked all around first to make sure no one was looking. He then leaned in and whispered into Marcus ear.

"What happened to the condoms? How are we already out?" asked Frasier curiously.

"Ohh... yeah... while you were on the motorcycle the kids were going through the bags looking for food and stumbled onto them." replied Marcus.

"Oh man what did you tell them when they asked?" asked Frasier.

"Well... I had to think quickly so I-" hesitated Marcus.

"You?" questioned Frasier.

"- may have told them they were finger puppets and placed them on my fingers when they didn't believe me." finished Marcus.

"Oh you can't be serious." said Frasier trying not to laugh at the thought.

"The gang is all here." said Marcus in a funny voice while wiggling all his fingers.

Frasier covered his mouth trying his best to keep things quiet.

"Here, I managed to save one because you're the most likely of us who would need it." said Marcus as held an unopened packet in his hand.

"Why me?" asked Frasier as he took the packet slowly.

"Well Khota and Saya took one for later which I'm certain is tonight when they're alone, Takashi sure as hell won't need it." answered Marcus.

"What about you?" asked Frasier.

"What about me? Ariel is too young, for more than just this. Also now that the subject is up I wanted to talk to you about something." said Marcus.

"I'm all ears brother." acknowledged Frasier.

"Well it's about Ariel obviously, I think she needs to go back home. This is a new world for her and a dangerous one at that. It's too risky for her to come with us; I'd die inside if anything bad happened to her. I love her with all my heart Frasier, which is why she must go back to where it is safe." explained Marcus.

"The safest place on Earth is the U.K Marcus no infected have managed to enter our home I guarantee-" was all Frasier said before Marcus interrupted him.

"Brother! I know home is the safest place but the journey there isn't. Please just trust me on this one and do what is right." pleaded Marcus.

"Alright I understand little brother, did you at least talk to her about it?" asked Frasier.

"Yeah, she was reluctant at first but I promised her I'd return for her when it was possible." explained Marcus.

Frasier nodded and looked down at his stitched up hand. Luckily he kept that knife clean or else he may have been infected when Durge stabbed it.

"So you really did it huh? How did you kill him?" asked Marcus curious about Durge's demise.

"Ask Alice, she's the one who fired your Berretta." replied Frasier as he stood up to go use one of the free showers.

He closed the door behind him and began to pull his clothes off bit by bit as the hot steamy water continued running from the previous user. When he heard the door opening behind him he quickly reached for a towel. Saeko slowly entered then locked the door behind her smiling.

"I can see you're feeling better, mind if I join you?" asked Saeko.

"Of course not." smiled Frasier as he dropped the towel and moved into the shower.

Saeko quickly stripped down and jumped in with him unable to hold back any further. She turned him around and held him close to her. Despite almost dying today their battle for survival only made them stronger. Saeko then looked up and gazed into his eyes.

"I need to tell you something, but you can't act out on it ok?" asked Saeko.

"Alright." responded Frasier.

"Promise?" asked Saeko just to be extra sure.

"Yes." replied Frasier.

"Takashi kissed me on the second night of the outbreaks. He thinks that there is something between us and he struck me when I nearly lost it in a battle with Them while you were separated from us. I just want you to know so you can trust me when I say that I love you and that my loyalty lies only with you." explained Saeko.

"I… very well I'm glad you came to me about this. Thank you Saeko, just know that if he gives me any reason to I will beat him senseless." replied Frasier.

"I'd be disappointed if you didn't." smiled Saeko as she then felt down his chest. She then felt the arrow wound with her finger tips. Frasier winced a bit at the slight sting; he then held both her hands as the steam that covered them soon became a shroud over them.

**Z-Day+89**

The next morning the bus doors opened up. All the kids and members of the group got on board ready to end the great trip back to Georgia. 

Roughly twelve hours later the group arrived to see the forces of the Brotherhood and Fellowship in the midst of battle. Smoke could be seen in the skies as the golden fields were reduced to grey craters by the explosions. Luckily the bus was far enough to not be caught up in the crossfire but the off chance of being hit by a stray shell was still possible.

"No going back now. Full speed ahead." said Frasier as he stood by Shizuka's side.

Two jets soared by causing everyone's ears to ring for a few seconds. As they flew past the moving bus white lines could be seen behind them. When they reached the battlefield a scatter shot of explosions went off lighting up the battlefield.

Stinger missiles shot into the air in attempt to knock them out of the skies. The jets countermeasures deployed littering the sky with red flares. One jet however was unable to deploy the flares in time; the jet was consumed in a ball of fire as it plummeted to the ground.

Over the hills on the Brotherhood's side Abraham Tanks rolled forward blasting away at the Fellowship encampments. Their main cannons roared like thunder as they drove over the trenches. However the Fellowship fought back with Tomahawk missiles, the first barrage demolished the advancing waves of tanks with ease.

"Just look at those yanks go. It's a blood bath out there!" exclaimed Marcus as the battle raged on.

"Let's just hope that this war remains within the states. Last I heard Europe is in no better condition. If the Brotherhood gets ambitious then the infected won't be our only concern." commented Khota.

"You don't think that they could really invade another country while the infected are still around do you?" asked Rei.

"If any nation could do it the Americans have my money. Their military is the most advanced in the world; let's just keep our fingers crossed that the Fellowship can hold the line." answered Frasier.

Suddenly an artillery shell went off not too far in front of the bus. Dirt flew up pounding against the bus. Everyone looked up and gripped their fists tight knowing if one shell hit them they were done for.

"How much further until we're in the clear zone?" asked Takashi.

"We should be pretty close to the base actually, the Brotherhood must have pushed back the Fellowship all the way to the base." replied Marcus as he checked the map.

As much as no one wanted to believe what Marcus just said, his estimation was right on the money as they could see the base with the battle only fifty miles behind them. Shizuka stopped the bus down as two HuMVEEs drove up to them. Four armed soldiers walked out and approached the bus with their weapons raised.

"What are you guys doing here? This base is on lockdown, no one gets in unless given permission." explained one of the soldiers as he walked onto the bus to see what was going on the inside.

"We have important cargo sir, there are children on board one of them is the son of one of the pilots here." explained Frasier as he pointed to Brian.

"Holy crap you're the guys that were sent all the way out to California. What's with all the kids though?" asked the soldier.

"We found them along with Brian, we had to assume they were all orphans since they were all alone with Maria… whom did not make it by the way." answered Frasier.

"Shame, at least the kid is safe. Follow us and we can escort you guys safely inside without being blown to bits." said the soldier as he motioned the other troopers to go back to their vehicles.

As the HuMVEEs pulled back and led the way, Shizuka cautiously followed them until the group was once again at the military outpost. The fences opened up to them allowing entry, people began to gather around the bus to see what the commotion was about.

The doors opened up slowly as the group then began to step out one by one. When Brian walked off the steps James ran out from the crowd.

"Brian!" shouted James as he sprinted at full speed towards his son.

"Dad!" shouted Brain as he ran for his father.

Everyone who watched smiled as a father and son were reunited despite the odds. Tears ran down James' cheeks as he held his son tight never wanting to let go.

Frasier then walked over to James and motioned him that they needed to talk privately. James nodded and patted Brian's back.

"Wait here pup; I'll be back soon enough. I just need to talk to that boy about something." said James.

Brian nodded and watched as his father walked not too far away.

"Where is Maria?" asked James as he walked over to Frasier.

"I'm afraid she was infected before we got there. She had those elementary kids with her, luckily we were able to make it in time to save those them." answered Frasier.

"That wasn't part of the deal kid… I'm sorry but I can't fulfill my obligation. The Brotherhood isn't that far away and this base will need every able man to fight." said James.

"No… we didn't travel all that way just for you to pull back at the last minute." growled Frasier.

"I'm sorry but my hands are tied. I never even asked my CO about this, I didn't even expect you to make it back honestly." admitted James before walking away.

"James stop, this isn't what Maria would have wanted is it?" questioned Victor as he walked over to join in the conversation.

"Leave me alone Victor, I need to go-" said James before he was interrupted.

"But nothing! You made a promise and you need to stick to it! If not for Maria then at least set an example for your son." argued Victor.

"I… yeah you're right, alright you've made your case I'll go get the damn plane set up. Just give me a few moments to grief while you guys get your crap together." said James in a despaired voice.

As James walked away Frasier turned to Victor smiling at him.

"I talked to your little brother about returning his girlfriend back home. I can do it since it won't be safe for much longer here. Perhaps I can start a new life there if they're willing to accept me." explained Victor.

"Thanks Victor, I don't know what I would have done without your help. You've done so much for my group yet we've done nothing for you. There must be some way we can repay the favor?" asked Frasier.

Victor slowly pulled his fisherman's hat off revealing his bald head. He then looked over at Frasier's group and smiled.

"Just get those people to England and stay safe. That's all I ask of you. Especially that little girl, I can tell she has been through enough as it is." said Victor.

"I give you my word Victor, I'll do my best." vowed Frasier.

"They need a leader, despite that you guys vote on matters a leader is what will be needed when voting doesn't cut it." explained Victor before he walked away to the boat.

Meanwhile Ariel and Marcus were saying their last goodbyes.

"When we make it home, I'll find a way to bring you home safely." said Marcus as he looked down at Ariel.

"I'll be counting the days Marcus. Don't forget me alright?" asked Ariel as she pulled him in kissing Marcus deeply.

Marcus then looked down as Ariel left her tribal knife in his hands as way to remember her by. Ariel then opened her hands to realize that Marcus in return left his IPod (with their pictures) in her hands.

"C'mon if we're going to do this we're going to do it now." announced James as he walked over to the group.

As Brian and the group walked onto the large cargo plane, they turned back to see the other kids from the elementary school waving goodbye. Zoey even ran up to Marcus and handed him a picture they all drew back at the motel of the group as stick figures.

The survivors couldn't help but smile and wave goodbye to the kids (as well everyone else) while the back doors began to close up. With all goodbyes taken care of, everyone in the plane sat down and buckled up ready for the next chapter in their adventure.

The plane's engines started up causing the propellers to spin. After a few minutes of calibrations James pulled out of the airstrip and took off into the sky heading towards the great Atlantic.

"Next stop France!" announced James on the intercom as the plane flew off into the horizon.


	49. Act 24 Clans of the Dead Part 1

**Act 24  
>(7 days ago)<br>Z-Day+81**

Johann slowly walked over some sandbags propped up against a gas station window. When he looked around the store all he could see were knocked over shelves. Empty cans and bottles were littered all over the floor boards.

With each step he took the floor would creak. It sent chills down his spine hoping that he was the only one in this store.

Nothing of use or interest managed to catch his attention. Before arriving here Johann managed to stow away on a traveling ship. With no weapons Johann needed to find one and fast if he was to survive this world.

All he had on him was a dark blue t-shirt under a large, torn up grey coat. He still wore the same old motorcycle boots on his feet. Johann even managed to swap his torn up jeans for some worn out green cargo pants. His long hair was tied back into a pony tail he kept tucked in his coat to prevent being grabbed by it. After many days he had also grown his beard out once more but still managed to keep it somewhat tidy.

In the back where the medicine is normally kept, he spotted a corpse with a steel machete dug deep into its skull. Flies swarmed around the rotting flesh, they already began laying their eggs within the open flesh wounds.

His fingers wrapped around the handle of the machete, he then pulled back causing fresh blood to be spilled as Johann's new weapon was freed. He gave it a few swings to get an acquired feel for it.

The weapon was perfect for close quarter battles. Johann then thought of something that caused his alertness to spike.

If the corpse had a machete in its skull the way it was angled, then someone else would have to have done it. Suddenly Johann saw the shadow of another human figure behind him.

When a grey, decrepit hand grabbed his shoulder, Johann responded by gripping the wrist. He then spun around twisting its arm to the side only to slice it off. As the arm dropped to the floor the head soon followed after a single savage swipe.

When Johann checked over his most recent kill, he spotted a leather sheathe that made a perfect fit for the machete. There was now no doubt in his mind that this was originally that infected mans machete before he was bitten.

Johann took a few deep breathes and wiped the sweat off his brow before setting out again. After sheathing the machete, he vaulted over the window and began walking down the loan some road heading south.

Roughly twenty minutes later Johann came across a scene that personally afflicted him.

The body of a GSG-9 officer was sitting up against a blood splattered sign. While observing the unsettling scene he noticed that there was a massive exit wound at the back of his skull indicating suicide.

It pained him inside that someone as capable and deadly as a GSG-9 officer would resort to something like this. Johann had great respect for them; his uncle had told him many stories in his service to them. He had also taught Johann a few things that he learned back when he was just a recruit.

"If it wasn't for his guidance, I may not have made it this far." Johann thought to himself as he then picked up the H&K USP pistol this poor fellow used to end his noble life.

It felt wrong for him to be looting off the dead. However times have changed and the stakes grew higher each day.

Johann checked the tactical pouches and now had exactly three clips worth of ammo. He then stood up leaving everything else on the officer. Despite how the new rules of the world, Johann still wanted his respect for the GSG-9 to remain as strong as before.

Johann then grabbed a rag he found on the side of the road and slowly wiped the blood off of the sign to see where he was currently. When the words were clear it read "Willkommen in Hamburg" **("Welcome to Hamburg")**

As his jaw slightly dropped his hand slowly let go of the rag letting it drift away in the cool summer breeze. This was it; this was his hometown that Johann sought to return too.

Johann's footsteps echoed throughout the empty streets as he entered through the first of many rows of buildings. He noticed that the windows in the buildings were either boarded up or broken. It was almost as if there is (or at least were) a residency here.

The evening skies soon became darker as the sun set was gleaming off of the intact windows. With no sense of direction Johann had to find a place to rest for the night, or at least get his bearings straightened out.

The nights were warm for now but it wouldn't be long before the cold seasons arrive. Johann slipped into what seemed like an abandoned building keeping his eyes peeled for any signs of movement. Outside Johann could see at least ten figures moving about.

They were human but it was hard to tell if they were friendly or not. All of them were wearing rags and had a rough look to each one of them. Johann drew his silenced pistol and aimed at the closest one just in case things ugly.

Suddenly he heard the sound of broken glass being stepped on. Johann turned around in time to duck from a wild swing of a lead pipe. After he rolled to the side, Johann raised the pistol and fired three times causing the attacker to fall over.

Johann then looked back out the window to see that the commotion had clearly caught the attention of the men around walking outside.

"Hey Hans ist alles in Ordnung da drin?" ("Hey Hans is everything alright in there?") asked one of them.

Before they decided to move in, Johann slowly crept towards the back entrance. The vibe of these men gave him a terrible feeling, deep down he knew they were dangerous.

"Ich habe geschossen, da ist jemand anderes in here! Lassen Sie ihn nicht weg!" (I've been shot, there's someone else in here! Don't let him get away!") shouted the man Johann thought was dead.

Now that they were onto me him, he had no choice but to try and make a break for it. Johann ran through the store and bolted for the exit. The windows began to shatter from their gunfire as he ran by them.

Johann pushed the door open and ran into a parking lot trying to evade them. While he ran he felt he was being watched by an unknown presence. With no clear idea of where he was going, Johann crawled under a car and watched as the men caught up.

They stopped right by the car he was under and stood around waiting for one of them to catch up. His heart was pounding away rapidly as he slowly breathed through his teeth to keep the noise level low.

"Wie schlimm war es? Wird er es ok?"**("How bad was it? Will he be ok?") **asked one of them.

"Er blutet aus ziemlich schlecht. Wir müssen ihn zurück zu unserem sicheren Haus und flicken ihn auf." **("He's bleeding out pretty badly. We have to get him back to our safe house and patch him up.")** explained the one that just caught up to the group.

"Nein, wir können nicht unsere medizinische Versorgung auf ihn. Er war dumm, vorpreschen, ohne dass wir also ist er auf seinem eigenen." **("No, we can't waste our medical supplies on him. He was foolish to rush ahead without us so he's on his own.")** said the one who was clearly in charge around here.

"Was wissen wir über den Kerl, der ihn erschossen zu tun?" **("What do we do about the guy that shot him?")** asked one of them.

"Breiten Sie suchen und diesen gesamten Bereich, so kann er nicht allzu weit kommen in der Dunkelheit."  
><strong>("Spread out and search this entire area, he can't get too far in the dark.")<strong> ordered their leader.

After that was said they all began to wander around searching the nearby buildings. Whenever Johann saw an opportunity he would crawl from car to car undetected.

Before moving to the next car Johann stopped just in time as one of them walked right in front of him. His heart felt like it stopped briefly from nearly being detected.

"Überprüfen Sie unter den Autos. Er muss unter einer von ihnen versteckt halten." **("Check under the cars. He must be hiding under one of them.")** shouted one of them from a distance.

The man in front of Johann slowly kneeled down in front of him. His body however was faced in the opposite direction. Johann reached to his side for the silenced pistol.

To his horror it wasn't there, Johann looked over his shoulder to see that the holster came undone and was lying out in the open for anyone to see.

Johann then turned back to see the man in front of him turn in his direction. Before either of them could react, something on top of the car landed making it bobble up and down a bit.

The man raised his rifle up to shoot whatever was up there; Johann watched it yanked from his hands before he could fire. Before the man could say anything to his friends, he was pulled forward onto the hood of the car.

All Johann could hear the sound of steel cutting and slicing flesh. When the man stopped struggling, his body slowly fell over to the asphalt ground motionless. Johann's eyes widen as he saw what happened to him.

Along the top of his skull were large gashes at least three inches deep. His neck sliced open like a Christmas goose. One of his eyes was even split open down the center. Worst was how the bottom half of his jaw was sliced clean off.

Whoever (or whatever) did this made it clear that these men were the least of Johann's worries. A few minutes of remaining still had eventually given him the courage to move on.

After grabbing back the holster and pistol, Johann finally made it to the end of the parking lot. From where he stood he could see his pursuers still searching car to car for him. He then turned back, sneaking off towards the closest building.

Johann found an open window then climbed over entering a large building. It was quiet and seemed like no one was around the place so far.

As he entered a gift shop Johann felt the butt of a gun bashed against his back knocking him to the ground. Johann looked up to see that one of those guys was searching this building all along. The man loaded two shotgun shells in his makeshift double barrel shotgun as his shoes pressed against Johann's right arm.

"Dieser ist für Hans." **("This one is for Hans.)** said the man coldly before he raised it up pointing the shotgun right at Johann.

Suddenly something went spinning through the air. Both of them noticed it, the attacker turned around and fired at it but was too late. From the shadows a throwing axe had been thrown. The man before Johann slowly dropped his gun and fell back with the axe lodged deep into his skull.

Johann slowly stood up and looked over as another figure slowly approached him. The dim lights flickered on as he was now fully visible before me.

His eyes were golden, he had short black beard with a few grey hairs in it. On his head he wore a camouflaged military cap. Over his torso was a tight black sweater with ammo pouches and holsters attached with even more gear. The man was also wearing black jeans with more holsters. The black boots he wore echoed throughout the gift shop. When he stood over Johann he just looked down at him smiling. He then turned around and yanked the small one handed axe out from his victim.

"Bist du in Ordnung Kind?" **("Are you alright kid?")** asked the mysterious man with a thick Russian accent as he wiped the blood off against the fresh new corpse.

"Ja, danke. Wer sind Sie?" **("Yes, thank you. Who are you?")** asked Johann.

"Mein Name ist Vassili Menschikow, durch meinen Akzent kann man schon sagen, ich bin nicht von hier. Ich bin sicher, Sie haben viele Fragen, aber wir müssen hier raus zuerst." **("My name is Vassili Menshikov, by my accent you can already tell I'm not from around here. I'm sure you have plenty of questions but we need to get out of here first.")** explained Vassili as he already began walking towards the window Johann entered earlier.

Johann nodded and followed Vassili out the window unsure of where he was going.

"Mein Name ist Johann Kessler, wohin wir gehen?" **("My name is Johann Kessler, where are we going?")** asked Johann while he checked his pistol for any damage it may have taken from crawling around.

"Um dem Hamburger Clan, ich bin sicher, Sie haben von ihnen gehört?" **("To the Hamburg Clan, I'm sure you've heard of them?")** replied Vassili.

"Ja, wer die Männer waren, die mich angegriffen haben? Sind wir nicht in Hamburg jetzt?" **("Yes, who were the men that attacked me? Aren't we in Hamburg now?")** Johann asked as they ran along what seemed like empty streets.

Vassili then held his hand up signaling Johann to stop at the edge of the building. He then leered his head around the corner then looked back to Johann.

"Der Hamburger Clan ist nicht die ganze Stadt; außerhalb der Mauern sie eingerichtet haben zwei Arten von Wesen sind. Bandits und Infizierte, sowohl ich nicht besonders gut leiden auch." **("The Hamburg Clan isn't the entire city; outside the walls they've set up are two types of beings. Bandits and Infected, both I don't take kindly too.")** replied Vassili as he checked the corner one more time.

"Sind Sie sicher, werden sie uns lassen, in? Will sie nicht denken, wir sind Banditen auch?" **("Are you sure they'll let us in? Won't they think we're bandits too?")** asked Johann as they began running again.

"Normalerweise haben sie Neulinge müssen sich selbst beweisen, es sei denn, jemand innerhalb des Clans für sie bürgen können. Zum Glück für Sie ich den Führer wissen, sein Name ist Kurt, und er ist ein GSG-9-Kommandeur." **("Normally they have new comers must prove themselves unless someone within the clan can vouch for them. Luckily for you I know the leader, his name is Kurt, and he is a GSG-9 commander.")** explained Vassili as he stopped running again.

Something was off about this street. It was so dark Johann couldn't see ten feet in front of himself. Vassili then held his hands up to his mouth and let out a loud whistle. At first nothing happened.

Suddenly Johann was blinded by multiple bright lights. He held his hands up to cover his eyes from the blinding flash. Vassili just stood there un-phased by the lights.

"Hey! Schalten Sie diese verdammten Dinger nach unten und lassen Sie Ihre Lieblings-Russisch in! Ich habe eine neue Ergänzung der Clan gefunden!" **("Hey! Turn those damn things down and let your favorite Russian in! I've found a new addition to the Clan!")** announced Vassili in a confident tone.

The lights dimmed a bit no longer blinding Johann. After a few seconds of readjusting to the light he could see a massive gate before me slowly opening with heavily armed gate guards positioned along the top of it.

Vassili and Johann slowly walked and found themselves before a tall and powerful looking man. Vassili and the man just looked at one another.

"Vassili." said the man.

"Kurt." replied Vassili.

Both men then began to laugh as they shook each other's hands. Johann just stood back and watched quietly keeping to himself.

"Wer ist dieser Vassili?" **("Who is this Vassili?")** asked Kurt as he looked over towards Johann.

"Sein Name ist Johann, können Sie ihm vertrauen. Ich habe beobachtet, ihm auszuweichen einen anständigen Gruppe von Banditen und sich entschieden, in. Er wird beweisen, wertvoll für den Clan, wenn er bleiben möchte." **("His name is Johann, you can trust him. I've watched him evade a decent sized group of bandits and decided to step in. He will prove valuable to the Clan if he wishes to stay.")** explained Vassili.

"Na Johann, wollen Sie bei uns bleiben? Wenn das, was Vassili sagt, ist wahr, als ich glaube, Sie werden in prima hier passen. Was sagen Sie dazu?" **("Well Johann, do you wish to stay with us? If what Vassili says is true than I believe you will fit in just fine here. What do you say?")** asked Kurt.

Johann looked at Vassili then he turned to Kurt and smiled.

"Wo kann ich mich anmelden?" **("Where do I sign up?")** asked Johann confidently as he knew he was finally home where he belonged.

**Hey readers HoTDFan here! That is the prologue to the German saga of the story. I'm only here to ask that if any of you who speak German could tell me if the German diologue is proper or not. I'm using a translator app so I just wanna be sure it's ok since this is how all the Germans (and those who speak it) will talk to one another since I want a realistic feeling here. Thanks again for reading!**


	50. Act 24 Clans of the Dead Part 2

**Act 24 Clans of the Dead Part 2  
>Z-Day+89<strong>

"No ladies please I'm just one man." groaned Takashi as he tossed and turned in his cot.

"Can someone try to wake up Takashi? We need to move out." said Rei as she walked down the wrecked aisle of the plane.

Frasier stood over Takashi and reached out for him slowly.

"See Saeko? I told you things would be better if you picked me." muttered Takashi in his slumber.

Frasier narrowed his eyes and gripped his fists. He then looked back and forth making sure no one was looking.

"Oh I'll wake you up." grinned Frasier as he raised a tight fist.

Meanwhile the rest of the group waited outside the crashed cargo plane.

"Wonder what's taking them so long?" asked Shizuka aloud.

"Ooooowwww!" shouted Takashi from the back of the plane.

Everyone then looked over to see Frasier slowly walking out of the remains of the plane. He had a grin of satisfaction on his face as he wiped his hands together.

Takashi then soon followed and looked around confused.

"What the hell happened?! Why is the plane all fucked up?" shouted Takashi.

"We couldn't land anywhere near Paris. Whoever is in charge there had AA (anti-air) guns ready to blow our butts out of the sky if we didn't keep moving." answered Khota.

"So why didn't we land in another airport?" asked Takashi.

"Idiot have you already forgotten that the world is not the way it used to be? There is no one to work the air towers and no one to guide us down. Our pilot ended up having to crash land with no fuel!" scorned Saya reminding Takashi the world wasn't as simple as before.

"Then where are we? England?" asked Takashi as he looked around the buildings they were surrounded by.

"You're joking right? They wouldn't even warn us about shooting us down... they'd just do it and eliminate all potential risk factors. I respect the method but not when we're on the receiving end of things." answered Saeko as she looked over at Frasier smiling.

"Then where are we?" asked Takashi as he jumped down to the ground level.

"Germany..." said Marcus aloud not even talking to the group as he looked up to see the German Flag proudly waving in the air on a pole.

"Looks like we've got a lot of walking to do. Better get started!" exclaimed Rika enthusiastically.

"Hey what happened to the pilot?" asked Takashi as he just realized he wasn't here.

"He... he will meet up with us later." said Rei as she motioned towards Brain indicating that was code for James was dead.

"I see... well which way should we start walking?" asked Takashi.

"Shhh!" hissed Saya as she held her hand up. "You guys hear that?"

Everyone remained silent and looked around trying to listen for anything out of the ordinary. Suddenly they all heard the moans of the infected echoing throughout the streets.

"Quickly into that hotel!" ordered Rika as she pointed to a nearby window that was clearly used for entry before.

The group moved in a formation where the melee users would go in first, then the most vulnerable of the group would stay in the center, and finally the last would be the projectile/gun users to cover long distance and the rear.

When everyone was inside they all kept quiet to watch the infected packs walk past the hotel. They limped and dragged themselves towards the wreckage in search of prey.

As the survivors kept quiet they wandered into a gift shop to see right by the counter a fresh corpse.

"Oh man look at that... the guy has at least a three inch gash in his skull." whispered Khota as he observed the dead man.

"Was he bitten?" asked Takashi as he peered over Khota's shoulder.

"No, if he was bitten there would be more blood. Plus his skin isn't grey it's more blue." responded Khota as they then both walked away to see what everyone else was doing.

"Is everyone ok?" asked Shizuka as she did a head count.

"Yeah everyone is here, anyone have a clue on what to do?" asked Rei as she leaned against a wall catching her breathe from the adrenaline burst wearing off.

"Well if we bump into the locals we're going to need someone to talk to them. Can anyone speak German?" asked Saya as she already figured the Markle brothers were most likely to know the language.

"Marcus and I learned it during our Father's training. It's basically a second language to us." answered Frasier as he and Marcus walked out to distinguish themselves among the group.

"What about you Rika? Don't you know anything other than English or Japanese?" asked Shizuka curiously.

"No, I only had to learn English for my international training with the Americans. We would never be expected to work with the Germans." clarified Rika.

"All right I guess we will do the talking then. I think its best that no one else responds to anyone else without us around to translate. Agreed?" asked Marcus.

Everyone in the group nodded showing they understood how things would go down. Saeko then peered out the window to see that the overwhelming numbers of infected continued to head for the wreckage.

"So many of Them. Would make a pretty good fight." suggested Saeko as she turned her head over to Frasier grinning at the challenge.

"What did I say about fighting? You two still have plenty of recovery to work on." reminded Shizuka.

Frasier and Saeko both frowned knowing they had to listen since she was the doctor here.

"I think they should relinquish their weapons. Just so their urges don't cause them to lack better judgement." suggested Marcus knowing how his brother and sister in-law got whenever they saw the infected.

"He makes a good point. Alright hand them over." ordered Shizuka holding both her hands out.

Frasier and Saeko both looked at each other than the rest of the group. They... reluctantly... handed over their weapons to Shizuka. Khota gladly held the crossbow along his back as Rei was given the task of holding Saeko's katana.

"It's for the best guys, nothing personal." said Rei trying to make them understand.

Alice then walked up to them and held both her hands up to them.

"You want to be carried?" questioned Frasier as he looked at her.

"No. Take my hand so you don't get separated." said Alice innocently.

Frasier and Saeko both sighed feeling they were both being demoralized now. However saying "No." to Alice when she was being sweet wouldn't change things. They both held her hands and were now in the center of the group.

"There's a big gap in the horde, I say we move now while this window of opportunity is open." suggested Rei.

"Rei's right, everyone start moving. Keep our ranks tight and for the love of god keep all sound to a minimum." ordered Rika.

The group began to go outside one by one and dashed across the street for the parking lot ahead of them. Windows in the hotel behind them began to open up.

"Oh this can't be good." muttered Takashi.

Suddenly gunfire began to go off. Bullets began to ricochet and bounce around the survivors from what could only be assumed as the local bandits.

"Everyone find some cover! Keep moving!" ordered Frasier as he carried Alice and Brian using himself as a human shield in case one of those stray shots were to hit them.

"Fucking idiots are going to attract all the infected." commented Takashi as he hid behind one of the cars in the parking lot.

Everyone did the same waiting for the hailstorm of bullets to stop. However it kept going.

"Oh my god." muttered Saya as she looked to see another massive mob of infected were heading their way.

"What do we do guys? We're caught in the crossfire!" asked Khota as he began to pump his pressurized rifle .

"Which one do we fight?" asked Takashi as he looked back and forth at the two groups boxing them in.

"Neither! Everyone get under a car!" ordered Frasier.

Frasier, Shizuka, Brian, Saeko, and Alice all crawled under the nearest one. Marcus, Rei, and Takashi crawled under one together. Meanwhile Rika, Khota, and Saya had managed to find one for themselves.

The masses of infected in the parking lot all made their way towards the foolish shooters. A few would be shot while the rest simply walked over it and moved on.

It was like tide of the dead. So many of them together created a terrible smell foul enough to make even the strongest of survivors gag.

Everyone under the cars covered their noses trying to breathe through their teeth. Their eyes followed what seemed like endless feet walking by their hiding spots.

Saeko wrapped her hands around the kids mouths trying to keep them from making any noise when the infected would walk by. Shizuka kept Zeke between her breasts even though the dog knew better than to bark when he could smell the infected at a close range.

After ten traumatizing minutes the herd of infected had made their way into the hotel. Despite the distance, everyone could hear the desperate gunshots go off before the blood curling screams that soon followed after.

"Everyone alright?" whispered Shizuka checking in again.

"Yeah we're good for now, let's get going and see if we can find better shelter against the hostile community." answered Khota as he got out of cover.

Saya helped pull him out as everyone else got to their feet. They looked up at the hotel as the sun began to set behind it. The shadows of the infected could be seen as it was clear they owned these streets.

"We need to take this road and we should be able to get to higher ground in the-" was all Marcus could say before he looked up to see the infected from the hotel were exiting and heading their way.

"Forget the map everybody start moving!" hissed Frasier as he continued to carry Alice and Brian so they wouldn't slow down the group.

The group ran down the empty street the infected herd had only just finished crossing a few minutes ago. It was now dark, at one point on their desperate run for survival it was impossible to see anything in front of them.

"Frasier I can't see a damn-" was all Marcus could say before he ran into something making a *thud* like noise.

"Marcus you ok? Say something." whispered Saeko as she tried to adjust to the lack of visibility this street offered.

Rei quickly grabbed a flashlight and tossed another to Saeko. They provided some light but it wasn't enough to cover everything

Marcus grunted and slowly stood up. He quickly felt the metallic surface in front of him. It was pretty solid in surface to just be any old bit of debris.

"Yeah I'm ok shine some light over here." requested Marcus.

Saeko held the flashlight up and pointed to Marcus. She then slowly scanned the area he was in front of to reveal the group stood before a wall.

"It's a wall! I don't see a gate or anything though." exclaimed Saeko pointing out her discovery to the rest of the group.

"Maybe someone's inside." brought up Frasier as he banged his left fist against the structure.

"Hey eröffnen! Wir haben Kinder hier draußen!" **("Hey open up! We've got kids out here!")** pleaded Frasier unsure if anyone was there.

Suddenly a loud choir of groans could be heard just a block away. Everyone at the same time nearly jumped out of their skin.

"Oh that can't be good." commented Takashi.

"Really? Hardly any light, trapped against a wall, god knows how many of Them that are approaching us as we speak, no duh it's not good!" shouted Saya.

"Also not to worry anyone but I'm running low ammo for my Pressure Gun." added Khota.

Saya placed her palm over her face and groaned in anger trying to think of a way out of this.

Suddenly bright lights began to shine illuminating the entire street. Everyone in the group covered their eyes trying to figure out what was going on.

"Da drüben Männer! Alpha Team Schutz der Personen aus dem Dreck zu Fuß. Bravo-Team offenes Feuer auf dem Herde nähert." **("Over there men! Alpha Team protect those people from the walking filth. Bravo Team open fire on the approaching herd.")** shouted a commanding voice from the top of the walls.

Two mounted turrets began to open fire along with the combined shots of small arms fire from Bravo Team.

"What's going on? Who are they?" asked Rei as she looked over at Marcus.

"No idea but they're helping us!" explained Marcus as he moved aside when a rope ladder came down.

"Klettert die Leiter! Bewegen Sie es jetzt!" **("Climb up that ladder! Move it now!")** ordered one of the gate guards from Alpha Team.

"Alright guys we're getting out of here! Women and children first!" shouted Frasier as he gave Alice and Brian a boost to get up the ladder faster.

He then grabbed the crossbow from Khota and aimed it at one of the infected that managed to slip through the hellfire of lead. He pulled the trigger making the nearest one fall to the ground dead.

"Put me out of action will you?" asked Frasier to himself as he reached for another arrow.

"Cmon we're the last ones!" pointed out Khota as everyone else was already climbing up the ladder.

"Hurry up guys!" shouted Alice as she watched the infected numbers become overwhelming even for the two fire teams to handle.

As Frasier was the last one over the ladder the one in command turned to him.

"Folgen Sie mir, ich werde helfen, sich Ihrer Gruppe aussortiert zu werden. Es ist ein Glück, dass euch eine unserer Wände gefunden. Die infizierte Aktivität hat sich in den letzten Tagen zugenommen." **("Follow me, I'll help get your group get sorted out. It's fortunate that you guys found one of our walls. The infected activity has increased dramatically over the last few days.")** explained the commanding officer as he walked the group down some stairs connected to the inside of the wall.

"Sir! Was ist damit? ("Sir! What about Them?") asked one of the gate guards.

"Verwenden Sie den Phosphor, und versuchen Sie nicht, es überall zu fallen euch in der Nähe." ("Use the phosphorus, and try not to drop it anywhere near yourselves.") replied the man escorting the group.

"Ja, Sir!" **("Yes sir!")** replied the gate guard as he opened up a locked box that was set up along the top of the wall.

He held up a white vial and threw it as hard as he could into the crowds of infected. On impact the vial shattered and the infected all burst into flames.

Their skin was burned and seared within seconds of contact. It wasn't long before the gate guard teams had finished eliminating the last of the infected for now.

The group looked in wonder as the inhabitants within the walls began to emerge to see the new arrivals. The people looked at the strangers in wonder.

The youth in particular were hoping to hear their stories and adventures of the outside world. The adults that were actually getting up walked over to see the heavily armed kids stand in the center of their stronghold.

"Vielen Dank, dass Sie uns in Ihre Heimstätte. Wer sind Sie? Noch besser: wo sind wir?" **("Thank you for letting us into your homestead. Who are you? Better yet where are we?")** asked Frasier as he turned to the commanding officer that escorted them.

"Mein Name ist Kurt, Leiter des Hamburger Clan. Wer sind Sie? Du bist eindeutig nicht von hier." **("My name is Kurt, leader of the Hamburg Clan. Who are you? You're clearly not from around here.")** asked Kurt.

"Mein Name ist Frasier, kommandiert unsere Gruppe ein Flugzeug, aber unser Pilot musste eine Notlandung nicht zu weit weg von hier aus zu machen." **("My name is Frasier, our group commandeered a plane but our pilot had to make a crash landing not too far away from here.")**

"Ach so du bist die Passagiere von dieser Ebene, dass unsere Top-Scavenger in früheren berichtet." **("Ah so you're the passengers of that plane that our top scavenger reported in earlier.")** realized Kurt.

"Top-Scavenger? Wer ist er?" **("Top scavenger? Who is he?")** asked Marcus.

"Johann Kessler, froh zu sehen, dass einige meiner Freunde noch am Leben sind!" **("Johann Kessler, glad to see that some of my friends are still alive!")** announced Johann as he approached the group.

"Johann? Ich dachte, du wärst in Kibou?" **("Johann? I thought you were in Kibou?")** questioned Frasier as he approached him.

"Ich war, aber die Stadt verschlechterte sich ziemlich schnell. Der neue Rat hat alles falsch gemacht. Zum Glück wurde ich in dieser bescheidenen Clan aufgenommen und zurückgezahlt haben, indem du die Fähigkeiten, die ich in Japan gelernt, ihnen zu helfen." **("I was, but the city deteriorated pretty quickly. The new council has made a mess of everything. Luckily I was taken in by this humble clan and have repaid them by using the skills I learned in Japan to help them.")** answered Johann.

"Ist es wahr? Ist das wirklich der Held der Stadt Kibou Johann?" **("Is it true? Is that really the Hero of Kibou City Johann?")** asked a boy who was at the most fifteen.

"Johann, was hast du ihnen erzählt?" **("Johann what did you tell them?")** asked Frasier curiously while Marcus translated all of this back to the group so they would have an idea of what was up.

"Kurt diese Jungs trauen kann, ist es ok, sie bei mir bleiben, bis wir geeignete Platz für sie finden kann?" **("Kurt these guys can be trusted, is it ok they stay with me until we can find suitable room for them?") **vouched Johann for their group.

"Ich sehe nicht, den Schaden in ihr, wenn Sie genug Platz dann habe ich keine Einwände haben. Denken Sie daran, Sie sind verantwortlich für ihre Handlungen." **("I don't see the harm in it, if you have enough room then I have no objections. Just remember you're responsible for their actions.")** reminded Kurt as he walked away leaving the scene.

"C'mon follow me guys, I'm pretty sure I can fit you guys in my place." offered Johann as he switched over to Japanese so Marcus wouldn't need to translate anymore.

"Thank you... Johann was it?" asked Rei as she thanked him for his kindness.

"Yes, and no need to thank me. It would be wrong of me to leave you guys to live in the crappy makeshift tents most newcomers use." replied Johann.

Takashi noticed her eyes were looking up and down Johann's figure as the two talked. He could feel a spark of jealousy within him.

While the group walked through the camp they saw quite a few interesting sights.

They saw a workshop with large varieties of tools. There were individual pens that housed large pigs within them to be used for food later. An armory where weapons and ammunition were forged by bits of metal and scraped parts.

Many buildings that used to be stores were now being used as homes by those who were lucky enough to claim them when the clan was created.

"Here it is." announced Johann as he opened up his home to the group.

It was a two story home; another family lived on the first floor. Johann watched as his new company entered slowly.

"Make yourself at home! Don't worry about taking up room. I'm usually never around so take as much room as you need." offered Johann.

"We can't possibly thank you Johann." thanked Frasier.

"Think of it as my way of thanking you freeing me from that slave camp Frasier." replied Johann.

"Well how should we decide on the rooms?" asked Khota.

"There are three rooms, one is mine. I'll let you guys decide amongst yourselves on how the other two rooms will be divided. Sweet dreams friends." said Johann as he walked away into his own room.

"Thank you mister!" said Alice as Johann closed his door.

"So girls get one room boys take the other?" asked Rei.

"Sounds about right to me. Let's get some rest guys it's been a very long day." announced Frasier as he looked at his right hand.

He remembered how his own knife was used against him by Durge. He then looked over at Alice. One of the worlds top assassins... dead by the hands of a child. A child that somehow managed to smile despite a traumatic experience.

"Hey guys there's only one bed! Looks like we'll have to share." announced Alice as she crawled under the blankets.

"Settle down Alice it's time for bed." ordered Saya in a motherly tone as she began to strip down along with everyone else in the room.

"How come you guys are getting naked?" asked Alice as she watched all the girls stripping down to their underwear.

"Well if we sleep in our clothes they'll be even dirtier. It's just proper hygiene Alice." explained Shizuka.

In the boys room they could hear the women giggling and laughing. While the girls decided to share the bed with one another, the guys decided to establish personal perimeters.

In the end Brian and Khota got the bed. Takashi, Marcus, and Frasier all ended up having to sleep on the floor with nothing but the clothes on their backs for pillows.

"Get some rest guys, I have a feeling we will have a lot of work ahead of us tomorrow." advised Frasier as he took his shirt off and used it as a pillow.

The group was now within the walls of the Hamburg Clan, but what danger awaits them in the future as they sleep tight this night. 


	51. Act 24 Clans of the Dead Part 3

**Act 24 Clans of the Dead Part 3  
>Z-Day+90<strong>

Alice slowly tossed and turned in bed. Her small eyes opened up to see she was smushed between Shizuka and Rika's breasts. She carefully squeezed out and put her clothes on.

The young girl then felt a sense of adventure come over her. She wandered out of the room and out into the kitchen. A smile came over her face as she saw Frasier and Marcus talking to Johann.

Alice hid behind the couch and pretended she was a spy. Every once in awhile she would pop her head out to see if they even noticed her yet.

"It won't be long until the cold seasons are upon us. We have plenty of summer clothes; however a lot of people are going to freeze without it. We need to conserve as much propane and electricity as we can for other resources." explained Johann.

"So you're saying you need a small group you can rely on to help you bring back some winter clothing for the clan?" asked Frasier.

"That and any materials that could help benefit us. Perhaps we could gather raw materials to make more ammo efficient weapons like your crossbow." added Johann.

"Well I don't know if we can go with you. Shizuka has the Bonersaurus over here on a no fighting break due to his most recent battle scar and there's no way Frasier would let me go without him." explained Marcus.

After hearing enough "Intel", Alice ran back to tell the girls what was going on. Johann let out a few laughs at the remark that was just made then looked over to Frasier then back to Marcus.

"Bonersaurus? Ah let me guess... Saeko right? I've seen how these two looked at each other back in the academy." reminisced Johann.

"Yeah, they even got married in a... wait you went to Fujimi Acedemy?" asked Marcus.

"I'm sure he was in the foreign exchange just like us Marcus, I think I actually may have seen him in the halls at one point." clarified Frasier.

"How can you be sure it was him?" asked Marcus.

"How many other tall kids did you see with Anglo-Saxon features in Fujimi Academy?" replied Frasier.

"Point taken. So what will you do now Johann? Isn't there anyone you can bring along with you for this?" asked Marcus.

"Not sure, most of the men either have families or are needed here at the homestead. Normally I could just go with the man that brought me here but I'm afraid he left for Paris two days ago. Traveling alone is a death sentence out there, and I'm not talking about the infected." explained Johann.

Meanwhile Alice crawled up onto the bed and began to nudge Shizuka. Shizuka rolled over in bed; she was too deep in her slumber to be awakened by Alice's tiny nudges.

Alice then began to nudge Rei hoping she could get a better response from her.

"Wake up. Rei wake up." said Alice.

Rei's eyes slightly twitched and barely opened up to see Alice sitting on her waist.

"What is it Alice? Is something wrong?" asked Rei in a sleepy voice.

"Frasier and Marcus are talking to Johann about going outside the city." tattled Alice.

Saeko overhearing this sat up and looked at Alice.

"They're doing what!?" asked Saeko.

"They're talking about going outside the city walls for something." explained Alice once more already forgetting what the boys planned on grabbing.

Saeko and Rei immediately got dressed and stormed out to see what the two brothers were up to. Marcus and Frasier both turned their heads as they watched the two girls storm out of their room towards them with angered looks.

"Problem ladies?" asked Marcus.

"Shut it." said Saeko in a stern voice as she then pulled back on Frasier's chair leaning it so he would be forced to look right up at her. "What are you thinking? You know Shizuka still wants us to take a break from the fighting right?" questioned Saeko.

"Yeah... What made you think I was going anywhere?" asked Frasier.

"Alice told us about your plan for leaving the city walls. We can't let you go with Johann." explained Rei.

"I wasn't planning on going anywhere honest. We were just talking about who could take my place. Johann needs someone reliable, someone who is experienced with the outside world." answered Frasier.

Rei then looked up at Johann and began to consider if she would be suitable enough to fill the position. Saeko slowly pushed the chair back up and leaned into him pressing her chest against his head.

"Good, because you and I have plenty of things we can do together while we recover." whispered Saeko as she then stood back.

"Bow chicka wow wow." snickered Marcus as he leaned back in his chair.

Frasier and Saeko both narrowed their eyes at the same time and pushed the bottom of Marcus' chair up causing him to tip over backwards.

"So who will you go with now?" Rei asked Johann curiously.

Johann then turned to her feeling somewhat pleased that she was interested in this matter.

"Well I'm not sure. Who else in your group would be a good choice?" asked Johann.

"Well let's see... Rika and Khota will be training their marksman skill. Saya, and Shizuka are not very handy in a fight. Saeko and Frasier need to recover. Marcus can't go anywhere without his brother. So I guess Takashi and I are your only options. When do you plan on leaving?" asked Rei.

"Today. As soon as I can get one of you to tag along I'll head out right away." answered Johann.

"Well Takashi is still sleeping and I doubt he will get up anytime soon so I guess I'm your best option." explained Rei.

Johann smiled as he stood up. Deep down he was somewhat happy that it was Rei who would be joining him. He then walked towards the door and motioned her to follow him.

"Come on guys let's go see Kurt, it's best to run by things by him so he knows what's up." explained Johann.

With that said; Rei, Frasier, Marcus, Alice, and Saeko followed Johann as he carried a backpack of his belongings and gear down the busy streets of the Hamburg Clan.

After a few minutes of walking, Johann approached Kurt who was talking with some of his advisors. When Kurt turned he saw Johann approaching able to see he had the intent to discuss something important.

"Ahh, was Johann benötigen Sie?"  
><strong>("Ahh Johann what do you need?")<strong> asked Kurt.

"Kurt Ich beantrage, dass ich den Clan auf der Suche nach Materialien gehen zu lassen." **("Kurt I request that I leave the clan to go search for materials.") **requested Johann.

"Wir haben mehr als genug Ressourcen Johann! Wir brauchen euch nicht." **("We have more than enough resources Johann! We don't need you.")** sneered a somewhat muscular boy in his early twenties. His brown hair was covered by a baseball cap, eyes were lime-green.

"Wer sind Sie?" **("Who are you?")** asked Frasier unsure of who this guy was.

"Das ist Toreston, Neffe zu unserem Chef Kurt." **("That's Toreston, nephew to our leader Kurt.")** explained Johann.

"Das ist richtig und du nicht vergessen!" **("That's right and don't you forget it!")** exclaimed Toreston proudly.

"Johann wir haben genügend Vorräte für den Clan, was genau meinst du im Sinn?" ("Johann we have plenty of supplies for the clan, what exactly do you have in mind?") asked Kurt.

"Ich habe darüber nicht unsere Vorräte wurden jetzt denken, aber unsere Vorräte in der Zukunft. Wenn der kalten Jahreszeit an uns herantreten, wie bereit werden wir sein? Ich will rausgehen und markieren Sie alle Geschäfte, die Winterausrüstung und Kleidung haben." **("I've been thinking about not our supplies now, but our supplies in the future. When cold seasons approach us how ready will we be? I want to go out and mark down any stores that have winter gear and attire.")** explained Johann.

"Es ist immer noch der Sommersaison können wir uns später kümmern, wenn die Notwendigkeit entsteht." **("It's still the summer seasons, we can worry about that later when the need arises.")** protested Toreston.

"Und was tun wir, wenn die Banditen zu denken, dass zu starten?" **("Then what do we do when the bandits start thinking that?")** asked Johann.

"Nun I. .." **("Well I...")** babbled Toreston.

"Ich werde Ihnen sagen, was passieren wird! Diese Schweine werden alles für sich zu nehmen! Wir werden uns mit nichts mehr werden, aber Sie würden nicht glauben, dass nicht wahr?!" **("I'll tell you what will happen! Those swine will take everything for themselves! We will be left with nothing, but you wouldn't think that would you?!")** expressed Johann in a rising passion of furry.

Rei certainly couldn't understand what they were saying. However she could tell how Johann's body language and tone of voice was of passion for the well being of his people. It was something she couldn't help but admire.

"Wir haben vielleicht nicht die richtigen Materialien, aber wir können die Propan-Tanks und Strom nutzen, um sich warm zu halten." **("We might not have the proper materials but we can use the propane tanks and electricity to stay warm.")** said Toreston.

"Stell dir vor, wenn wir diese Ressourcen allerdings sparen können, wird sie stärken unseren Clan!" **("Imagine if we can save those resources though, it will strengthen our clan!")** persuaded Johann.

"Ich habe genug gehört!" **("I've heard enough!")** announced Kurt.

"Über Zeit." **("About time.")** grinned Toreston.

"Johann, wie lange denken Sie, sollte dies dauern?" **("Johann how long do you think this should take?")** asked Kurt.

"Ja, wie lange wird es dauern ... Warten Sie, was?" **("Yeah how long will it take... Wait what?")** asked Toreston surprised not realizing what had actually been said.

"Ich erwarte nur, um zwei bis drei Tage aufbewahrt werden." **("I only expect to take two to three days at the most.")** replied Johann smiling as Kurt had taken up his cause.

"Wer will mit dir gehen, wenn? Vassili ist weg und kommt nicht wieder für einige Zeit." **("Who will go with you though? Vassili is gone and won't be back for some time.")** questioned Kurt.

"Ich habe beschlossen, jemand, der viel Erfahrung hat draußen zu bringen. Ihr Name ist Rei Miyamoto." **("I've decided to bring someone that has plenty of outside experience. Her name is Rei Miyamoto.")** answered Johann.

"Interessante Namen für einen Begleiter, schon gar nicht Deutsch aber." **("Interesting name for a companion, certainly not German though.")** commented Toreston.

"Genug von dir gehen prep das Tor geöffnet werden." **("Enough out of you go prep the gate to be opened.")** ordered Kurt as he then turned to speak to Johann. "Gehen Sie mit ihm Johann und seien Sie bitte vorsichtig, wäre es eine Schande wäre, ein wertvolles Mitglied unseres Clans zu verlieren." **("Go with him Johann and please be careful, it would be a shame to lose a valuable member of our clan.")** admitted Kurt.

"Ja Herr, ich danke Ihnen für Ihre Zustimmung zu meinem Plan." **("Yes sir, thank you for your acceptance of my plan.")** thanked Johann as he walked away to join Toreston.

Rei immediately followed him without any haste.

"So what was that all about? Is everything ok?" asked Rei.

"Yeah, just Toreston being his usual defiant self whenever I suggest an idea. He may be an ass, but he's just as loyal to the clan as the next guy." explained Johann.

Rei nodded and didn't really have anything else to say. She watched looking around watching as people went about their morning. Some of the more younger kids then ran along following them as they made their way for the gates.

"Is there a reason those kids are following us?" asked Rei.

"They look up to anyone that goes outside of the city and makes it back in one piece. The stories they hear full them with excitement and wonder. Every time I try to go out they swarm in hopes that I'll let them tag along, some of the adults aren't entirely approving of me being around them. They say that my stories and triumphs are filling their heads with an appetite for danger." explained Johann.

"I'm sure they will be much more appreciative of you being here when the seasons change." smirked Rei as she gave Johann a playful nudge.

"Yeah, hopefully." laughed Johann as he looked to his other side to see one of his followers approaching him.

"Hey Johann, kann mich und meinen Bruder mit dir kommen?" **("Hey Johann, can me and my brother come with you?")** asked the young boy that was approximately fourteen years old.

"Was habe ich gesagt das letzte Mal?" **("What did I say the last time?")** questioned Johann.

"Fragen Sie meine Eltern?" **("Ask my parents?")** asked the young boy as he stopped knowing he would never be allowed to go at his current age.

Toreston stood at the gates pulling the lever down while the guards stationed there all took positions ready for anything to reveal itself.

"Versuchen Sie nicht, um sich selbst getötet Johann." **("Try not to get yourself killed Johann.")** said Toreston sarcastically as he walked away.

Rei smiled turning to her friends one last time before her new adventure began.

"Good luck Rei. We'll all be rooting for you back here." said Alice looking up at her smiling.

Rei smiled kneeling down wrapping her arms around Alice.

"Try to be good for them Alice." ordered Rei as she looked up at everyone else.

"I wish you the best of luck sword sister." said Saeko.

"Yeah you show this clan what your made of!" exclaimed Marcus.

"If you guys don't get back within four days, Marcus and I will come looking for you guys." offered Frasier.

Rei smiled nearly overwhelmed by the support most of her friends.

"Thank you, all of you. I'll return in one piece. I promise you all that much." thanked Rei.

She then turned and followed Johann outside the city gates. The great metal doors closed up behind them securing the city once more.

As they walked down the long lonely streets, a voice called out to them.

"Hey Johann warte auf mich!" **("Hey Johann wait up!")** called that boy from earlier.

Rei and Johann both turned around after only moving roughly a few hundred yards from the safety of the walls. They both watched as one of Johann's admirers alongside another boy ran over to join up with them.

"Du solltest nicht hier sein, gehen Sie zurück in den Clan Wände, wo es sicher ist." **("You shouldn't be here, go back inside the clan walls where it is safe.")** ordered Johann.

"Unsere Eltern sagten, es ist ok! C'mon mir und meinem Bruder wird nicht in die Quere kommen." **("Our parents said its ok! C'mon me and my brother won't get in your way.")** said the one from earlier.

"Yeah. Wenn überhaupt könnten wir helfen euch im Kampf gegen die Banditen!" **("Yeah. If anything we could help you guys fight the bandits!")** added the other one.

"Nun, ich denke, wenn Ihre Eltern sagten, it's alright. Was sind eure Namen?" **("Well I guess if your parents said it's alright. What are your names?")** asked Johann.

"Ich bin Bernd!" **("I'm Bernd!")** said the first one.

"Und ich bin Eber!" **("And I'm Eber!")** said the second.

"Schön, dass Sie beide treffen, jetzt versuchen und halten Sie die Lautstärke auf ein Minimum." **("Nice to meet you both, now try and keep the volume to a minimum.")** ordered Johann.

Both boys nodded and followed close behind him without making a peep. Every now and then they would whisper something to one another unable to contain their excitement.

After walking for the next few hours, Johann had finally located a clothing store that looked suitable for what they required. He slowly walked in and walked to the storage part only employees were allowed in.

"Whoa es so geräumig ist hier drin, ich habe immer gefragt, wie es hier hinten war." **("Whoa it's so roomy in here, I always wondered what it was like back here.")** said Bernd.

"Shhh wir haben den Mund zu halten erinnern?" **("Shhh we have to keep quiet remember?")** hissed Eber.

"Oh yeah, my bad." **("Oh yeah, my bad.")** whispered Bernd.

After searching the very back of the store Johann had located what he needed. He then pulled out a map he had been carrying with him marking location of interest.

When he was finished with marking this story down he motioned everyone to move out.

"Wait don't we need boxes or something to carry all this stuff out? Also wouldn't we need a vehicle?" asked Rei.

"There's no need for either of those things. All I need to do is mark it on my map then a small pickup team is deployed with one of our vehicles on my return. It's better this way so the drivers know where to go rather than drive around wasting precious fuel." explained Johann.

"That's brilliant! You sure have a real understanding of long term survival Johann." adored Rei feeling very impressed with his methods.

"Well someone has to be around here." replied Johann as he motioned over to the two boys playing with coat hangers as swords.

"Put those down you two! Now isn't the time for sword fights, the infected could be lurking anywhere at any time." warned Johann taking charge of his group.

Bernd and Eber both looked at him and dropped their "swords" trembling at what they saw behind him. An infected man had managed to sneak up on Johann.

"Johann look out!" alerted Rei as she pushed him out of the way knocking the machete (he had at his side) across the room.

The infected man gripped both its hands around her wrists. Rei struggled to get away trying to free herself by any means necessary. She fell onto her back struggling to keep it away from biting her.

"Rei!" shouted Johann picking himself up.

Johann with no time to think, pried out a shelf with brute strength causing the shoe boxes it held to scatter everywhere. He then held it behind his back only to swing it in a powerful arc causing the infected man to release Rei.

The putrid walking corpse was sent a few meters away. After it finished rolling it had already began to stand up fully recovered.

Its jaw was dislocated from the impact of the hit. It swung back and forth as it made its way back to Johann.

Johann walked ahead of Rei and raised the shelf behind his head. He then brought it down over the infected man's head once. The impact caused a momentary pause in the infected man's charge.

Not taking any chances, Johann slammed the shelf down one more time causing it to snap in half. As half of it went flying the other half rained in his hands.

With the sharp jagged edges, Johann impaled the skull delivering a final blow. He watched as the abomination slowly fell over backwards motionless the second it touched the ground.

Johann slowly walked over towards Rei and offered his hand to her. She looked up to him and wrapped hers around feeling herself being hoisted up with ease.

The two boys no longer in shock, ran over to get a firsthand look at the creature. Both were in fear and amazement at how Johann killed it with such force.

Eber picked up the machete then walked over towards Rei and Johann as they made sure the other was ok.

"Sie sank diese." **("You dropped this.")** said Eber as he held the machete out in both hands.

"Vielen Dank Eber, ich glaube, es ist Zeit, dass wir kommen in Bewegung. Wenn ein infizierter waren in der Nähe Ich bin sicher, sie würden alle den Tumult gehört haben." **("Thank you Eber, I believe it's time we get moving. If any infected were nearby I'm sure they would have heard all the commotion.")** ordered Johann.

The small group walked towards the exit keeping close in formation. As they entered the actually part if the store they all could see the noise had attracted a few of Them into the store.

"Nur ruhig bleiben, machen keine Geräusche. Wir können an ihnen vorbei schleichen leicht." **("Just remain quiet, don't make any sounds. We can sneak past them easily.")** Johann said to the two brothers, he knew Rei was experienced enough to know this by her reputation.

All four carefully walked down the aisles and racks of clothing. Every silent step taken was one step closer to escaping in one piece.

At one point an infected woman wandered into the same asile as them. She slowly approached them at moderate speed. Johann quickly motioned everyone to move to the side of the aisle.

Sweat trickled down their faces as it was wandering only a few inches away from them. Bernd felt his nose tickled from the feeling of sweat slowly going down it. Before he could let out a booming sneeze to alert all the infected in the store, Johann gently pinched Bernd's nose, causing the urge to sneeze vanish.

When the infected woman passed by none the wiser, the four survivors quickly bolted for the doors. Outside were at least forty more infected that were most likely attracted by the commotion.

After jogging to a safe distance, they all stopped for a moment to catch their breath.

"Das ist viel anstrengender als ich erwartet hatte. Wann werden wir nach Hause?" **("This is a lot more tiring than I expected. When do we go home?")** asked Eber.

"Mit dieser viele aktive infizierten können wir nicht gehen, den Weg zurück kamen wir und machen es zu Hause vor dem Sonnenuntergang. Wir müssen Obdach und Lager für die Nacht zu finden." **("With this many active infected we can't go back the way we came and make it home before the sunset. We'll need to find shelter and camp for the night.")** explained Johann as he then turned to Rei to explain the plan to her in Japanese.

After careful evasion the group managed to escape danger once more and just in time. The sun began to set slowly as they entered a rundown Deli shop. The windows were barricaded so it was clear that this place is or at least was inhabited.

Bernd turned a knob on the wall causing the lights to shine brightly. Johann took notice of this and immediately dimmed the lights.

"Was machst du da? Wie sonst sollen wir in der Lage sein zu sehen?" **("What are you doing? How else are we going to be able to see?")** asked Bernd.

"Wir wollen nicht, die Aufmerksamkeit auf uns ziehen." **("We don't want to attract attention to ourselves.")** explained Johann.

"Es ist nur die Lichter though. Ich dachte, das infizierte uns nicht sehen konnten?" **("It's just the lights though. I thought the infected couldn't see us?")** questioned Bernd..

"Es ist nicht die Toten, die ich mache mir Sorgen über nicht jede lebende Seele trifft man wird freundlich Jungs zu sein. Hier draußen du sehr vorsichtig sein müssen, war ich nicht und schauen, was mir passiert." **("It's not the dead I'm worried about, not every living soul you meet will be friendly guys. Out here you have to be very careful, I wasn't and look what happened to me.")** explained Johann as he pulled off his prosthetic fingers.

"Whoa." **("Whoa.")** both brothers blurted out wondering how that happened to him.

Rei noticed this and placed her hand over the fingers just realizing they were fake.

"What happened? Does it hurt?" she asked with concern in her voice.

"It happened back in Tokonosu. I was careless and trusted what seemed like a friendly group of survivors. I'll tell you the rest later, we need to focus on getting some rest." said Johann in a somewhat dismissive tone trying to avoid discussion of his fragile experience.

Rei nodded and pulled out one of the two sleeping bags that Johann had packed up in his pack.

She laid them both out and crawled into the first one. Johann walked over towards her and opened up his. After setting his machete against his backpack, he looked up to see both the brothers looking at him.

"Hey Johann, wo ist unsere Schlafsäcke?" **("Hey Johann where's our sleeping bags?")** asked Eber.

"Ich habe nur zwei von ihnen gepackt. Ich habe nicht erwartet weitere Unternehmen." **("I only packed two of them. I wasn't expecting additional company.")** answered Johann.

"Oh ok ... Das ist durchaus sinnvoll." **("Oh ok... That's perfectly reasonable.")** admitted Bernd as he sat down on the rough tilled floor along with Eber.

Johann looked at both of them then his bag. Feeling pity for the younger boys Johann tossed the bag over at them.

"Was machst du da?" **("What are you doing?")** asked Bernd.

"Empfehlen. Es ist ziemlich kalt im Moment." **("Share it. It's pretty cold right now.")** answered Johann as he walked towards another end of the Deli store.

Rei noticed this selfless act of kindness and smiled to herself. Both brother didn't bother arguing and just crawled into the sleeping bag facing away from one another.

"Hey Johann that was pretty sweet what you just did. You want to share with me?" offered Rei.

"I'd love too but I'm simply too large to fit." replied Johann.

"Oh... I understand." said Rei laying back realizing what he just said was true, this bag would tear up if they both tried to fit in it.

"Rei..." called out Johann.

"Yeah?" asked Rei as she sat up.

"If I could fit... I'd gladly share a sleeping bag with you." admitted Johann trying not to make a fool of himself.

"I'm glad we share the same sentiments." replied Rei as she laid back feeling her cheeks blushing at what she just heard.

Johann found a countertop to lay under so the cool summer winds wouldn't blow against him as he slept. His eyes slowly shut as his last thought was of Rei's smiling face.

In the midst of slumber Johann heard a female scream. He immediately got up to his feet and saw three men similar to the ones that chased him in the parking lot a week ago.

One of them was holding Rei from behind as the other two were shoving the brothers to the ground.

"Warten Sie, bis Johann bekommt einen Einfluß von euch!" **("Wait until Johann gets a hold of you guys!")** shouted Eber.

"Ja warten, bis die Banditen Slayer fickt dich!" **("Yeah wait until the bandit slayer fucks you up!")** added Bernd.

All three men laughed at their comments uncontrollably. Johann knew it would be risky but had no choice but to confront these men alone. With his machete on the side of the room Rei was on he could only rely on what his uncle taught him.

"Ich mir sicher, möchte diese so genannte Bandit Slayer zu treffen!" **("I sure would like to meet this so called Bandit Slayer!")** joked the man holding both brother down.

"Verdammt wir wirklich eine nette Geschichte dieses Mal! Diese Schlampe hat nicht einmal Deutsch. Sehr exquisit!" **("Damn we really got a nice one this time! That bitch doesn't even look German. Very exquisite!") **exclaimed the man holding Rei in his arms examining her body with looks of foul intent.

"Lassen Sie sie gehen verdammt Schwein." **("Let her go you fucking swine.")** growled Johann as he made himself visible to everyone.

"Johann!" exclaimed the brothers and Rei glad to see he was finally up.

"Well well well, wenn es nicht der Bandit Slayer! Besser laufen Jungen." ("Well well well if it isn't the bandit slayer! Better run boys.") laughed one of the bandits confident that Johann would be no match for theme.

"Lassen Sie sie jetzt gehen!" **("Let them go now!")** warned Johann one last time.

"Was wirst du tun? Fight Me?" **("Whatcha gonna do? Fight me?")** grinned the bandit holding Rei.

Johann vaulted over the counter top and recklessly accepted that challenge.

"Halten Sie die Hündin für mich, während ich diese Kinder, warum Sie nicht mit einem Banditen nicht ficken zeigen!" **("Hold the bitch for me while I show these kids why you don't fuck with a bandit!") **ordered the bandit as he shoved Rei into the arms of another that stood over the boys keeping them pinned.

Johann looked at Rei as she looked back at him with fear in her eyes.

"I promise I won't lose." said Johann as he turned to the bandit that seemed to be in charge of this small group of cowards.

"Kick his ass Emil!" **("Kick his ass Emil!")** urged on the one holding Rei.

Johann and Emil both circled one another with their fists raised up high. Tension grew in the air as the two continued to wait for the other to strike.

Emil then decided that he was wasting time he could be spending time on "breaking in" Rei. He threw his fist forward only for it to be swatted aside. Thinking it was a fluke he did it again only to get the same response as before.

On his third attempt, after being blocked he threw a second punch only to miss when Johann stepped to the side. Emil watched as Johann's fist connected to his jaw sending a sharp pain into his mouth.

Ignoring the pain Emil reached forward gripping Johann by the shirt trying to lift him up off the ground. Johann responded by throwing his knee forward directly into Emil's stomach.

Emil let go and bent over in pain completely vulnerable to Johann. Johann raised an elbow and brought it down onto his back.

Suddenly one of the other bandits with a pistol ran up behind Johann and pistol whipped him in the back of the head. Johann grunted in pain as he began to see spots from the sneak attack.

Emil quickly took this opportunity and tackled Johann down to the ground wailing on his face with a continuous flurry of blows.

Rei looked away as tears flowed her eyes unable to watch Johann getting beaten up for her. The brothers were outraged by what just happened.

"Hey, dass ist Betrug!" **("Hey that's cheating!")** shouted Eber as he squirmed under the bandit holding Rei.

"Shut the fuck up! Seine Straße Regeln Junge." **("Shut the fuck up! Its street rules kid.")** commented the one pressing his foot against Eber's back.

Suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his groin. He looked down to see Bernd was no longer being held down by the bandit that sucker punched Johann. Eber noticed this weakness and shot straight up causing misbalance. The bandit staggered a bit as the boys doppelgänged him.

"Hey fuck off!" **("Hey fuck off!")** warned the bandit as he tried to get them off while keeling Rei in his grasp.

The bandit that sucker punched Johann turned around ran over to help his friend out. The one wailing on Johann stopped with a fist still raised to see what was going on.

"Nur die beiden zu töten und nehmen diese Schlampe zurück zu unserem Versteck! Ich nenne zunächst auf ihr süßes Fleisch!" **("Just kill those two and take that slut back to our hideout! I call first on her sweet flesh!")** ordered Emil fiendishly.

When Johann heard those words it awakened something primal within. Before his vision could black out from the pain he had just endured, they shot wide open. He grabbed Emil by the hair and pulled his neck far back.

**{Stupify Instrumental Version - Disturbed} **

Johann opened his mouth and savagely sank his sharp canines into Emil's neck. His head then pulled back tearing the jugular vein wide open.

Emil's neck spurted blood everywhere causing everyone in the room to freeze and watch his mouth move but his screams of pain unheard.

Johann then dropped the bandit like a bag of rocks letting him bleed out as he rushed towards the bandit with a pistol.

He held it up but was paralyzed with so much fear that his first and only shot missed entirely. Johann grabbed his arm and twisted it onto the counter so the pistol was no longer aiming at anyone.

The bandit that was meant to hold Rei shoved her aside into the two boys. He rushed over to help his friend only to be swatted aside by Johann's free arm into same knocked over tables.

Johann then gripped the forearm of the pistol wielding bandit twisting it back so the gun was pointing at the users head.

"Nein bitte warten!" **("No please wait!")** begged the man before Johann gripped to the point the bandit pulled the trigger. The pistol fired blowing the bandit's brains out all over the wall.

The last bandit ran for the door knowing he was no match for Johann.

"Nein, nicht mich! Lassen Sie mich hier raus!" **("No not me! Let me out of here!")** begged the bandit as he ran out into the streets.

Johann still enraged jumped through the barricaded window not even needing the door. The wooden planks were blasted everywhere as Johann pursued his last victim into an alleyway lit by a garbage can fire.

Rei and the two brothers slowly walked to the exit hole in the wooden barricade to see what was going on. They watched as the two shadows of Johann and the last bandit.

All that could be heard was the bandit's screams as Johann's shadow could be seen mercilessly delivering punch after vicious punch.

"Er ist nicht nur ein Bandit Slayer ... er ist ein Krieger Wut." **("He's not just a bandit slayer... he's a rage warrior.")** muttered Bernd in both fear and excitement.

"Mein Gott, was wird er tun, wenn er zurückkommt? Sollen wir laufen?" **("My god, what will he do when he comes back? Should we run?")** questioned Eber just now realizing the dangerous outside world wasn't some adventurous playground.

Johann slowly emerged from the alley making his way back to the Deli shop. Both brothers hid behind Rei unsure of what would happen next. Johann stood before her looking down breathing heavily.

"Johann? It's over now. It's me... Rei." explained Rei as she stood there fearless.

Despite what she just saw, she has seen this type of behavior before. This primal exertion of raw power and rage. Johann went into a blood rage!

It was just like the ones Frasier went into whenever his siblings or Saeko were in danger. She could feel the same aura emanating from Johann as she felt when Frasier went into this state.

{}

"Rei... Rei! Are you ok? We should get moving now." said Johann snapping back into reality.

"Y-yes I'm ok now thanks to you. Why should we get moving?" asked Rei.

She then turned back to see multiple shadows walking over in the alleyway Johann just came from. Rei watched as shadows knelt down. Suddenly the bandit could be heard screaming as the sound of teeth tearing flesh could be heard.

"Never mind." said Rei as she helped with packing up the sleeping bags.

"Let's move." ordered Johann as he strapped the backpack onto himself and grabbed his machete.

The four immediately abandoned the Deli shop and were heading down the cold empty streets hoping nothing would get in their way.

At one point Johann had to stop to look at the map to make sure they were heading in the right direction. He held up a flashlight checking for which route would be best as Rei held the map out for him.

Meanwhile the two brothers stood behind and talked amongst one another.

"Mutter hatte Recht ... Es ist viel zu gefährlich für uns hier draußen sein." **("Mother was right... It's far too dangerous for us to be out here.")** said Eber.

"Unsinn! Wir sind sicher, solange wir tun, als Johann sagt. Sie sah, wie er ausgelöscht diese drei Banditen im Alleingang." **("Nonsense! We are safe so long as we do as Johann says. You saw how he wiped out those three bandits singlehandedly.") **argued Bernd.

"Bernd wir müssen hier raus, bevor wir Sackgasse. Dieses Abenteuer ist nicht so wie wir es geplant." **("Bernd we need to get out of here before we end up dead. This adventure is not like we planned.")** said Eber feeling like something wasn't right.

Little did the group know, they were in the sights of a bandit controlled street. One of the lurking bandit's held out a composite crossbow with rebar for bolts aiming at the two bickering brothers.

"Zum letzten Mal sind wir sicher, wenn ... Johann ... Schützt u-us." **("For the last time we're safe if... Johann... Protects u-us.")** stuttered Bernd as a rebar bolt pierced the back of his skull and stuck out of his left eye.

His words became slower and deeper as blood trickled out both ends of the bolt. The young boy breathed heavily as his body slowly crumpled forward giving into the fatal shot.

"Bernd! Nein!" **("Bernd! Nooooo!")** cried out Eber as he feel to his knees crying over his fallen brother.

Johann and Rei immediately ran over to see what had happened. When Johann saw what had happened he knew it was too late.

"Hinterhalt!" **("Ambush!")** shouted Johan as he windows in the surrounding buildings opens up.

Johann quickly tackled Rei and Eber behind a truck as bullets were fired towards them. The shooting went on and on showing no sign of ending.

"Oh god... What are we going to do?" asked Rei as she looked at Johann for advice.

Suddenly the shooting stopped entirely. It was quite for a few heart racing moments.

When things seemed like it was over, a small metal object was thrown over towards the three survivors of the ambush. Johann's eyes widened as he realized the bandits just threw a live grenade at them. 


	52. Act 24 Clans of the Dead Part 4

**Act 24 Clans of the Dead Part 4  
>Z-Day+90<strong>

An explosion was eminent as the three survivors could do nothing but watch. This was it; this was what would be the end of them.

It would be anyways if Eber didn't throw himself on top of the live explosive device. Before it went off he looked over at Johann and Rei knowing his sacrifice was the only way to ensure their safety.

"Johann ... Lassen Sie sich nicht das Vaterland von den Banditen ausgeschlossen werden." **("Johann... Don't let the Fatherland be ruled by the bandits.") **begged Eber as he slowly closed his eyes knowing he would be with his brother in a few seconds.

Before Johann could react to this the grenade went off. Eber's body violently jerked upwards then straight back down as his body had absorbed all the shrapnel from the blast. Johann had covered Rei's eyes shielding her from the tragic yet noble sacrifice.

With no time to waste Johann and Rei quickly crawled away from the ambush zone. There was nothing they could do for the two brothers now. Two innocent lives were taken in a single night.

Johann and Rei ran as fast as they could into the night eventually wandering into a residential area. Knowing the temperature was steadily dropping, the two entered the nearest house seeking warmth.

_**[Ok my fellow readers this next scene was written and submitted by Jayme F. Midorikawa. He is the creator and owner of the OC Johann therefore is allowed to submit any scenes that I approve of into the story itself that involve his OC. Bear in mind anyone with an OC is allowed to do this, I'm currently accepting OC s that you can send to me in a PM. If you decide to do that then the character's nationality should be German, French, Russian, or British. Thank you for your time now back to the story!]**_

There wasn't a sign of life to be seen anywhere in this massive room. The windows were all boarded up, either to help protect the inhabitants from the elements, or to keep the dead out.

If it weren't for the makeshift tents put up all around the room, no one would suspect anybody of using this place for shelter.

The air was almost too silent as Johann and Rei slowly made their way through, looking in every nook and cranny they could find, either for supplies or to make sure nobody was hiding here, waiting to get the drop on them. The fact that nobody was here waiting for them almost seemed unnatural. The bandits had managed to find them almost everywhere else they had taken refuge in so far, one would almost think their very home would have the most security.

In the center of the makeshift indoor campsite, there was what looked like a campfire pit that had been made out of the solid wood floor, like they had taken several axes and sledgehammers to make a hole to cook food over. What Johann and Rei had both almost immediately noticed once they had set foot in this huge room was the lingering smell of cooked meat. However, this didn't smell like regular meat. Something about this scent seemed abnormal to both of them.

"Alright, we'll check every tent to make sure we're really alone, okay? There's no telling what might be here." Johann whispered as he tried shaking the thought of the lingering scent out of his mind. When he slowly opened the flaps to one of the tents, all he was met with was a few empty sleeping bags and what looked like a large pink stuffed rabbit, like what you would see a kindergartener carrying with them. It looked like it had gone through some serious wear and tear as of recently.

When Rei peeked into a tent of her own, shining her flashlight in, all she could see were more empty sleeping bags. However, she quickly noticed what looked like a photo sitting on one of the pillows. Driven by curiosity, she picked it up and looked carefully. It was a standard family photo, a middle aged man with dark gold hair smiling next to a slightly younger woman with long dark hair, with a little blonde-haired girl sitting in between them with a bright, sunny smile on her face. She didn't look any older than Alice.

Upon exiting the third tent he looked through, Johann couldn't help but take a closer look at the firepit. The bandits had apparently set up their own little rotisserie spike over the barely glowing coals. There looked to be small chunks of slightly charred meat skewered through it.

"I guess these people must've been preying on any wild dogs they could find out here." Johann whispered as Rei approached him from her side of the campsite.

"I've never heard of any of Them eating animals, so that's probably the case." she whispered in response, just before she noticed a single door on the other side of the room; and it was open.

She gently nudged Johann's arm with her elbow to get his attention. Pretty quickly, he noticed the door as well. They slowly began making their way to the door, making sure to avoid any especially creaky floorboards that could give away their presence.

Once they were both on opposite sides of the door, they locked eyes for a few seconds. Who knew who or what could be on the other side of this door, and the fact that they were both without any weapons didn't make the situation any less tense.

With a single nod of his head to signify he was ready, Johann got his open hand against the door, and after mentally counting to three, he slowly pushed the door open, inch by inch, figuring that if anybody was in there, they'd have made a reactionary sound by now. Still, nothing but silence.

Once the door was fully open, neither of them could've expected what was there before them.

**{Cannibal Holocaust OST- Adulteress' Punishment}  
><strong>  
>The room itself looked to be a small maintenance room. The only real noticeable detail was what looked like a boiler or some kind of furnace.<p>

However, the one thing that grabbed both their attention was a massive pile of discarded clothing amassed in the center of the room. However, when they both decided to inspect it closer, what jumped out almost immediately was that it was all women's clothes, some of it ragged and filthy, the rest of it shockingly clean and in good condition.

"Why would these people have so much of this stuff?" Rei asked as she started digging through the pile.

"Who knows? I'd heard some of the people back at the homestead tell of how these bandits would almost always take away any women that would be unlucky enough to get grabbed in their territory. One can only imagine what they do to them afterwards. Still, it is kinda strange, all the people we've ended up running into out here, and there wasn't a single woman amongst them." Johann muttered in response as he started digging through as well.

"They had children with them, too." Rei said as she continued digging, her nose barely wrinkling in disgust as she pulled out a pair of panties that looked like they were violently torn by someone other than their original owner.

"Yeah, I think so, too. I looked in one of the tents and found a stuffed toy rabbit inside. I don't really think any of these people would have any use for that sort of thing themselves." Johann replied, when he reached inside and suddenly pulled out what looked like a child's shoe.

Both their eyes went wide before Rei reached back in deep and pulled out what looked to be a small child's shirt. As she started to uncover more and more children's clothing from the bottom of the pile, Johann slowly turned his gaze to the furnace in the corner, and it was then he noticed a faint glow through the door frame.

"Johann, what are you doing?" Rei asked, her voice starting to tremble as Johann began to approach the furnace.

"Those people wouldn't drag small children out there with them. They'd never have the skills to survive, and they'd be a liability. It would only make sense for them to keep their children in the only place they can consider a safe haven: this place." Johann muttered, almost too quiet for her to hear, as he hesitantly reached for the handle of the door.

"But we haven't seen anybody here at all." she responded, tears starting to form in her eyes as she started to put the pieces together in mind.

"Exactly." he muttered as he turned the handle and slowly began to open the furnace door a crack.

He didn't dare to open it too much; all he needed was just a peek, just to make sure his morbid theory was incorrect.

Hesitantly peeking into the furnace, what he saw for that split second was more than he could bear. Inside, amidst the glowing embers...human bones. Adult femurs and... the skulls of children and... even infants.

As soon as Johann had opened it, he immediately slammed it shut, backing himself into the opposite corner, hyperventilating in reaction what he had just seen. Rei was almost immediately at his side, worried sick by his sudden reaction and paled complexion.

"Johann, what's wrong? What is it?" she asked, no longer bothering to whisper, but Johann didn't even hear her words as the memory of that smell of cooked meat invaded his mind once more. Only this time, he now knew it wasn't wild dog those bandits were eating.

Without a word, he suddenly sprinted out of the room, causing Rei to instantly give chase, only for Johann to run for the nearest corner and suddenly heave what little he had in his stomach.

He finally knew the truth, and out of all the horrible things he had witnessed since the world ended, this was just too much for even him to take. Once he had managed to stop vomiting, he instantly started to weep.

Rei couldn't think of what to say, so she only laid a single concerned hand on his shoulder as he slowly turned to face her over his shoulder.

"They...they ate them. They ate the women...a-and they...t-they ate their own children, Rei." Johann stuttered amidst his overwhelming tears as he slowly curled into a ball in the corner in a useless attempt to keep her from seeing him like this.

Rei knelt beside him, wiping her own tears from her eyes as she put her arms around him. She knew there was nothing either of them could say to make this horrible feeling go away, so perhaps it was simply best not to say anything.

The sounds of Johann's weeping barely echoed through the empty room for several minutes before he eventually stopped and simply kept his head bowed down, his eyes closed, lost in his own thoughts.

Several more minutes later, Johann raised his head and slowly got back onto his feet. Rei got up after him as he made his way back to the furnace room.

Looking in another corner of the room, Johann saw exactly what he thought he did when he had first went in: two or three gas canisters. Upon grabbing them, he could tell that thankfully, they were full.

"The bandits must've been saving these in case the generator for this building ever ran out of its own fuel." he muttered to himself as he walked past Rei back out into the room, one canister in each hand. Wasting no time, he unscrewed the cap off one and began to splash gasoline all over the campsite and all over the room itself.

"Johann, what are you doing?" Rei asked concernedly as she saw the grim look in his eyes as he emptied one canister and immediately began pouring gasoline from the second.

"This place is a slaughterhouse. These people did something horrible beyond words, and nobody else unlucky enough to be out there deserves to have to see what we have. I don't know about you, Rei...but I'm going to make sure they don't have to." answered Johann.

**[Ok back to me]**

Johann tossed the second gasoline can aside letting it clang against a window. He then pulled out a match out from his survival pack lighting it up.

"Rei wait outside. I just need a moment." requested Johann as he looked at the match.

Rei silently nodded and walked outside awaiting for Johann to take care of business. As she walked out, Johann looked into the tiny flames that kept the match lit.

"Tut mir leid, ich konnte nicht helfen euch. Tut mir leid, ich war nicht hier, um wenigstens zu versuchen und schützen Sie vor, was diese pathetischen Ausreden für Männer. Eines Tages wird diese Verbrechen gegen die Natur wird gerächt werden, wenn nicht durch mich als jemand anderes. Ich verspreche." **("I'm sorry I couldn't help you guys. I'm sorry I wasn't here to at least try and protect you from what these pathetic excuses for men did. One day this crime against nature shall be avenged, if not by me than someone else. I promise.")** vowed Johann as he felt the spirits were watching him through the spark of fire in the match.

He slowly walked towards the front of the gasoline he poured out all over the first floor. Johann flicked the match behind him. The match flew to the center of the room instantly igniting into a powerful burst of flames.

Johann walked outside to see Rei standing there, just watching the flames spread at a rapid pace. Suddenly thunder rang out as rain drops began to fall fron the grey clouds.

Unable to stand this slaughterhouse any longer, Johann took Rei's hand guiding her towards the next neighborhood down the road.

Both remained in silence as the house burned behind them. There was nothing needed to be said and nothing was said about it. Even though the rain began to pick up the flames were far too powerful to be damped out now.

**{Star Wars Episode 6 OST - Final Duel / Into the Death Star}**

Johann slowly opened an unlocked door to the nearest home they could find. He observed the architecture and ran his fingers along the stair railing to the second floor.

Rei followed him, she watched his every move noticing how he became increasingly distant from her. Something about this house had grabbed Johann's attention.

She could feel a trembling motion in his hand. It could be shock from what they just witnessed but her female inution was picking up on something else. Rei knew this house was affecting Johann but as to why she had no clue.

As they both reached the top of the stairs Johann let go of Rei's hand wandering from room to room.

"This place... I know this place." muttered Johann.

"Johann? Please talk to me." pleaded Rei as she watched Johann begging to tear up.

"This... This was my home! Before I had to move to Japan... Before my father... before he..." explained Johann as he watched his whole world crumble a second time.

"What did he do?" asked Rei as she placed a hand on his shoulder in hopes to ease his painful memories.

"BEFORE HE KILLED MY MOTHER!" shouted Johann in pain unable to hold his pain back any longer.

He then turned away in a fury grabbing a small desk. Johann raised it above his head and threw it across the room. The desk broke into several pieces scattering across the room.

Unsatisfied by the destruction of the desk, Johann began to slam his fists against the walls. All he could see was his childhood home and how it was before that tragic day.

Johann then picked up a chair ready to smash it against whatever was in his way. He raised it but then stopped as he could see Rei standing before him.

Despite all the delusions, Johann could somehow see Rei through all of this. His hands dropped the chair as he just looked down at her in tears.

**{}**

Rei gently placed her hands on his shoulders and made him look into her eyes.

"Johann I know it's painful for you to be here. I know it hurts to see all of this after so long. To repress your inner pain only for it to be re-opened after such a perilous night." said Rei comforting his inner turmoil.

Johann's eyes became bloodshot from his tears. His eyes then shut tight as he wrapped his arms around Rei.

"Rei, he didn't just kill my mother... he also killed himself. If it wasn't for my uncle and aunt... I don't know what would have become of me." explained Johann holding her tighter.

Rei gently pressed one of her hands against his chest placing a small space between the two of them.

"Johann I want you to know I'm here for you." reassured Rei as she then leaned her face towards his softly pressing her lips against his.

Both their eyes were now closed. The entire room grew silent once more as the two survivors embraced one another. After a few moments of bliss they both snapped back into reality.

They then just stood there unsure of what would happen next. A cold breeze blew by causing Rei to shiver. Johann noticed this and pulled her closer to him in hopes that some of his body heat would keep her warm.

"It should be safe to go back to sleep. The bandits will be more concerned with their burning slaughter house than looking for people to terrorize." explained Johann.

Rei nodded and stepped back as he piled up whatever furniture he could find against the door to the room. He then set out the only sleeping bag he had with him. The other one was all torn up back at the Deli shop.

"Get some rest Rei, I'll keep watch as you rest." offered Johann.

"No Johann. You need your rest as well. Share the sleeping bag with me?" asked Rei.

"I... I don't want to risk you being out in harms way again." explained Johann.

Another cold breeze entered the room causing their teeth to chatter. If they were kept up then they couldn't get any rest, and without rest they stood no chance against any threat or obstacle in their way.

Johann soon realized this and gave in. He slowly crawled over into the sleeping bag first making sure it was deployed as far as it could go. Once he was settled in Rei crawled in with him.

Their bodies both pressed close together. The heat that emanated from both of them combined into one source of warmth for them to share. Rei softly rested her head against Johann's chest feeling comfort. She gently nuzzled under as neck as she kept her arms around him.

Johann softly stroked her hair as he felt his eyes becoming increasingly heavier by the second. Despite all that happened on this adventure, he was able to be at peace knowing Rei safe in his arms.

**Z-Day+91**

Early the next morning Johann woke up slowly. He sat up to see Rei had her arms wrapped around him affectionately from last night. Johann slowly ran his fingers through her hair.

"Wake up Rei. It's time we get going." whispered Johann.

When she didn't respond he slowly pulled her arms off of him and crawled out of the sleeping bag. Then he began to dismantle the barricade he set up yesterday. The noise it made was just enough to wake Rei up.

She sat up pulling her knees to her chest watching Johann move all those heavy furniture like it was nothing. Rei couldn't help but check him out every now and then.

When Johann finished he turned around to see Rei was now wide awake.

"Ready to get going?" asked Johann.

"Mhm." was all Rei could say as she stretched her body out.

Johann rolled the sleeping bag up tucking it into his backpack. He then took Rei's hand and left this place he once called home.

When they both got outside the smoke from the burned down slaughter house could be seen filling the sky.

"As much as I'd love to see the charred remains of that hell house we should avoid the general area. The owners are going to be much more active in that area in attempt to protect whatever else they may be hiding over there." explained Johann as he stopped to mark his map for bandit activity.

For the next three hours the two took a long detour through a financial district. They avoided any form of contact wether it was living or dead.

**[Another submission by Jayme F. Midorikawa]**

"There it is, the wall!" Johann exclaimed with excitement for the first time in what seemed like a lifetime. Indeed, just like he had said, on the opposite end of the street they now stood on, loomed the towering walls of the Hamburg homestead.

He could almost feel his legs give out beneath him. After he and Rei had gone through so much hell, the journey was finally nearing its end.

"We did it, Johann...we finally made it." Rei replied almost breathless.

She was nearly overwhelmed with joy that their nightmare of the outside world was finally going to come to an end.

Johann felt Rei take one of his hands in hers, and was only greeted by her smiling face when he looked at her. All he could bring himself to do was smile back, albeit nervously. The memories of what they had to do that rainy night back at his old home still kept him from being able to completely look her in the eye without losing his composure.

With a deep breath, he finally set his sights on the wall ahead of them.

"Come on, let's get the hell out of this place." he finally said, and without any hesitation, they began to move forward, their heads held high.

"Hilfe! Jemand, bitte hilf mir!" **(Help! Somebody, please help me!)** a voice suddenly cried out through the air, and not from too far at all. They both stopped almost instantly as the echo reached their ears.

Looking over his shoulder, Johann instantly spotted the source of the cry. Kneeling just outside of a subway station entrance on the side of the road was a single woman dressed in tattered and torn rags. Her red hair was in a complete mess and she almost looked like she would've been homeless back before the end of the world. The poor soul looked like she hadn't eaten in weeks, almost like she could keel over any minute now.

Needless to say, given all of what they had gone through, they were both more than a bit suspicious of this. Chances were this could've been another ambush waiting to happen.

However, something about this woman seemed different from the bandits they'd come across before. What it was, they could both tell instantly, even as far away as they were.

The tears that left streak marks down her dirt-caked face. Her eyes were red, looking as if she'd been crying nonstop for the last several weeks.

In all of their confrontations with the bandits, not a single one of them ever showed some kind of sign of remorse for their actions, no matter what such a sign from the likes of those men could've been. This woman genuinely looked like a poor lost soul that had nowhere safe to go.

Johann and Rei both knew that they couldn't in good faith leave that woman by herself. Who knew just how many of Them were out here right now, and how long it would take before that womans crying would attract Them to her.

Sighing deeply, Johann turned his attention to Rei. Before she could even guess what he was going to do, she suddenly felt something heavy dropped into her only empty hand. Looking down, she saw Johann had placed his revolver in her hand.

"I'm going to help her." he whispered to her. Rei's reaction was almost instantly what he was expecting it to be.

"Johann, we don't know if she's safe. She could be another of those bandits, o-or she could be bitten for all we know, and that's why she's calling for help." she responded in protest. It was already clear to Johann that there wasn't going to be any way of convincing her otherwise.

"I'm aware of that, Rei. That's why I want you to stay a good distance behind me, and keep that gun ready in case anything should happen." he answered in a restrained whisper, trying his best to calm her down, should the off chance that her echoed protest attract any stray Infected to their position.

Her eyes widened in shock at what she was being told to do. "Johann, I-I don't know if I could do that." she whispered nervously, drawing her gaze back down to the weapon in her hand.

"I know how you feel, Rei. Hopefully it won't have to come to that, but I would just feel safer if you were there to watch out for me right now, that's all." he whispered reassuringly, hoping she would be able to understand all that he was asking of her.

Swallowing her protests, she reluctantly nodded in understanding. Without a word, she immediately made her way past him and crouched down behind the corner of an open alleyway that was right next to them.

Immediately looking over her shoulder behind him, she breathed a sigh of relief to see that none of Them were there behind her, so it was safe for her to stay there.

"I'll keep watch from here. Just please be careful." she whispered as she carefully pulled the hammer back on the gun, hoping it wouldn't make too much noise.

Johann could only nod in response as he then turned his attention to the single woman ahead of him and began to make his way towards her, careful to make his approach not seem threatening, in case she should react dangerously.

The woman almost instantly noticed Johann approaching her and started to back away to the entrance of the subway station, looking very visibly frightened of him.

"Bitte, tu mir nicht weh! Lass mich in Ruhe!" **(Please, don't hurt me! Just leave me alone!)** the woman cried out in fear, causing Johann to bring both his hands up in the air to signify to her that he wasn't dangerous.

"Bitte Fräulein, keine Sorge. Ich werde nicht weh tun. Ich bin hier, Ihnen zu helfen." **(Please Miss, don't worry. I'm not gonna hurt you. I'm here to help you.)** Johann responded in a calm, quiet tone as he slowly approached her step by step.

"Nein! Du bist einer von ihnen, nicht wahr? Du bist einer von diesen Männern!" **(No! You're one of them, aren't you? You're one of those men!)** the woman cried out as she continued backing away from him, beginning to make her way down the stairs into the subway.

Johann didn't really need to guess just who she could've been mistaking him for, but that didn't deter him either way.

"Nein, ich bin nicht einer dieser Banditen. Ich komme aus einer abgeschottete Teil der Stadt, an einem sicheren Ort." **(No, I'm not one of those bandits. I'm from a walled off part of the city, somewhere safe.)** he replied, remaining as calm as he could be. This woman wouldn't stop yelling, and it would be a miracle if it didn't attract any of the infected in the process at this rate.

"Du lügst. Du bist einer von ihnen, ich weiß es! Ich lasse dich nicht nehmen uns!" **(You're lying. You're one of them, I know it! I won't let you take us!)** she exclaimed, her fear slowly turning into what sounded like a threat.

""Wir"? Du meinst, es ist jemand anderes mit dir? Wenn ja, könnten wir beide von Ihnen mit uns nehmen. Du wirst dort sicher, das verspreche ich Ihnen." **('Us'? You mean there's somebody else with you? If there is, we could take both of you with us. You'll be safe there, I promise you.)** Johann replied, his peaceful reasoning now rose to hopeful pleading. If there was anyone else with this woman, there was no way she would leave them behind.

The woman didn't respond, but she didn't look like she was backing down from her earlier assumptions either. At least, for a few seconds it seemed that way. But then, she stopped backing away from him and just stared at him for several lingering moments.

Johann didn't dare approach her any more, in case she should feel threatened as a result. Instead, he slowly extended his hand to her in a gesture of kindness. He felt, perhaps offering such a gesture would help snap this poor woman out of it, help her realize the truth behind his words, and convince her to let him bring her and whoever else was with her back to the homestead with him.

Keeping her distance, Rei kept watching the entire scene from behind the corner of the alleyway, keeping the revolver held firmly in her hands in case things between Johann and this mystery woman went South. She took a deep breath through her teeth, trying to keep calm as she kept her eyes set on the conversation going on between the two of them.

"Du sagst die Wahrheit? Du bist wirklich nicht einer von ihnen?" **(You're telling the truth? You're really not one of them?)** the woman asked, the hostility in her voice now reduced to a nervous whisper.

Johann began to smile as he nodded his head in approval to her question.

"Das ist richtig. Es gibt eine Menge anderer Leute, wo ich herkomme. Wir haben ein gutes Leben dort, und wir suchen immer nach neuen Mitgliedern. Es ist nicht einmal, dass weit von hier. Sie würde glücklich sein, können Sie und Ihre Begleitung in. Nun komm nur mit, und Sie werden nie sich um nichts kümmern sich hier wieder." **(That's right. There's a lot of other people where I'm from. We have a good life there, and we're always looking for new members. It's not even that far from here. They'd be happy to let you and your companion in. Just come with me, and you'll never have to worry about anything out here again.)** Johann explained in as gentle a voice as he could manage as he extended his hand further to her.

The woman's expression slowly faded into a frightened, almost wondrous look as she looked to his hand. Fresh tears began to well in her eyes as she looked deep into his.

"Dies ist nicht ein Trick? Me ... und mein kleiner Junge ... wir wirklich sicher sein? Sicher vor diesen Monstern, und sicher vor diesen Männern?" **(This isn't a trick? Me...and my little boy...we'd really be safe? Safe from those monsters, and safe from those men?)** the woman asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Johann now finally understood why this woman was so scared at first. After the scarring sights of what he'd seen those bandits do to their own children, it only made sense for this woman to fear any strangers for the sake of her child's life.

"Ja. Ich verspreche Ihnen, auf alles, was ich lieb und teuer ist, wird auch nichts von dir zu schaden gibt." **(Yes. I promise you on everything I hold dear, nothing will harm either of you there.)** he answered with a smile of relief as it seemed he was finally getting through to her.

The woman looked from his eyes to his hand and nearly seemed to break down in even more tears in front of him before wiping them from her eyes and recollecting herself.

"Danke ... vielen Dank." **(Thank you...thank you so much.)** she replied, her voice trembling as she took his hand.

For a few seconds, everything between them was silent before Johann turned his gaze to the subway entrance behind her.

"Ist Ihr Sohn da unten?" **(Is your son down there?)** he asked as the woman let go of his hand, looking down into the dark with him.

"Ja. Ich brauche dich, mir zu helfen, ihn hier oben. Er ist krank und an den Rollstuhl gefesselt. Wir haben nicht in Wochen gegessen, so dass ich weiß, ich bin nicht stark genug, um ihn hier oben mich." **(Yes. I need you to help me get him up here. He's sick and confined to a wheelchair. We haven't eaten in weeks, so I know I'm not strong enough to bring him up here myself. )** the woman went on to explain as Johann started making his way down the stairs past her.

"Mach dir keine Sorgen. Wenn Sie sagen, gerade mir, wo du beide gelebt haben hier unten, werde ich sicher sein, ihn zu finden und bringen ihn zurück ..." **(Don't worry. If you just tell me where you both have been living down here, I'll be sure to find him and bring him back...) **Johann began to reassure her when suddenly the clicking sound of a hammer being pulled back echoed down into the darkness of the stairway.

Before he could start to look back, he could feel the cold hard steel of a gun barrel being pushed right up against his back.

"Bewegen Sie sich nicht einen Zentimeter, Junge." (**Don't move an inch, boy.)** the woman suddenly muttered in a flat, humorless tone as she started to pat Johann down, feeling into all of his pockets. Before Johann could try to act, he suddenly felt the knife he had been holding onto being pulled out of its sheath. Now he had absolutely nothing to fight back with.

"Das ist alles, was Sie haben? Was für eine verdammte Verschwendung, sogar für einen dreckigen Banditen wie Sie." **(This is all you have? What a fucking waste, even for a filthy bandit like you.)** the woman went on, the coldness in her voice never faltering.

Johann didn't dare risk moving enough for her to react violently, cause he knew that there was no way he'd be able to defend himself now. But then he began to think, perhaps if she were to lower her guard even a little bit, that would be enough of a window for him to pin her down.

"Sie denken, Sie sind alle so schlau, nicht wahr? Ihr Schweine sind nicht gonna mich auszutricksen, egal wie Silber eure Zungen sein kann. Sie nahm schon alles andere von mir. Du nahmst meine Schwester, und Sie haben sogar mein Junge. Aber du wirst mich nicht ... Ich schwöre auf dein Grab!" **(You think you're all so smart, don't you? You bastards aren't gonna trick me, no matter how silver your tongues may be. You already took everything else from me. You took my sister, and you even took my boy. But you won't take me...I swear on your grave!)** the woman had begun to descend into a clearly insane ramble, her voice quickly rising in volume into near hysterics.

Johann could feel the barrel of her gun against his back begin to tremble, and he knew that was the window he needed. The instant he began to spin around in order to grab her, the woman suddenly had him by his hair in one of her hands, and the barrel of her gun right up against his heart.

Suddenly, a deafening bang rang through the silent air, quickly followed by another one, a much louder one. For a few moments, Johann was almost certain he was now dead, but instead of being greeted by a blinding white light, instead he was greeted by the image of that woman's face right in front of him, a small, smoking hole right between her eyes, her eyes rolled back into her head. She slowly collapsed to the stairs at his feet, a small river of blood beginning to leak down the steps from the bullet hole in her head.

Johann slowly brought his gaze back to the street he came from, to see Rei standing before him, both arms raised, with his revolver clutched in both her hands, the barrel smoking, and her hands beginning to shake.

Johann began to take a step towards her, ready to let out a sigh of the utmost relief, when suddenly, the worst pain he could have ever felt began to burn through his entire body, to the point that he wanted to scream, but couldn't. He saw the expression on Rei's face slowly change from relief to horror as the revolver dropped from her hands onto the ground below.

He slowly lowered his gaze down, only to be greeted by a slowly spreading red stain on his chest, emanating from a bullet hole of his own. As the strength almost instantly faded from his legs, nearly bringing him to collapse down the stairs himself, he noticed for a split second that the woman's gun barrel was also smoking.

Then, his vision nearly went black as he caught his balance only just enough to keep himself from plummeting down the stairs. Instead, his bleeding, weakening body slumped against the walls to the stairway as Rei sprinted to him, crying his name out in panic.

But to him in that moment, her voice only registered as a distant buzz as his senses were slowly fading as he continued to bleed out.

**[Back to me]**

Suddenly footsteps could be heard approaching her. She held up the revolver expecting trouble from the unknown force. However Johann recognized the footsteps and who they belonged too.

"Rei put your gun down... they're friendly..." groaned Johann as he fought to stay awake.

Rei lowered the revolver and watched as four figures approached her.

"Johann ist, dass Sie?" **("Johann is that you?")** asked a male voice.

"Yea ... Es ist mir, nehmen Sie bitte uns hier raus." **("Yea... It's me, please get us out of here.")** requested Johann as he felt a horrid throbbing pain pulsating in the back of his head.

Four men dressed in similar uniforms approached Rei. She gently handed him over to two of them to help him walk.

The other two motioned Rei to follow them. Johann breathed heavily unable to stay awake much longer.

Minutes later they were finally back within the safety of the Hamburg walls. Groups of people began to approach to see who had just entered the city.

"Ist es ihnen? Ist es meine Jungs?!"  
><strong>("Is it them? Is it my boys?!")<strong> shouted the voice of a concerned mother.

Johann turned to see a mother and father push their way through a crowd.

"Wer waren deine Jungs?" ("Who were your boys?") asked Johann as the two gate guards tied a tourniquet around his bullet wound to prevent anymore heavy loss of blood.

"Bernd und Eber." **("Bernd and Eber.")** replied the mother in hopes Johann knew where they went off to.

"Es tut mir leid, haben sie es nicht geschafft. Sie starben mit mit Ehre. Ich tat was ich konnte, um sie zu schützen, aber es war nicht genug." **("I'm sorry, they did not make it. They died with with honor. I did all I could to protect them but it wasn't enough.")** explained Johann.

"Du warst mit ihnen? Für wie lange?" **("You were with them? For how long?")** asked the father as the mother fell to her knees in tears.

"Seit ich die Tore gelassen, erinnerst du dich nicht?" **("Ever since I left the gates, don't you remember?")** asked Johann.

"Warum hast du nicht schicken sie zurück?" **("Why didn't you send them back?") **asked the father in an irritated tone.

"Sie sagten mir, ihr Jungs gesagt, es war ok." **("They told me you guys said it was ok.")** replied Johann not realizing that they had lied so they could go on an adventure with him.

"Und Sie glaubten sie? Glaubst du wirklich, ich würde mir Söhne hinaus in die gefährliche Welt mit jemandem, der kaum einen älteren war?!" **("And you believed them? You really think I would let me sons go out into the dangerous world with someone who was barely any older?!")** snapped the woman as she looked up with hatred in her eyes.

"I. .. Ich wusste nicht, wie könnte ich das gewusst haben?" **("I... I didn't know, how could I have known?")** asked Johann feeling even worse for their deaths.

"Es sei gewesen du bist gestorben, dass da draußen mit ihnen! Nicht meine Söhne!" **("It should have been you that died out there with them! Not my sons!")** shouted the mother in anger as she picked up a rock.

Those words were the last straw. If the pressure and anxiety wasn't enough, the bullet wound sure was. He just lowered his head and closed his eyes in shame.

The mother threw the rock as hard as she could out of anger. Before it hit Johann in the face a hand reached out and caught it.

When Johann looked up he saw Toreston standing before him with the rock in his hand.

"Das ist genug! Alle von euch! Sie waren ihre Eltern, sie waren in Ihrer Verantwortung. Mach dir keine Vorwürfe Ihr Manko auf ihn, er tat was er konnte. Jetzt hier raus Show ist vorbei." **("That's enough! All of you! You were their parents, they were your responsibility. Don't blame your shortcoming on him, he did all he could. Now clear out of here show's over.")** ordered Toreston who was surprisingly sticking up for Johann.

"Toreston verteidigen meinen Namen? Jetzt weiß ich, ich habe gestorben." **("Toreston defending my name? Now I know I've died.") **joked Johann breathing heavily.

"Ich kann nicht sehen, Auge in Auge mit Ihnen auf die meisten Fragen, aber sie war aus der Reihe. Männer! Escourt Johann zum Medizinischen Zentrum." **("I may never see eye to eye with you on most matters but she was out of line. Men! Escourt Johann to the medical center.")** ordered Toreston before he walked off.

Johann looked at Rei one last time. He then closed his eyes as if he was never going to open them again. Rei watched as a medical transport drove off with Johann in it. Tears filled her eyes as she watched him go.

"Why did he just fall like that?" asked Rei aloud as only a few bits of her group stood with her.

"It must have been all the blood he lost." estimated Saya.

"It wasn't the loss of blood, it was when that woman said he should be the dead one. It really impacted him hard. Psychological damage is just as dangerous as physical damage" explained Frasier as he began to walk away to go check on the medical center.

"Wait where are to going?" asked Rei as she ran to go catch up with him.

"Johann did the kindness of visiting me in the hospital, now it's my turn to repay the favor." replied Frasier as he walked down the sidewalk.

"I'm coming with you!" said Rei as she walked at his side.

She knew that Johann would need her for support if he was to pull through all this. 


	53. Act 24 Clans of the Dead Part 5

**Act 24 Clans of the Dead Part 5  
>Z-Day+91<strong>

"Frasier can i ask you something?" asked Rei.

"Of course you can." said Frasier as they both walked through the busy crowds of people going about their day.

"Do you think Johann will be alright?" asked Rei as they crossed the street.

"I can't be entirely sure, bullet wounds are very tricky to survive without long term consequences." replied Frasier.

Rei looked down and had a sad expression on her face. Frasier noticed this and decided to restate his answer.

"However with enough support and help from his friends he will pull through just fine." added Frasier with a more optimistic tone.

Rei smiled a bit and looked up at him still full of questions.

"So... How would I know if a guy likes me?" asked Rei.

Frasier stopped for a second surprised she would ask him something like that.

"Don't you know?" asked Frasier.

"No, that's why I'm asking you. I mean you're a guy so I figured you'd be the one to know." replied Rei.

"You're a girl though. I thought girls knew everything about relationships and how boys think." explained Frasier trying to avoid the question.

"Frasier... can you please just tell me?" asked Rei.

"Alright fine... But you need to tell me who it is you like." said Frasier.

"Isn't there a special sign or way of knowing so I can figure it put on my own?" asked Rei.

"Not really. Men are far more different from women. We tend to keep our feelings on the inside. Not let them go floating around for everyone to see." explained Frasier.

"Johann..." answered Rei feeling her cheeks turning red just at the mention of his name.

Frasier thought about it for a while and remembered the looks Johann would get whenever Rei was in the same room. He knew those looks from somewhere before. It then hit him, those were the exact same looks he had himself whenever Saeko was around.

"He has certainly taken notice to you ." said Frasier.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Rei unsure what he meant by that statement.

"Your the girl, you figure it out." dismissed Frasier as he kept moving.

"Really?! You're just going to leave it at that? Why?" questioned Rei.

"Because I'm a guy." replied Frasier with a smirk as he opened up the doors to the hospital.

It was running very smooth surprisingly. It wasn't overcrowded or out of control. Then again getting bitten by the infected didn't exactly call for a trip to hospital. It called more for a bullet to the temple.

After Rei asked where they could find Johann, they both went into an open elevator. As the went up a few floors Rei felt anxious to see Johann knowing he liked her back.

"Frasier..." said Rei hesitantly.

"Yes Rei?" asked Frasier expecting more questions about Johann.

"I'm sorry about Takashi. I didn't know me breaking up with him would cause him to lust after Saeko." apologized Rei feeling she was responsible for his actions.

"Don't worry about it Rei. He's just confused with what he wants. This world has been a burden on us all but I feel it's taking a toll on him the most." explained Frasier.

"I could talk to him if you want." offered Rei.

"That won't necessary Rei. I'm a man I can handle my own problems. Just know that if he gives me reason though I will beat him." warned Frasier.

"Let's just hope it doesn't come to that." said Rei as the elevator door opened up.

They both walked in silence and in no time found Johann's room.

"I'll go first, wait here for a moment Rei." said Frasier as if he was ordering her to.

Rei at first wanted to protest against that but he was already closing the door behind him before she could say anything.

Rei leaned against the wall folding her arms waiting very patiently. Her heart was pounding as all she could think of was Johann. She knew she would do anything to keep him alive, especially after he saved her last night.

Unable to wait any longer, Rei opened the door making her way inside. Frasier was standing there before her and looked down at her.

"Just in time, I was about to leave." said Frasier as he walked past Rei leaving her alone with Johann.

The door closed behind her. Rei slowly walked over to one side of the bed and sat in the chair Frasier must have been sitting in.

Before Rei could say anything the door opened up behind her. In walked Shizuka with a tray of equipment.

Most notably a red bag with what was presumably blood.

"Shizuka?! What are you doing here?" asked Rei not expecting anyone else to be here.

"I'm the one who removed the bullet. The nice people here let me help out around the hospital." explained Shizuka.

"How are you able to understand them?" asked Rei curiously.

"Well I normally have Marcus around to help translate but a few combat medics speak Japanese so things are working out swell. I'm so glad you two made it back!" explained Shizuka as she hugged Rei tight.

"So what's with the bag?" asked Rei.

Shizuka sat back remembering why she was in here.

"Oh right! After I removed the bullet I noticed he had lost a large amount of blood. I just went down to the blood storage to get his blood type. However I'm not entirely sure if there is enough right now." explained Shizuka.

"What's his blood type?" asked Rei as Shizuka attached the tubes to Johann's right arm.

"A positive." answered Shizuka as the bag slowly emptied itself into his body slowly yet steadily.

"He has my blood type." thought Rei to herself. "Well isn't there enough in the storage? That blood type is very common I thought." said Rei.

"It is which is why that's a problem. Since it's a common type it's also used up really fast by the other people who have that type." explained Shizuka.

After a few minutes the bag was completely emptied out. Shizuka shook her head and knew that there wasn't enough blood to keep Johann sustained.

"I'm sorry Rei but that wasn't enough." announced Shizuka sadly.

Rei felt tears fill her eyes as she looked at Johann laying there helpless. She then looked at the tubes then to Shizuka.

"Shizuka can you take my blood? If you recall A positive was my blood type as well." offered Rei.

"Well I suppose I can but are you sure? Giving blood is going to leave you exhausted for a bit." said Shizuka.

"I'm sure Shizuka, I don't want him to die like this. He saved me last night, I owe it to him." confirmed Rei.

"Very well. Please hold out your arm." requested Shizuka as she disconnected the bag from the tubes.

Rei slowly held her arm out and closed her eyes. She always did hate a phobia of needles. Shizuka took a wet cotton ball and damped it on the spot she planned to use.

While Rei covered her eyes with her right hand, she felt a sharp stinging sensation on her left forearm. At first it stung but soon the pain subsided into numbness.

"Ok you can open your eyes Rei." announced Shizuka.

Rei slowly moved her hand down to see that her arm was connected to the sane tubbing that was connected to the bag that was also connected to Johann. She watched as Shizuka began to grip a black ball syphoning the blood out slowly.

After roughly thirty minutes Shizuka had taken a safe amount of blood from Rei. She patched Rei up and took the empty bag down slowly.

"So he will be ok? Is that enough blood?" asked Rei.

"It is, he should make a full recovery but he still needs time to recover. You can stay here if you want. I need to go take care of something. " explained Shizuka as she got up to leave.

Rei just sat there looking over Johann as if she was his guardian angel. She gently ran her soft hand against his cheek. His face was slightly pale from the loss of blood but it would soon resort to its original coloring later.

Suddenly the door slowly opened up. Rei quickly turned her head to see Saeko and Saya standing there before her.

"Saeko? Saya. What do you need?" asked Rei.

"I was told Frasier would be here but I guess I missed him." said Saeko.

"And I'm here because I needed to talk to Shizuka about Takashi." added Saya.

Saeko and Saya both turned to leave the room knowing the people they were looking for weren't here.

"Wait! There's something I've wanted to talk to you two about." said Rei before they left.

"What is it?" asked Saeko as they both walked over to her.

"You remember that night in Kibou City? That 'special' night?" brought up Rei.

"Yeah what about it? Pretty sure we shouldn't talk about it in front of anyone else." said Saya motioning over to Johann.

"He's out cold and won't be up for awhile. Anyways it's about what happened to me that night. I... I didn't go through with it." admitted Rei looking down in shame.

"What do you mean you didn't go through with it?" asked Saeko.

"Yeah we all did... well you know." added Saya unable to bring herself to say what she originally meant to say.

"Well not me... It felt wrong and Takashi just wasn't himself. Even though I didn't want to continue his body did." revealed Rei.

"So he raped you?" asked Saya.

"No... I think that aphrodisiac did something to his mind. I slipped out from under him and everything but he acted like I never moved at all. The drug must have messed with his mind or something." explained Rei.

"Do you think it could have affected Khota or Frasier too?" asked Saeko in a concerned voice.

"Well that drug was flushed out his system the next morning so I think they're all in the clear." estimated Saya.

"So your still a virgin huh?" smirked Shizuka from the doorway.

Everyone jumped a bit as none of them realized Shizuka was listening in on their conversation.

"Jesus Christ! Close the door woman do you want everyone to hear this?!" snapped Saya.

Shizuka giggled a bit as she closed the door behind her. She then walked over pulling up a chair to join in on the conversation.

"It's ok girls no one but Rika and I know about that little night. Especially since we recorded your little sessions." explained Shizuka.

"You what?!" shrieked all three girls at once.

"Shhh keep your voices down!" whispered Shizuka as she put a finger to her lips.

"You recorded us? Why?" asked Rei demanding an answer.

"Well like I always say: Cooking and porn are always the best when homemade!" answered Shizuka feeling proud of that statement.

"Oh you have got to be kidding me." groaned Saya as she took off her glasses to rub her eyes unable to even respond to what the blonde nurse just said.

Suddenly the door opened up to reveal Khota and Rika entering the room.

"Hey guys! We're not interrupting anything I hope." said Khota as he walked in closing the door behind him.

"No not at all! How was the training?" asked Saya steering clear from the previous conversation.

"Beyond describing, I can't begin to express my love for guns, but you already knew that!" replied Khota.

"Have you seen Frasier? He's meant to be watching the kids as well." brought up Saeko.

"Well Frasier was showing the weapon-smith his crossbow. I think he plans on using the rebar bolts since they pack a far more devastating punch than his original bolts." explained Khota.

"What about Takashi and Marcus? We haven't seen them since Rei and Johann returned." asked Saya.

"Well Marcus told me Kurt was rounding up a group to go recover the bodies of those two boys and personally asked him to go. Not wanting to disrespect Kurt's request Marcus accepted this task. Oddly enough Takashi volunteered to go as well, not sure why." answered Khota.

"Frasier said this was ok?" asked Saeko feeling that bit out of character for him.

"At first he said no but Marcus argued that it would be safe and that he needs the experience. Personally I thought it was a pretty solid reason, so did Frasier in the end." explained Khota.

"So what have you been up too? I haven't seen you all morning." asked Saya as if she was openly admitting that she missed Khota.

"Me? Well I was with Rika training on my marksman skills." explained Khota.

"And you didn't invite me?!" growled Saya trying to hide the spark of jealousy she felt inside her heart.

"I didn't think you would want to go. Honest! You can join in next time." offered Khota apologetically.

"Maybe I will. I hope you plan on helping me learn." expected Saya in a more calm voice.

"Of course I can!" exclaimed Khota feeling excited that Saya would be learning to shoot with him.

At the gun-smith's workshop, Alice and Brian both watched Frasier as he sat at a workbench augmenting his crossbow.

"What are you doing?" asked Brian curiously.

"Just making some big adjustments to my weapon." answered Frasier as he reached reached for a screwdriver.

"Why? Isn't your weapon enough?" asked Alice as she sat in the stool next to his.

She remembered to keep her distance from items that could be or were potentially dangerous after the last time in Kibou. Her eyes watched everything that was going on the table.

"Well my crossbow shoots only one arrow/bolt so I have to constantly reload it. I've I'm to survive I'll need to increase how many times I can shoot before reloading." explained Frasier.

"How you going to do that?" asked Brian as he dragged over a stool for himself.

"Simple, I'm going to place the bolts into a cylinder chamber so I won't need to constantly reload. I'll also be using air pressure since I'm going to need to strip the main body for room." answered Frasier as he attached a pump under the six barrels.

Brian and Alice had no idea what he was talking about but it was still entertaining to watch him working.

"Aha! I think this bad boy is ready to fire!" exclaimed Frasier as he pulled his new weapon up.

"Shouldn't you be resting like Shizuka said?" asked Alice.

"Me? Nah, I'll be just fine." responses Frasier far too intrigued with his new device.

"But she's an adult. You should always listen to adults." brought up Brian.

"I'm an adult though so that only applies to you two." argued Frasier as he walked outside to the firing range next door to the weapon smith's building.

Brian and Alice walked side by side as they both followed Frasier. They stood behind the sandbags propped up in a long line to indicate where the shooter is meant to take position.

"Can we try?" asked Brian as he wanted to learn to shoot.

"No. This weapon hasn't even been tested yet. You just witnessed me finishing it a minute ago." replied Frasier.

"Can we pump it?" asked Alice as she noticed the same pump mechanism on Frasier's gun as the one Khota created back in America.

"Alright just let me unload it so we don't have any accidents." said Frasier as he pulled the rebar bolts out.

He then held the prototype weapon upwards for the two excited kids. Alice and Brian both grabbed the bulbous grip. Their tiny hands worked together causing the air pressure to rise.

"Alright you two stand back." ordered Frasier as he loaded six rebar rods.

He then aimed for the dummies filled with sand. Frasier squeezed the trigger and watched as a single rod pierced all the way through the target. The rod went a third of the way into the heavily reinforced concrete wall behind the target practice range.

The revolver like cylinder turned clockwise as his fingers kept firing. Five more bolts fired exactly where he aimed for. The weapon was not only quiet but also had little kickback.

He holstered the weapon along his back and walked out into the range since we was the only one. Frasier grabbed the rods and twisted them out of the wall to see they had made perfect holes. This was a perfect weapon for him.

He then turned to see the two kids talking to each other. Alice kept giggling and would turn red. Frasier walked over with the rebar rods vaulting over the sandbags.

"What are you two talking about?" asked Frasier as he towered over the two kids.

"Oh uh well Alice told me about this one time you roared like a lion and that you breathed fire! Is that true?" asked Brian.

Frasier then remembered his demonstration at that hotel back in Tokonosu.

"Yes it did happen, so why would that make you giggle Alice?" asked Frasier.

"After I told Brian the story he tried to roar like you. It didn't sound quite right though." teased Alice.

"Oh? Brian, show me your roar." requested Frasier watching how Brian would perform.

Brian took a deep breath then went "ggrraww." causing his voice to crack a bit.

Alice giggled again unable to resist the urge to laugh at his attempt.

"Did I do it? Was I good?" asked Brian.

"You did well for someone your age but if you want to get good at it you need to have no fear in your voice. Your shout must have emotion behind it! Show your enemies your true power!" mentored Frasier as he leaned against the sandbags.

"Can you show me how you do it?" asked Brian.

"Yeah do it! Do it!" urged on Alice.

"Oh I don't know. That may not be a good idea. I don't want to cause any trouble." said Frasier.

"Oh come on no one is around us though. Please?" begged Alice with puppy dog eyes.

Unable to resist Frasier rolled his eyes and took a deep breath. He then exhaled bellowing out in a powerful and dominating voice: "GGGGRRRAAAWWWWRRRR!" throughout the momentarily empty streets.

Alice and Brian both jumped up and down in excitement cheering. They both couldn't get enough of the raw power being emitted through voice.

The gunsmith ran outside the workshop with a rifle in hand.

"Ist alles ok? Was war das für ein Lärm?" **("Is everything ok? What was that noise?")** he asked unsure of what was going on.

"Keine Sorge, ich nur mein Zeh drückte." **("Don't worry I just stubbed my toe.")** lied Frasier as he held his foot up to go along with his story.

"Jesus kid Sie gab mir einen verdammten Herzinfarkt. Ich dachte, dass etwas geschehen war. Sowieso haben Sie jemals bekommen, dass sechs-shot Armbrust / Revolver Hybrid zu arbeiten?" **("Jesus kid you gave me a goddamn heart attack. I thought something had happened. Anyways did you ever get that six-shot crossbow/revolver hybrid to work?") **asked the smith.

"Yeah! Es ist das Eindringen Wert ist sehr gut. Glaube, ich könnte alle Ihre Bewehrungsstäbe auf Sie im Moment haben?" **("Yeah! It's penetration value is very good. Think I could have all your rebar rods on you at the moment?")** asked Frasier.

"Fünfundzwanzig Stäbchen?! Was ist drin für mich?" **("Twenty five rods?! What's in it for me?")** asked the smith.

"Ich kann Ihnen zeigen, wie die Waffe selbst machen." **("I can show you how to make the weapon itself.")** bartered Frasier.

"Oh das klingt eigentlich ziemlich gut. Deal!" **("Oh that sounds pretty good actually. Deal!") **accepted the smith as he ran back inside to grab all the rebar rods he had in stock.

He then came back out carrying a bag with all twenty five rods hanging out at the top.

"Hier sind sie. Also, wie macht man so ein einzigartiges Instrument?" **("Here they are. So how do you make such a unique instrument?") **asked the smith.

"Ich zeige Ihnen, nachdem ich es zu testen ein bisschen mehr. Wäre das nicht wollen, Ihnen beizubringen, wie man eine defekte Waffe zu machen." **("I'll show you after I test it out a bit more. Wouldn't want to teach you how to make a faulty weapon.")** explained Frasier.

"Sehr gut aber nicht einschrauben mich auf diesen Deal. Diese Stäbe sind nicht einfach zu, ohne sich außerhalb der Stadtmauern zu finden." **("Very well but don't screw me on this deal. Those rods aren't easy to find without going outside the city walls.")** explained the smith as he walked back to his workshop.

"Sie können auf mich zählen. Ich werde sicher sein, ausgiebig zu testen es auf dem infizierten." **("You can count on me. I'll be sure to extensively test it on the infected.")** grinned Frasier as he put the bag strap along his shoulders.

"Can we go see what everyone else is up too?" asked Alice.

"Sure. Once I put these in Johann's home we can head for the gates I'm sure they're going to be at the gates to greet Takashi and Marcus back from that recovery mission." explained Frasier as he walked the two kids towards Johann's home.

Outside the city gates, Marcus and Takashi wandered off from the main group to go investigate a strange noise heard by Takashi while walking with the recovery teams.

"Shouldn't we tell them about this?" asked Marcus.

"Nah. It's probably nothing, but just in case we should investigate." explained Takashi.

They both entered through an alleyway only to spot a medium sized group of infected feeding on a few corpses. Marcus held his hand up signaling Takashi to stop.

"How many are there?" whispered Takasi.

"I count fifteen. Let's just go back, those freaks aren't going to give us any trouble." suggested Marcus.

"Leaving just one of these things alive is a threat to all mankind. I say we waste them." suggested Takashi.

"I don't think we should, not without backup anyways." argued Marcus.

"What's wrong? Can't do anything without your older brother?" joked Takashi.

"Who says I need him? I can take those freaks on easily!" hissed Marcus feeling him that he was independent enough to get things done himself.

"Prove it then." urged on Takashi.

"Gladly!" shouted Marcus as he drew his Beretta pistol.

All the infected feeding heard his voice and began to all move in on his location. Marcus flipped off the safety and began to fire away at the closest ones first. Each time he fired a single bullet would enter the skull of the infected. Skulls would pop open from the back as the bullets whizzed through them with ease.

"This is just too easy." thought Marcus to himself dropping the infected like flies.

Takashi just stood there smiling as he wanted Marcus to fire all his ammo off. Marcus kept fighting on to show what he was made of, he fired the last of his clip then holstered his empty pistol knowing that this little skirmish with the infected was over.

"Seems like that's the last of Them." announced Marcus as he kicked the nearest one to be extra sure.

Takashi slowly walked behind him with a .38 pistol in hand. When he was right behind Marcus, Takashi held the gun up pointing at the heart.

"There's still one left to deal with." replied Takashi as the barrel pressed into Marcus' back.

Marcus was caught completely off guard from this.

"Takashi?! What is the meaning of this?" asked Marcus.

"Sorry Marcus but I'm afraid your just an innocent pawn in all this." answered Takashi.

"What could you possibly gain from killing me? What are you up too?" asked Marcus trying to distract Takashi as his hand slowly reached for Ariel's dagger tucked away in his coat.

"Simple. Your older brother went into a mental breakdown when Noah died. I need him to be in that state again so his judgment will be clouded with sorrow. Saeko will be mine Marcus, this group was doing just fine without you guys." explained Takashi.

"I thought you had it in for Rei, you don't know who you want do you? Face it your just another filthy player Komoro." said Marcus as his hand was only a snatch away from the knife handle.

"Shut up! You have any idea what it's like being a leader? The stress and conflict over every choice I had to make? Last I checked you were never a leader, you just relied on your older brother." replied Takashi.

"Yeah I did. He was a damn fine leader too, no one under his direct command died. Can you say the same Takashi?" asked Marcus.

"You should be concerned with yourself Marcus. It's a shame this is what it comes down to." said Takashi dismissing that question.

"I can't help but agree with you on that one." agreed Marcus as he shoved the gun aside and pulled out the knife slicing across Takashi's cheek.

Takashi quickly hopped back and fired five shots before Marcus could carve him up. Three missed but two of them hit. Marcus stood there breathing heavily looking down at his bullet wounds.

**{Mad World Instrumental - Gary Jules}**

The knife fell out of his hand and down to his feet. Marcus slowly dropped to his knees reaching out for Takashi.

"You won't get away with this!" gasped Marcus as he tried to fight off the immense pain.

Takashi kneeled down and wrapped his fingers around the dog tag. In one tug he broke it off of Marcus then shoved the wounded boy into the ground. Takshi looked down at the dog tag then slowly walked away knowing that Marcus would not be able to get up from that.

Every breath Marcus took sent immense pain into his chest. Despite his injuries he slowly crawled along the gritty alley reaching for Takashi.

His head slowly laid against the ground. Tears flooded his eyes as he fought with all his might to keep going. Marcus grit his teeth as he lifted his head one more time.

Instead of seeing a trashy alleyway, Marcus saw his father standing there looking down at him.

"Father... Help me." groaned Marcus as he felt one of his eyes close tight.

"I've trained you to be tougher than this. Just keep fighting through the pain, Frasier would be up by now." replied his father with his hands behind his back.

Marcus coughed up blood and pulled himself a few inches forward struggling to prove himself to his father. That he was strong enough to keep up with his older brother.

"I... I can't..." grunted Marcus.

"Then you are no son of mine." said his father in a disappointed voice as he walked away from Marcus.

"Father please..." whimpered Marcus begging for help as his arm reached out only to drop from exhaustion.

His head dropped for the last time against the ground. Marcus was unable to move any further at this point. Tears gently ran down his cheeks as this was his final moments.

"Don't worry Noah. Your big brother Marcus is on his way to raise some hell." whispered Marcus to himself before closing his other eye shut.

**{}**

An hour later the gates slowly opened up for the recovery party. Those that were sent out walked behind a large delivery truck that carried the winter clothing Johann marked down on his map.

Among one of these men was Takashi. He wandered out of the returning group once he spotted his group waiting for him. Frasier walked in front of everyone noticing that Marcus was not with him.

"Marcus... Where is he?" asked Frasier feeling something wasn't right.

Takashi shook his head and looked down holding back his grin. He then looked up sighed.

"I'm sorry... We both fought as hard as we could but it wasn't enough. He didn't make it back Frasier. I'm so sorry." apologized Takashi.

"Are you sure he didn't get lost? Maybe he's still out there!" brought up Saeko.

Takashi reached into his pocket and let the dog tags dangle between his fingers. Frasier slowly reached out pulling it away as he looked down at the tags. There was no denying it now, there was now only one Markle left.

"Brother..." whispered Frasier as his eyes began to water.

He slowly dropped to his knees and wrapped his hands around the dog tag. His breathing began to become heavy as his eyes closed tighter.

"Who did this?" growled Frasier as his words were backed up with a rising hatred.

"Bandits... It all happened so fast." explained Takashi.

Saeko gently placed her hand on his shoulder. He shrugged it off and stood up. Frasier movements became sluggish as he tried to walk away.

"Frasier stop! I'm worried about your well being. Please talk to me." pleaded Saeko as she watched her husband's world flip entirely upside down.

"Stay away from me... I need to be alone." warned Frasier as he stormed off.

Before Saeko could react, Shizuka held an arm out in front of her.

"Get out of my way." ordered Saeko.

"Let him go Saeko. When a man is in this kind of state it's best to let him cool off." explained Shizuka.

"You don't understand, he shares the same curse I have. A powerful desire for blood and vengeance. If I don't calm him down then this clan will have a real problem." explained Saeko as she then ran off to catch up with Frasier.

"Maybe we shouldn't have told him. This can't be good." commented Khota.

"He would have found out eventually, it's his own brother after all." brought up Saya as she watched Saeko disappear from her field of vision.

**[Written by my co-writer Jayme F. Midorikawa]**

Frasier ran at top speed now. The world around him seemed to be a million miles away as he made his way down the cobblestone streets, through the door, and up the stairs into Johann's home.

With nobody else around to intrude upon him, all Frasier could do was just look around him. Not just the room, but the world around him. And all he could think about was Marcus.

To think, barely more than three months ago, the two of them were still going to school on another average day, no cares, no worries, just taking life day by day.

But now... now that world seemed so far away. Everything that mattered to him now seemed so far away. His home back in England, his parents, his uncle... Noah... Marcus.

Frasier's gaze fell upon the spot on the floor where Marcus had slept the first night they'd come to this place. For a second, he could've sworn he'd seen Marcus still laying there unharmed. But alas, the second he blinked, he realized it was nothing more than his tortured mind playing cruel tricks on his eyes, cause now it was nothing but an empty spot of wooden floorboards, laughing at him, mocking him for his pain.

"It hurts, doesn't it?" an all too familiar voice suddenly spoke out, leading Frasier to turn on his heels towards the door.

There stood his father, looking Frasier dead in the eyes, a look of utter contempt and disgust clear in his empty eyes.

"What are you doing here? You're not real. None of this is." Frasier growled in anger as his father started to slowly approach him.

"Really? Is that what you think, Frasier? None of this is real? You think you're just going to wake up in your bed back in Japan, and everything will be as it used to be? That's nothing more than a stupid childish dream and you know it. I raised you to discard such pointless thoughts!" his father shouted angrily as Frasier started angrily pacing the room, trying to block out his father's words.

"Shut up!" Frasier shouted as he suddenly grabbed a flower vase that was sitting on the windowsill and threw it at his father. As expected, it shattered against the wall, passing through the man like he wasn't even there.

"I see what this is, Frasier. You're in denial. You don't want to accept the fact that you let the last of your kin die, while you were back here sitting on your ass like a goddamn civilian!" his father replied, venom hanging on every single word.

"That's not it! I thought he would be safe! He had people fighting alongside him! I know he's as capable a fighter as me!" Frasier replied as he smashed his clenched fist into the wall beside him, leaving a hole in it, not even feeling the pain shooting up his arm.

Suddenly, his father charged at him and had Frasier completely pinned against the wall, his arm pressed tight against his throat.

"How could you know that for certain, Frasier?! He didn't have the same training as you! That's not even the point, you are the leader, and your brothers were under your command! A leader has to make the right decisions to protect the lives of his men, and it was your responsibility to look out for your people, to look out for your brothers! You let Noah die under your own watch, and now you let Marcus die, because you were stupid enough to think he didn't need you! You failed, Frasier! You failed your whole family, and look what it's left you with now!" his father roared into his face as he flung Frasier across the room into a small table that shattered into splinters under his weight.

"Shut up..."Frasier muttered in pain as he slowly got back onto his feet.

"I tried to make you into a capable soldier like me, so that you could carry on the honor of the Markle name. I should've known from day one that I was wasting my time on you." his father replied in a much calmer, but still completely hateful tone.

"Shut up..." Frasier answered again.

"When I was around your age, I'd already gained a spot as commander of my own squad in the SAS. I lead those men through the mouth of hell itself for years, and not a single one of them died on my watch." his father continued, his tone slowly starting to turn into a condescending mocking tone.

"Shut up..." Frasier growled as he impulsively smashed his fist into a mirror on the wall, shattering it, not even feeling the shards of glass lightly scratching into his hand.

"You? You're a disgrace to our name! You not only go and wed yourself to a foreigner, but you even have the gall to think yourself a soldier, a warrior even, a competent adult, when the people you were supposed to watch over above all else are dead, because of you!" his father went on unabashed, as if Frasier hadn't said a word.

"Shut up!" Frasier shouted as he grabbed a chair nearby and flung it at his father, but it once again went right through him, shattering against the open door, busting it off one of its hinges.

Frasier looked down to the floor to avoid looking at his father, but upon gazing on the shards of glass on the floor at his feet, every reflection in it was that of his father.

"You can't protect anyone, Frasier. Noah and Marcus, your own family, are dead and gone. And it's all. Your. Fault." all the reflections said at once.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP, OLD MAN!" Frasier screamed as he smashed his foot into every shard of glass, breaking them into even more pieces, but all it did was make more and more copies of his father, those hateful eyes constantly burning into his soul.

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" Frasier kept screaming over and over as he grabbed anything within his arms reach, throwing them at the walls, breaking bottles, smashing furniture, striking dents and holes into the walls.

Everywhere Frasier looked, his father was standing there, mocking him with his very presence.

When there was nothing left for Frasier to grab that wasn't already in pieces, he instead grabbed one of the legs from the chairs and charged at his father, slamming him into the bed, smashing the leg into his father's face, over and over again, Frasier's eyes burning with hatred and tears as he could now only scream with savage rage as he continuously smashed his father's face into a bloody pulp.

However, just as Frasier raised the wooden leg over his head, ready to drive the splintered end into his father's chest like a vampire, Frasier blinked.

In that split second, Frasier was no longer kneeling over the body of his father, but instead, he was now over the bodies of Noah and Marcus.

Both their eyes were set squarely on Frasier, sadness and loathing burning in them.

"Why did you let this happen to us, brother?" Marcus asked, his voice weak and cracking as if his lungs were dry and brittle.

"I thought you cared about us, Frasier. Why weren't you there for us?" asked Noah, water gushing from his open mouth as if he'd walked right out of the ocean Frasier had buried him at.

The wooden leg fell from Frasier's hands as a whole new set of tears began to flow down his face as he looked at both his brothers below him.

For several moments, he couldn't bring himself to speak. All he could do was bury his face in his hands and weep.

"I'm sorry, brothers. I'm so sorry." he muttered pathetically.

"I failed you. I failed both of you. I should've been there with you, then this never would've happened. I'm the one who deserved this, not you." he went on, drifting back and forth from clear speaking to nearly incoherent crying.

"Frasier?" another familiar voice suddenly called out, drawing Frasier out of his depressed stupor.

Looking over his shoulder, there stood Saeko in the doorway, her eyes slowly looking over all the damage Frasier had done in his delirium.

Frasier then looked around the room himself. He'd reduced what was once a simple living quarters into a miniature war zone. Debris littered the floor and there were multiple holes or dents in the wall now.

For a moment, even Frasier couldn't believe it. Thinking back, he should've known all the people he saw were nothing more than delusions made by his own mind, but for those several minutes, it genuinely felt like they were all right there in front of him, as if brought back to life just to chastise him for his own mistakes and failures.

Saeko approached Frasier, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder as he remained completely speechless, almost ignorant of her presence.

"Beloved, please talk to me." Saeko said in a firm tone, finally managing to get his full attention.

However, Frasier could only reply to her with tears, nearly reduced to a shell of his former self in that moment.

"They're gone, Saeko. My brothers are gone, and I wasn't there." he replied, placing his hands on her shoulders, trying his hardest to look her in the eyes, but failing. Perhaps he didn't want his wife to see her man in such a pathetic state.

"Frasier, please, you can't blame yourself for this." Saeko answered soothingly as she placed one of her hands over his, bringing his hand up to touch her face.

"How can I not, Saeko? I already failed as a leader when Noah died, and I thought I had learned from that when I pulled the trigger; that my brothers weren't trained like soldiers like I was, that it wasn't safe for them to go without me. Instead, I allowed Marcus to go out there without me. Now, the last of my kin is dead, because I didn't stop to think that he would be just a little safer with me. My brother is dead, Saeko. And it's all my fault." Frasier stated, trying his best to keep his composure so he wouldn't reduce himself into a babbling mess like before.

Instead of the soothing sound of her voice to answer him, Frasier was instead met with a single palm striking him across his face.

It was strange, Frasier had suffered beatings that would break most men, but in this moment, Saeko's single hand slapping him seemed like a beating the likes of which he could never have imagined. All he could do was look at her as she stared straight into his eyes, almost into his heart.

"Frasier, you can stop right there. The grief you feel is only natural, and I could never blame you for feeling such grief, it's only natural. However, I won't just stand by and watch you break yourself down for it. What happened to Marcus was not your fault, my love. Nobody could've ever predicted what would happen to him, not you, not me, not anyone." Saeko said, her voice edging on either heartbreak or anger: heartbreak over the sight of the man she loved with all her heart suffering so much; anger over listening to him reduce himself to nothing.

Frasier could only listen to her words and process them constantly. Deep down, he knew she was right. It was foolish to think that he could've predicted what would happen to Marcus if he wasn't there. It didn't make the pain of losing Marcus hurt any less, but it helped him to put reality into perspective.

"Frasier, if there is anyone in this world that doesn't deserve your anger, it's yourself." Saeko finally finished, her expression finally returning to that beautiful calm smile Frasier had come to love so much.

"You're right, Saeko. I don't know what was going on in my head. I was acting like a fool." he finally responded to her, his voice having returned to that strong, always-in-control tone that helped prove his role as a natural leader.

"If there is anyone in this world who deserves any of my anger, right now, at this very moment...it's those people out there, beyond the walls. Those bandits, those bastards who killed him." Frasier finished, his voice dripping with venom when he uttered the word 'bandits'.

Frasier's gaze slowly turned to look out the window, beyond the buildings that made the homestead, his eyes looking out into the empty city outside, where those heartless savages roamed unchallenged, afraid of nothing. At that moment, Frasier silently swore to himself, he was going to give them something to be afraid of.

**[Back to me]**

Saeko noticed his look and turned his gaze back to hers. She knew he was planning on doing something, something irrational yet just.

"Frasier you will have you revenge... in due time." explained Saeko.

"I can't wait Saeko. The blood of my kin has been spilled. I must seek retribution now!" argued Frasier.

"Frasier listen to reason! We're still wounded from our battle with Durge. As much as I hate sitting around unable to do anything... Shizuka is our medical expert and knows best." reasoned Saeko.

Frasier closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He then opened them to see Saeko looking up at him waiting for a response.

"You're right Saeko. I just can't seem to get a grip on things. You mean everything to me. I'd be lost without you." explained Frasier.

His wounded hand gently brushed the hair out of Saeko's beautiful face to one side. She slowly leaned forward kissing him passionately. Saeko closed her eyes embracing his love and affection for her.

Her eyes suddenly shot wide open as she felt his left hand squeezing on the pressure point on her shoulder lightly. Saeko's legs began to tremble as her eyelids became heavy all of a sudden.

"Frasier... Please..." pleaded Saeko before she was knocked out.

He carefully carried her limp body to the guest bed gently setting her down. Frasier reached for his prototype hybrid weapon and bag of rebar rods. His hands quickly scribbled a note for her when she woke up.

Before leaving he gently kneeled to her side and kissed her forehead one last time.

"I'll be back my love. I promise you that much." vowed Frasier before exiting the remains of Johann's home. 


	54. Act 24 Clans of the Dead Part 6

**Act 24 Clans of the Dead Part 6  
>Z-Day+98<br>(one week later)**

Johann's eyes slowly fluttered open as he felt his mind trying to catch up with him. He slowly sat up with medical tubes connected to his right arm.

"Johann? Johann!" exclaimed a cheerful voice he easily recognized.

"Rei? How long have I been here?" asked Johann fully aware he was in the medical center.

"It's been about a week now. I was so worried about you Johann." explained Rei as she held his hand lovingly.

Johann felt his heart warming up to her beautiful smile. He couldn't help but feel everything would be ok when she smiled. Johann then noticed she had a bandage on her inner forearm.

"Rei, why do you have that bandage? Were you hurt?" asked Johann trying to remember if she was wounded or not back in the outskirts.

"No, it was to save you. The medical center was running out of your blood type blood. So had Shizuka transfer some of mine to you to keep you from bleeding out." explained Rei.

Johann was speechless after hearing such a thing. How could someone as amazing as Rei be so caring for someone like him?

"You did that for me? Why?" questioned Johann.

"Because... I couldn't just let you die like that. Especially after saving me Johann from those bandits." answered Rei.

"You went further than I did though. You saved me when that woman held me at gunpoint that much I understand. But you went above and beyond by giving me blood, the essence of life." said Johann.

"I did it because I..." Rei hesitated suddenly unsure if Frasier was right or not.

"Rei please tell me. You can tell me anything." reassured Johann as he held his hand up wrapping it around hers.

"I like you Johann, I really can't keep you off my mind and feel close to you." admitted Rei.

If Johann wasn't shocked before, he certainly was now. His hand still held onto Rei's hand however.

"Me? Johann Kessler?" clarified Johann making sure she wasn't confusing him for someone else.

"Yes you Johann. Is it wrong for me to like you?" asked Rei.

"No not at all, it's a very welcome feeling actually. It's just I've only really known you for about two days. I just can't see why you would like me over the other choices within your own group." answered Johann.

"Other choices? You mean the other guys in my group?" asked Rei needing clarity on that last part.

"Yeah, I just can't seem to get over that one crucial detail." explained Johann.

"Well I guess I'll have to go through the list to prove it:

First off we have Khota. Don't get me wrong he's actually a pretty nice guy who has some charm if given the chance. But I can't really feel attraction for him when he gets all crazy for guns.

Secondly there's Takashi. I've known him all my life and we were together for quite a long time. But as time changed he didn't, and that was just too much for me to continue with him. However the end of the world came and I couldn't help but go back to him, he was there for me when no one else could have been. Part of me also was holding onto old feelings for him as well. I also felt the apocalypse had changed him but it turned out to be for the worst so I had to break up with him a second time, I still can't forgive myself for doing that to him but it had to be done.

Third off we have Marcus. I admit I find his humor to be quite interesting at times. He has some natural good looks and how he tries to stay up to his eldest brother's standards is admirable. But he also can be real immature at times which isn't really attractive." explained Rei thoroughly.

"What about Frasier? Surely you feel some sort of attraction to him? He's tall, muscular, has good looks, he's leadership material. He even led a battle against an overwhelming force and won back in Kibou City." brought up Johann.

"All true but same can be said of you." said Rei.

"Hmm ok you got me there but I never led anyone into battle let alone led a group until last week, and you saw how that turned out. I've failed to protect two young boys from a brutal demise." argued Johann unable to forget their tragic murders.

"Johann, a strong leader can get over the losses of those under his command. But a stronger leader can learn from those experiences to prevent those mistakes. Also if I recall you were one of the brave soldiers under his command as well as the one who saved him during the battle." smiled Rei as her thumb rubbed against Johann's palm.

Johann looked into her eyes and smiled. His heart began to beat faster as she looked straight back into his.

"We'll I can't really deny it was me. Alright Rei you've explained why you don't have feelings for them but what about me?" followed up Johann starting to realize Rei had some pretty good reasons as to why she wouldn't be involved with any of the guys in her group.

"You're brave, intuitive, tall, and powerful yet at the same time gentle; you have genuine leadership qualities, eyes I just want to look into all day. Plus saving a girl is quite a romantic thing to do." explained Rei as she looked at Johann's lips.

Johann was once more speechless. He couldn't really think of any proper response to her feelings for him.

"Johann can I have another kiss? Last time I just kind of forced it onto you without asking which was rude." asked Rei.

Johann nodded and closed his eyes slowly. He then felt Rei's warm lips pressing up against his gently playing with his. Her soft hand gently ran down his stubble cheek feeling his facial hair. Johann's cheeks both turned red at the embrace they both shared.

Suddenly a knock on the door could be heard. The two both leaned back as it opened up. Toreston walked into the room to see Johann was finally awake.

"Hey Johann... Können Sie gehen?" **("Hey Johann... Are you able to walk?")** asked Toreston.

Johann slowly stood up and felt his legs were a bit wobbly from lack of use. He would have toppled over onto his face if Rei didn't support him.

"Noch nicht." **("Not yet.")** replied Johann as he sat on his bed moving his legs around trying to stretch them out.

"Wenn das der Fall ist, dann glauben Sie, könnten Sie Ihren Freund haben dort für einen Moment zu verlassen? Ich muss mit dir über etwas Wichtiges reden." **("If that's the case then do you think you could have your friend over there leave for a moment? I need to talk to you about something important.")** requested Toreston.

"Sie kann nicht verstehen uns Toreston sie kann nicht sprechen unsere langue." **("She can't understand us Toreston she can't speak our langue.")** explained Johann.

"Johann ist dies nicht der Zeitpunkt, zu argumentieren, wird es nur ein paar Minuten dauern." **("Johann this isn't the time to argue, it will only take a few minutes.")** said Toreston with a bit of concern in the back of his words.

"Rei could you give us a moment? I need to talk to Toreston about something." requested Johann.

"Alright Johann, I'll be waiting outside in the hall. Just call me back in when you're done." said Rei as she walked out if the room.

As the door closed Toreston pulled up the chair Rei was using and sat in it facing Johann. There was now a far bigger look of concern on Toreston's face now, Johann took notice of this and didn't like it.

"Toreston Was war da los? Du siehst mehr irritierte als üblich. Was geht schon, während ich mich erholte?" **("Toreston what's been going on? You look more irritated than usual. What's been going on while I was recovering?")** Johann asked breaking the momentary silence.

"Es ist die Banditen Johann-" **("It's the bandits Johann-")** said Toreston

"Haben sie es wieder? Gewesen!" **("Have they been at it again?!")** Johann interrupted trying to stand up only to go back down.

"Nein es ist nicht so, es ist der Mangel an ihnen, die unsere Aufmerksamkeit erregt hat, ist. Für die letzte Woche die Menge der gemeldeten Tätigkeit hat sich exponentiell gesunken." **("No it's not that, it's the lack of them that has caught our attention. For the last week the amount of reported activity has dropped down exponentially.")** explained Toreston.

"Also? Ist das nicht eine gute Sache? **("So? Isn't that a good thing?") **Johann questioned.

"Normalerweise ja, aber diese werden nur Veteran Überlebenden Abwurf das Antlitz der Erde. Wir haben Überreste gefunden, aber sie waren fast unmöglich zu identifizieren. **("Normally yes but these are veteran survivors just dropping off the face of the earth. We've found remains but they were nearly impossible to identify.") **answered Toreston.

"Also vielleicht die infizierte lernte sie?" **("So maybe the infected got to them?")** suggested Johann.

"Das dachte ich auch, aber das würde bedeuten, mehr über infizierte würde hängen. Ihre Tätigkeit wurde auch geringer." **("I thought so too but that would mean more infected would be hanging about. Their activity has been diminishing as well.")** said Toreston.

"Was, wenn sie gerade beschlossen, weiter zu gehen? Vielleicht für bessere Plätze zu terrorisieren suchen." **("What if they just decided to move on? Maybe look for better places to terrorize.")** suggested Johann unsure of what Toreston was getting at.

"Nein nein nein. Sie würden nicht einfach weg zu bewegen unangemeldet, sie wissen, es gibt leichte Beute um diese Teile. Nein, sie sind immer noch hier sind aber vielleicht in einem Versteck." **("No no no. They wouldn't just move away unannounced, they know there are easy pickings around these parts. No they are still here but are perhaps in hiding.")** replied Toreston.

Johann sat there silent and didn't know what to say now.

"Johann haben wir auch Häuser, die Überreste von Menschen in Öfen gefunden hatte ... Ich bin sicher, Sie haben einen dieser rechts gestoßen?" **("Johann we've also found houses that had remains of people in ovens... I'm sure you've encountered one of these right?")** asked Toreston.

"Ja, leider musste ich den Unmut der Suche nach einer. Ich verbrannte sie auf den Boden ohne Reue in meinen Handlungen." **("Yes, unfortunately I had the displeasure of finding one. I burned it to the ground with no remorse in my actions.")** admitted Johann trying to block out the horrid images that flashed in his mind.

"Wir haben festgestellt, mindestens fünfzehn von ihnen brannte bis auf den Boden auf unserer Patrouillen und Bergung. Wir wissen, sie waren Banditen Schlupfwinkel und Metzger Set ups, weil der Geruch sie verströmte." **("We've found at least fifteen of them burned down to the ground on our patrols and salvaging. We know they were bandit hideouts and butcher set ups because of the smell they gave off.")** revealed Toreston.

"Also, was Ihr sagt, ist die Banditen wurden ausschließlich gezielt?" **("So what your saying is the bandits have been targeted exclusively?")** asked Johann for clarity.

"Ja, zunächst Kurt und ich fühlte, es war ein anderer Clan versucht, zu erweitern, aber keine Embleme oder Flaggen wurden eingerichtet. Nur Random Acts of Gemetzel und Zerstörung." **("Yeah, at first Kurt and I felt it was another clan trying to expand but no emblems or flags have been set up. Just random acts of carnage and destruction.")** said Toreston.

"Also Ihr sagt mir, dass Hamburg eine neue Bedrohung? Hat einer unserer eigenen von ihm getötet worden?" **("So you're telling me that Hamburg has a new threat? Has any of our own been killed by it?")** asked Johann.

"Nicht ein einziger unserer Patrouillen oder Bergungsmannschaften wurden überhaupt angegriffen. Wir haben nicht einmal wurden in den letzten drei Tagen gedreht. Die Banditen müssen Angst haben, sich selbst aufzugeben oder so etwas." **("Not a single one of our patrols or salvage teams have been attacked at all. We've not even been shot at for the last three days. The bandits must be afraid to give themselves up or something.")** answered Toreston.

"Also diese neue Kraft einfach tötet sowohl die Banditen und die infizierte exklusiv? Ist Vassili zurück?!" **("So this new force just slays both the bandits and the infected exclusively? Is Vassili back?!")** hoped Johann excitedly awaiting his Spetsnaz friend to return.

"Nein, er ist immer noch in Paris. Johann Ich weiß nicht, was los da draußen, aber auf einer Patrouille, eine Gruppe von fünf Banditen alles lief auf meinen Kader um Hilfe betteln. Sie hielten in Tränen flehte, dass wir sie in unser Gehöft. Einer bot sogar an, wie unsere Gefangenen dienen." **("No he is still in Paris. Johann I don't know what's going on out there but on a patrol, a group of five bandits all ran towards my squad begging for help. They kept pleading in tears that we take them into our homestead. One even offered to serve as our prisoner.")** said Toreston.

"Was haben Sie getan?" **("What did you do?") **asked Johann curiously.

"Ich hatte sie auf der Stelle hingerichtet. Aber jeder, seit ich diese Bestien gehärteten weinen wie kleine Mädchen, die ich nachgedacht habe gesehen ... Wer ist da draußen macht sie leiden, ist ein gefährlich-" **("I had them executed on the spot. But every since I saw those hardened brutes crying like little girls I've been thinking... Whoever is out there making them suffer is one dangerous-")  
><strong>  
>"MUTTER FUCKER!" <strong>("MOTHER FUCKER!")<strong> shouted a deep voice filled rage from a top a makeshift throne within the largest bandit compound in Hamburg.

"Wir wissen nicht, wie es Sir passiert! Eine Minute Dirk war im Begriff, etwas Spaß mit diesem heißen Stück des Esels fanden wir allein in ihrer Wohnung haben, während der Rest von uns wurden plündern den anderen Räumen. Das nächste, was wir hören, ist ein schrecklicher Schrei Blut Eisstockschießen. Wir liefen zurück, wie schnell wir konnten, aber als wir dort ankamen fanden wir nur entstellten Überreste." **("We don't know how it happened sir! One minute Dirk was about to have some fun with this hot piece of ass we found alone in her apartment while the rest of us were looting the other rooms. The next thing we hear is a horrible blood curling scream. We ran back as fast as we could but by the time we got there we only found disfigured remains.")** explained the surviving bandit.

"Und das Mädchen? Was wurde aus ihr?" **("And the girl? What became of her?")** demanded the shady figure on his throne.

"Sie in seinem Blut bedeckt war, sie saß nur da in der Angst gelähmt, nachdem er Zeuge, was passiert ist Dirk." **("She was covered in his blood, she just sat there paralyzed in fear after witnessing whatever happened to Dirk.")** answered the bandit.

"Sie haben ihr Recht zu töten?" **("You did kill her right?")** asked the leader as his fingers tapped along his throne impatiently waiting for an answer.

"Nein, Sir." **("No sir.")** replied the bandit still trying to forget the traumatizing scene of Dirk.

"Was meinst du nicht? Hast du aufhören zu denken, dass sie diejenige, Dirk getötet haben könnte war?" **("What do you mean no? Did you stop to think that she was the one who could've killed Dirk?") **shouted out the leader.

"Wir waren im Begriff, aber plötzlich wurden wir von Dirk Wer tötete einen Hinterhalt gelockt. Eine Figur, nur ließ sich auf Bamber und Egon stürzt ein Messer in den Rücken ihrer Kehlen, muss er an der Decke versteckt haben mit dem Türrahmen für die Unterstützung. Bevor ich reagieren konnte seinen Stiefel trat mich quer durch den Raum." **("We were about to but suddenly we were ambushed by whoever killed Dirk. A figure just dropped down onto Bamber and Egon plunging a knife into the back of their throats, he must have been hiding on the ceiling by using the doorframe for support. Before I could react his boot kicked me across the room.")** told the bandit as he pointed to the bloody boot print on his chest.

"Fahren Sie fort." **("Go on.")** urged the bandit leader intrigued by this raw display of lethality.

"Ich beobachtete, wie Konrad zielte mit seiner Schrotflinte bis zum Schießen bereit. Bevor der Auslöser gezogen wurde dieser Typ zückte eine Kette unter seinem Ärmel wickelte sie um den Arm Konrad. Mit einem Ruck die Schrotflinte wurde zurück an Raban soll, kann ich noch sehen, seine Eingeweide zu strahlenden aus seinem Torso. Ich saß nur da und sah zu, wie dieser Bastard ging an Konrad Bauch aufschlitzen." **("I watched as Konrad aimed his shotgun up ready to fire. Before the trigger was pulled this guy whipped out a chain from under his sleeve wrapping it around Konrad's arm. With one tug the shotgun was aimed back at Raban, I can still see his guts being blasted out of his torso. I just sat there and watched as this bastard proceeded to disembowel Konrad.") **explained the bandit feeling like he was going to throw up.

"So dass nur Sie und Garrit verlässt." **("So that just leaves you and Garrit.")** commented the leader feeling that this new threat was not to be underestimated.

"Wir sind beide aus dem Haus verschraubt unfähig, etwas zu tun. Unsere Moral war am Boden zerstört und zerbrochen. Es gab nichts anderes was wir tun konnten. Nach ein paar Blocks wir dachten, wir verloren den Kerl. Aber wir lagen falsch. Eine Bewehrung Stange durchbohrt Garrit Bein drückte ihn zu Boden. Ich wollte nicht aufhören zu helfen, Ich lief, verließ ich ihn, um zu sterben, so meine eigene Haut zu retten war. Aber nicht, bevor ich sah ihn auf den Dächern, hatte er mich im Visier, aber er ließ mich gehen. Ich glaube, er wollte, dass ich Ihnen sagen. Ich bin Ihnen sagen, wir sind nicht mehr sicher. Jemand da draußen hat das Zeug dazu für uns und schlecht." **("We both bolted out the house unable to do anything. Our morale was shattered and broken. There was nothing else we could do. After a few block we thought we lost the guy. But we were wrong. A rebar rod pierced Garrit's leg pinning him to the ground. I didn't stop to help I just ran, I left him to die so my own skin could be saved. But not before I looked up at him on the rooftops, he had me in his sights but he let me go. I think he wanted me to tell you this. I'm tell you we're not safe anymore. Someone out there has got it in for us and bad.")** explained the bandit still feeling his body sweating from the terrifying experience.

"Ich mag das nicht überhaupt, geht an den Bars und runden eine Jagdgesellschaft. Wir werden diesen Bastard zu bekommen, möchte ich seinen Kopf, um eine Warnung an alle, die Banditen tötet verwendet werden!" **("I don't like this at all, go out to the bars and round up a hunting party. We're going to get this bastard, I want his head to be used a warning to anyone that kills bandits!")** bellowed out the leader as he pointed towards the doors.

As the surviving bandit left the leader looked over towards one of his servants.

"Wie hieß er?" **("What was his name?")** asked the bandit leader.

"Er war ziemlich vage, dass er gerade gesagt hat es bedeutete, der Wald Männer 'Sir." **("He was pretty vague on that, he just said it meant 'of the forest men' sir.")** replied one of the slave girls kneeling at his side.

"Hmm dann ein Jäger? Hoffentlich können wir ihn Arbeiten in schnorren bis einige mehr Sklaven." **("Hmm a hunter then? Hopefully we can put him to work in scrounging up some more slaves.")** said the bandit leader to himself.

The surviving bandit jogged down towards the bar pushing the doors wide open. Many faces turned towards the doors all with looks of annoyance.

"Schließen Sie diese verdammte Tür Kind! Sie gehen, um die Kälte hereinzulassen." **("Close that fucking door kid! You're going to let the cold in.")** barked out one of the more rougher looking figures in the room.

"Der Chef gerade befahl mir, runden die härtesten der harten. Er will das Beste für Pflege eines Problems zu nehmen." **("The boss just ordered me to round up the toughest of the tough. He wants the best to take care of a problem.")** answered the young bandit leaning against the open door.

"Wofür? Er hat kaum jemand von uns lassen gehen seitdem, dass neue Arschloch wurde Zerstückelung einer von uns das Pech haben, erwischt zu werden." **("What for? He's hardly been letting any of us go out ever since that new asshole has been carving up any of us unlucky enough to get caught.")** questioned a bandit with two lightning bolts tattooed on his left arm.

"Das ist es ja. Er will euch zu gehen, eine Falle zu stellen für ihn und beseitigen diese Bedrohung mit allen erforderlichen Mitteln." **("That's just it. He wants you guys to go set up a trap for him and eliminate this threat by any means necessary.")** explained the young bandit leaning against the door.

Everyone in the bar became silent as the one with the lightning bolt tattoo approached the young bandit standing a few inches above him. His head was shaved, eyes brown as dirt. The large bandit wore a black biker vest along with torn up navy blue jeans.

"Alle rechte du Scheiße Flecken listen up! Wir sind endlich diesen Bastard zu fangen, und ich möchte keine Fuck Ups. Folgen Sie mir!" **("All right you shit stains listen up! We're finally going to catch this bastard and I want no fuck ups. Follow me!")** shouted the large bandit.

All the eager bandits cheered and left their drinks behind as they all exited the bar. The young bandit leaned against the door looking at the bartender slave.

"Was war der große, seinen Namen?" **("What was the big one's name?")** he asked curiously.

"Karl. Warum fragst du? Ich dachte, alle Arschlöcher Sie kannten einander." **("Karl. Why do you ask? I thought all you assholes knew one another.")** replied the slave girl as she wiped the table clean of half empty glasses of alcohol.

"Nun, nicht alle von uns sind Banditen." **("Well not all of us are bandits.")** replied the young man as he walked out the door.

He headed down the compound towards the tattoo parlor while the majority of the veteran bandits left the safety of the base to set up their trap.

He sat in the chair waiting for the tattoo artist to see him. The air was filled with a light amount of smoke. The young man turned his head to see a tattooed lady in skimpy clothes (the bandits force the women to wear) leaning against a counter top with a cigarette between her finger tips.

"Was halten Sie für Ihr Kind wollen Tinte?" **("What do you want for your ink kid?")** asked the tattoo artist as she took a large puff from her cigarette accepting that she will never get out of this hell hole.

"Ich will eine geflügelte Dolch auf meinen rechten Arm mit einem Band um ihn herum." **("I want a winged dagger on my right arm with a ribbon around it.")** requested the young man.

"Klingt vertraut ... Ist das eine Militär-Ding?" **("Sounds familiar... Is that a military thing?")** asked the tattoo artist as she pulled out a clean needle plugging the tool into the outlet.

"Ja es ist. Auf dem Band, das rund um die geflügelten Dolch hüllt Ich möchte, dass zwei Namen auf sie statt der ursprünglichen Motto beschriften. Ich danke Ihnen für Ihre Dienste und entschuldige mich dafür, wie der Rest der Männer hier behandeln Sie." **("Yes it is. On the ribbon that wraps around the winged dagger I want you to inscribe two names onto them instead of the original motto. I thank you for your services and apologize for how the rest of the men here treat you.")** requested the young man.

"Nun bist du nicht ein süßes Ding. Was sind die Namen, die Sie wollen es auf hun?" **("Well aren't you a sweet thing. What are the names you want on it hun?")** asked the tattoo artist as she leaned over him taking a interest to this young man who didn't really act like a bandit should.

"Noah und Marcus." **("Noah and Marcus.")** answered the young man as he sat back into the seat grinning to himself.

Johann sat at a window looking over the territory of the Hamburg Clan. It was hard for him to be on the sidelines doing nothing but ponder at the new threat outside the city walls.

"How long until this new force sets its sights on us?" thought Johann.

Suddenly he spotted a hawk flying through the air. It let out a loud screech as it flew towards his window. Johann immediately ducked down inadvertently letting the bird I raise his room.

He looked up to see the hawk had perched its talons on the heart monitor set up next to his bed. Johann sat there frozen and was not entirely sure what to do. Rei was off talking to Shizuka about how he would need to recover before getting back into action.

The hawks head wasn't looking in his general direction but his eyes locked onto Johann watching his every move. It slowly raised a wing and raised one of its feet.

Johann then spotted a small piece of paper attached to it.

"A messenger hawk, but who would send one here?" questioned Johann.

Shrugging his shoulder he slowly approached the messenger hawk with both hands up showing it that he wasn't going to hurt him. Johann felt swear going down his brow as he looked at that sharp beak, the last thing he needed was more missing fingers.

"It's ok boy I'm not going to hurt you. Just relax and I can just get that off of your foot." whispered Johann aloud trying to reassure the bird if not himself.

His hands slowly pulled the message off but the hawk remained there eyeballing him. Johann unraveled the message and noticed there was something small wrapped up in a tiny cloth. Before opening the cloth he read the message first.

"Johann Kessler,

If this isn't you please give it to the man listed above, if so continue reading this message. I know you have plenty of questions right now so I'll answer them for you now. This is Frasier, that lovely hawk that delivered this message is named Horus, he's quite friendly so don't pee yourself when he is flying by your face, although to be safe make sure he has something to latch onto because those talons are very sharp. Inside that cloth is a bandit ear, only give it to Horus once you reattach your response to this message on his leg. Now let's move on to business: I've been away for about a week now and need you to check on my beloved Saeko. I miss her and need you to be my eyes, tell me how she is doing and make sure that she isn't doing anything irrational. I couldn't forgive myself if she hurt herself over my actions. I also want you to get to know my group because you've let us into your home (which I kinda destroyed, super sorry about that) and it's only fitting that we accept you into our lives. There isn't much room left on this paper so I'll just leave things at this, you are my wingman and I'm counting on you to do the right thing. Good luck Johann and thank you.

Yours truly,

Frasier."

Johann just stood there unsure of how to react. After scrolling a quick response onto the paper he carefully attached it onto Horus' leg. The hawk just looked at him doing nothing as if waiting for Johann to do something.

"Oh right your umm... Treat I guess." remembered Johann as he began to unravel the cloth.

After opening it he nearly dropped it from the sight. Frasier wasn't joking about it being an ear, it was perfectly cut off and everything. Johann pinched it trying to touch it as less as possible. He quickly flung it up in the air towards Horus.

The bird keeping its eye on the ear quick sprang forward catching it in his beak. Johann ducked again watching the hawk fly out the window and out into the beautiful morning sky.

"What the hell has been going on around here?" thought Johann as he turned to see his door opening up.

Rei walked in with Shizuka who was also holding what appeared to be a walking cane.

"Rei what happened with Frasier while I was unconscious?" asked Johann as he looked over to her.

Several hours later, Karl and his hunting party of veteran bandits finished setting up their trap. They left one of their own out in the center of the road in a crossroad.

One of the bandits just sat there pretending to be in pain. He groaned and rubbed his shin pretending to be wounded.

"Hilfe! Jemand bitte helfen?" **("Help! Somebody please help?")** whinnied the bandit looking around to see if their prey was dumb enough to help.

"Woher weißt du das dies funktionieren wird?" **("How do you know this will work?")** asked a veteran bandit as he crouched next to Karl.

"Dieser Typ neigt dazu, Menschen zu helfen, die es brauchen, damit, wenn er nahe genug bekommt Wir werden ihn zu Brei schlagen ziehen Sie dann seinen Arsch wieder auf Razor." **("This guy tends to help out people who need it so when he gets close enough we're gonna beat him to a pulp then drag his ass back to Razor.")** explained Karl.

"Was ist, wenn das fehlschlägt? Sollten wir nicht nur auf ihn schießen und mit ihr geschehen?" **("What if that fails? Shouldn't we just shoot him and be done with it?")** asked the same veteran bandit.

"Wenn wir brauchen dann werden wir, warum Sie denken, ich habe die weniger erfahrenen Männern den Vortritt?" **("If we need to then we will, why do you think I'm having the less experienced men go first?") **questioned Karl.

Before the veteran could reply, they both spotted a figure walking down the street from the distance. Everyone watched as approached the wounded bandit.

"Sie gibt ... Bitte helfen Sie mir, ich wurde schon verletzt." **("You there... Please help me I've been wounded.")** said the bandit reaching out for the figure.

The figure was wearing a gas mask to hide his true identity. He wore a black flak jacket with sage green cargo pants. Oddly enough though he wore no shoes or socks just his bare feet.

"Ja, ich kann sehen, dass muss sehr schmerzhaft sein, mit der Machete in deinem Auge." **("Yes I can see that, must be very painfully with the machete in your eye.")** commented the figure as he stood over the bandit.

**{Rob Zombie - Super Beast Instrumental Version}**

"Sie haben keine ide ... Warten Sie, was?" **("You have no ide... Wait what?")** questioned the bandit.

Suddenly a steel machete was wedged into the man's eye socket killing him instantly. He let out a cry of pain before the blade was pulled out.

"Ich hatte besseres erwartet von Banditen! Aber ich denke, es war dumm von mir, um eine Herausforderung von niedrigen Leben." **("I expected better from bandits! But I guess it was foolish of me to expect a challenge from low lives.")** announced the renowned scourge of the bandits.

All the bandit cannon fodder of twelve men slowly surrounded him all carrying blunt weapons intending to bring this one in alive. They all were filled with confidence seeing how it was twelve on one. With those odds they felt invulnerable.

One finally got the guts to charge straight on. His headstrong charge was immediately stopped as the lone hunter raised his blade up impaling the foolhardy bandit.

"Lassen Sie uns beginnen." **("Let's begin.")** grinned the hunter as he twisted the machete out and tossed it to his other hand while his free hand pulled out a second machete.

The eleven bandits just stood there unsure of what to do. The hunter's confidence was unusually high despite the situation.

"Worauf warten Sie noch? Nehmen Sie ihn Maden!" **("What are you waiting for? Take him down you grubs!")** ordered Karl from his hiding position.

The hunter looked up to Karl and grinned through his gas mask. He held up a machete pointed it at him as if marking him down. The hunter then began to spin the machetes around as all the cannon-fodder bandits rushed him.

Two bandits screamed out in pain as their hands were sliced off. The rest took wild swings but the hunter kept dodging and slicing through their onslaught.

One bandit swung at the hunter's left hand. The hunter tossed a machete up letting the lead pipe miss entirely as he swung the other machete across the bandits back slicing it open. He then caught the machete he tossed into the air and brought it down across the wounded bandit's neck.

Two bandits swung their weapons down at the hunter only for both machetes to intercept them. They both pressed down with all their might keeping him pinned down.

Another bandit charged forward going for what seemed like a perfect opportunity. The hunter however kicked forward right into the jaw. As the bandit staggered a bit from the pain the hunter used his toes to grip.

Like a wild animal the hunter used his foot to shake the bandit around knocking around the other bandits. When the two suppressing him were knocked back the hunter sliced both blades horizontally killing both of them along with the one his foot was holding.

"Karl hat er sie schlachten warum hast du sie senden in erster?" **("Karl he's slaughtering them why did you send them in first?")** asked a veteran bandit.

"Einfache, verwenden Sie das schwächere Element zu seiner Ausdauer-Verbrauch, so bewegen wir uns in Anspruch für eine einfache." **("Simple, use the weaker element to drain his stamina so we can move in for an easy claim.")** explained Karl as he continued to watch.

The hunter then looked up at Karl then back to the remnants of the first wave of bandits. He then pulled out two canisters and dropped them at his feet. Smoke spewed out concealing himself from view.

"Schnell Feuer frei! Er kann nicht weg!" **("Quickly open fire! He can't get away!")** ordered Karl quickly taking a different approach to things.

The bandits gladly began to open fire at the smoke. After a few moments of continuous gunfire the bandits stopped. The smoke slowly cleared out only to reveal they didn't get him.

"Shit! Jeder in Bewegung setzen, konnte er nicht sehr weit gekommen!" **("Shit! Everyone start moving, he couldn't have gotten very far!")** ordered Karl.

**[Written by my Co-Writer Jayme F. Midorikawa]**

"I have to admit, Rei. It is refreshing to know that at least the people in your group I've met so far don't hate my guts. After what happened to Bernd and Eber, getting so many nasty looks from all the adults here may be fitting, but that doesn't make it any more pleasant to deal with." Johann admitted as he continued walking down the street with Rei at his side.

"Please don't let their looks get to you, Johann. They're only thinking of keeping their children safe. I don't think it's right for them to take out that fear on you, but I can't blame them for taking caution with their kids either. Just know that you still have friends in us at least." Rei reassured him as she took his one free hand in hers.

Johann could only smile back at her, taking in her beautiful smiling face in the light of the late summer sun. Then he turned his gaze to his other hand.

Johann felt a bit embarrassed to be walking with the aid of a walking stick at his young age, but if Shizuka said that he needed something to help maintain his balance since he wasn't yet in good enough condition to physically exert himself like he used to, who was he to object to her orders?

Besides, it felt pretty nice to be able to just take the day much slower now. Having Rei around all the time was definitely a pleasant change to his daily routine as well.

After a few moment of silence, Johann then remembered one of the most important tasks he was to attend to today.

"Rei, would you by any chance know where Saeko is right now?" asked Johann curiously.

"Well, the last time I spoke to her this morning, she said she was going to the city gates to wait for Frasier." Rei answered, her face showing clear concern for her sister-in-arms.

Now knowing where to look, Johann began to pick up the pace for the gate, Rei easily keeping pace with him.

"Please Johann, don't push yourself so hard. It's not like she's going to go anywhere else anytime soon. As long as Frasier is gone, I wouldn't be surprised if she stayed there day and night waiting for him." Rei explained as they both rounded the corner that lead to the main entrance of the homestead.

As Rei had said, standing there before the massive steel gate was Saeko, her eyes set firmly on the giant metal door, her arms crossed, her face stoic and dead serious, as if she was ready to give Frasier the ultimate piece of her mind once he came back.

However, there was one unexpected extra person with her as well: Takashi.

Even as far away as they were, it was pretty easy for both Johann and Rei to hear just what Takashi was saying to her. He wasn't exactly known for having a particularly quiet voice.

"You have to admit Saeko, the fact that he would do something like that to you when you were only trying to help him is goddamn inconsiderate. What kind of a man does that to the woman he loves?" Takashi was explaining as Saeko's gaze never left the gates.

"Frasier is in a state of grief, Komuro. As much as I may dislike the fact that he decided to act out that grief the way he did, it was still his decision to make, and I must respect my husband's decision." Saeko replied in a cold, unamused tone, almost as if she was threatening Takashi to back off lest he incur her wrath.

"Well okay, that does make sense, but you would think he would at least come back every once in a while to at least let you know he's alright, so you wouldn't have to worry. I mean, grieving or not, you're still his wife, and you don't deserve to suffer like this just so he can do whatever the hell it is he's been doing out there! You deserve someone who'd take you into consideration more. Someone who would always turn to you, make sure you're more involved instead of being on the sidelines. Someone like me!" Takashi exclaimed. It was actually astounding that nobody else in the area could hear him.

However, Johann and Rei were lucky enough to hear every single word. "Unbelievable." Johann muttered to himself as he and Rei began to approach the two of them.

Saeko's ice cold glare barely shifted towards Takashi. Any lesser man would've run away in terror under the gaze she was sending at that moment, but Takashi stood steadfast, prepared to endure anything if it felt it could help him get one step closer to her even.

Saeko began to open her lips, ready to give Takashi the ultimate verbal thrashing for his callous, insensitive advances towards her in this time of strife for her.

However, before she could say anything, Johann's voice suddenly called out from behind the two of them.

"Hey, you two. What's going on?" Johann greeted them in a pleasant tone as he and Rei approached the two of them. Saeko was visibly surprised at their unexpected arrival, and the air between Takashi and Rei was definitely more than a little tense, especially as Takashi's eyes shifted from Johann to Rei and back repeatedly.

Despite what he had just heard Takashi say to Saeko, Johann decided he didn't want to engage some kind of a conflict, so he and Rei both decided it would be best if they went into this thing as friendly as they could.

"Nothing really. I just felt Saeko would've liked some company while waiting for Frasier to get back." Takashi responded as he tried to put on his friendliest face to the person who interrupted his latest chance with Saeko.

"Well, that was certainly thoughtful of you...Takashi, right? I'm sorry, I haven't really gotten the chance to get to know you and the rest of your group. But I guess a week unconscious in a hospital bed will do that to anyone." Johann replied, his inviting smile never leaving his face as he looked at both Takashi and Saeko, clearly feeling the underlying tension that had just been made between them.

"Yeah, I can't argue with you on that. However, wasn't it basically your fault you got put in the hospital to begin with?" Takashi replied, his voice beginning to sink into a less friendly tone, the smile beginning to fade from his face as he was desperately trying to get the annoying German to leave.

Rei turned her gaze towards Takashi, her eyes beginning to show a hint of anger towards him, but Johann never faltered in his friendly approach.

"Yeah, I admit that's the truth. I made some mistakes the last time we were outside the walls, and it got me hurt pretty badly. However, I like to think that even the most painful experiences can teach you how not to make those same kind of mistakes a second time." Johann responded.

"I can't disagree with that approach. Some of the best leaders look at their obstacles in that kind of light." Saeko replied, clearly trying to shift this unexpected conversation away from what had just happened between her and Takashi.

"I agree. I mean, I'd been hearing word on the streets for the last couple days about two boys who actually went out there with the two of you last time." Takashi replied, his gaze switching between Johann and Rei, clearly trying to see if he was going to get any kind of a reaction out of them.

Just as he had hoped, he could see Johann's hand start to tighten on his walking stick, and Rei's expression start turning into one of sadness as her eyes slowly turned to look at Johann, who was starting to struggle keeping his smile on his face.

"I just can't imagine what it must feel like to actually lose someone under your command, especially when they're as young as those boys apparently were. But it's like you said, they help you to make sure you don't repeat the same mistakes, right?" Takashi continued, his smile starting to turn from one of forced friendship to one of clear malevolent intent.

Rei and Saeko both looked aghast at Takashi, unable to believe he was actually saying something like this.

"That's right. As much as it still hurts, I know now not to do the same things I did out there, so nobody has to feel the same pain their parents did." Johann answered, clearly struggling to keep his composure at this very moment, the images of Bernd's impaled head and Eber's blown open corpse starting to flash through his mind, his brow starting to sweat as his clutch on his walking stick tightened to the point of his knuckles turning white. Rei noticed this and placed her hand on his one free hand in an attempt to try and calm him down.

"That's quite an admirable mindset. But you know, just thinking back on how it all must have happened, I just can't help but wonder what must have gone through those kid's heads before it was all over. I mean, again, this was all just through word of mouth, but I heard the kids here actually really look up to you." replied Takashi, the smile never leaving his face.

"I mean, I'd heard the kids were definitely below the age they allow people to go outside on scavenging missions around here. So, it makes sense to assume they probably snuck out, right?" Takashi continued.

"Yes, it's true. They snuck out because I was the one going out, and the two of them admired me and my stories so much, they desperately wanted to come, and I just couldn't bring myself to say 'no' once we were outside the walls and all was said and done." Johann answered, starting to bow his head in shame as the memories kept coming back to him.

"You know, Takashi, you keep saying that you heard all this from the people here, but hardly any of them speak Japanese. So I'm curious, how is it you know all this?" Johann suddenly asked, his voice beginning to shake as he struggled to keep his cool under Takashi's inquisitive questions.

"Oh. Well, my dad was a businessman, and in his position, he was forced to travel a lot when I was a lot younger, and everywhere he went, he would send my mom some kind of gift, and one of them was a Japanese-to-German translation book. one day I found it, and for some reason I just could never bring myself to stop looking through it. I guess a lot of the lessons in that book ended up sticking." Takashi explained, his smile turning into a sneer as Johann tried to change the subject on him.

"Now, if you don't mind my changing the subject, there's just a few more thoughts on this whole matter I just can't help but get off my chest." Takashi proclaimed, his tone clearly showing that underneath his smile, he was clearly out for blood now.

"Takashi, please, just stop it." Rei interrupted as she could clearly see just how upset Johann was getting, despite the smile he was keeping on his face.

"When kids do reckless things in the company of someone they admire, mostly it's because they trust that person to know what to do in case they should be in danger or get into trouble. Do you think that's what they thought when they unexpectedly went out with you?" Takashi asked, his eyes never leaving Johann for a second.

Taking a deep breath, Johann tried to steady himself upright once more.

"Yes, the two of them definitely made it clear that they thought I would be able to protect them. My only regret is that I couldn't live up to those hopes of theirs." Johann replied, trying to fight back the tears welling in his eyes.

Rei could see this struggling in his eyes and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Saeko couldn't help but briefly smile at this intimacy between the two of them, before turning her hateful glare back towards Takashi, who was clearly using Johann as a target now. Why she didn't just step in and shut his mouth for him, even she didn't know. It was as if she was just waiting for some kind of a sign to show it was alright to give him a beating he wouldn't soon forget, and until then wasn't able to move or even speak.

"Yeah, that's a difficult weight to bear that automatically comes with being the leader of anyone. I know." Takashi replied, his sinister presence briefly fading into one of understanding. Unfortunately, just as quickly as it had come, just as quickly did his understanding disappear to be replaced by his unending sadistic side.

"But still, What kind of a way to die is that? Not only being so young, but dying while knowing that the person you admired the most, let alone someone you came to trust, let something like this happen to you?" Takashi asked, every single word now hitting Johann like another bullet to his soul, his calm demeanor fading more and more.

"Komuro, that's enough!" Saeko shouted unexpectedly, but alas, Takashi wasn't backing down. He knew he'd hit a real sore spot now.

Deep down, it was giving him real satisfaction to make the boy who'd taken Rei squirm underneath his words. Deep down, perhaps even he didn't know why, but it just felt so good to make this boy crumble whilst Rei was there to see it all happen.

Perhaps if he were able to break him down into tears like a little child, maybe Rei would come back to him, see that he's clearly the real man here. Hell, maybe if he got lucky, he could have Rei and Saeko together as well.

Then, Takashi glanced down and noticed something about Johann's right hand. There were only three fingers, instead of five. Thery didn't look like birth defects, they looked more like stumps from an amputation wound. That could be the only option, since there would be no way for Johann to still be here alive and well if they'd been bitten off by one of Them.

A sinister smile crept across Takashi's face as he got ready to deliver what was sure to be the killing blow.

"I'm willing to bet you know exactly what that feels like. Trusting someone, and then having them let something bad happen to you." Takashi muttered, and in that instant, all was completely silent.

Johann's eyes widened as the memories of those people, that department store, that ambush, that butcher's knife, and the horrible pain and all the blood and bloodcurdling screams suddenly erupted into his mind like a hammer to the head.

"I wonder if it still hurts. I mean, they're completely healed over, so they can't hurt too much by now. But still, I just can't help but wonder." Takashi continued, and by now, both Rei and Saeko could see what Takashi was aiming at now, and whilst Saeko's eyes were of pure disgust at Takashi's actions, Rei's eyes were of total horror that Takashi was actually doing this.

"Takashi, stop!" Rei exclaimed as she could see Johann's smile completely disappear from his face.

"Whoever it was that did that to you, do you ever sometimes find yourself wishing they'd have just killed you, instead of just forcing you to walk around like you are today? Walking around among normal living people with a permanent mark, a permanent reminder that because of people you had come to trust, even for a moment, you're now forced to live out whatever time you have left as some kind of disfigured freak!?" Takashi finally finished, his voice rising with pure venom as he'd finally delivered what he felt was the killing blow.

Johann could feel his entire world shatter like glass for the third time as that last word left Takashi's mouth, labelling him for what he really was in the eyes of all the other normal living people: A FREAK. Nobody else here was missing any body parts, nobody else had any scars, everybody else still looked no worse for wear than they did before the dead came back to life. But not him. He would forever have a freakish right hand, and now not only that, but the images of those two boys, and the bullet hole healing on his chest, would forever serve to remind him of just what happens when he trusts people, and when other people trust him.

Takashi could only smile in satisfaction as he could see the tears start coming down Johann's face. He may not have been bawling like a small child like he'd expected, but he still felt deep down that he'd done what he'd intended to do ever since the two of them interrupted him and Saeko.

Johann began to take a step forward, towards Takashi, his grip on his walking stick so tight it nearly shattered into splinters in his hand. All Johann could think of in this delirium was ending Takashi right here and now. It was like he had no control over himself, like the rage that overtook him when he fought those bandits. All he could focus on was breaking Takashi's skull like a watermelon.

Before Johann was even able to take a second step towards Takashi, Rei had suddenly gone ahead of him in that split second, and before anyone could even register what was going on, she had suddenly balled her right hand into a fist. Before Takashi was even able to tell what she was about to do, Rei swung her fist straight into his face, and he was off his feet and flat on his ** with a profusely bleeding nose one or two broken teeth, looking up at her with utmost confusion and shock written on his face.

**[Back to me]**

"Shut the fuck up Komoro! I've had enough of your bullshit and your attitude! You think your hot shit? Well you're not!" shouted Rei as she towered over Takashi looking down at him with a powerful fire burning into her eyes.

"Rei?! What the fuck was that for? Agh shi t I think you chipped a tooth." replied Takashi in pain as he held a hand to his bleeding mouth.

"How ironic that you were just giving Johann grief over his fingers and now your missing what looks like... two teeth." Saeko pointed out looking at the two bloodstained teeth right by Takashi's feet.

Johann couldn't help but laugh inside at her observation. At the same time he was in shock that both girls were sticking up for him.

"Oh grow a pair Takashi. You think you're so tough? You think you're a good leader anymore?" questioned Rei.

Takashi was in total disbelief that she just hit him like that and with such unexpected force. Before he could even open his mouth to reply Rei was already continuing her verbal assault.

"Ever since you've lost your position as leader of the group you've done nothing but complain and bring everyone's spirits down. You were a decent leader during the first few days of the outbreak, but you led us by impulse and luck. Nothing more." scorned Rei with a tight fist as if she was going to strike him again.

"Oh and who would have made a better leader in my place then?" asked Takashi.

"My husband for one, and my brother in-law was starting to learn the ropes of things at least until he died under your leadership." answered Saeko.

"Hey! He wasn't my responsibility!" argued Takashi as he stood up.

"You were older than him and Frasier trusted you to keep him safe. You're why Frasier is out there doing who knows what. Now get your punk ass out of here Takashi before I lose control." warned Johann standing up to Takashi no longer taking his hateful words.

"Whatever, you guys weren't there you can't be sure of that." replied Takashi disgruntled and fully aware that he needed to go plan his next step for usurping leadership.

When he was out of sight Rei looked over towards Johann. She placed a hand over his cheek then wrapped her arms around his back.

"I'm so sorry about that, he's become such an ass. You did nothing wrong Johann. You're a great leader and I'd follow you to hell and back." said Rei raising his broken spirits.

"Thank you, both of you. You guys didn't have to stick up for me." thanked Johann.

Saeko slowly walked over and held her right arm out to shake Johann's hand. He then held his left hand out and looked at hers.

"It's best you don't touch my ... 'freak' hand Saeko." explained Johann.

"Well I don't see any 'freak' hand around here. All I see are two perfectly normal hands that belong to my new sword-brother." replied Saeko keeping her right arm out.

Johann couldn't help but smile to her kind words as he reached out with his right hand. Both friends shook hands now that they were properly introduced. Johann couldn't feel anymore proud to be apart of their group.

Suddenly a familiar bird screeched out in the sky above the three friends. Johann immediately realized who it was. Saeko and Rei however just looked up to watch the hawk fly in circles above them specially as if waiting on them for something.

"Wonder what that hawk wants?" questioned Rei aloud.

"Perhaps he's on the hunt." suggested Saeko.

Johann slowly walked a small distance away from the two girls and held out his walking stick. He then let out a loud whistle signaling the hawk.

Both girls watched as the hawk came flying down towards Johann. Its razor sharp talons latched onto the walking stick as Johann kept himself balanced against the wall.

"Johann what are you doing?" asked Rei confused as to why this hawk was interacting with him.

Johan sighed knowing there was no use in keeping Horus a secret now. Horus lifted one of his legs letting Johann know he was allowed to take the message off of it now. Johann pulled the message off and unraveled it to find another sliced off ear was within the message.

"His name is Horus. He's a messenger hawk and before you ask his owner cuts off bandit ears to feed Horus when he delivers a message successfully." answered Johann hoping they wouldn't press any further.

"I can see that but who sent him?" asked Saeko not even remotely repulsed by the sliced off ear.

"He was sent... by your husband." hesitated Johann.

"Frasier? He's alive then?! Why didn't you say anything sooner?" asked Saeko feeling a massive amount of relieve knowing the love of her life was still alive.

"He's alive alright, and he had me promise that I keep his activities a secret so you don't go after him." answered Johann as he pulled a pen out from his pocket.

"What did his message say?" asked Rei curiously.

"Please let us see Johann." begged Saeko wanting to hear what her husband had to say.

"Johann,

My hunt goes well, I'm sure the Hamburg clan has heard of or is at least begining to catch wind of my actions. I've slain scores of bandit's and burned down numerous establishments they've set up. However, I've found the bandits main compound. That's right... We aren't fighting random bits of scum working in individual groups. We're at war with one big entity, another clan. I've infiltrated their ranks and have set up an ambush for them to walk right into in an abandoned factory. I need to get close to their leader (who goes by the name Razor) so I can exact my vengeance for Marcus, but it is not so simple. The compound is simple to big for me to conquer alone so I need to lure him out of his safety zone. Once I do that I'll finish what I've started and be able to return for my beloved Saeko. I miss her Johann, she means the world to me and I'll find a way to make this up to her. Please keep her safe and reassure her that I will be home soon enough. Not a moment goes by that I don't think of Saeko Markle. Thank you once more for watching her for me, I'll find a way to repay the debt someday but I must go now and eliminate some of Razor's best men.

In regards,

Frasier" read Johann aloud.

Saeko slowly held the note to her heart and closed her eyes feeling his presence was with her at this emotional moment. Johann and Rei just watched her as she took a few moments to write a message for him on the back of his message. She then handed Johann the letter and smiled a bit.

"Thank you for sharing this with my Johann, it means a lot to me." thanked Saeko as she then resumed her stance awaiting at the great steel gate.

"Rei can you excuse me? Despite my love for your company I feel I should go rest for a while." said Johann as he finished wrapping his message around Horus' leg.

He then tossed the sliced off ear up in the air. Horus eyeballing it this entire time caught it in his sharp beak enjoying his treat. After finishing it he spread his wings and took off to deliver the message to Frasier.

"I'll come with you and make sure you make it on one piece." offered Rei.

"I can make it just fine the medical center isn't that far away but I think you should talk to Saeko. You've known her far longer than I have so I think it's best you talk to her girl to girl about this." whispered Johann feeling Saeko could really use some female comfort.

"Well... Ok then but if anything goes wrong I'll never forgive myself." warned Rei.

"I'll be fine my love. Just focus on Saeko." said Johann as he walked away leaving Rei alone with Saeko.

Rei slowly walked away standing besides Saeko.

"Saeko... Can we talk?" asked Rei.

"Of course we can. You're my sword-sister, so speak free." replied Saeko.

"I want to apologize about Takashi. He's been out of control and has been a real burden lately." apologized Rei.

"Why do you apologized? You did nothing wrong and he's not your responsibility. What he does is his own problem, not yours." corrected Saeko.

"I know but we were together for awhile so I can't help but feel responsible for him and the pressure he keeps placing on you." explained Rei.

"I don't want to talk about Takashi anymore. He's hardly even on my mind anymore. It's Frasier I'm worried about, I feel he's losing himself out there with his powerful desire to avenge Marcus." admitted Saeko.

"Hier entlang! Er lief nur in dieser verlassenen Fabrik!" **("This way! He just ran into that abandoned factory!")** shouted Karl as the rest of the bandit hunting team caught up.

They all slowed down to see that the two giant metal doors were the only way in and out of the factory. Karl took a moment to observe the situation.

"Sie sechs hier draußen bleiben, falls er eine andere auszubrechen entscheidet. Der Rest von uns wird versuchen und spülen Sie ihn aus." **("You six stay out here in case he decides to make another break for it. The rest of us will try and flush him out.") **explained Karl as he motioned the hunting party to move in for the kill.

As they entered it became increasingly hard to see. The only source of light was the sunlight beaming through the broken windows. Old machines could be seen abandoned and left to rust by their owners.

"Dadurch wird eine hervorragende Grab für diesen Feigling." **("This will make an excellent grave for this coward.")** thought Karl as the last of his hunting party entered into the forgotten establishment.

**{Eradication Instincts Defined Instrumental Version – Dimmu Bogir}**

Suddenly the factory doors slammed shut as if automatically. The cold steel doors slammed tight making a loud clicking noise. It was now clear the sliding doors were locked shut.

The group of bandits all turned around to see they were trapped inside.

"Hey bekommen uns hier raus!" **("Hey get us out of here!")** shouted one of the men inside the factory banging his fists against the doors.

"Wir holen dich da raus rufen Sie uns einfach eine zweite." **("We'll get you out of there just give us a second.")** shouted one of the bandits who was stationed outside.

Everyone inside the factory just stood there waiting with no other real options. For the next five minutes nothing could be heard but random side chatter and

"Warten Sie, was zum Teufel war das?!" **("Wait what the hell was that?!")** asked aloud another bandit stationed outside dropping whatever equipment he was holding.

Suddenly gunshots could be heard going off. Everyone inside stepped back a bit.

"Hey was ist los da draußen? Jemand etwas sagen!" **("Hey what's going on out there? Someone say something!")** ordered Karl impatiently.

Blood curling screams quickly rang out as rebar bolts pierced the factory walls sticking half way through them. The gunshots became silent when a sixth bolt pierced the wall.

The bandits on the inside watched in horror as blood trickled down from each bolt indicating whoever else was out there just wasted the men stationed to guard the outside.

"Oh Gott! Sie sind tot! Alle von ihnen!" **("Oh god! They're dead! All of them!")** commented one of the bandits.

"Jeder beruhigen, was auch immer habe sie cant hineinzukommen. Wir sollten in Ordnung sein, wenn wir warten, nur es aus." **("Everybody calm down, whatever got them can't get inside. We should be ok if we just wait it out.")** ordered Karl.

"Nein, nicht mir, ich werde hier raus!" **("No not me, I'm getting out of here!")** panicked a younger bandit as he ran deeper into the factory in hopes of finding an override switch.

"Jemand holen ihn letzte, was wir brauchen, ist zu zerlegen." ("Somebody go get him last thing we need is to split up.") explained Karl.

"Ich hole den Idioten." **("I'll go get the idiot.")** offered one of the bandits as he already began to take off after the young man.

"Karl, was tun wir jetzt? Wir haben bereits sechs Männer verloren haben und nicht dieses Arschloch noch nicht gesehen. Wenn Sie mich fragen Ich glaube, er wollte, dass wir hierher kommen." **("Karl what do we do now? We've already lost six men and haven't seen this asshole yet. If you ask me I think he wanted us to come here.")** suggested a veteran bandit.

"Wenn er ein Stück von uns will er besser zu bringen sein A-Game! Wir beherrschen die Straßen und ich will verdammt sein, wenn diese stechen weg mit dieser werden." **("If he wants a piece of us he better bring his A-game! We rule the streets and I'll be damned if this prick gets away with this.")** snarled Karl.

Out of nowhere a scream could be heard then another following it not so far off. This time they came from within the abandoned factory. It echoed throughout the entire facility sending icy chills down the bandit's spines.

After a few seconds of silence, the group of just stood there paralyzed with fear unsure if they should move or not from their position.

"Na was nun?" **("Well now what?")** asked a bandit as he looked over to Karl.

Suddenly the factory began to make loud noises. The once deactivated machines came back online. Their mechanical gears turned, their pistons pumped back and forth, the factory was alive once more.

The bandit hunting party gathered in a circle formation covering all angles. The machines may have been reactivated but the lights were still dim and made it hard to see long distance but it was better than before.

"Jeder Aufenthalt in der Nähe, wer auch immer diese Jungs sind kann nicht den Sprung auf uns, wenn wir in alle Richtungen sehen können." **("Everyone stay close, whoever these guys are can't get the jump on us if we can see in all directions.")** pointed out Karl.

His heart began to beat at moderate pace as he kept calm under the rising pressure.

Up above them a lifeless figure was hanging by his feet. It was slowly lowered down by the rope that kept it suspended in mid-air. When it was a few feet from the floor it was hanging in the center of the group.

The rope made a swaying noise causing everyone to turn around only to see it was the body of that young bandit that ran off. All of them suddenly felt their stomachs clench as the face was nowhere to be found.

"Oh mein Gott ... Sein Gesicht ... Wo zum Teufel ist das?" **("Oh my god... His face... Where the fuck is it?")** asked one of the bandits as he felt ready to throw up on the spot.

"Er zog die Haut ab und hängte ihn wie ein verdammtes Tier." **("He pulled the skin off and hung him like a fucking animal.")** commented another one.

Karl took a deep breath and pulled out his knife. He tossed it to the nearest bandit.

"Nicht einfach stehen! Schneiden Sie ihn nieder!" **("Don't just stand there! Cut him down!")** ordered Karl as the morale in the hunting party was dropping rapidly.

When the bandit with Karl's knife sliced through the rope the hanging body dropped to the floor making a thud like noise.

"Hey was ist mit der zweiten Zeile?" **("Hey what's with the second line?")** asked a veteran bandit as he plucked at a very thin line attached from the corpse to the shadows of the ceiling.

A small object quickly zipped down the line. When it reached the floor a small pin remained attached to the line while a metal ball rolled into the center of the group.

"Scheiße Granate!" **("Shit grenade!")** shouted Karl.

With no time to react, Karl and a few other bandits leapt away while four just stood there dumbstruck.

The grenade went off shredding the unlucky four with shrapnel. Their bones and innards were splattered all over the blast zone.

"Jesus Christus! Es ist jeder für sich selbst!" **("Jesus Christ! It's every man for himself!")** panicked a veteran bandit as he (along with the rest of the bandit hunting crew) ran in all different directions.

"Kein warten! Das ist genau das, was er von uns möchte!" **("No wait! That's exactly what he wants us to do!")** warned Karl.

Despite his warning the bandits were far more preoccupied with finding a way out of this murder house. Karl knew that being alone was no safer though so he ran for the nearest group he could find.

The machines were beginning to clang and clatter as if the factory was alive. Fresh screams would be heard soon followed by the sound of flesh being shredded in the machines.

Rusty chains rattled as unsuspecting bandits would blindly run into them. When they were caught in them (like a fly to a spider web) the chains were hoisted by their master ensnaring the bodies into the air strangling them to death.

Several fresh corpses hung in the air now serving as another kill marker for whoever was doing this.

Karl ran from machine to machine unable to see any signs of life. He stopped when he spotted a pile of guns left on the ground. His head slowly looked up to see four bandits hanging with rusty chains around their necks.

With no time to waste he picked up another shotgun now holding one in each hand knowing they wouldn't be needing it.

Continuing the search for any survivors, Karl soon stumbled upon five bandits. Two stood on top of a conveyor belt while three were sitting on the ground trying to catch their breath from all the commotion.

"Hey jeder ist ok?" **("Hey is everyone ok?")** asked Karl as he felt relieved to see that not all of his men were butchered.

"Ja jetzt sowieso. Hast du ihn gesehen? Haben Sie einen Blick auf den Kerl?" **("Yeah for now anyways. Did you see him? Did you get a glimpse of the guy?")** asked one of the bandits on the conveyor belts.

"Nein, ich war zu beschäftigt, nicht in einer seiner Fallen gefangen." **("No. I was too busy not being caught in one of his traps.")** explained Karl.

In the shadows two rebar bolts were fired from the top of a balcony. Two bandits screamed in pain as their feet were pinned to the conveyor belt. Blood seeped from their shoes as they tried to pull their feet out.

"Bastard!" **("Bastard!")** shouted Karl as he turned and began to fire in that general direction.

The three bandits not on the conveyor belt began to fire their revolvers and rifles in that direction as well in hopes of hitting something.

After the last round was extinguished it became silent once more (excluding the groans and cries of the pinned bandits). Karl dropped both shotguns now that they were out of ammunition. He pulled out a small 9mm pistol with only a few magazines worth of ammo left.

"Ist es vorbei?" **("Is it over?")** asked a bandit as he lowered his rifle for just a split second.

Just as he said that another rebar bolt came flying towards the group. Everyone ducked as of expecting it to happen.

"Ha! Sie verpasst du Bastard." **("Ha! You missed you bastard.")** taunted Karl as he turned to see no one was hit.

A few sparks went off making crackling noises. Everyone turned to see the control panel for the conveyor belt was hit. The conveyor belt suddenly began to move forwards.

A loud grinding noise could be heard after a few seconds after the panel was hit.

Karl looked at the bandits bolted down to the conveyor belt then to the two massive rollers grinding up the scrap metal ahead of them.

"Schnell bekommen sie da raus!" **("Quick get them out of there!")** ordered Karl realizing their hunter didn't miss his target.

The other three bandits jumped onto the conveyor belt trying to pull the rebar bolts out. They pulled and tugged at it but nothing was working.

"Verdammt noch mal! Diese Dinge sind in viel zu tief." **("Damn it! These things are in way too deep.") **commented one of the bandits trying to pull off a bolt.

"Nein bitte! Lassen Sie uns nicht so! Ich will nicht sterben!" **("No please! Don't leave us like this! I don't want to die!")** cried out one of the trapped bandits begging for his life.

"Ich kann nicht!" **("I can't!")** shouted the same bandit unable to make enough progress.

All three bandits knew there was nothing they could do. Karl nodded to them and watched as two pulled their pistols out. Both trapped bandits knew what was coming next.

"Es ist besser so." **("It's better this way.")** explained Karl.

He then nodded again at the two bandits with pistols. They both shot the trapped bandits in the head so they wouldn't need to suffer what was coming to them.

Their bodies became limp and slumped over like rag dolls. Blood leaked from their skulls onto the factory floor. All four survivors looked away unable to watch their fallen comrades be ground up to a pulp by the massive machines.

Just before the bodies entered the two grinders, the conveyor belt stopped unexpectedly. All four looked back to see the machine had been turned off with another rebar bolt sticking out of the control panel.

"Oh Gott, was haben wir getan?!" **("Oh god what have we done?!")** asked a bandit realizing those two died for nothing.

"Dieser Bastard hatte kontrollieren die ganze Zeit ... Er wollte uns, sie zu töten!" **("That bastard had control the entire time... He wanted us to kill them!")** realized Karl as he gripped his fists tightly.

He then looked back and began shooting into the shadows.

"Bastard! Ich werde verdammt Darm du wie ein Schwein! Warten Sie nur!" **("Bastard! I'll fucking gut you like a pig! Just you wait!")** shouted Karl in a anger as he began to fire his pistol into the shadows in a blind rage.

The last known remains of the bandit hunting party just looked at Karl unsure what to do now.

"Kommt Jungs, ist diese Jagd noch nicht vorbei. Wir können uns von hier verschwinden, wenn wir den Bürotrakt in der zweiten Ebene zu gelangen. Die Kontrollen zu den Fabriken Türen müssen da sein." **("C'mon boys, this hunt isn't over yet. We can get out of here if we enter the office section in the second level. The controls to the factories' doors must be there.")** explained Karl.

With the chance of escape the bandits followed Karl as he ran for the nearby stairs going up three levels. The machines continued to run and create loud noise throwing off their sense of hearing.

The repetitive clangs and clunks were maddening. The sounds of gears turning and grinding filled the eerie air.

Karl led his group up the stairs, each step was taken with extreme caution in case there were anymore boobytraps set out for them.

Karl kicked open the door to the offices and held his pistol up aiming for anything that moved. There was no chance of any other hunters alive at this point. This gave Karl the satisfaction that anything that moved was a target now.

"Schießen Sie alles was sich bewegt. Dieser Bastard hat alle anderen getötet. Lasst uns ihnen zu rächen." **("Shoot anything that moves. This bastard has killed everyone else. Let's avenge them.")** ordered Karl.

The other bandits nodded and followed him slowly. Each one was armed with either a shotgun or a semi-automatic rifle.

In the office department the lights were all off. The bandits walked past desks and cubicles that were here before the outbreaks.

"Ugh es riecht wie Scheiße hier! Jemand schlug die Lichter!" **("Ugh it smells like shit up here! Someone hit the lights!")** hissed Karl.

The other bandits began to feel the walls until one of them finally found it. When he flickered on the lights entire rows were lit up instantaneously.

At first everyone smiled being able to see where they were walking. However it soon changed from smiles to looks of horror as above each cubicle was a skinned bandit hanging upside down with rope around their feet.

"Oh shit." **("Oh shit.")** muttered Karl as he realized the man behind this was hunting them for sport.

"Dieser verrückte Kerl hing wie jedes seine eigenen persönlichen Trophäe." **("This crazy bastard hung each one like his own personal trophy.")** commented of the bandits.

"Wir sind nicht die Jäger mehr ... wir sind die Gejagten." **("We're not the hunters anymore... we're the hunted.")** added another one.

The bodies rocked back and forth as the lines kept them strung up. Despite the faces being skinned away the inner flesh and facial expressions were that of pure terror. Not a single one of them had it easy in the end.

As the bandits walked down the corridors and aisles of the cubicles one of the trophy kills made a faint wheezing sound.

The bandit in the back of the group noticed this and strayed away from the group. He got extremely close to the hanging man who showed signs of breathing.

"Hey Leute ich glaube ich habe eine Live-one!" **("Hey guys I think I found a live one!")** shouted the stray bandit.

The second he finished that sentence the wheezing trophy gripped it's hands around the man's shirt pulling him in. It's mouth opened wide sinking it's rotten teeth into the neck of the unfortunate man.

Everyone turned to see their stray comrade being eaten alive by what they thought was just another fallen bandit.

"Oh fuck hing er einer der infizierten." **("Oh fuck he hung one of the infected.")** pointed out Karl as he stepped backwards.

His back bumped into another trophy. Its skinned arms reached out for him and grabbed his backpack. Karl quickly put the pistol behind his head and pulled the trigger.

The infected trophy stopped moving and just hung there lifeless once more. However that shot caused all the trophies to start moving around. It was now clear each one was infected and riled up now.

Some of Them managed to break free from the ropes causing them to tumble down to the blood stained carpet. Their recovery was quick though and were back on their feet in no time.

The bandits began to open fire at the infected. However Karl knew it was hopeless. There were simply too many infected to handle. He snuck off into the main office and locked the doors behind him.

The screams of the other bandits filled the offices one by one. Karl slumped against the wall placing his head between his knees trying to convict himself it was for the best.

Suddenly he looked up to see a figure siting in a chair turned away from him.

"Nun gut sieht es aus wie haben wir endlich unsere glücklichen Gewinner." **("Well well it looks like we finally have our lucky winner.")** exclaimed a voice.

Karl quickly drew his pistol out and began to fire the last of his rounds into the chair. His fingers slammed against the triggers until they just made a clicking noise.

He dropped both pistols and walked over towards the rotating chair. Karl spun it around only to see he the body of another bandit tied up with duct tape around his mouth. Karl has just killed another bandit for nothing.

"Hör auf zu spielen Spiele und zeige dich!" **("Stop playing games and show yourself!")** shouted Karl as his mind shattered from the traumatic events.

"Wie Sie wünschen." **("As you wish.")** said a voice above him.

Karl looked up to see someone on top of the ceiling. The figure just grinned then dropped down. Karl quickly rolled out of the way in time as the bandit hunter smashed the desk under his weight.

Karl pulled out a knife ready for a fight to the death.

"Oh nein, ein kleines Messer unsere einzige Schwäche!" **("Oh no a little knife our one weakness!")** taunted the hunter.

"Fuck off!" **("Fuck off!")** growled Karl as he rushed forward.

The hunter just grinned as his arm shot forward releasing a chain that wrapped around Karl's wrist. With one yank the knife came flying out of his hands.

"Nicht so hart, jetzt geht es Ihnen?" **("Not so tough now are ya?") **taunted the hunter as he wrapped another chain around Karl's leg.

With one vicious tug Karl was flipped on to his back. The hunter spun around spinning Karl around with the chains. He released one chain letting Karl's arms flail around.

Karl's body was slammed into a wall rendering him unconscious. The hunter let out a maniacal laugh as he slowly approached the last remaining veteran bandit ready to show Razor that he was next.

**{}**


	55. Act 24 Clans of the Dead Part 7

**Act 24 Clans of the Dead Part 7  
>Z-Day+99<strong>

A dim light slowly swayed back and forth in a small room. Karl slowly opened his eyes to see the hunter talking to himself. He tried to get back up but noticed his entire body was restrained.

The hunter then turned around looking down at him. That gas mask we wore was a menacing sight when he would breath through it slowly.

"Warum? Warum tust du uns das an?" **("Why? Why are you doing this to us?")** asked Karl as he tried to ignore the stench of rotten flesh and scent of fresh blood.

"Ihr verdammten Banditen töteten unsere kleinen Bruder. Der letzte unserer Verwandten erschlagen und für immer verschwunden. Ihr Chef ist ein toter Mann, wir gehen zu genießen reißen ihn auseinander." **("Your fucking bandits killed our little brother. The last of our kin slain and gone forever. Your boss is a dead man, we're going to enjoy tearing him apart.") **replied the hunter.

"Wer ist sonst noch mit Ihnen das?" **("Who else is with you on this?")** asked Karl breathing heavily.

"Oh, nur vier andere, die haben in diesem Wesen verbunden. Er war nicht stark genug, allein, sondern mit ihnen wir wurden, was Sie jetzt sehen." **("Oh, just four others that have joined into this being. He wasn't strong enough alone but with them we became what you see now.")** answered the hunter.

"Also, was ist Ihr Name? Sie müssen haben ein, bevor Sie psycho verrückt geworden." **("So what's your name? You must have had one before you went psycho crazy.")** brought up Karl.

"Wir waren einmal aufgerufen Frasier, aber nichts davon Dinge jetzt." **("We were once called Frasier, but none of that matters now.")** Frasier said softly before pulling his gas mask off.

Frasier then grabbed his commando knife and placed the tip against Karl's forehead. Small drops of blood began to pour out as the very tip remained in its spot. Karl groaned trying to resist the pain.

"Sie haben nicht den Mut, mich kid foltern! Sie denken, diese Scheiße ist schlecht? Ich habe vergewaltigt und so viele unschuldige Menschen getötet gerade für die Hölle davon! Ich hoffe, Sie haben noch keine Lieben, weil ich sie finden, können Sie sicher sein, dass auf." **("You don't have the guts to torture me kid! You think this shit is bad? I've raped and slaughtered so many innocent people just for the hell of it! I hope you don't have any loved ones because I'll find them, you can be sure on that.")** boasted Karl.

**{Naruto OST - Orochimaru Fight}**

Frasier began to growl and shake his head back and forth violently. Just the very thoughts of Saeko being violated by such filth crossed the final line for him. He felt his mind slipping away as Kraven began to take over. His head then stopped moving, it just hung down for a moment.

Suddenly his head looked up at Karl with a demented and very twisted grin. His teeth were bared as his eyes shot wide open.

Frasier then slowly reached forward digging his fingers inside of Karl's right eye socket. Not expecting such pain Karl began to shout out in immense pain. Frasier gently began to pull the eyeball out from the very socket it was nestled in.

However, the eyeball never disconnected from its cord. The optic nerve was still attached letting Karl literally watch his own eye being pulled out of place.

"Agh fuck! Was zum Teufel machst du da?" **("Agh fuck! What the hell are you doing?")** cried out Karl no longer able to tough out the pain.

"Wir stehen noch geben, was Gott nicht über die Kugeln zu tun. Judgement!" **("We're just giving you what god didn't have the balls to do. Judgement!")** replied Frasier in a sadistic tone as he twisted the eye around so Karl was looking at himself.

"Ok ok genug! Ich kann Ihnen helfen, nehmen Sie Razor."  
><strong>("Ok ok enough! I can help you take out Razor.")<strong> bargained Karl.

"Oh nein, es scheint Sie nicht wissen, Ihre Rolle hier! Ihre Schreie unseren Wunsch nach Vergeltung zu ernähren und wir verdammt hungrig right now!" **("Oh no, it seems you don't know your role here! Your screams will feed our desire for retribution and we're pretty fucking hungry right now!")** laughed Frasier as he began to run the knife down Karl's face slowly slicing it open.

Blood seeped out trickling down Karl's face. The restraints kept his body pinned to the wall rendering any resistance useless. Frasier slowly worked the knife down creating a perfect line between Karl's eyes.

"Bitte nicht mehr ... Ich werde alles tun!" **("Please no more... I'll do anything!")** begged Karl feeling nausea from the pain.

"Halten Sie weinen, Ihre Schmerzen und Leiden nur macht dies mehr Spaß für uns!" **("Keep crying, your pain and suffering only makes this more enjoyable for us!")** laughed Frasier as he began to carve the knife in a perfect circle.

When the lines all connected Karl wanted nothing more than for his life to end right then and there. However his judgment was far from over.

"Nun zum spaßigen Teil." **("Now for the fun part.")** said Frasier as he dug his fingers under the loose flaps of skin on Karl's face.

Karl's voice cracked and broke from the high amount of shouting. His voice became weak as his spirit was shattered.

"Geben Sie uns Ihr Gesicht!" **("Give us your face!")** laughed Frasier wickedly.

Bit by bit Karl's face was slowly being pried off by hand. The skin peeled off yet the flesh under it remained in place. Frasier felt a rush of pure pleasure from the sight of one of Razor's best men being reduced to nothing.

When the last bit of skin was peeled off, vomit shot up Karl's neck. Before he could release it, Frasier gripped his mouth shut. Karl's eyes widened as the acidic taste burned his mouth.

"Du solltest besser schlucken. Denn wenn Sie das nicht tun wir es in Ihre leere Augenhöhle zu gießen."  
><strong>("You better swallow it. Because if you don't we'll pour it into your empty eye socket.")<strong> grinned Frasier as he kept his grip tight.

Karl's eyes began to water as he tried to force the vomit back down his throat. Every second he spent swallowing it made his throat singe and burn with pain. Eventually Karl managed to get the last drop back down.

**{}**

Frasier just laughed at the atrocity he just committed feeling no remorse for his actions. If anything he was taking pride in this sadistic mindset. Always having to throw his punches, always worrying if he would hurt someone he loved in the process.

However no one was there except for him and Karl. He had finally given into the darkness that lurked within his soul. Destruction and pain was all he could think of now.

"Bitte ... nur mich töten und zu beenden. Ich will nicht durch ein anderes Moment der Schmerz zu leben." **("Please... just kill me and end it. I don't want to live through another moment of pain.")** whimpered Karl with one eye shut as the other hung out of its socket swaying back and forth.

"Oh glauben Sie uns, dass bald genug kommen. Aber wir möchten, dass Sie zurück zu Razor und ließ ihn wissen." **("Oh believe us that will come soon enough. However we want you to go back to Razor and let him know.")** said Frasier as he began to wrap bandages around Karl's disfigured face.

"Lassen Sie ihn wissen, was?" **("Let him know what?")** whimpered Karl trembling all over.

"Dass wir für ihn kommen. Wenn er zu laufen versucht werden wir ihn fangen. Wenn er sich zu verstecken versucht, werden wir ihn finden. Weiterempfehlen Razor zusammen mit den anderen Banditen Frieden mit ihren höheren Mächten zu machen. Weil wir sie dort senden wollen!" **("That we are coming for him. If he tries to run we will catch him. If he tries to hide we will find him. Tell Razor along with the other bandits to make peace with their higher powers. Because we intend to send them there!")** instructed Frasier as he unlocked the restraints only to drag Karl outside.

"Und Karl ... sicher sein, nicht zu weinen zu laut. Wäre es nicht wollen, dass unsere Boten zu landen eine Mahlzeit für die infizierte Jetzt würden wir? Hahaha." **("And Karl... be sure not to cry too loud. Wouldn't want our messenger to end up a meal for the infected now would we? Hahaha.")** laughed Frasier menacingly as he slammed the doors behind Karl.

**-**

**{HoTD OST - Requiem}**

Meanwhile Johann and Rei were sitting in a tranquil garden next door to the medical center to help relax the patients who wanted some fresh air. Both sat on a grassy hilltop watching the sun rise together.

"Johann I was wondering if you could do something for me." brought up Rei.

"Of course Rei, what is it?" asked Johann as he looked down at her still nestled up against his body.

"I want to learn German so you feel more natural when you speak to me." requested Rei as she leaned her head back looking into his eyes.

Johann smiled as his fingers slowly ran through her soft hair. He then gave her a nod.

"Alright I guess we can start with some basic words and see how you progress." replied Johann.

Rei smiled as she sat up turning her body towards his so she could focus easier.

"Can I choose the first words you teach me?" requested Rei.

"I don't see why not." replied Johann adjusting his body posture but still facing Rei.

"I?" asked Rei.

"Ich." replied Johann.

"Love?" followed up Rei.

"Lieben." answered Johann.

"You?" asked Rei smiling to herself.

"Sie." said Johann not realizing a pattern.

"Ich Liben Sie." **(I you Liben)** said Rei hoping she didn't butcher his language.

Johann sat there for a moment only to just get what she was getting at. He then let out a small burst of laughter at what she really just said.

"Did I say it wrong?" asked Rei looking down feeling foolish.

Johann then stopped laughing and lifted her chin slowly so her eyes would meet his gaze.

"It's not that Rei, I just realized how you set that all up. I found it really cute." explained Johann smiling.

"Oh... Then how should it be said?" asked Rei.

"Ich liebe dich." **("I love you.")** answered Johann as he felt his face leaning towards Rei's.

"Ich liebe dich." **(" I love you.")** mimicked Rei as her face leaned in to close the gap between the two lovers.

Both closed their eyes as the lips gently pressed up against one another. Rei wrapped her arms around Johann's neck for support as Johann's hands held Rei's sides for a counter balance.

Rei slowly opened her mouth a bit wider expecting Johann to instinctively slide his tongue in. To her surprise however his tongue remained respectfully in his own mouth.

Rei blushed as she decided to press her tongue along Johann's teeth in hopes he would let her in. Johann quickly picked up on this and opened his mouth granting her the access she desired.

Her tongue explored his mouth at a slow yet personal level. Johann's heart rate began to sky rocket as her tongue sent a tingly feeling through the roof of his mouth.

Rei slowly retracted her tongue and sat back looking into Johann's eyes as he did the same with her. Both were breathing heavily from the extended kiss they just shared.

"Are you alright Rei?" asked Johann making sure she wasn't exerting herself too much for him.

"I'm fine Johann, I just can't keep up when you keep stealing my breath." said Rei in a giggly voice.

"Then perhaps you shouldn't have stolen my heart." replied Johann in a bold voice.

"Mmmmaarriiieedd." whispered a small voice from between the two.

Johann and Rei both jumped realizing they were no longer alone. Rei looked over Johann's broad shoulders to see Alice and Brian standing there.

"Alice! You shouldn't sneak up on people like that." explained Rei.

"But we wanted to see what you guys were up to. Will you play a game with us?" asked Brian.

"A game? Umm I don't know... Johann what do you want to do?" asked Rei unsure of what his thoughts were.

"Sure why not? If I'm to be a part of this group it's best I become closer to everyone on a more personal level." replied Johann smiling at Rei.

Rei smiled at his enthusiastic attitude and held her arms out for him. Johann wrapped his fingers around hers pulling her up.

"Name your game partner." said Johann to Brian smiling.

"Let's play hide and seek!" said Brian.

"Big kids are it first!" announced Alice as the two kids along with Zeke ran off to go hide.

"Well it seems Alice and Brian already like you." commented Rei.

"Rei you better find a hiding spot. I'm it remember?" reminded Johann as he covered his eyes still playing the game.

Rei just smiled at his child like innocence and went off to go hide with the kids. She hid behind a bench watching as Johann began to look around the garden for the kids.

She could already tell they were hiding behind a rose bush. It was pretty obvious when a small white tale was sticking out.

Johann noticed this and began to wander around the bushes playing along with it.

"Hmmm I wonder where those two could have gotten off two? Oh well I guess I'll just have to sit on this rose bush." announced Johann playfully.

Rei couldn't help but giggle at his humor. Suddenly both Alice and Brian jumped out at him while Zeke began to let out a playful bark.

"Ah! You guys nearly scarred the pants off of me!" joked Johann laughing.

Rei just watched and laughed to herself. She watched how well Johann was interacting with the kids. A thought then streaked across her mind.

"What would our kids look like?" she thought unable to get that image out of her head. Not that she didn't want it there or anything, but she didn't want to think so far ahead so soon.

"Hey I found her!" announced Alice as she sat on her knees on the bench Rei was hiding behind.

Rei then snapped out of her mental block and smiled to see all three of them looking down at her.

"That was fun can we do it again?" asked Brian as Rei stood up.

"I think that's enough fun for now, Johann still needs to get to know the rest of our group." explained Rei as she took Johann's hand leading him to where Khota was last training his marksman skills.

**-**

Alice and Brian ran through the streets and back to Johann's home to see Takashi. He was busy cleaning up the last of the rubble from when Frasier demolished it a week ago.

"What do you two want?" asked Takashi still disgruntled that he was still being denied by Saeko and Rei.

"Well we wanted to see if you were ok." said Alice.

"Yeah I'm fine, now leave me alone I'm really busy." explained Takashi wanting to be alone.

"You don't have to be so grumpy." commented Brian.

"Beat it kid, just because your dad is dead doesn't mean I'm supposed to be nice." said Takashi harshly.

"He's not dead! He will be back, he always comes back!" shouted Brian in denial before running off in tears.

"Brian wait!" shouted Alice chasing after him.

Takashi just stood there watching them. He didn't know why he just said that, he just knew it felt good and that no one was bugging him now.

**-**

After assisting Johann up the stairs Rei slowly pushed open the doors to the rooftops to see Rika and Khota lying down side by side.

"Adjust your scope and compensate for the wind. It's going to be cold soon and that means plenty of wind to fuck up your shots." instructed Rika as she instructed Khota.

"Wow you're really awesome at this!" exclaimed Khota as he did as he was told.

Saya just stood back leaning against a wall grumbling to herself.

"Well someone's jealous." commented Rei as she let Johann walk on his own.

"Me? Jealous?! Ha of what? Khota giving all his adoration to her? Not a chance!" denied Saya even though it was obvious.

"Anyways you know Johann but I wanted to help him know the group." explained Rei.

"Nice to meet you Saya." said Johann formally introduced himself to her.

"Oh well hi I guess... So you two are dating now?" questioned Saya.

"Ahhh..." was all Johann could say blushing.

"Why don't you go introduce yourself to Khota and Rika?" suggested Rei as she gave Saya a glare.

"Oh right, be right back." said Johann as he headed over towards the sniper duo.

"What was that for Saya? I get your jealous but was that really necessary?" questioned Rei.

"I'm just asking, I mean you guys are dating right? It's a simple yes or no question." replied Saya more level headed now.

"Yes... It's just this book Shizuka gave me and it's been driving me nuts with possibilities." explained Rei as she held out the Kama sutra book.

"I'm not even remotely Shizuka has this on her." commented Saya as the two girls flipped through the pages looking at all the different positions.

"Me neither." commented Saeko peeking over their shoulders.

Rei and Saya both nearly jumped out of their skin when they just realized she was standing there this entire time they were ogling at the descriptive pictures.

"Jesus Saeko you really shouldn't sneak up on us like that." gasped Rei.

"Your right I really shouldn't when you two are reading a manual on how to-" said Saeko before she was interrupted.

"Hey, Rei can we go now? It's getting late and I wanted to get some rest so I can practice shooting with Khota and Rika tomorrow." asked Johann from a distance.

"Yeah of course!" replied Rei as she slammed the book shut and tucked it away into her pockets.

Meanwhile Rika and Shizuka conversed between one another.

"Hey Rika think we could talk for a second?" asked Shizuka.

"Sure, what's up Zu Zu?" asked Rika as she stood up brushing herself off.

"Remember how we recorded a certain something back in Kibou City?" brought up Shizuka.

"Yeah what of it? Do you wanna make another one?" questioned Rika.

"No... Well actually maybe latter but that's not the point. Did you recall ever seeing Rei and Takashi do anything?" asked Shizuka.

"Hmm I do recall Takashi in the camera shot but I don't really remember seeing Rei in it at all. Honestly I was too distracted by Frasier and Saeko. Those two were like wild animals." answered Rika shamelessly.

"Calm down girl, it's not like you're ever going to be getting into his pants." teased Shizuka.

"Oh and like you are?" said Rika raising an eyebrow.

"Already have!" replied Shizuka.

"Physicals don't count." reminded Rika.

"Oh... never mind then." said Shizuka.

"I really hope he's ok though... I know he's strong but those bandit's are no pushovers. If he hesitates for even a second he could be killed." reminded Rika as she looked out beyond the city walls.

**-**

**[5 miles away from the Hamburg Clan]**

"Papa! Papa! He's waking up!" exclaimed a blonde girl as she watched the young boy they rescued a week ago was starting to wake up.

"Ugh my aching..." groaned the boy as he sat up slowly.

The boy looked at himself realizing he was nothing on him other than a few bandages on his chest. He then noticed two twin girls staring at him with curious eyes.

"Ah, about time you're up!" announced an old voice as he made his way into the room.

"Wer zum Teufel sind Sie? Kein Warten bessere Frage! Warum bin ich nackt?" **("Who the hell are you people? No wait better question! Why am I naked?!")** demanded the boy scooting back against the bed.

"Settle down son, you took two bullets and lost a lot of blood. If my two girls didn't find you you'd be lying dead in that filthy alley." explained the old man sitting down in a chair with wheels.

"Oh you actually know English. Sorry... I just don't normally wake up naked with two girls sitting at the end of the bed. Well at least the last part anyways." joked the boy  
>rubbing the back of his head.<p>

"Wait I was shot... why doesn't it hurt to move? When did you guys find me?" asked the boy noticing the lack of crippling pain bullets are known to cause.

"It's been a week now. Tell me, what is your name? I'm Arthur, these are my twin daughters Abigail and Allie. " introduced the old man leaning in his chair.

"Read the dog tags." said the boy pointing at his chest bare chest.

"What dog tags?" asked Allie.

The boy then looked down to see those were gone as well. He then let out a sigh while looking back up at them.

"The name's Markle, Marcus Markle, and before we continue I wanted to say thanks for patching me up Hershel." thanked Marcus.

"Who?" asked Abigail unsure of that last name he just mentioned.

"Never mind, anyways what's the situation? Where's my brother? Where's Takashi? I have to tell him something important before it's too late." explained Marcus.

"Takashi? Who's that?" asked Arthur.

"This Japanese prick... can't miss him. I mean how many other Japanese guys are there around the Hamburg Clan other than Khota?" asked Marcus.

"Hamburg Clan?" questioned Allie unsure of this place Marcus spoke of.

"Yes... Oh god this isn't the clan is it?" realized Marcus as he slowly got out of bed walking to a window to see he was nowhere near the Hamburg Clan.

"Oh lord..." groaned Arthur as he placed his wrinkled palm against his face.

Abigail and Allie both giggled and swooned at the sight. Marcus turned around and looked at them completely forgetting he wasn't wearing anything other than the two plasters on his torso.

"Oh whoops." blushed Marcus as he grabbed his neatly folded boxers on the nightstand besides the bed he woke up in.

Marcus took the rest of his folded clothes and dressed himself up quickly.

"Ok so where are we exactly?" asked Marcus still unsure of his location.

"This is a retirement home; plenty of medicine was lying about. However we have no weapons and no combat experience so we've been camping out here for what feels like months." explained Abigail.

"What about food? And do you have showers? Because you guys smell well... not shitty." pointed out Marcus.

"My sister and I scavenge for food when supplies are low. On our last run we found you in an alleyway." explained Abigail.

"Along with this." added Allie holding up Marcus' gun.

"Allie how many times have I told you not to touch that? None of us have any experience with guns!" scorned Arthur.

"Well I'm not French so this 'we' thing doesn't apply to me. I've had plenty of experience with guns so if you don't mind." joked Marcus at first but then became serious holding his hand out for his pistol.

Arthur slowly handed off the pistol feeling his hands shake afraid the gun would go off unexpectedly.

"How many times have you had to use that?" asked Abigail curiously leaning over Marcus' shoulder.

"Plenty, but luckily I won't need to. Have you guys encountered bandits?" asked Marcus.

"Those punks have been bothering me for medical services. I've had to hide my daughters every time they come barging in demanding I fixed their wounded just so they wouldn't be claimed as their slaves. Lately though, they've been spooked and have been coming in with claims of missing faces. Maybe this clan of yours has finally decided to do something about those scumbags." explained Arthur.

Suddenly a loud knock could be heard against the door.

"Aufmachen! Wir brauchen eine verdammte Bandagen alter Mann!" **("Open up! We need some damn bandages old man!")** shouted an aggressive voice.

"Marcus hide my daughters, I'll try and distract them. Please don't let them take my daughters." begged Arthur as he headed for the door slowly.

Abigail and Allie both headed for their hiding spot in the large cupboard dragging Marcus in with them. They both pressed into him for comfort shaking with fear.

Marcus watched through the cracks of the door watching a bandit demanding Arthur for more bandages while another stood by the door acting as a lookout.

"Das ist es? Halten Sie nicht an mir alter Mann!" **("This is it? Don't hold out on me old man!")** shouted the bandit shoving Arthur into the ground pointing a gun at him.

Abigail and Allie both whimpered feeling tears fill up their eyes as their father was about to be killed. Marcus gripped his fists and thought what about what Frasier would do in this situation.

"Cover your ears, this is gonna be loud." whispered Marcus as he aimed his pistol.

Before the bandit could pull the trigger Marcus fired two shots into the first one. The bandit fell over dead before his head touched the ground. Marcus then spun around and tossed a glass container of medical acid he noticed on the counter into the face of the bandit watching the door.

"Nicht so viel Spaß, wenn jemand wehren huh jackass?" **("Not so much fun when someone can fight back huh jackass?")** asked Marcus as he walked over kicking the other gun aside.

"Wer bist du?" **("Who are you?")** cried out the bandit as his the skin on his face burned from the medical acid.

"I'm Batman." **("I'm Batman.")** joked Marcus kneeling down beside the dying bandit.

"Wh-was?" **("Wh-what?")** asked the bandit confused at that answer.

"Vergiss es." **("Forget it.")** said Marcus no longer joking around.

Marcus pulled the trigger and watched the back of the bandit's head explode from the entry wound. Arthur just watched in shock surprised a boy as young as Marcus could kill with no remorse.

"You killed them." muttered out Abigail still in shock from the heat of the moment.

"Trust me I've seen my brother do much worse. Besides they would've killed your dad if I didn't do it." explained Marcus checking his ammo after picking up the other pistol.

"Uh guys we have a problem!" announced Allie as she pointed to the group of bandits charging into the retirement home.

"Arthur can you shoot?" asked Marcus offering the gun.

"No I'm far too old and I couldn't take another man's life." explained Arthur.

"Yeah yeah spare me the religious talk, just go take them to the cupboard and let me handle this." ordered Marcus as he looked for a good spot.

"Are you sure? They're an awful lot of them out there." said Allie.

"These guys are chumps, my brothers and I managed to take out an entire motorcycle gang back in Japan." boasted Marcus confidently.

"Your very brave." both girls said in admiration kissing Marcus' cheeks causing him to blush.

"Alright get going and let me take out the trash." ordered Marcus raising both pistols ready for a fight.

"Time to prove to my father I've got what it takes." thought Marcus to himself seeing this as a personal challenge.

**-**

Hours later Karl slowly lumbered through the compound and into Razor's throne room. He slowly dropped to his knees coughing up blood. Two bandits helped him stand up straight as Razor approached them.

"Wer zum Teufel ist das?"  
><strong>("Who the hell is this?")<strong> asked Razor not even recognizing Karl under all the face wraps Frasier applied to his face.

"Es ist mir ... Karl. Er war zu viel für uns. Egal, was wir taten er gerade holten uns einen nach dem anderen. Razor er für Sie comming, hat er getan Spielen." **("It's me... Karl. He was too much for us. No matter what we did he just picked us off one by one. Razor he's comming for you, he's done playing games.")** said Karl passing on the message.

"Was?! Warum ich? Wer zum Teufel ist dieser Kerl?" **("What?! Why me? Who the fuck is this guy?!")** asked Razor more concerned over himself than what was left of Karl.

"Er behauptet, wir tötete seinen jüngeren Bruder ... Ich weiß nicht, wer es war, aber er ist überzeugt, dass wir es getan hat. Er getan hat bei uns spielen und kommt für Sie jetzt." **("He claims we killed his younger brother... I don't know who it was but he's convinced we did it. He's done playing with us and is coming for you now.")** explained Karl.

"Ich bin überrascht, er war dumm genug, um uns zu sagen, dass er für mich kommen direkt." **("I'm surprised he was dumb enough to tell us that he was coming for me directly.")** chuckled Razor feeling confident that was a big mistake.

"Oh nein, er will, dass Sie wissen. Er will, dass wir unser Bestes, damit seine Rache so viel süßer schmecken wird." **("Oh no, he wants you to know. He wants us at our best so his vengeance will taste so much more sweeter.")** replied Karl.

Suddenly multiple explosions went off. The armory and main exit to the compound just went up in flames.

"Was zum Teufel war das?" **("What the hell was that?!")** asked Razor nearly jumping out if his skin.

"Er ist hier." **("He's here.")** answered Karl as he held a pistol to his own head pulling the trigger not wanting to be a part of the massacre that was heading Razor's way.

All the remaining bandits looked at Karl's disfigured corpse then back to Razor unsure of what to do.

"Nehmen Sie Ihre Positionen und schützen das Gebäude um jeden Preis. Finden Sie ein Fenster und bereit sein, auf alles, was nicht einer von uns zu schießen." **("Take up your positions and protect the building at all costs. Find a window and be ready to fire at anything that isn't one of ours.")** ordered Razor feeling confident with all his goons protecting him.

All the bandits quickly ran towards the windows and doors ready for a fight. They all raised their pistols, submachine guns, and homemade shotguns ready for anything.

They watched as a small bundle of survivors from the explosions began to emerge from the smoke that concealed the destruction.

"Hey look! Einige von ihnen überlebten." **("Hey look! Some of them survived.")** commented a bandit.

As soon as he said that the sound of rapid gunshots rang out. The survivors all immediately dropped dead from the bullets that filled their bodies.

"Oh shit hat er töten sie alle!" **("Oh shit did he kill all of them?!") **asked the same bandit.

"Warte, ich glaube, ich kann man sehen, out there!" **("Wait I think I can see one out there!")** exclaimed another bandit.

**{God of War 3 OST - Rage of Sparta}**

A large figure slowly approached through the smoke carrying a large machine gun. When the winds came by it revealed Frasier wearing heavy duty riot gear.

"Feuer eröffnen!" **("Open fire!")** shouted Razor knowing that was not one of theirs.

All the bandits began to fire their weapons at the easy target. Razor just stood there in awe unable to believe Frasier wasn't going down. Each footstep he took sent a sting of fear into the bandits.

"Er stirbt nicht? Stoppen fehlen und töte ihn!" **("He's not dying? Stop missing and kill him!")** ordered Razor.

"Es ist uns nicht, es ist diese Waffen! Wir brauchen mehr schwere Waffen." **("It's not us, it's these guns! We need more heavy duty weapons.")** replied a bandit.

"Nun holen einige!" **("Well go get some!")** shouted Razor.

"Sie waren in der Waffenkammer ..."  
><strong>("They were in the armory...")<strong> replied the same bandit.

"Shit." **("Shit.")** muttered Razor as Frasier stood before the main building soaking up all the bullets that hit his riot armor.

"My turn." grinned Frasier under his riot armor aiming the MG-36 light machine gun he discovered in a destroyed German military jeep.

He held down the trigger shooting at all the open windows. Multiple bandits were mowed down instantly. Heavy full metal jacket rounds pierced their cover reducing their morale at a devastating rate.

"Es gibt keine Cover! Machen Sie es zu stoppen!" **("There's no cover! Make it stop!")** begged a bandit before multiple rounds shredded through his neck.

The glass windows shattered sending shards of glass into anyone too close to them at the time. Entire bundles of bandits were slaughtered and unable to escape this madness.

Frasier turned his torso side to side firing every last round into to the building. Entire belts or ammo were consumed as his finger rarely let go of the trigger unless it was to let the barrel cool down. He enjoyed this sense of invulnerability; they had no weapons that could get through to him now.

**{}**

Most of Razor's men were in full retreat running out the back entrances fleeing their compound like rats off a sinking ship. However Razor and what was left of his bandit clan stood by the front doors ready for their last stand.

They listened closely as the men who tried to run were flanked by Frasier. In multiple bursts they were reduced to nothing more but piles of clothes wrapped around shredded off limbs.

"Sieht aus wie seine nur uns." **("Looks like its just us.")** said Razor in a confident voice.

"Wie zum Teufel kann man so ruhig sein? Er wird uns alle töten!" **("How the fuck can you be so calm? He's going to kill us all!")** panicked a bandit.

"Fuck this! Lasst uns gehen durch die Vordertür. Er hat gerade tötete sie in den hinteren Ausgang so nows unsere beste Chance!" **("Fuck this! Let's go to through the front. He just killed them in the back exit so nows our best chance!")** explained a bandit as he and the other men ran for the doors.

Right as they reached the doors an explosion blew them away along with both doors.

"Knock-Knock." announced Frasier as he walked through the doors tossing his empty MG-36 aside.

"Also haben wir endlich zu treffen. Ich bin beeindruckt, ein einzelner Mann hat eine ganze Clan auf seine eigene übertroffen." **("So we meet at last. I'm impressed a single man has bested an entire clan on his own.")** shouted out Razor.

"Wir sind müde von Spielen, ist Ihre Schreckensherrschaft zu Ende! Bereiten Sie sich auf Urteil." **("We're tired of playing games, your reign of terror is at an end! Prepare for judgement.")** announced Frasier walking closer with his favored commando knife in hand.

Razor stood there motionless yet confident in his plans. He then held a hand up smiling.

"So ist es gut! Ein weiterer Schritt und alle Sklavinnen ich gesammelt habe alle an der Knopfdruck sterben." **("Hold it right there! One more step and all the slave girls I've collected will all die at the press of a button.")** announced Razor.

Frasier immediately stopped at those words. He gripped his fists and narrowed his eyes under his helmet.

"Oh sag mir nicht, dass Ihr die Pussy Ausgehen. Ich weiß, du willst deine Rache, warum jetzt aufhören? Ich bin hier richtig. Aber man konnte nicht mit sich selbst zu leben, wenn wir Sie unschuldig Frauen sterben wegen dir konntest du nur?" **("Oh don't tell me that you're going to pussy out. I know you want your vengeance, why stop now? I'm right here. But you couldn't live with yourself if you let innocent women die because of you could you?")** laughed Razor tossing his detonator back and forth.

"Don't let this coward get away! He's the reason Marcus died! Avenge your kin!" ordered Frasier's father in the front of his head.

"No! We can get him later, save those slaves! They're just innocent pawns in all this." pleaded Noah in Frasier's mind.

"Also, was es geht um Held zu sein?" **("So what's it going to be hero?!")** asked Razor as he kept his thumb close to the trigger of the detonator.

Frasier dropped all his armaments and reached his hand out for the detonator. Razor gladly tossed it over to him.

"Und bevor Sie irgendwelche ausgefallenen Ideen bekomme ich einen Ersatz. Also besser beeilen." **("And before you get any fancy ideas I have a spare. So you better hurry.")** advised Razor showing he had planned for all of this.

Frasier quickly sprinted towards the slave quarters. The flames from the explosion he caused earlier had spread over to the other buildings in the area.

When he arrived to the slave quarters he kicked the doors down. He looked around to see all the women cowering before him. The fear in their eyes brought out the softer side of his personalities.

Frasier got on one knee and pulled his helmet off slowly. He wanted them to know they were safe now.

"Kid? Sind Sie das?" **("Kid? Is that you?")** asked the tattoo artist recognizing him from the other day.

"Ja ... Wo sind die Bomben?" **("Yes... Where are the bombs?!")** asked Frasier scanning the room for explosives.

"Bomben? Was für Bomben?" **("Bombs? What bombs?")** asked the tattoo artist as she motioned the other women to get up.

"Razor ... Er Bomben in diesem Gebäude bereit zu blasen gepflanzt habe. Ich habe die Wahl zwischen ihn zu töten und sparen Sie. Lassen Sie uns, bevor es zu spät zu gehen." **("Razor... He's got bombs planted in this building ready to blow. I made a choice between killing him and saving you. Let's go before it's too late.")** ordered Frasier.

"Kid ... Es gibt keine Bomben, das war nur ein Bluff." **("Kid... There are no bombs, that was just a bluff.")** explained the tattoo artist.

"Nein..." **("No...")** muttered Frasier as he gripped his fists and looked away in pain realizing he just let his brother's murderer get away.

"Ist alles in Ordnung Kind?" **("Is everything ok kid?")** asked the bartender from the other day.

"Yeah ... Lass uns hier raus, bevor ich meine Entscheidung zu bereuen." **("Yeah... Let's just get out of here before I regret my decision.")** said Frasier pulling off his riot gear changing into his other outfit so he could be more mobile.

"Wo gehen wir hin?" **("Where are we going?")** asked a slave girl.

"Um den Hamburger Clan, wird es dort sicher für euch alle. Folgen Sie mir und ruhig lagern." **("To the Hamburg Clan, it will be safe there for all of you. Just follow me and keep quiet.")** answered Frasier as he lead the women out of the burning remains of the bandit compound and forward towards the Hamburg clan.

**-**

Meanwhile Alice was following Brian making sure he didn't get hurt or lost. She eventually caught up to him as he stopped before the remains of the plane wreckage. Alice slowly walked behind Brian.

"Brian? Are you ok?" asked Alice in a concerned voice.

"He's gone! Everyone in my family is gone Alice. My mother and father are both gone. I have no family now." cried out Brian with a new set of tears forming in his eyes.

"That's not true Brian, you still have us! We're your family now, it's hard but together we can do anything." explained Alice.

Brian just remained silent and just stood there looking out at the skies remembering how cool it was whenever he got to see his daddy fly those military planes.

"Brian take this and give it to your daddy." instructed Alice as she handed him one of the flowers she took from the hospital garden.

"What for?" asked Brian weakly.

"It's like a way of saying goodbye and letting your daddy know you care. Trust me." answered Alice.

Brian nodded and just took the flower. He carefully walked up to the remains of his father gently placing it on his lap.

"I love you dad." sobbed Brian before walking out of the cockpit of the plane.

"It's ok Brian, I know what it's like to lose a daddy. Mine died too doing what was right. Your daddy is a hero." said Alice putting a positive perspective on things.

"Thank you Alice, that means a lot to me." reconciled Brian realizing she was right.

Both kids just smiled looking at one another.

"We should go on an adventure!" suggested Alice.

"Hey yeah! We could be just like Johann and Frasier always out facing danger wherever they go." brought up Brian.

"Well I'm a girl so I would be more like Saeko and Rei always by their sides!" corrected Alice as the two kids got off the remnants of the plane.

Both of them ran down the empty streets until they came across a flower shop.

"Oh Brian can we please go in and see if there are any flowers left?" asked Alice wanting to explore the shop.

"Ok let's do it!" accepted Brian as they slowly entered the abandoned flower store.

Alice and Brian both walked down the empty aisles. All the plants were either fake or withered from the lack of care. However Alice spotted the perfect flower.

It was sealed under a glass container constantly being sprayed by tiny droplets of water keeping it fresh. It was positioned right under a window giving it perfect sunlight.

"It's so beautiful! This will be perfect for when Frasier gets home." said Alice as she walked towards it not paying attention to her surroundings.

Brian and Alice both looked at it unsure how to get the flower out of the glass container without breaking it.

"Is there a key?" asked Brian noticing a lock on the counter top.

"I'll go find one." acknowledged Alice as she ran off to the employee section of the store.

In the back she noticed the corpse of an employee that must have worked her before the outbreaks. Alice also spotted what looked like a set of keys tightly clutched in the deceased employee's hands.

She carefully approached the corpse making sure to keep quiet unless it was one of Them. Alice crawled on her knees slowly reaching her tiny hand out for the keys.

She carefully managed to pull it away without creating to much ruckus. The only sound that was made was the occasional jingling that keys normally make when they clang together.

Alice then quickly bolted away to regroup with Brian. She flickered through the numerous keys over and over trying to match them to the lock on the rose she so desperately wanted.

"Got it!" announced Alice managing to slide the right key into its proper hole.

With one good twist the case slowly decompressed the air for the rose before lifting itself off.

"Woah that must be one very expensive flower." commented Brian as he looked at the mechanism observing how it worked.

"Let's take it back home. We shouldn't really be out here especially when the sun is going down." pointed out Alice as she carefully packed the rose in her backpack.

The two kids quickly left the store just in time. As the door closed the corpse of that employee was walking towards it. It had heard the two kids but luckily was incapable of opening a door properly. The undead fiend just kept walking back and forth into it.

Alice and Brian meanwhile just walked side by side occasionally whispering to each other as the sun began to make its decent. Both kept their eyes sharp and minds alert in case danger was to arise.

"Brian look!" whispered Alice.

Out from a distance a massive horde of infected was traveling down the road in their direction.

"We got to get off the streets!" whispered Brian as they both ran towards the nearest building they could find.

Luckily a local grocery store was left unlocked. With their combined strength the managed to push the resistant door open. It was loud and squeaky but not loud enough to attract on coming horde. Unfortunately the infected that lingered about the store heard it.

"They've heard us!" announced Alice no longer needing to be quiet.

"Quickly let's get on top of the shelfs. I don't think they can reach that high." suggested Brian as he took Alice's hand leading her towards the nearest one.

**{Antz OST - The Big Shoe}**

He got down and gave her a boost so she could get up faster. Brian then quickly scrambled up with no time to spare. The infected quickly gathered around the aisle shelf and began to reach for them.

It slowly wobbled back and forth inevitably clear it was about to fall.

"Jump!" shouted Brian out of reaction.

Both kids quickly leapt over towards the next aisle. Their combined weight caused the second aisle to tip forward.

"Again!" shouted Brian.

They jumped shelf after shelf until the infected on the other side of the store began to push against the shelfs the kids would need later.

"Quick jump off." said Brian hopping off to the side landing on the floor.

However Alice couldn't react in time and just froze in place covering her eyes.

"Brian help!" screamed Alice as she was now trapped on the last standing aisle pinned by the other shelfs.

"Oh no... Don't worry Alice I'll save you!" announced Brian as he looked around for a way to help her.

All the other shelfs had fallen leaving her vulnerable. The mass of infected corpses reached out for her on both sides making it impossible for her to jump off. Alice stood there unable to do anything.

Brian meanwhile ran to the nearest wall. He began to pile up small light cardboard crates on top of one another. Luckily his small size didn't cause them to all crumple down at once.

He jumped up and grabbed onto the hanging cord attached to one of the hanging lights. Despite the fear Brian leapt out swinging towards Alice.

"Alice take my hand!" shouted Brian lowering his.

The first time around he was too high above her. Their hands barely missed each other. Brian however kept going from his momentum. He looked down to see all the hungry infected looking back up at him.

Brian quickly looked away and watched as the cord dropped a level then began swinging him back towards Alice.

The second time around, their hands brushed by each other not grasping at the same time. The shelf shook again nearly causing Alice to fall off entirely.

"Hold on Alice!" shouted Brian as he stopped at the boxes he set up.

Brian just stood there feeling his heart pounding from the tense moment. He then looked at Alice and knew he couldn't let he die because of him being afraid.

With one last effort Brian closed his eyes tight imagining he was like Tarzan. He jumped out swing directly towards Alice.

On the third attempt Brian's eyes opened as his hand grasped Alice's just in time. The aisle self collapsed on top of the infected the second Alice was off.

"Brian you did it!" exclaimed Alice as they both were swinging off the same line.

"It's not over yet!" exclaimed Brian feeling as brave as he can be.

They both swung towards the back of the store. The line they used quickly gave out causing them to crash into a stand of rotten fruit softening their landing.

With no time to waste, both kids got out and ran as fast as they could towards the "employees only" part of the store. They sprinted through the loading bay and out into the open streets losing the infected in the process.

After a few quite minutes everything was clam again.

"We did it!" whispered Brian proud of his heroic deed.

"My hero." whispered Alice as she kissed his cheek.

Brian immediately turned red unable to say anything else. If it was physically possible his eyes would be little hearts right now.

**{}**

Suddenly a rustling noise could be heard. Both kids thought it was another one of the infected and quickly froze in place. However it was a man, a living one at that.

"Hallo." **("Hello there.")** announced the rough to look at man, approaching them slowly.

"Hi there Mr." said Brian assuming that guy was saying hello.

"Oh I see you speak English, so why are you two kids along out here? Don't you know it's dangerous?" questioned the rugged looking man.

"We were just going back now." said Brian starting to walk backwards.

"Oh don't go now, we've only just met." added another rugged looking man emerging from and alley way.

"Yes we were just about to eat and would be delighted if we had you for lunch." commented a third man walking onto the scene.

Alice took Brian's hand feeling afraid and had a terrible feeling in her gut about these three men. Brian shared the distrust and had to find a way out and fast.

"It's one of Them!" shouted Brian pointing behind one of the creepy men.

All three of them jumped at once clearly unaware of their surroundings. Meanwhile Brian and Alice quickly ran off barely making any noise because of their tiny feet. Neither one of them looked back as they managed to get some moderate distance from the scary men.

"Hey get back here!" shouted one of the creepy men just realizing Brian and Alice were running off.

All three men were now in full pursuit of the kids. It was quite obvious they were cannibals by their smell and choice of words.

Both kids quickly crawled under some of the wrecked cars left by their previous owners. As they reached the end of a long line Alice let out a small scream. One of the cannibals caught up and grabbed her little leg.

"Ahhh! Brian help me!" cried out Alice.

Brian bravely crawled back and kicked his foot at the cannibal's hand snapping off a nail.

The man jolted back from the sharp pain. He growled a bit as he then began to speed up eventually getting out from under the cars. However both escaping kids managed to place a large gap between them and their pursuers.

Brian and Alice both ran as fast as their little legs could go. The three cannibals however were beginning to catch up with them. With no other options the two kids ran into an abandoned construction yard.

They quickly ran up a wooden ramp that took them atop a tarp. Alice and Brian both hopped up and down trying to reach a ladder but were just too short to reach. Their combined weight tore a hole inside of the tarp causing them to tumble to ground level.

Both kids quickly got up to see that the three cannibals managed to catch up to them. The three men slowly approached them all knowing that this little chase was over. Brian quickly stood up and held his arms out as if shielding Alice.

"Grrraghh!" roared out Brian in a timid voice in hopes that the creepy men would be afraid of his display of power.

The three cannibals all let out a laugh at the childish act.

"Oh no we better get going!" taunted one.

"Do it again kid that made my week." pushed on another cannibal still laughing.

Brian held his breath back for a moment taking a big gasp of air. He then gave it all he had in his next shout.

**"RRRRRRAAAAAHHHGGGGG!"** overshadowed a far more powerful animalistic voice that canceled out Brian's voice.

The cannibals (as well as an extension to Alice) all had looks of shock when they heard that powerful roar emit from Brian.

"What the hell?" muttered all three cannibals at once.

Suddenly a figure jumped off the battered construction above the kids landing on the cannibals. Their shouts of laughter quickly turned into screams of pain as the figure began to viciously tear into them. The figure pulled out a commando knife letting the steel shine in the sunlight.

Alice and Brian both covered each other's eyes not wanting the other to see the carnage no child should have to witness. They were used to watching the infected being torn to pieces but that was different, they weren't considered people when infected.

When the sound of steel tearing flesh ceased, after the horrid bone snapping noises stopped, both kids looked up to see the figure looming over them.

His breath was heavy through the gas mask he wore. However Alice and Brian showed no fear, despite that scene they witnessed, they knew who was under that mask.

"You two do not belong here, why are you not back at the clan where it is safe? Do you have any idea the danger you two got yourselves into?!" scorned Frasier as he looked at both the kids with his arms crossed.

Both kids felt their eyes beginning to water as they remained silent. They both were unable to answer his question without feeling their tiny throats choke up.

"Frasier, where have you been? We miss you." asked Alice as she held her arms out in tears.

Frasier looked down at her and slowly kneeled down on one knee. He wrapped his arms around both kids pulling them into him realizing that all that matters is that they were safe now.

Both kids felt tears streaming down their cheeks as a single week felt like entire years. They dug their faces into his black flak jacket unable to look into that intimidating mask.

Frasier tried his best to hold it in but his shattered mind couldn't bear their sorrow. His gas mask emitted a low sobbing sound.

"I've not been myself Alice. We... I need help when I complete my quest for vengeance. I'll be home soon and I promise you both things will turn out alright for us." explained Frasier.

"Promise?" asked Brian.

"Yes, I promise Brian." replied Frasier as they all let go to look at one another.

"Pinky promise?" asked Alice to be sure he wasn't lying.

"Pinky promise." replied Frasier slowly smiling under his mask.

Alice and Brian both held their pinkies out to seal the deal. Their little fingers were dwarfed by the size of Frasier's as he wrapped it around both of theirs effortlessly.

"Let's get you two out of here, this is no place for children." said Frasier as he held both of their hands walking down the sidewalk leaving the tattered remains of the cannibals to the small pack of infected that overheard the screaming.

**-**

Twenty minutes later Frasier arrived at the gates with both kids.

"You two go inside and stay there, I need to go settle a score." instructed Frasier as he nudged the kids to go home.

Before he could leave he heard someone calling his name out.

"Hey wait up Frasier!" called out Takashi as he caught up.

"What the hell do you want Takashi?" grunted Frasier as he kept walking.

"Your back. Did you catch the guy you were looking for?" asked Takashi.

"No... He got away but I'm hot on his trail." responded Frasier looking for any clues of Razor's path of retreat.

"What does he look like?" asked Takashi after thinking of a way to lure Frasier away from the line of sights from the sentries the Hamburg Clan had.

"Big guy, he would be alone as well. He's all that's left of the bandit clan now." explained Frasier.

"Now that you mention it, I did happen to see a guy running for his life earlier. I figured it was to escape a pack of infected by this may be your guy." brought up Takashi.

Frasier stopped in his tracks and turned to Takashi.

"Where? Take me there now!" ordered Frasier feeling somewhat glad Takashi could help hens his hunt.

"Just follow me." said Takashi leading Frasier away from the walls with a grin on his face.

**-**

Minutes later the two boys were wandering through a patch of the city that were out of the lines of sight from the clan walls.

**[Written Jayme F. Midorikawa]**

"Are you absolutely sure you've seen him, Takashi?" Frasier asked as he and Takashi turned a corner onto another empty street, now completely out of the line of sight of the homestead walls.

"Yeah. It was somewhere near here." Takashi replied as he started to slow his walking pace so Frasier could get a few steps ahead of him.

Takashi glanced back over his own shoulder to make sure they weren't within sight of the walls, then with the slightest smirk, he reached into his pocket and slowly pulled out his pistol.

After a few minutes of walking, Frasier came to a stop as he slowly scanned their surroundings. They were just outside of a four-way intersection, with an open alley just beside them. There wasn't a sign of bandits or the dead to be found anywhere.

"Takashi, are you sure it was around here? I never actually saw any bandits roam through this part of the city." Frasier asked, clearly confused as to why they had gone to this unexplored part of Hamburg.

Before Frasier could turn around to ask Takashi where they were to go next, he suddenly felt something small and hard pressed up against his back, soon followed by the sound of a hammer of a gun being pulled back.

Frasier was as still as a statue. "Takashi…?" Frasier asked quietly as he started to turn his head to look back over his shoulder.

"Start walking." Takashi ordered in a bitter mutter as he barely pushed the barrel of his gun against Frasier's back.

"What is this, Takashi?" Frasier asked angrily as he began to turn around. Takashi instantly leveled his gun and pushed Frasier forward, making sure not to put any distance between them, lest Frasier got any fancy ideas.

"Don't even think about it, Frasier. Just do as I say, alright? Now start walking…into that alley. And don't think of trying anything." Takashi threatened as he nodded his head towards the alleyway to their right.

Frasier remained glued to his spot, and slowly began inching his hand down to the blade at his side. However, Takashi quickly noticed this and put the barrel of his pistol right up to the back of Frasier's head, causing him to stop on command.

"I don't think you'll be needing these." said Takashi as he reached and disarmed Frasier of his blade and his pistol, tossing both weapons aside, too far for Frasier to grab without Takashi being able to get a shot in.

"Walk." Takashi ordered once again, his voice clearly showing his loss of patience.

Frasier took a deep breath and sighed as he slowly raised his hands up to show he wasn't armed with anything and slowly started to step forward into the narrow alley, Takashi following close to him, never removing the gun's aim from Frasier's back for a second.

"Why, Takashi?" Frasier soon asked as he came to a stop halfway down the alley.

"Just shut up and keep walking, Frasier." Takashi ordered, grinding his teeth with impatience and anger.

"Just tell me why, goddammit! Why are you doing this?" Frasier shouted angrily, his voice echoing through the empty afternoon air.

Takashi remained silent for several seconds as he tried to think of a good final answer to give Frasier before he would finally put the last step of his plan into motion.

"Because thanks to you, I've got nothing now." Takashi finally responded, the aggression in his voice having subsided to a bitter calm.

"What are you talking about?" Frasier asked, honestly confused.

"Don't play stupid, Frasier. Ever since you took my place as leader of our group, I've slowly fallen to the bottom of the social chain. Nobody respects me no matter how hard I try, and everybody treats me like ** now for any given reason." Takashi explained, his voice slowly getting angrier and angrier, his grip on his gun tightening, his finger getting very close to pulling the trigger.

"How can you honestly believe any of that, Takashi? The reason you're no longer the leader is because your judgment got clouded. Your choices got more and more reckless, and your attitude really took a serious turn for the worst. I only took your place because I had the group's best interests at heart." Frasier retorted, trying his best to remain calm lest Takashi get any sudden ideas.

"Shut up! How can you think I never had their interests at heart? Those people depended on me from day one, and I had to take their safety into consideration with every choice I had to make! I worked to become the leader of that group, not you! You just walked in one day, and everybody fell in love with you and threw me aside! Even Saeko went over to you when I thought she and I had an actual chance together!" Takashi exclaimed, having clearly lost all semblance of a sane thought as he was now shouting at the top of his lungs now.

Frasier remained silent as he took those last words into thought. The very idea that Takashi thought he could take Saeko away nearly made his blood boil to a simmer right there where he stood. He gritted his teeth with anger as thoughts of Takashi laying hands on his beloved Saeko invaded his mind.

"Who does this self righteous turd think he is? Thinking he can lay his hands on your woman! Why don't you wrestle that gun out of his hands like you know you can and blow his pencil dick off!" the voice of Kraven suddenly growled sadistically in his mind.

Frasier mentally shook Kraven's voice out of his mind only to now be confronted by the voice of his father.

"Look at you Frasier, standing there like a defenseless child while this nobody has a gun at your back. You can easily get out of this situation; I know I trained you to. Why don't you show me that all that training wasn't all for nothing, boy! Prove it to me!" his father's voice shouted.

Frasier mentally shook his father's voice away again as he kept looking around him for some way to get that gun away from Takashi and himself.

"You know Frasier, maybe all hope isn't lost for me and her. Once you're gone, I'll be the only person left for Saeko to turn to in her grief." Takashi sneered, his tone showing a very clear lustful nature behind it.

Frasier nearly went red in the face as he thought of Saeko being violated by this little bastard whilst grieving for her husband. Frasier knew he'd be damned if he was going to let something like that happen.

"Don't worry though, Frasier. You won't be alone where you're going. Noah will be there waiting for you, and so will Marcus. That part I made sure of myself." Takashi continued, and Frasier nearly felt his entire world crumble as those words left Takashi's mouth.

It was never bandits that killed Marcus at all. It was Takashi himself, all along. He lied right to Frasier's face, and killed his only brother, and for what? Just so he could have a better chance at getting his dick wet?

"You…you killed him…for that? You killed Marcus…for that!? ALL ALONG, FROM THE BEGINNING, YOU KILLED OUR BROTHER, JUST SO YOU COULD GET FUCKED BY MY WIFE!?" Frasier screamed as he nearly wanted to rip that gun right out of Takashi's hand and pound his skull into paste with it.

"YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING, FRASIER! SAEKO WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE WITH YOU!" Takashi shouted back as he suddenly slammed the butt of his gun across the back of Frasier's head, the momentary shock bringing him to his knees.

Takashi had the gun aimed at the back of Frasier's head in an execution style, his mouth forming a crooked smile as Takashi could feel his last step for his plan finally coming to fruition.

"Saeko was meant to be with me, Frasier. I'm not going to let you get in the way of fate." Takashi finished as he started to pull the trigger.

"Let him go, Takashi." a voice suddenly called out from behind them. Takashi stopped pulling the trigger and slowly looked back over his shoulder. There, at the entrance to the alley with a rifle resting in his hands was Khota.

"Khota, what're you doing out here? I thought Rika was teaching…" Takashi began before Khota suddenly had his rifle raised, aiming straight at Takashi's head, rendering him completely speechless.

"Let. Him. Go. Now." Khota repeated much slower, and much more serious, his aim never faltering even for a second.

"Look, Khota, I can explain…" Takashi began as he started to turn around to face Khota, the gun never leaving his hand.

In that split second, Khota suddenly pulled the trigger, and with a deafening blast that echoed through the narrow alley walls, the pistol in Takashi's hand was blasted right out of his grip, nearly breaking Takashi's trigger finger, earning a pained shout from him.

"HIRANO, WHAT THE FUCK?! WHY'RE YOU SHOOTING AT ME, YOU FAT IDIOT!?" Takashi shouted as he clutched his shooting hand in pain.

For a few seconds, Khota remained completely silent, his aim still set on Takashi. Then, he spoke.

"How long?" he asked quietly, his eyes glimmering with anger underneath his glasses.

"What're you talking about?! Why the hell did you shoot at me?!" Takashi shouted furiously.

"Don't play stupid, Komuro! How long?! How long until Saya was meant to be with you as well?!" Khota shouted angrily, his eyes starting to well up with tears as he had now realized just how far gone one of his first friends since the outbreak began.

"What?! What the fuck are you…"Takashi started to ask until Khota suddenly fired again, the bullet hitting the asphalt at Takashi's feet, forcing him to jump back in shock.

"I heard everything, Komuro! First Miyamoto-san, and now Markle-senpai! How long until you get a hard-on for Saya, huh?! You gonna try and kill me then when that happens, Komuro?! Huh?! ARE YOU?!" Khota went on, his tone falling further and further into blind rage as his rifle began shaking in his hands as he slowly lost composure.

Before Takashi was able to respond, the looming figure of Frasier quickly rose from behind him.

Takashi quickly threw a quick punch in hopes of disorienting Frasier. However it was too late for any surprise attacks. Frasier caught his fist and lifted Takashi off the ground by his own fist.

**{DBZ OST - Destruction}**

Frasier began to deliver heavy blows to Takashi's intestines. Punch after punch, blow after blow. Takashi groaned in pain as he then felt Frasier let go of his fist.

Takashi fell to his knees looking up at Frasier. He then watched as his boot kicked him in the chest sending him flying into a brick wall. Before Takashi could even recover from that barrage Frasier grabbed his face and walked along the wall grinding it in.

Khota stood there trembling at the horrific sight. He knew he should stop this but he also was still pissed over the thought of Takashi being with Saya.

"Oh Takashi the things we've done to those you accused, the atrocities we committed because of your lies. We're going to enjoy tearing your limbs off one by one then feeding you to our hawk." laughed Frasier as he threw Takashi against an abandoned car.

After Takashi's body slammed into the car he slumped over leaving a body print on the car. Takashi slowly stood up and threw another punch out of desperation.

Frasier deflected it with ease then twisted the same arm around Takashi's back. He slammed Takashi's head against the car door then shoved him into the asphalt watching his body bounce like a rag doll.

Takashi looked up at Khota with pain in his eyes. His hand slowly reaching out for Khota as if expecting help.

"Khota please... the group was doing fine before they showed up! I promise you I won't touch Saya, she's all yours. It's only Rei and Saeko that matter to me. They belong with me!" explained Takashi as he coughed up blood.

"With or to?" questioned Khota as he watched Frasier dragging him back to his feet.

With a furious roar, Frasier slammed his forehead right into Takashi's face, easily breaking his nose and bruising his forehead. Takashi collapsed to the ground like a ton of bricks in a daze.

Frasier got on his knees and clutched the collar of Takashi's uniform in one hand, smashing the fist of his other hand into his face again and again and again.

With a furious animalistic roar, Frasier left bruise after bruise, bleeding cut after bleeding cut, a black eye and several smashed t

eth along with multiple splatters of Takashi's own blood all over his own face.

"MOTHER FUCKER! WE'LL TEAR YOU APART TILL THERE'S NOTHING LEFT!" Frasier roared as he continuously pounded Takashi's face into a bruised, bleeding mess, leaving him unable to even weakly protest, let alone scream for help.

No longer wanting to prolong the inevitable, Frasier lifted Takashi up into the air with his knee bent forward indicating that he planned on snapping Takashi's spine in a most brutal manner.

Suddenly, another shot from Khota's rifle sounded as a bullet impacted against the brick wall next to Frasier, effectively breaking his hateful concentration, drawing his attention to the pudgy sharpshooter at the entrance of the alleyway, aiming his rifle straight at Frasier.

"Stop, Frasier! If you don't stop you'll kill him!" Khota shouted as he readied his finger on the trigger.

Seeing what Frasier was doing to Takashi had visibly frightened Khota, as his grip on his rifle was shaky at the best, and he was visibly sweating with tension and fear.

"He must die! We must have our revenge! He killed our brother, and for that he must die!" Frasier shouted furiously as he readied himself to end Takashi's life right then and there.

"NO! THAT'S NOT THE WAY, FRASIER!" Khota screamed in protest, once more drawing Frasier's attention.

"Our group has suffered enough! Can't you see that? Even if he is a piece of shit, the group doesn't need another casualty! Please, Frasier, don't do it. Let's just bring Takashi back to the homestead, lock him up, detain him, whatever we have to do, but please, don't kill him." Khota pleaded, desperate to finally lower the gun and put an end to this madness.

Frasier constantly looked back and forth between Takashi and Khota, mentally battling with himself on what he should do at that moment. Takashi was a gruesome, miserable sight to behold, and honestly, it felt like at that moment, killing him would be too good for him.

"Perhaps…it would be better to let him stew in his own defeat." Frasier thought to himself calmly.

"NO! That's the way a coward thinks, you idiot! This little shit crossed the line of no return, don't you get it?! He killed your brother, tried to kill you and muscle in on your woman! This little asshole deserves to have his fucking heart torn out and shown to him!" Kraven growled in the back of his mind, venom and sadistic intent hanging on every word.

"No! You've gone too far as it is! We have no right to act as judge, jury, or executioner! We should let the real authority deal with him!" Noah mentally protested.

"That's the way a civilian thinks, though, but Frasier. You? You're a soldier, you're a warrior. This little bastard crossed you, acted against you personally, he killed your blood, your kin! It's your natural right as a human being to act out justice on him in the only way that's fit." his father scolded angrily at the front of his mind.

"No, father! I can't do that!" Frasier mentally shouted in an attempt to drown out the voices.

"You should punish that fat little turd there as well. Who the hell does he think he is to tell you what to do? He wants to get between you and revenge; you should show him just what happens as a result!" Kraven shouted as Frasier clutched his own head in pain as the voices only seemed to be getting louder.

"No, no…no! Khota hasn't done anything to us! Leave him alone!" Frasier said out loud to himself as he got back onto his feet, clutching his head in pain.

Khota noticed this and began to approach him, clearly concerned as he could hear Frasier speaking to himself.

"Frasier…who're you talking to? We're the only people here." Khota asked, trying to remain as calm as he could, in fear that Frasier might react badly if he saw Khota approaching him.

"GET AWAY! DON'T COME NEAR US!" Frasier screamed, causing Khota to jump back in fear.

"Frasier, I'm not going to hurt you. But please, come back to the homestead with me! Everyone's waiting for you back there." Khota reassured him, lowering his gun in case Frasier would perceive him as a threat because of it.

"NO! STAY BACK!" Frasier screamed once more before immediately turning on his heels and running away from Khota and Takashi's unconscious body as fast as he could. Khota could only watch in shock as Frasier ran away from him, having no hope of being able to catch up with him.

Khota could only sigh in defeat as he lowered his gaze to Takashi, lying at his feet. With a grimace of anger, Khota grabbed Takashi by the hair and started to drag him back to the homestead before any of the dead could show up, attracted from the gunshots and shouting.

**[Back to me]**

**-**

When Khota finally made it back to the Hamburg Clan he was instantly greeted by his group as if they knew he was away.

"Khota where have you been?" asked Saya curious of his whereabouts.

"Oh my god what happened to him?!" cried out Shizuka as the group suddenly noticed a ravaged Takashi in Khota's hand.

"Don't worry about this one, he's not as innocent as he looks guys." replied Khota narrowing his eyes at Takashi.

"What do you mean? Khota what's going on?" asked Saeko as she couldn't help but get a kick out of seeing Takashi all beat up.

"Frasier happened, Takashi tried to kill him by luring him out into an alley way. Luckily I prevented it but I wasn't able to prevent the carnage that ensued afterwards. Takashi didn't stand a chance; I was paralyzed just from watching the beating. I didn't let Frasier kill Takashi and he began to talk to himself. He's really lost it, we need to bring him back here before he hurts himself... or someone else." explained Khota.

Suddenly the gates opened up behind them to let in another group.

"Frasier?" asked Saeko hoping he had came to his senses and returned to them for help.

It was quiet for a few moments as the steel doors continued to open up. Two young identical girls came running inside.

"Papa hurry up!" they both shouted in excitement.

"I'm coming I'm coming! I'm not as fast as I used to be." replied an older voice.

Soon enough the figure of a man in his sixties made his way into the city. He gave off a few coughs before he saw a gate guard approach him and his girls.

"Where are you guys from?" asked Johann after the gate guards got the information they needed from the old man.

"Back in my day we exchanged names before we talk about other matters." said the old man coughing a few more times.

"Papa don't be mean! We walked about five miles to get here." explained one of the twin girls.

"You guys don't look like you could put up much of a fight. Is there anyone else in your group?" asked Johann observing how none of them were armed.

"Yeah just one more, this one is a natural fighter. He saved my daughters and escorted us through the city killing any bandits or infected in our way. Without him we would have perished." explained the old man.

"Who is he?" asked Johann.

"Umm Markle something..." answered the old man unable to remember the first name of their savior.

"Oh my god..." thought everyone in the group as they saw the figure enter behind the closing gates.

It was a Markle alright, but not the one they were expecting.

"Well are you guys just gonna stand there?" asked Marcus smiling as he approached his group with two pistols at his sides.

"Marcus?! You're alive! But how?" asked Saeko as she walked towards her brother in-law.

"I'll tell you guys later... Where I'd Takashi?" asked Marcus before spotting him already beaten up by Khota's boots.

"Oh Takashi I see someone has beaten me to the punch." realized Marcus as he walked over towards him with his fists gripped tight.

Before anyone could say anything else Marcue lashed out kicking Takashi in the chest.

"Marcus stop! He barely survived your brothers onslaught. I dragged him here so we could detain him. This group has suffered enough casualties." protested Khota.

"Khota he's why I've been away! This asshole shot me and left me to die. I thinking deserve a little retribution." argued Marcus.

The entire group fell silent after hearing that. They all just looked over at Takashi in disgust. To think he would betray those closest to him.

"Whatever... Where is my brother?" asked Marcus.

"He ran off... Marcus your brother has been out there slaying bandits for sport and vengeance. Takashi told him that they killed you. But I guess we all now know who is responsible for this mess." revealed Khota.

"How bad is it? Where is he?" asked Saeko looking at Khota concerned over her husband's mental health.

"It's bad... he has split personalities and talks to himself. I think he ran off further into the outskirts." answered Khota remembering how broken Frasier was.

"Alright people we don't have much time to act then. I'll call Toreston up to take a detainment team to go pick up Frasier. Khota help me drag Takashi to our local jail." ordered Johann quickly taking command of the dire situation.

Several moment later Toreston arrived with a squad ready to bring in Frasier.

"Keine Sorge, wir werden ihn, wieder." **("Don't worry we'll bring him back.")** reassured Toreston loading a tranquilizer gun.

"Hey lass mich mit euch gehen, vielleicht kann ich helfen mein Bruder zu beruhigen." **("Hey let me go with you guys, maybe I can help my brother calm down.")** suggested Marcus.

"Sehr gut weiß nur, wir müssen sicherstellen, dass er nicht eine Bedrohung für die Sicherheit des Clans sein." **("Very well just know we need to make sure he won't be a threat to the safety of the clan.") **reminded Toreston as Marcus hopped aboard the jeep.

"Mach dir keine Sorgen Bruder Ich bin auf dem Weg!" ("Don't worry brother I'm on my way!") thought Marcus as the jeep drove off.

**-**

**{HoTD OST - Signs of Hell}**

Frasier looked up at the skies unsure of himself. There wasn't any telling of how unstable he was becoming now. His four other personalities were consuming his own.

"Let us take over, give us the ultimate control and we will be able to eviscerate Takashi. I know it's what you want the most right now." persuaded Kraven's personality in Frasier's broken mind.

"They won't let me anywhere near him now! Let's just go home and get some rest, it's been so long since I've had a decent night if rest." suggested Frasier exhausted.

"No! You're a soldier and soldiers don't go home until the job gets done!" reminded his father.

"Takashi is at home dumb ass!" commented Marcus in Frasier's mind as of the personalities could now talk among one another.

Meanwhile the real Marcus and the detainment team slowly walked up to the top of the stairs observing Frasier talking to himself.

"Okay Toreston, werde ich versuchen zu nahe kommen und sprechen ihn nieder. Wenn die Dinge Süden gehen euch in Eile und tun, was Sie können, um ihn lebend zu bringen." **("Alright Toreston, I'll try to get close and talk him down. If things go south you guys rush in and do whatever you can to bring him in alive.")** said Marcus.

"Sehr gut, aber nehmen diese Taser, wenn Sie es nicht tun können. Die Überreste ich gefunden habe, links von ihm sind sehr ... einfach nicht lassen ihn seine Hände auf Sie." **("Very well, but take this taser if you can't do it. The remains I've found left by him are very... just don't let him get his hands on you.")** explained Toreston as he placed a taser into Marcus' hand.

Marcus nodded and slowly made his way towards Frasier. He made sure not to startle his older brother by keeping his footsteps loud.

"Brother it's me! Marcus." said Marcus in a gentle voice as he slowly approached Frasier with both hands out.

Frasier looked back at his brother shaking his head.

"No... We're Marcus! You're not real." groaned Frasier as he dropped to his knees.

"Look at me. You know it in your heart!" said Marcus.

"Br-brother?" asked Frasier as his mind began to separate Marcus from his split personalities.

"Yes it's me Marcus!" exclaimed Marcus as he slowly approached Frasier with both hands up.

The grey gloomy clouds soon began to turn black as a few drops of rain proceeded to fall. Marcus and Frasier both looked up and watched the rain beginning to pour onto their faces. It reminded them of their homeland causing a brief moment of security.

The detainment team slowly approached behind Frasier. Before they could stun him he had caught notice of their presence.

"Behind you." whispered his father in the front of Frasier's head.

Both chains slid out of Frasier's sleeves on the rooftop. He whipped his body around directing the chains to swipe the team aside like they were flies. All five men were thrown aside on top of one another.

Frasier let out a growl of anger and slowly approached them.

"You fools do not belong here! We're not to be taken down so easily, we've had no quarrel with the clan Hamburg until now." warned Frasier as he drew his knife out for five easy kills.

"Brother no!" shouted Marcus as he threw himself into Frasier knocking the knife away.

The rain began to pour heavily now as thunder rang out in the skies. Frasier slowly stood up and was breathing heavily. Both his chains remained hanging out his sleeves as he turned towards Marcus with a hateful look in his eyes.

"You are not our brother! Your flesh is ours!" growled Frasier as he whipped both chains against the water around him.

"Oh shit." muttered Marcus as he held both hands up knowing there was only one way to resolve this.

**{}**

**{Ultimate Spiderman OST - Mega Battle}**

**"RRRRAAAGGGHHH!"** bellowed out Frasier to the dark skies as he then lashed one chain out towards Marcus.

Marcus ducked down letting the chain whizz above his head. He then hopped to the side in time to avoid the second chain Frasier swung over his head in an arching motion.

"We don't need any of you!" Frasier shouted out in a rage.

Marcus charged forward only to be swatted aside when Frasier swung both chains in a horizontal arc. He skidded across the roof feeling pain in his sides.

"You always relied on your brother older Marcus. You were never up to expectations." taunted Frasier projecting their father's personality.

"Maybe that's because you're a terrible excuse for a father!" replied Marcus as he sprung back into his feet.

"Insolent brat! If it wasn't for your mother I would have trained you until you were nothing but a mindless drone." projected Frasier as he swung both chains.

Marcus however charged forward directly into the range of the oncoming chains. Right before they could make impact, Marcus dropped to his knees skidding along the wet rooftop towards his broken brother.

"Clever bastard." muttered Frasier as Marcus was now in his face.

"Forgive me brother." whispered Marcus as he held the taser placing it against Frasier's neck.

Before he could activate it Frasier kicked forward sending Marcus backwards. Frasier was sane enough to know that he needed to keep Marcus at bay now.

"Brother he is just trying to help us. Please stop this before one of you is killed." pleaded Noah in the center of Frasier's mind.

"You don't understand Noah. That isn't Marcus, he's an imposter. I know it!" explained Frasier mentally.

"I? Not we?" questioned Noah.

While Frasier mentally battled with himself Marcus evaluated the situation. He knew he couldn't get close to Frasier without weakening him first, but fighting from a distance was impossible with those chains.

That's when Marcus realized something. This entire roof was covered in large puddles of rain water. He then remembered that science lesson back in Fujimi Academy right before the infected showed up.

"That's it! Metal can conduct electricity!" thought Marcus as he looked at the chains Frasier was using.

With nothing more to evaluate, Marcus charged head on. Frasier predictable lashed both chains out at Marcus' feet learning from last time.

Instead of ducking this time Marcus leapt back letting the chains submerge into the puddle. He then turned the hand held taser to maximum power and held it against the water.

A powerful current traveled through the metal chains giving Frasier a powerful electro shock causing his body to remain in place. With only one shot, Marcus charged forward and began to strike his brother across the face in a flurry of punches.

**{}  
><strong>  
>Frasier slowly fell over against the wet rooftop unable to continue further. His breathing was slow as he looked up at Marcus smiling.<p>

"Marcus... hehe... it looks like you've finally beaten your brother fair and square." laughed Frasier softly.

"No. I really haven't, you're in a terrible state of mind Frasier. Your mentality has weakened your combat skills. Please let us help you." pleaded Marcus as he held Frasier's head up while kneeling at his side loyally.

"I don't know if I can go back Marcus. The things I've done to the bandits out here... it's changed me. I don't think I can be a part of a society anymore." explained Frasier.

"It's ok Frasier, Shizuka can fix you up. I know she can, just come back to the homestead and let her." said Marcus with a positive demeanor.

"Very well, but the voices may return on the way back so you guys will need to restrain me." explained Frasier as he slowly stood up wobbling a bit from the aftershock.

The detainment team slowly got up brushing themselves off. They all watched surprised as Frasier approached them with his hands held out in surrender.

"Ich will verdammt sein, dass Kind tatsächlich tat es." **("I'll be damned, that kid actually did it.")** commented Toreston as he placed the restraints against Frasier's wrists.

"Wir werden viel mehr als Handschellen benötigen." **("We're going to need a lot more than hand cuffs.")** mentioned Marcus as they all walked down the stairs to return home.

One hour later the detainment team entered the safety of the clan walls. The group immediately ran over after patiently awaiting their return.

The jeep slowed down in front of the medical center as the rain continued to drizzle down. Marcus and Toreston hopped out of the jeep preparing to unload Frasier.

Saeko nearly cried when she saw her husband wrapped in chains. He remained calm and smiled when he saw Saeko approaching him.

"Saeko... I'm so sorry for all of this. I'll make this up when I'm cured. I promise vowed Frasier as Toreston and the rest of the detainment team took him into the medical center.

Marcus walked over to the group to update them on the situation.

"How bad is it?" asked Johann.

"It stings to walk sometimes but I think I'll be alright." replied Marcus running his bullet scars.

"Not that! Your brother you idiot!" snapped Saya slapping the back of his head.

"Owe! Be more specific next time then!" replied Marcus rubbing the back of his head.

"Both of you knock it off this is serious." explained Rika as she turned to Marcus. "Ok so what's up?"

"Khota was right, he has three extra personalities right now. Noah, Kraven, and our father have somehow manifested into his delusion causing him to believe they're one being. We need to act fast." explained Marcus.

"That's a pretty delicate case... How do you propose we fix him Shizuka?" asked Rika.

"With shock therapy." interrupted Marcus remembering what happened on the roof.

"Shock therapy? How can you be sure it will work?" questioned Rei.

"Just a stun from a taser was enough to give him brief control. If we treat him with shock therapy we're more than likely going to have him back to normal full time!" explained Marcus confidently.

"Yes... with enough neurological shock his mind would be able to repress these extra voices clouding his mind." agreed Shizuka.

"We have the equipment you'll need in the mental ward." brought up Johann as he led everyone to the room Frasier was in.

After a few minutes of preparation it was time to end this delusional state once and for all.

**{Star Wars OST - Dual of Fates}**

A heart monitor began to beep as Frasier was fully restrained. The group sat in the back of the room while Shizuka stood by the control settings. Thunder rang out in the background as rain battered against the windows.

"Before we begin take the kids out, they don't need to see any of this." requested Frasier.

"But we wanna be here for you!" protested Alice.

"You've both done more than enough, please... don't fight me on this Alice." said Frasier as Rika took the kids out of the room to keep them from witnessing anything.

Shizuka slowly turned the machine on. A small buzzing noise could be heard from the voltage being primed for treatment. Frasier moved back and forth testing the restraints that kept him down.

He felt his head throbbing as his mind was back to its unstable self. His breath became heavy as the room's lights were beginning to turn a light blue.

"You cannot stop us! Our revenge will be complete, first Takashi, then this entire clan!" growled Frasier projecting Kraven's personality.

"Hit it." ordered Saya as she stood face to face with Frasier watching for anything of interest when the electricity would be coursing through his body.

Shizuka pulled the lever down activating the pads attached to key points on his body. Frasier began to freeze in place feeling his entire body receive a small zap. The electricity was making his muscles tense up giving him no control.

"You cannot stop the inevitable. We will be free and this clan will burn to the ground. We've been trained far too well." said Frasier projecting his father's personality.

"Higher!" shouted Saya.

Shizuka without hesitation pulled the lever further down increasing the voltage he was receiving. His body began to tremble and shake as his mind was in a mental war with itself.

Frasier grunted and growled turning his head side to side. The other personalities in his mind began to split further and further apart from his own.

"Don't stop... we can feel it working Shizuka. Please don't hold back." said Frasier in a more softer tone projecting Noah's personality this time.

When the higher power levels were reached Frasier wasn't even able to shout this time. His body violently shook as Noah's personality was being erased slowly.

"Ok turn it down, we need to ease the next personality in." said Saya watching the heart beats going off at incredible rates.

"No! Keep going, I can handle this!" shouted Frasier when the power was lowered.

Shizuka nodded and increased the power back to a high percentage. Frasier closed his eyes groaning in pain. Kraven's personality managed to take over at this lapse of weakness. Thunder roared down from the heavens as the rain continued to pour heavily.

"Ah yes this will do just fine! This thunderstorm will make for the perfect atmosphere when I escape. For when I slaughter everyone, the women the children! All will bow before my wrath!" laughed out Frasier.

"Shizuka full power! Let's erase that personality right off the face of the earth!" exclaimed Marcus watching his brother trying to free himself from his restraints.

When the full power was activated Frasier's body was paralyzed from the electricity. His muscles went limp unable to continue any further. His eyes shot wide open as Kraven's personality began to disintegrate.

"Ok turn it down before we end up frying him!" ordered Saya keeping a check on his heart monitor.

Shizuka acknowledged that order and slowly turned the machine down to a low voltage. Frasier's body slowly relaxed from the relief of pain. His head slowly lifted up to see his group watching from a distance.

"Well? Did it work? Can you still feel the voices in your head?" asked Saya.

"It's working! I feel... stronger in my own thoughts but I can still feel the presence of my father. Give it another go and end this insanity!"

He then cleared his thoughts and smiled to himself. However something was wrong... his father wasn't even trying to take control of him. It was as if his mind adapted to the shock therapy.

"Something's wrong... I can feel his presence yet he won't take over." announced Frasier.

Shizuka turned the power off. There was no point in zapping Frasier if he was in control.

"I can't do it... I can't get rid of his voice." muttered Frasier closing his eyes.

He then opened his eyes once more to see Saeko standing before him.

"It's ok my love, I'm here for you. You can do this!" said Saeko reassuringly making sure Frasier didn't break eye contact from her.

"Saeko..." muttered Frasier as he then watched his entire world go blank.

"Looks like its just you and me father." said Frasier as he noticed there was no one else left except for him and his father.

"Pathetic, you've become weak and undisciplined over the last three years. Where is the son I trained to be in the best of the special forces? Where is my true first born?" demanded the father as he towered over Frasier.

"I've always been here father. I did exactly as you ordered me to. It was your decision to send me away not mine! Although I have to thank you for it, I never would have met Saeko without your irrational decision." smiled Frasier looking up at his father feeling a spark of defiance.

Frasier suddenly went flying across the empty plane when his father backhanded him.

"You'll never be able to reach my level and become a true leader. Saeko has married a failure. You are a disgrace." roared his father in a crushing voice trying to break Frasier's mentality for complete control.

"NO... nooo. You are not my father! I am not a disgrace! I am their leader, I am her husband, I am a MARKLE!" shouted Frasier regain his true sense of pride and dominance.

He then stood up and watched as his father began to fade away no longer corrupting his thoughts. Frasier closed his eyes one last time taking a deep breath, when his eyes opened once more he was back to his former self.

**{}**

**{HoTD OST - The Last Pain}**

"Frasier... Is it you?" asked Saeko as she slowly walked closer towards him.

"Yes... The voices... All of them are gone this time. Only I remain now." explained Frasier in a calm tone feeling sweat dropping down his face finally free of the hell he had endured.

"How can we be sure?" asked Rei.

"You'll just have to roll the dice." smiled Frasier as he looked at his group gathering around him.

"Damn it, I guess there really isn't any other way." thought Saya as she began to loosen his restraints.

When the last cuff was off Frasier dropped to the floor wobbling a bit from his muscles being so tense due to the voltage. Marcus opened the door to the room so Alice and Brian could come back in.

Both kids came running in and stopped before Frasier as he was still kneeling down. Alice smiled and held up a thornless rose she found in the outskirts earlier.

Smiling at the sweet gesture, Frasier slowly reached out towards her. Johann and Marcus were both ready to jump in if the therapy didn't work.

Frasier's hand slowly wrapped around the rose accepting her gift. He then pulled Alice and Brian into his arms holding them close while closing his eyes letting two tears slide down his cheeks.

"Give it to Saeko, she's missed you so much! We've all missed you." whispered Alice looking up at what she could consider her older brother.

After a moment of concentration, Frasier managed to stand up on both feet. He looked over at Saeko watching her throwing herself into his arms.

"For you." whispered Frasier into her ears as he placed the flower into Saeko's hand.

"Wherever did you get that?" asked Saeko playing along with Alice and Brian's innocent little ruse.

"Don't we also get a hug?" teased Shizuka as she (along with the rest of the group) walked over to join in the moment.

Frasier smiled nearly overwhelmed by how much they've sacrificed for him. Each person in this room has impacted his life in a way that no one else could ever hope to replace.

"Thank you... All of you. I was in a dark place for a very long time and I couldn't have come back without any of you." admitted Frasier.

"Aww I think that calls for a group hug!" suggested Alice trying to pull the rest of the group in.

"Group hug!" chimed in Shizuka as the rest of the group all closed in at once.

"To our one big happy family, and to our newest edition, Johann!" announced Frasier in a proud voice knowing that things were finally going to improve after the hardship they just faced.

After the storm ended that day the group all walked back to Johann's fixed up home. Little did he know that the entire group was pitching in while Rei would keep him company at the hospital.

Takashi remained imprisoned and had no chance of being let out anytime soon. He just stewed in a pool of his own hate plotting and planning how he could get his revenge on the men of his group. 


	56. Act 24 Clans of the Dead Part 8

**Act 24 Clans of the Dead Part 8**

**Z-Day+153**

**(7 weeks later)**

After a few weeks of preparing for the winter seasons, the Hamburg Clan had a new enemy to survive against, the forces of nature. However with the use of the winter gear Johann had discovered all the members were able to keep warm without needing to waste any power on heating.

They had also given Frasier a place of his own when they discovered he was the one who single handedly exterminated their bandit problem. His home was far larger than Johann's so it was decided that the group would move out giving Johann his fixed up home back.

However, Johann decided to stay put and even asked Rei to stay with him. She gladly accepted and stayed at his place while the rest of the group assimilated into their new home.

Time had passed on giving Saeko, Frasier, and Johann plenty of time to recover their wounds and battle scars with their loved ones helping them all the way through.

Eventually it was September and despite the recent world events, the proud surviving people of Germany decided to go through with Oktoberfest. Although it wasn't October, the festivals were thrown in September because the weather was still better and in the days of the apocalypse a reason to have a good time was hardly needed to be called in for an explanation.

Although everything seemed great on the first day, Johann was at home sitting at the edge of his bed feeling grief and depression from how the world now worked. Rei had noticed his absence and soon returned home to see him in a state she couldn't accept.

"Johann what is the matter? Everyone is out celebrating and enjoying the festival. Yet here you are all alone. Please talk to me." Rei asked, feeling deep concern for his well being.

"It's just... what's the point? Every day we are either fighting for our lives or amongst one another. I don't know why we keep fighting Rei I really don't." explained Johann.

Rei gently rubbed his shoulders as she leaned her body into his.

"Johann we fight on so we may live another day with our loved ones just a bit longer." Rei answered as she turned Johann's to face to her.

"How can you be sure we will survive? Not just tomorrow, not just next week, but in the next few years. Do you really think we will live on until we are old? To watch new generations grow up and have a safe, healthy lives." asked Johann.

"I don't know Johann; I can't lie to you and say that everything will be ok. There will be hard times, there will be good times, but most importantly this will be our time! No man is guaranteed a tomorrow Johann, even before the outbreak that rule of life applied." Rei said reassuringly as she held both his large hands.

"Rei I appreciate your sentiments. They mean a lot to me, but the thought of us dying at any given moment is just too painful for me to bear." Johann said looking her in the eyes knowing he couldn't go on without her in his life.

"Johann I don't care about death. If I die tomorrow then so be it." Rei said as she gently rubbed Johann's stubble.

"How can you not fear death?" Johann questioned unsure of where Rei was going with this.

"Sorry, what I'm trying to say is... I love you and you mean everything to me. If I die, I can die a happy girl knowing I was in a perfect relationship with you Johann Kessler." Rei explained.

Johann just sat there smiling at his girlfriend. She was always there for him and did whatever she could to make him smile.

"Rei your words always find a way to ease my pain. You're my world and I'd do anything to keep you safe. Even if that means I perish in the process. Dying a boy doesn't seem so bad now that I know it will mean something." Johann responded in a more positive mindset.

"I'm not going to let this world take you away from me. Johann you're no longer a boy but a man who is willing to fight for his loved ones." smiled Rei as she kissed his chin.

"I'm still a boy Rei, I've never had... ummm... well you know." hesitated Johann.

"It's ok Johann... neither have I... I've grown very accustomed to you and your way of life. In fact I was hoping maybe you could be the one to..." said Rei unable to finish her request feeling too shy.

"It's ok Rei, you can say anything to me." explained Johann wanting her to feel comfortable.

"Make me a woman." finished Rei as she wrapped her arms around his sides kissing him unexpectedly.

Both lovers slowly fell onto the bed. Rei slowly straddled Johann looking down at him ready to give herself to him.

"Rei, are you sure? You really want me to be your first? Don't get me wrong I've had thoughts about this but now that it's actually happening I can't help but feel nervous." Johann explained as he watched her slowly unbuttoning her shirt.

"Yes Johann, it's ok to be nervous. Just know we can stop anytime it becomes too uncomfortable for you ok?" Rei explained letting Johann know that she understood how he felt.

When Rei's bra came off Johann was nearly paralyzed from the sight of her massive breasts. His heart was racing as sweat slowly trickled down his face.

"Are you just going to stare at them or are you going to feel them?" asked Rei in a bold tone trying to hide her shyness with a layer of confidence after reading the Kama Sutra Shizuka gave her.

Johann slowly reached out feeling Rei's fleshy globes. Rei's first response to this was an immediate release of a soft moan. Her hips bucked back slightly into his groin as her chest leaned forward pressing Johann's hands closer.

"Is this ok Rei? It doesn't hurt does it?" Johann asked out of concern to make sure he wasn't hurting her in any way.

"No... Not at all Johann, you're doing fine." commented Rei.

Rei's hands slowly traveled under his shirt, her nails lightly scratched against his rough chest. Johann's eye winced slightly before Rei's face was only inches away from his.

"I love you Rei." Johann whispered into her ears as his hands still continued to

"I love you too Johann." Rei replied as she leaned in for a kiss.

Both lovers closed their eyes as their lips embraced seamlessly. Johann was used to kissing Rei, but this time it was far more deep and passionate. Their tongues went back and forth wrestling each other. Eventually Rei managed to pin Johann's tongue despite the significant difference in size.

Rei eventually sat up and knew it was time to go even further beyond. She slowly lifted Johann's shirt off enjoying the sight before her. Johann's cheeks both turned a bright shade of red as he felt somewhat embarrassed.

To help him feel better, Rei slowly leaned down pressing her chest against his. She gently rubbed her breasts in a circular motion before leaning further down kissing his chest directly.

Johann was still nervous and just watched as her lips slowly traced down his torso and eventually at his waistline.

"Johann may I go on?" Rei asked wanting to make sure she didn't over step her boundaries.

Johann gave her a slight nod but made no noise about it. His body began to heat up at a slow yet steady rate. Rei's small hands began to unbuckle and unzip his jeans making sure not to accidentally catch anything in them.

Now Johann was only left in his undergarments, at least for now. Rei immediately noticed his bulge perfectly outlined for her. She gently pressed her palm against it to get a better feel before she went any further. Johann's legs both began to twitch slightly out of reaction.

Rei giggled as she loosened up on the pressure she was applying. She then slowly tugged his underpants down to his ankles leaving him completely exposed to her.

Rei couldn't help but pause for a moment. She had studied the Kama Sutra carefully. She was no stranger to what a guy had between his legs but those were just pictures. Seeing the real thing in person was an entirely different experience.

Unable to handle the embarrassment along with Rei's staring, Johann covered his eyes with both hands.

"Johann its ok this is all meant to make you feel good. Don't be afraid." Rei said reassuringly.

"Sorry Rei, I'm just unsure of what I should be doing right now." explained Johann.

"Just relax and things will soon feel amazing." Rei said hoping he would be able to enjoy what she had to offer.

She stared at his throbbing member; it was already aroused and still growing. Rei swallowed any hesitation she had left and reached down gripping his cock with one hand.

Rei was somewhat caught off guard by the heat that emitted from it. Her hand slowly began to stroke up and down as her red eyes observed Johann's facial reaction.

Suddenly his member began to spurt out a thin coat of pre-cum making his cock slick and easier to stroke for Rei. It also gave Johann more pleasure feeling himself building up to an early climax.

Rei decided now would be a good time to try out one of the more basic moves the Kama Sutra had to offer: the Paizuri technique.

She slowly positioned Johann's cock straight up then clamped both her breasts around it keeping it held in place. Johann could hardly believe what he was feeling right now. Never in his entire life has he felt something so soft (especially on his hard member).

"Rei that feels so good. I can't even begin to describe how amazing that feels." Johann groaned as he just sat there unable to move.

Rei grinned at his response feeling a boost of confidence as a result of her actions. She then grasped both breasts with her hands slowly moving them up and down. Her cheeks turned red as both her breasts could feel the intense heat his cock was putting out.

Feeling ready to kick things up a notch Rei slowly ran her warm, wet tongue along the head everyone it came up. Johann immediate responded by grasping the bed sheets enthralled by this feeling.

"Rei I can't-" Johann moaned out trying to warn her he was at his climax.

But it was too late. Before he could even finish his sentence his cock spurted out a moderate sized burst of his male fluids. Rei let out soft moan of satisfaction as she felt his warm cum all over her breasts. It was much hotter than she expected it to be.

"Rei I'm so sorry I couldn't control it!" Johann frantically said in an apologetical tone.

Rei however just smiled and leaned forward kissing his lips before sitting back up.

"It's ok Johann, that's how it's supposed work. Do you want to continue?" Rei asked making sure he was ok to move forward.

"Yes... I have to admit this is exceeding beyond my expectations Rei. I want to pleasure you as well though." Johann responded as he sat up slowly feeling her sides.

Rei smiled at his willingness and slowly got onto her back spreading her legs. She slowly pulled Johann closer so he was now towering over her. Rei just stared up as his figure as the moonlight shown through the window showing off his light skin.

Johann just locked eyes with Rei as hers locked onto his. They both moved in closely kissing one another passionately. Johann suddenly felt confident and began to massage Rei's breasts in circular motions.

"Mmmmmm Johann! It seems you've gotten a lot bolder." Rei expressed in pleasure as she enjoyed his change of attitude.

"With experience I'll be able to do this without getting all nervous." Johann replied as he softly sucked on Rei's neck.

Unable to contain herself, Rei let out a loud moan loving the feeling of his lips on her neck. Her hips shot straight up grinding her pink panties against Johann's hard cock.

Just the feeling of his warm, hard member pressed against her now soaking wet slit was causing Rei to breathe heavily. Rei slowly wiggled her hips side to side until her panties were off.

She then pressed her wet pussy up against Johann's thick cock. Both lovers felt their body's heat spike at the exact moment of contact. Rei slowly ran her finger tips along Johann's bare chest. 

Rei slowly reached out grabbing a condom Saeko gave her the other day and tore the package open. She slowly reached down and fastened it around Johann's cock.

"I'm ready Johann; I'm ready to be yours." Rei said, ready to finally become a woman.

Johann nodded and took a very deep breath before he slowly guided his hips towards hers. The very tip of his burning hot cock gently pressed Rei's slit open. Rei felt sweat dripping down her face as she tried her best to remain calm.

She knew at first it would hurt and that blood would be spilled in the process. That afterwards it would become more natural and pleasurable. But how long would she have to suffer before it was pleasure?

They then both looked into one another's eyes stopping for a moment. Rei gently placed both her hands on his shoulders before their lips tangled one last time. Their eyes slowly closed as their lips parted.

"Ich liebe dich." **("I love you.")** they both whispered at the same time.

Johann then gave the tinniest amount of pressure slowly sliding the head (along with an inch or two) inside of Rei. Both let out a gasp of pleasure they could never even begin to comprehend at this moment.

Johann began to slide his hips back and forth in controlled motions to get used to how it felt to be inside of Rei. Rei meanwhile was taking deep breathes, her chest rising and lowering each time. She bit her lips softly every time Johann moved into her.

This was good progress, but she knew this wasn't official until Johann broke her hymen. She gazed into his eyes as they looked back into hers.

"It's ok Johann, don't worry about hurting me. I trust you and I'm confident you will be gentle with me." Rei said with encouragement.

"Yes my love, well here goes nothing." Johann replied as he pulled back slightly.

Rei smiled and closed her eyes slowly embracing for what was about to happen next.

Johann's hips slowly moved forward sliding himself deeper and deeper. Rei winced a bit as she felt the head pressing up against her hymen. She suddenly felt Johann's hands grasping hers as his hips pressed forward slowly breaking the membrane apart.

Rei suddenly felt a white line streak across her mind as she felt a massive pinch between her legs. Tears began to well up in her eyes as she wrapped her arms around Johann's back in response.

She buried her face into his chest as the pain was nearly overwhelming. Johann noticed her discomfort and began to pull back a bit. Blood slowly trickled down his member dripping onto the bed sheets.

"No Johann, I can handle this. Stay where you are... just let... me adjust and adapt." Rei softly instructed, stuttering between each pause.

"Are you sure? I could never forgive myself if something happened." Johann asked as he did as he was told obediently.

"Yes... it's alright Johann. It's just the immense feeling is just so intense at first... I can already feel my body beginning to adjust to you." Rei replied remembering in the Kama Sutra that she needed to be relaxed if she wanted the pain to subside faster.

Johann nodded as he could feel her vaginal walls beginning to loosen around his dick no longer contracting. After a momentary pause, Rei felt ready to continue on.

"Ok Johann, I think I'm ready to go a bit deeper now. It feels so much better now. Thank you for being patient." Rei said hoping her body was ready for more.

Johann kissed her forehead then began to slowly grind in circles making sure she was ready. Instead of a moan of pain it had dramatically changed to moans of pleasure from Rei's lips.

Taking this as a sign to move on, Johann began to thrust his hips back and forth at a higher pace. This was it; they were truly going all the way in one passionate night. But it was far from over; there was plenty of energy left in both of them.

Rei began to slowly thrust her hips forward sliding Johann inside of her until he was all the way inside. Both lovers let out passionate moans to fill the air. Eventually they began to both thrust at the same time.

Rei suddenly felt herself climax without warning. Her female juices splashed against Johann's member. If it wasn't for that condom, the mere touch of her juices may have been enough to send him into climax.

Johann then felt her body pressing him backwards until he was on his back again. Rei slowly straddled him quickly inserting his dick straight back into her body not done with him yet.

"Mmm Rei this is amazing. It feels so right doing this with you." confessed Johann.

"Hehe I'm glad you think do Johann, this is all for you. My body and heart are all yours my love." said Rei as she began to slowly bounce up and down his thick cock.

Johann leaned forward gently sucking on Rei's erect nipples. She let out a soft moan feeling a wave of pleasure slam into her chest. Her breasts both burned in desire as her fingers ran through his hair pulling him closer.

Rei would moan every once in awhile whenever Johann would lightly tug at her sensitive nubs. In response she began to thrust her hips forcing him deeper into her warm, wet slit.

Johann soon let go of her nipples and looked up at her as they began to synchronize their hips movements.

"Rei I feel it again... I'm going to cum again." Johann groaned in bliss.

"Can we hold on a bit longer? I want to experience that joy with you at the same time." Rei requested as her vaginal walls contracted again squeezing Johann's cock tightly.

"I can't..." Johann gasped as he felt himself releasing his hot, sticky load again.

His condom was quickly filled up, no longer able to serve its purpose. Johann slowly pulled out and quickly disposed of it in the nearest trash bin. He then sat back in bed with Rei still hard as ever.

"I'm sorry Rei... I couldn't hold it back any longer. I'm still new to all this." Johann apologized.

"It's ok Johann so am I. But it still looks like you've got some energy left, want to go another round?" Rei asked noticing even after two round Johann was still hard.

"But I don't have a condom on. What else could we do?" Johann asked curiously.

"I have an idea." Rei whispered softly as she stood up on the bed giving Johann a look.

She pushed him down then reversed mounted him keeping her well shaped ass high in the air. Rei then slowly lowered herself so that her legs were spread apart with his head in the center.

Johann suddenly realized that they were in the well known 69 position. He then felt Rei boldly placing her tongue along the tip of his cock. She swirled her tongue around it for a few moments before she went lower sliding her tongue along the shaft.

However Johann was begging to learn and countered her sudden move by placing his tongue against Rei's moist opening. Johann watched as Rei's legs twitched not expecting such a sudden pleasure without warning.

Rei softly moaned and arched her back slightly. She then took a deep breath and wrapped her lips around Johann's cock slowly going down on him. Both partners began to moan and groan at the feel of the others tongues on the most sensitive parts of their bodies.

When Rei could no longer suck anymore of his dick without gagging on it she would let her hand stroke the rest of the open space. Johann meanwhile was gliding his tongue back and forth along her soaking wet pussy, tasting her woman hood. It was possibly one of the sweetest things he has ever tasted in his young life.

Johann then surprised Rei by rubbing his stubble against her clit. The short hairs tickled Rei causing her to nearly scream while Johann's cock was halfway in her mouth. The vibrations were nearly enough to cause Johann to climax for the last time, but his body was already adapting and building up a sexual endurance.

Rei's warm mouth and wet tongue sliding up and down his shaft was mind boggling. Sometimes she would be quick about it other times she would take it nice and slow causing Johann to feel his balls expanding.

"Johann... I'm going to cum again... You can release now." Rei explained as she felt her body was ready to burst in sexual bliss.

Johann nodded and actually moaned into Rei's pussy making it vibrate inside her inner walls.

Rei countered this finishing move by lightly stroking Johann's ball sack making it tingle all over. Neither of them could stop now.

A sharp line dashed across their minds at the same time. Both lovers could no longer continue on, their bodies both squirted and shot out their sexual juices.

Johann felt Rei's female juices filling up his mouth while Rei felt her mouth being coated with his sperm. At once they both swallowed it then felt their bodies catching up with their physical exertions.

Rei slowly sat up then shifted around so she was laying on top of Johann facing towards him. Her head just nestled into his chest as his arms wrapped around her back affectionately.

Both began to breath heavily and remained in silence after realizing they were both now considered fully realized adults in the eyes (of what is left) of society. Johann kissed Rei's forehead tenderly as her finger tips slowly began to run along his chest.

"That was-" began Rei.

"Incredible? Amazing? Perfect? Couldn't be any better? Best experience of your young life?" Johann interrupted inadvertently expressing how he felt about it.

"How about all of the above?" Rei compromised giggling at his response.

"Rei that was just... Well I've already said it but I want you to know I love you for you. Not what we just did." Johann explained making sure she understood that sex isn't everything with him.

"I know Johann, you're what is girls call 'a good catch' very rare you know." Rei said reassuringly as he began to stroke her soft hair.

"So now what?" Johann asked.

"We rest and fight for another day... together." Rei responded as she felt her eyes slowly closing.

"Ich liebe dich." **("I love you.")** both of them thought knowing the other was also thinking the same thing.

**[This chapter was written for and dedicated to my co-writer/close friend Jayme F. Midorikawa. Hope you enjoyed it man!]**


	57. Act 24 Clans of the Dead Part 9

**Act 24 Clans of the Dead Part 9  
>Z-Day+99<br>(7 Weeks Ago)**

The group looked over at Takashi's unconscious body locked away in his cell.

"So what's first on our agenda?" Frasier asked as he stood in the center of the group asserting his new role as the leader.

"I think we should talk about Takashi first, what are we going to do about him?" Khota brought up.

"Personally, Marcus and I want to do unspeakable things to him. I think you guys should decide what to do if you want him to live." Frasier answered.

"How unspeakable?" Rei questioned.

"Let's put it this way, I tore the face off of a bandit with my bare hands and he wasn't even the one who I was told killed Marcus. So Takashi is not going to die a happy man if I get to decide his fate." Frasier explained showing no remorse for what he did to the bandits.

"Well what if we tried the shock therapy on him? It worked wonders on Frasier." Shizuka suggested.

"No it won't work. Frasier's issue was brought on by a traumatic psychological event. Takashi's issue is just jealousy and lust; both are common human natures that can never be changed. Zapping him silly won't fix this." Saya lectured making it clear shock therapy wasn't going to work.

"There must be some humane way to handle this." Johann said not wanting to end a human life that was no longer a threat to them.

"Let's get one thing straight, Takashi is out of this group. He's on his own and won't be traveling with us to France." Frasier said in a stern voice gripping his fists trying to ease his desire to break Takashi like a tooth pick.

"Perhaps we can give him some supplies and have the clan send him off on his own way after we leave for France." Khota suggested.

"Toreston can set him loose two weeks afterwards in the opposite direction. So does anyone know French?" Johann asked.

Everyone remained silent in the group, even Frasier and Marcus didn't know the language.

"I guess that's the next thing on our agenda." Marcus brought up breaking the silence.

"Well since none of us know it, I believe it's best we all learn it. Any objections?" Frasier asked as he looked around at his group for their input.

"What about Brain and Alice? We can't expect them to learn a whole new language in such a short amount of time." Saya brought up.

"They can just learn the basics." Johann replied ending any further arguments on that matter.

"Any other objections or matters we need to discuss?" asked Frasier.

Everyone in the group remained silent, slowly shaking their heads showing no other issues were needed to be discussed.

"Very well, that takes care of business then. I guess all we can do now is relax and finally get some rest." Frasier finished as he walked away to tell Kurt what he had been doing for the last week.

**-  
>Z-Day+153<br>(The Present)**

On a cool September morning, Frasier and Marcus sat on top of the balcony of their new home that overlooked the city of Hamburg while the rest of the group was asleep. They both discused what they were doing during the group's crisis.

"Marcus you've grown up so much since the outbreaks, but surviving a gunshot and still able to lead a defenseless group to safety is something on a whole new level." Frasier said, admitting that it was impressive even to his standards.

"I simply did what you would have done. It was one hell of a firefight but I've learned a thing or two watching you." Marcus said swinging his feet back and forth, letting his legs hang off the edge.

"True, but you did it without me to help or even guide you. Father would be proud." Frasier explained reaching into his overcoat for their father's dog tag grasping it in his palm.

"You alright Frasier? It looks like you have something on your mind." Marcus asked noticing the absent look Frasier currently had on his face.

"Marcus, I saw him. I saw our father." Frasier answered finally.

"I know, you were seeing all of us. You had a split personality disorder." Marcus said not realizing what Frasier meant by his statement.

"On the third day... that accursed E.M.P. struck... our father was flying over to get us. He brought over a small squad to get us Marcus. However they crashed and were soon overwhelmed. I soon arrived onto the scene and placed our brave soldiers to rest. But I was too late brother, father was bitten and he had already mercy killed mother. He gave me two orders when I found him. One was to make sure that all three of us return back home, the second was to end him before he became one of Them." Frasier explained as he slowly showed Marcus the dog tag.

"My god that's his... this whole time I thought they would be waiting home for us... that we could all be reunited once and for all. Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell Noah when he was still alive?!" Marcus asked with his voice rising in frustration and sorrow.

"You two were not ready; to hear something like that in the middle of a fight to survive another day would have crippled both of you mentally. Marcus I'm sorry I've hurt you but it was to protect you." said Frasier as he placed both hand on Marcus' shoulders.

Marcus just took a deep sigh and brushed his hair back with his hands. He then looked back to Frasier.

"Alright, I guess if we're revealing secrets it's time I told you one I've been holding back for three years." Marcus said unexpectedly and in a calmer manner.

"Wait you have a secret too? What is it?" Frasier asked not expecting Marcus to have something of his own to reveal.

"Remember how you beat up that bully and dad sent you to Japan? How he felt you were out of control? He lied to you Frasier, he was afraid of your rapid growth and how you were exceeding his records at such a young age. It was just a matter of pride; it never was your fault." Marcus explained looking up at his older brother.

"How could you have possibly found that out?" Frasier asked nearly out disbelief.

"I overheard our parents arguing about it. Noah was asleep at the time but I had to pee." answered Marcus.

"At the risk of sounding ironic why didn't you tell me?" asked Frasier.

"I promised mother I wouldn't tell. She made me keep it a secret." replied Marcus.

"How did she know you overheard them?" Frasier asked raising an eyebrow to this.

"She was in the S.I.S. (Secret Intelligent Service) remember? A spy as good as her can always see right through us. She read my face like a book the next day, I really wanted to tell you but couldn't. I acted out because of it... it's why I ended up being sent over next." Marcus said looking down.

"So I guess that makes us even huh?" Frasier asked patting Marcus's back.

Marcus turned his head and smiled a bit. He then spotted Frasier's tattoo and suddenly wanted one also.

"Let me get a tattoo and I'll be content." grinned Marcus.

"If you think for even a second that I'll let you get a tattoo-" Frasier began before realizing that he couldn't father Marcus on everything and that he needed to let Marcus make his own decisions from time to time.

"-then you're absolutely right." finished Frasier correcting what he intentionally was going to say.

"Wait really? Hmm I was expecting you to say no. Huh, I guess I'll need to think on that one." admitted Marcus.

Both brothers just laughed and enjoyed their time together. Frasier then lifted his head up to see Saeko standing over him smiling down at him.

"It's time for breakfast my love." Saeko said as she helped pull him up to his feet.

"Come on little brother, time for another one of Saeko's home cooked meals." Frasier announced as he walked with her down the stairs that led to the rooftop.

"About time I'm starving!" Marcus exclaimed as he darted for the stairs.

During breakfast, Marcus left to go to the bathroom leaving Saeko and Frasier alone.

"Saeko... I'm sorry I left you alone. I was so obsessed with finding Marcus' killer. All I wanted was revenge and it clouded my judgment. I want you to know I'll never go anywhere without you again." Frasier said making it clear he regretted his actions.

"It's ok Frasier; you did what had to be done. Plus all the local bandits are eliminated so this Clan is far safer than it was before, expanding even. Although I will admit I have missed your warm embrace." Saeko replied as she placed her hand over his.

"I think I still need to make it up to you. How about I show you how much I've missed you later tonight? We can let everyone else take the kids out to celebrate so it's just us." Frasier offered as he gave Saeko a seductive look.

"Mmmm I think that can be arranged, you just go lay down and get some rest so the night will be ours. I want you at peak condition." Saeko replied as she leaked her chest into his side.

"Deal, I'll let you convince the others. Wake me when it's time." Frasier requested as he walked back to their room.

-

Later that evening Saya, Khota, and Marcus took the kids out to try out some of the games children could play during Oktoberfest while Rei and Johann were nowhere to be seen.

"What are we going to do first?" Brian asked as he walked alongside Marcus.

"Yeah, are we going to play a game?" Alice added while holding Saya's hand.

"We sure are, I think the first one we should try is 'pass the pumpkin'." Marcus suggested.

Marcus then looked around and spotted a pumpkin growing in someone's personal garden. He carefully climbed the tiny wooden fence and pulled the moderately sized plant out of the dirt. He then came back to the group taking them to a nearby playground.

Marcus then sat on the grass placing the pumpkin down. He quickly looked back up to the rest of the group.

"Ok, everyone sit in a circle first." Marcus instructed.

Everyone without hesitation, all gathered into a small circle as instructed.

"So how do we play?" Khota asked before Saya could lose her patience.

"Simple, you guys pass then pumpkin around in circles while I play German polka music from this iPod I found in the outskirts. When the music stops the person currently holding the pumpkin is out. The cycle is repeated until only one person is left." Marcus said explaining the rules of the game.

"Where did you get an iPod?" Saya questioned.

"It's not that hard to find really, the infected only want our flesh not our technology. Anyways let's play!" Marcus announced as he pressed the play button on the iPod.

**{Rosamunde - Roll out the Barrel}**

When the music started the group began to pass the pumpkin around slowly. Alice and Brian passed the pumpkin the fastest since they were very eager to win this little game.

Saya and Khota both laughed a bit as they passed it at a faster rate actually enjoying themselves.

**{}**

When the pumpkin entered Saya's hands, Marcus pressed the pause button. She instantly froze and actually chuckled a bit realizing what Marcus was up to.

"Oh no Saya's out!" Alice commented as she was handed the pumpkin.

"Better luck next time. You show these boys how it's done munchkin." Saya replied tussling Alice's hair playfully.

Marcus then hit the play button and the music once again was playing from where it was left off.

**{Rosamunde - Roll out the Barrel}  
><strong>  
>Khota, Alice, and Brian scooted closer together so they could pass the pumpkin easier. Saya stood next to Marcus but couldn't take her eyes off of Khota as he bonded with the kids of their group. She smiled softly to herself still unsure how she managed to fall for the class spaz but she couldn't be happier.<p>

She then pressed the pause button right as Brian was passing it off to Khota. Khota however quickly took the pumpkin so Brian could continue to play.

**{}**

"Oh so close, looks like it's between you two." Khota exclaimed as he walked over towards Marcus and Saya, leaving Alice and Brian to continue the game.

"Looks like it's just you and I Alice." Brian said smiling at Alice.

"Good luck Brian, best of luck." Alice said with a bright smile as Marcus pressed on the play button one more time.

**{Rosamunde - Roll out the Barrel}**

When they heard the music, the two kids immediately began to pash the pumpkin back and forth. They both let out a laugh as it slipped out of their hands rolling over to the side for a moment.

"So what do you guys think?" Marcus asked as he looked at Khota and Saya.

"I think they're adorable, no matter what happens we can't let them be infected. No matter the cost." Saya replied in a motherly kind of tone.

"Not that although agreed, I'm talking about my brother being in charge. This group needs to be more open on opinions so I thought I'd ask you guys what you were feeling." Marcus brought up.

Saya and Khota looked at each other then back to him surprised he would even ask such a thing.

"I don't have a problem with it, he does have experience in command. Plus he's one of the deadliest ones in our group so he can handle himself in a fight. The only downside is if he descends back into madness at a bad time we could all end up dead but things have seemed calm ever since we used that electroshock therapy." Khota explained.

"I agree, although I still don't see why Rika can't be in charge. She's from the Special Defense Force after all." Saya argued.

"He may not have officially been signed up into the U.K. army, but our father trained him ever since he was six. He's certainly worthy of joining our top Special Forces unit, but we can't be sure until he takes the test." Marcus explained as the song ended on his iPod.

**{}**

All three turned their heads to see Brian was the one holding the pumpkin.

"Yay I won!" Alice cheered feeling a burst of glee in her victory.

"What can we do next?" Brian asked as he stood up brushing the grass off of his pants.

"Next up is the 'Pumpkin Penny Toss'. The rules are we take a carved out pumpkin and place it at a fair distance. Then we have to throw the pennies into the empty pumpkin. Fit each penny tossed in the thrower gets a prize. Since we don't have any pennies we can just use pebbles." Marcus explained as he smashed the top of the pumpkin open then dropped the contents out into some nearby bushes.

Khota and Brian quickly gathered some rocks as Marcus set the pumpkin down a few yards away from everyone else.

"Ok guys let's see who has better aim." Khota challenged as he tossed a rock up a few times.

He positioned his arm and threw the tiny rock through the air landing it in the dead center of the opened up pumpkin. Khota felt a jolt of excitement when he landed on target the first time.

Alice was next in line, she took aim and quickly chucked the oddly shaped rock she had straight into the pumpkin causing it to bounce off the surface leaving a tiny dent.

"Try aiming a bit higher up." Khota suggested.

Alice nodded in response then tossed the next rock a bit higher. This time it went clean over the pumpkin, bouncing off of the sidewalk as it continued to go on.

"Darn it!" Alice grumbled in distress that she couldn't get the rock in.

"It's ok Alice, you did just fine. Try to keep your composure and a leveled temper. You can do it." Khota instructed as he leaned down to her level.

Suddenly several rocks landed into the pumpkin. Khota and Alice both turned to see Brian had managed to toss all three stones at once, each one landing into the pumpkin.

"Wow nice one Brian! Where did you learn to do that?" Alice asked, already forgetting about her distress over the game.

"I used to throw rocks down by a creek when I was younger, guess I'm a natural. So what do I win?" Brian answered with a proud smirk on his face.

"Ummm this iPod." Marcus answered, unable to think of another prize on his person that wasn't a weapon.

"Wow, cool!" Brian exclaimed as Alice peered over his shoulder looking at the electronic device.

"So what should we do now?" Khota asked looking over at Marcus.

Marcus looked around and noticed a tattoo parlor that was still open. He then remembered how Frasier said he could have one.

"Well my brother did say I could get a tattoo..." Marcus brought up.

"A tattoo? Now? What about the kids?!" Saya protested not wanting them to be introduced to such a thing at their age.

"Just watch them until we get back. That iPod should keep them entertained." Marcus pointed out as he motioned her attention towards the kids both dancing to the music that was already on the device.

"Hrmm fine, just hurry up!" Saya ordered no longer able to find a reasonable argument for them to stay with her at the moment.

-

Frasier slowly opened up his eyes to see Shizuka leaning in towards his face with her eyes closed. Her lips puckered ready to make contact with his. Before they could touch he held up his palm blocking her lips.

"What are you doing?" Frasier asked, unsure why she was trying to kiss him right now.

"Looks like you've gotten yourself into trouble." Shizuka grinned as she sat on Frasier's groin pressing down to tease him.

"What the hell?! Shizuka get off of me." Frasier demanded unsure why she just said that.

As he leaned up to pull her off he suddenly felt another set of arms wrapping around his body putting him in a tight head lock. He shook back and forth but whoever was behind him had experience in close quarters combat.

"I hope you don't plan on giving us trouble." Rika whispered into Frasier's ear softly nibbling at it.

"Rika? Not you too, have you guys been drinking? I don't want to hurt you." Frasier said trying to break out of Rika's tight grip.

"Only a tiny bit, but it was actually my idea." Saeko admitted as she sat on the bed joining them.

"Saeko? What's going on?" Frasier asked completely confused by the situation.

"You left me all alone Frasier. We need each other, we crave each other. Our dark sides are only tame when together; we're apart that requires both pieces. I know you only enjoy making love to me, that it would be more of a punishment to have sex with anyone else. I want you to feel that pain and remember it so you never leave me alone again." Saeko explained as she  
>gently stroked his hair.<p>

"Saeko you can't be serious. I swear I'll never leave you alone again, I wasn't myself for the past few weeks." pleaded Frasier.

"I know you won't, so try and relax. I'll be right here, watching and pleasuring myself to this. Be a good boy about it and I'll join in later." Saeko replied with a grin on her face before nodding to Rika and Shizuka.

Shizuka's hips slowly began to grind back and forth as Rika lifted Frasier's shirt off letting him out of the head lock. His head rested against her breasts as her hands began to play with his nipples.

"Hhrrm." Frasier grunted trying not to let himself be so easily aroused.

Slowly crawling up his body, Shizuka began kissing him right on the lips. Her tongue spared no time to force its way into his mouth. Frasier's tongue managed to put up a fight but Shizuka knew how to use her tongue and within seconds already had his tongue pinned to the side.

"Nice try kid but we're pros at this. Good effort though." Rika commented as she lifted her tank top off letting her breasts pop out slapping Frasier's forehead like a ton of bricks.

Shizuka then sat back and slowly slipped out of her night gown leaving her in a tight purple bra and thong. She began to bounce up and down forcing Frasier to watch her massive tits bounce.

Suddenly Shizuka felt something poking against her thighs causing her to giggle a bit. She then began to unbutton Frasier's pants nearly tearing them off in excitement.

He turned away red as he was just left in his boxers and completely exposed to the three lusty women that had plans for him. Saeko bit her lips and slowly began to play with her own breasts.

"It looks like you need to be let out." Rika teased as Shizuka began to kiss back up Frasier's body.

"Shut up... this is uncomfortable on so many levels." Frasier replied as he could feel that his resistance would soon mean nothing.

"Oh don't even try to lie to me. We all know you like this." Rika chuckled as she slowly crawled forward making Frasier watch as she pulled her black cargo pants down showing off her tan ass.

"Rika my lips as dry! Come fix it." Shizuka whinnied as she unclipped her bra.

"Hehe aw poor Zu Zu. Come here." Rika instructed leaning her chest forward as her ass pressed back into Frasier's face.

Their lips quickly connected as their breasts pressed together. Saeko twisted her nipples as she watched Frasier's bulge moving on its own trying to break free.

Rika and Shizuka also noticed this and began to move to both sides of Frasier's thighs. They both gripped his boxers and tore them off with no effort. All three women bit their lips as they saw his prick shoot straight up into the air.

"It's so much bigger than I remember." Shizuka squealed out as she immediately moved her lips closer softly sucking the tip.

"Nooo..." muttered Frasier turning his head to Saeko.

He watched and noticed she was actually turned on by them dominating him. Frasier would gladly allow Saeko to pleasure him, but anyone else doing it was more of a punishment for him.

His eyes then shot wide open as he felt two warm tongues sliding up and down his shaft without mercy. The speed and pressure they placed were at expert levels. Frasier shook his head back and forth as his breath became short.

Their hands gently massaged his balls as their tongues continued to drive his body wild. Suddenly it happened, Frasier let out a soft moan.

After hearing this, Rika and Shizuka both grinned knowing he wasn't going to be able to resist much longer.

"Noo... I can't..." Frasier groaned to himself before unleashing a moderate sized load of cum onto their exposed chests.

Both women grinned as they then began to lick away at every last drop he gave them. Once that was over, Shizuka continued to suck away at Frasier's cock as Rika crawled back to him sliding her black thong off only to sit on his face.

"Here's how this is going to work kid. You have to make me climax before you run out of breath. If you win we'll let you go. But if you tap out then you're going to have to be our boyfriend for the night without complaint or resistance." Rika explained as she shifted into the perfect position cutting off his air supply without crushing his face.

Frasier spared no time arguing and quickly slid his tongue out immediately tasting Rika's womanhood. His tongue slowly pressed against her clit trying to get a fast response. Rika didn't expect him to find it so soon and let out a sigh of pleasure. His warm tongue pressing against it was causing her body to burn up.

"Mmm... Ahhh damn... Zu Zu help me out here." Rika requested as she grasped Frasier's hair making him eat her out.

Saeko began to slowly slide a hand down between her black panties slowly rubbing herself at the sight before her. She wanted to join in badly but she also wanted Frasier to suffer just a little bit longer.

Shizuka was only sucking half way down the shaft, but after Rika called for backup she immediately slid the entire member down her throat. Frasier's eyes shot open again as he could feel his entire cock was being sucked off by his former school nurse.

"Mhm Mmmm Mmhrmm!" was all that Frasier could grunt out with Rika's soaking wet pussy suffocating him.

His body tried to get up but his head remained in place between Rika's legs. With hardly any oxygen left he knew he wouldn't be able to make Rika climax in time. He stopped licking and raised both hands showing defeat.

Rika smiled and slowly got off letting her juices drip along the way. Frasier took a deep breath letting his lungs fill up with oxygen.

"What do you want me to do?" Frasier asked now in full submission, honoring his side of the deal despite his personal feelings on it.

"Hmm I think I should test how long you can stay inside of me before I make you cum." Rika suggested.

"Wait I want to go first, without me he would have made you cum." Shizuka argued after releasing Frasier's cock from her mouth making a loud *pop*.

"Your both wrong, I get first dibs since he's my hubby." Saeko explained as she unwrapped her kimono slowly.

"I second that." Frasier commented as Saeko was already positioning herself on top of him.

"Mmm come here beloved." Saeko said as she leaned in kissing his lips.

Their tongues swirled around one another as Saeko's wet slit slowly slammed down onto Frasier's throbbing member. Both let out a powerful moan as their hips were already in perfect motion.

Rika and Shizuka sat back watching as the two teens went at it. Both watched as Saeko's breasts bounced up and down. Frasier sat up cupping them in his hands as his mouth would suck on her erect nipples making Saeko's body burning with desire.

"Mmm Frasier! That feels so good! I've missed you so much. I've missed this so much!" Saeko softly cried out as tears trickled down her cheeks.

"I know Saeko, I've missed you too! I won't leave your side again." Frasier vowed as she pressed him onto his back again.

"Good, now eat me out." Saeko ordered as she positioned her moist cunt against his mouth.

"Yes my love." Frasier replied in acknowledgement as he gladly began to swirl his tongue around in circles.

"Ahhh... Mmm yeah. You two can take the other end." Saeko said to Rika and Shizuka as she arched her back in reaction to the sensation between her legs.

Rika and Shizka both grinned as they pressed their asses together. They then slowly placed Frasier's hard member between both of them. Their hips went up and down at the same time smearing their sexual juices all over his dick.

Frasier moaned softly sending the vibrations into Saeko making her moan as well. Her juices slowly seeped into his mouth but he gladly drank them down.

"I'm gonna cum again." Frasier warned as he pulled his head out for a moment.

His cock began to shake as his balls inflated only to shoot out a massive load coating Rika and Shizuka's ass cheeks with his male juices. Both women let out a deep sigh of relief enjoying the feeling.

"So we're done?" Frasier asked as Saeko got of him.

"You still have to give us some sugar babe." Shizuka said as she began to mount herself on his still hard member.

"Bring it on." Frasier challenged as he held her arms back sliding his cock deep inside of Shizuka.

"Mmmm that's so good. More!" Shizuka begged as she arched her back pressing it against Frasier's chest.

Frasier sat up fondling her massive tits as his lips sucked at her neck. Shizuka reached back wrapping her arms around his neck as she was finally getting the pleasure only a man could truly give her.

"Mmmm Frasier you're going to make me cum if you go any faster." Shizuka moaned out as she closed her eyes breathing heavily.

"Let's find out." Frasier replied as he began to pick up the speed.

Shizuka then let out a cry of ecstasy as she felt her inner walls squeezing tight unable to hold her climax in any longer. She then went limp unable to continue.

"Alright kid let's see how you stack up to me." Rika challenged as Shizuka crawled off to take her place with Saeko.

Rika got on all fours and began to shake her ass at Frasier indicating she wanted to do it in that position. He slowly crawled behind her grinding his abs against her back as his thick member instantly found its way inside her swollen pussy.

"Let's see what you've got!" Rika said as she felt her body trembling with pleasure.

"I'll show you how a true soldier fucks." Frasier replied as he slammed his hips into Rika's.

"Mmmm it's been so long since I've had the touch of a man." Rika softly moaned out as she bit down on her lips.

Saeko slowly pressed her body into Frasier as he continued to pound away at Rika.

"Don't hold back." Saeko whispered as she wrapped her arms around Frasier chest.

Her tongue slowly traced up and down his neck as her finger tips pressed down on his chest leaving red marks. Frasier moaned deeply enjoying the pain she was adding to all of this.

When he tried to pull out, Rika clamped down on his member keeping him inside of her.

"You want out? You gotta fight for it!" Rika grinned as she kept her inner walls tight.

"Mmm, damn that stings!" Frasier groaned as he felt the constraint increasing.

Frasier then got an idea and slowly pressed his thumb against Rika's tight asshole. He pressed further causing her to instantly climax at the shock of his thumb entering her ass without warning. Unable to control herself Rika let go of Frasier's member letting him out.

"Nice one." Shizuka commented as she rejoined the foursome feeling Saeko's breasts.

"I think we should take this to the shower. The others will be back soon and we're all coated in each other's scents. Even the tiniest of smells will give it off." Saeko suggested as she got up to turn on the shower in the next room.

"Just give me a second." Rika groaned as she stumbled trying to get up.

"Oh shit I didn't think it would hurt that much. Sorry Rika." Frasier apologized not expecting her to be in that much pain.

"Don't worry about it; I just didn't think you had it in you." Rika laughed as they made their way into the shower together.

Shizuka and Saeko were both waiting patiently as the water was just beginning to heat up. Both held a bar of soap in their hands grinning.

"I think Frasier needs it the most, he's giving off four different smells right now." Shizuka brought up as she pressed him against the wall.

"Agreed lift your arms up and let us clean every inch of your body off Frasier. Then you can clean ours." Saeko instructed as she began to run a bar of soap across his chest.

"Fine, let's just hurry up. It's getting late and everyone else will be home soon." Frasier replied as he felt two more bars of soap brushing against his skin.

After several minutes of washing up, the bathroom door slowly opened up. Everyone inside the shower quickly became silent.

"Hello?" Frasier called out.

"Hey bro! Taking a shower I see, you gotta check out my tattoo it looks so cool!" exclaimed what sounded like Marcus.

"Umm maybe another time Marcus… kind of busy here." Frasier replied as Shizuka teased him by squeezing his ass.

"Ahh come on you gotta check it ou-" Marcus said as he pulled the shower curtains open only to see Frasier wasn't alone.

The three women covered themselves up as Frasier stood there unable to even think of doing so. He then let out a sigh.

"Go ahead Marcus, but you only get one. Anything afterwards and I'll kill you." Frasier grumbled as Marcus looked like he was going to die from laughter.

"Oh so many things to describe this moment, hmm... oh I know! 'The Fantastic Foursome!' Yeah that's the one! " Marcus laughed out nearly falling over himself.

Shizuka, Rika, and Saeko couldn't help but giggle at the clever analogy.

"Yeah yeah now scram; I'll look at your tattoo later." Frasier sighed as he turned the shower off.

Marcus then exited the room trying to contain himself despite how hard it really was for him.

"Frasier I'm so sorry I didn't think-" Saeko said before he placed a finger to her lips.

"It's ok... it's just a part of the punishment and I'll never leave your side again Saeko Markle. Now let's get out of here, it's our turn to watch the kids tonight. Saya and Khota must be exhausted by now." Frasier explained with a crushed spirit.

When he walked out of the bathroom, Rika looked over to Shizuka.

"You think he's gonna be ok? He sounded so humiliated when Marcus left." said Rika.

"He'll be fine, but he may be sore in the morning. We really did a number on that pecker of his." Shizuka answered as she wrapped a towel around her torso.

"Remember you two that was a onetime thing. Don't expect him to ever mess up again. He learns from his mistakes." Saeko reminded them as she reached for the last available towel.

**-**

Saya and Khota dropped onto their bed dead tired from all the walking around. Marcus taped an ice pack along his tattoo to relieve the stinging sensation he was feeling as he laid down in his own bed.

Several minutes later, Alice and Brian finished changing into their pajamas and quickly crawled into bed cuddling up to Saeko and Frasier in their bed. Zeke then joined in resting at the foot of the bed remaining quiet.

"So what did you guys get up to?" asked Saeko as she tucked them into bed.

"We played a few games Marcus showed us! It was so much fun, why couldn't you guys come with us?" Alice asked curiously.

"Oh umm well-" Frasier began to say before Saeko jumped in.

"We had to make sure Frasier's wounds weren't acting up. If he exerted himself his scars could re-open." Saeko said covering up what they really did.

"Oh is he ok? Can we see one?" Brian asked wanting to see the battle scars Frasier had accumulated during the Z-days.

"I don't see why not." Frasier replied as he pulled his shirt off.

"Right here is when I was alone in the desert back in America. I tumbled down a rough sand dune and one of my arrows impaled my side. At first everything was a daze but then it turns out one of Them was crawling right on top of me." Frasier explained as he pointed to the two scars on the left side of his torso.

"Woah, what happened next?" Alice asked wanting to know more.

"Yeah! Did you shoot it with a gun?" Brian added in enthralled by the story already.

"I didn't have a gun at the time with any ammo, just the crossbow." Frasier answered as he put his shirt down.

"Anyways without time to think I head butted the abomination then quickly grabbed a nearby branch off of a dried up husk of a tree. I bashed in the head over and over until it was motionless." Frasier incited creating excitement for both the adventurous kids.

"What about the other one? Did you get the other one?" Brian asked kicking his feet back and forth.

"I sure did." Frasier replied as Saeko leaned against his shoulder enjoying the story herself.

"And how did you manage to do that?" Saeko asked as she ran her fingers through his hair.

"I used my crossbow; however I had no arrows since they all were left in my quiver which was still on the highway. With no other choice I had to pull out the one in my side. It was a massive struggle just to load the arrow in place but once it clicked into place, I sat back and aimed straight into its cold, dead eyes." Frasier said as Alice and Brian were now sitting up in excitement.

"Wow! When can we start using weapons?" asked Brian.

"When you're older, for now you two just stick close to us and keep quiet. Those weapons are very dangerous and not to be taken lightly." Saeko lectured making sure the kids understood their place.

"Oh ok... I have another question though." Alice brought up as she felt her eyes closing slowly.

"What is it Alice?" Frasier asked as he watched the two kids already drifting away into slumber.

"Now that you and Saeko have been married for a long time, when will you guys have a baby? I want a little sister." Alice yawned out before falling asleep leaving Frasier and Saeko with that last question on their minds.

"Did she just ask if we were having a baby?" Saeko asked, unsure if she was just hearing things.

"I believe she did." Frasier replied as both of them looked at each other.

"What do you think?" Saeko asked as she crawled over to him wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I think Saya should explain where babies come from to them." Frasier replied with a smirk.

Saeko giggled and lightly slapped at his chest before kissing his cheek.

"Not that, about us having a baby." Saeko said as she leaned closer to him, enjoying his strong arms slowly wrapping around her sides.

"When we make it to England. I don't want to bring our children into this world unless it's within the safety of her majesty's lands. We can all reclaim my old house and start a new life. It will be perfect and nothing will get in our way." Frasier explained before kissing her lips softly.

"Do you really think things will be safe there? That things will be different there from anywhere else?" Saeko questioned as she cuddled up with Frasier under the blankets.

"It's the only place on Earth that hasn't encountered Them yet. If not, then my house will serve as the perfect safe house. You have no idea what kind of of firepower my dad has in his secret arsenal." Frasier revealed as he stroked her long soft hair.

Saeko smiled and softly kissed him under his chin before resting her head under his neck. Frasier blushed and gently placed his head over hers as he drifted off into a peaceful slumber. 


	58. Act 24 Clans of the Dead Finale

**Act 24 Clans of the Dead Finale  
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"Run! Keep moving!" Frasier ordered as he fired his Rebar Rifle into a crowd of infected charging towards the group.

Saeko and Marcus both swung their blades, cutting down and trying to fight off as many infected as they could before having to retreat back to the main group.

Johann quickly punched an infected woman across the face and walked over towards her slamming his boot down snapping the jaw off. He then watched as Rei and Saya were helping the kids reach a nearby fire escape. One of Them was heading right for Rei with both arms reached out.

"Rei!" Johann shouted as he tackled the grey fiend to the ground.

Before he could deliver a killing blow he was nearly paralyzed at the sight of this particular abomination. Something was different about it, something that nearly made Johann vomit from the sight.

The infected man's eyes were no longer white like the others but a pure blood red, the shape of the eyes weren't even normal for one of Them. They were all puffy and inflated out of their sockets. Yellow pus like liquid slowly trickled out from tiny holes in the inflated eyes as the infected man opened its mouth wide letting out another horrid screech.

"Johann!" shouted out Rei's voice.

Johann suddenly sat up and looked all over the place to realize that everything that just happened was just a dream. He then looked a bit lower to see Rei sitting up in the bed giving him a look of great concern.

"Johann, are you alright? You were talking in your sleep; it didn't sound like you were having a very nice dream." Rei asked as she moved closer to see what all the fuss was about.

"I… I don't know what was going on until the end. The group was surrounded by Them. One of the freaks was going for you but I managed to tackle it to the ground. But when I looked down at it…" Johann explained only to stop when he remembered the face of that particular infected man.

"When you looked down at it…" Rei repeated when Johann paused for a while.

"It was… different… I don't know how but it just was." Johann explained unsure if it was just his imagination or what could come to be.

"It's ok Johann; it was just a bad dream. Everything is fine, we're still alive and will always have each other." Rei explained before kissing his forehead.

Johann just sat there and blushed slightly as he realized they were both still naked from last night. Both of them quickly got dressed before they walked outside to see that snow had finally fallen. The streets and balcony were both covered in pure white snow. Rei shivered a bit, not expecting the air to be as cold as it was.

She then felt Johann wrapping his arms around her from behind. A warm smile formed across her face before she looked up kissing his chin softly.

"Let's go see what the others are up too." Johann suggested as he handed Rei a winter jacket to keep warm.

Several minutes later they walked on what used to be the lawn. Marcus and Khota were both shoveling the snow aside trying to keep the path clear.

"Hey guys! Whatcha got planned for today?" Joahnn asked as Rei entered the house.

"Well as you can tell it's snowing! So my brother wants to go and observe how the infected are taking it. Shizuka has this theory that the cold climate will actually cause the infected to become slower and less mobile from cold joints." Marcus explained as he planted the shovel into the ground.

"So we're the lucky ones who get to go! Wanna come with?" Khota asked as if there was a bit of personal interest in this for him.

"Sure, but I need to talk to Frasier about something first." Johann replied as he entered the house.

Johann slowly entered the home after he made sure to wipe the snow off of his boots. He

"Hey Saeko have you seen Frasier anywhere?" Johann asked as he entered the kitchen while Rei went off to see how the kids were doing.

"He wanted to forge a new blade after losing the last one in a battle with this bounty hunter that tried to kill us in America. I'd go check by the forging area." Saeko replied as she pulled out some pans to cook breakfast.

"Thanks… wait a bounty hunter? What did he look like?" Johann asked as he began to remember that encounter with one before escaping Kibou.

"His name was Durge, he was relentless and absolutely ruthless in his pursuit to kill Frasier. He chased and stalked us throughout the county all because Frasier killed that equal of a psychopath, Kraven, thus denying Durge some sort of vengeance. Luckily we were able to end the conflict in a showdown in a church. That's one fight I'm glad I won't be fighting again." Saeko explained as she leaned against a countertop.

"Wow, even I couldn't defeat Durge. I knew he was tough but I didn't think he could be that tough. Anyways I'll leave you to your business; I need to go talk to Frasier about something. Be sure to save me some of whatever your cooking up it smells great!" Johann requested as he was already making his way out of the house.

He quickly stormed through the streets towards the forgery. He slowly pushed the doors open to see Frasier standing over the hot anvil, forging a new blade to call his own. Johann noticed the tattoo on his arm, for some reason it made him cringe at the thought of the needle continuously entering his flesh to make all those markings.

"Frasier I wanted to talk to you about something." Johann said as he stood before the leader of his new group.

"About?" Frasier asked as he set his finished blade aside for the moment, focusing all his attention towards Johann now.

"Well, it's about this group. On my travels here to this clan I managed to befriend a Russian Spetsnaz Operative, his name was Vassilli Menshikov. Vassilli and I were really good at scavenging and eliminating any close threats to the clan, we became close friends because of it. However, one day he had to leave for Paris and hasn't returned since." Johann explained.

"Well we are heading for Paris and will be travelling through the English Channel to gain entry into the U.K. I'm confident that we will be able to see him at some point." Frasier replied as if he already knew what Johann wanted.

"So you're ok with him joining our group?" Joahnn asked to make sure they were on the same page.

"His skills and experience would be invaluable to us. I would be a fool to say no. Just make sure he knows what our future plans are." Frasier said with a smile.

Suddenly a loud booming sound went off outside. Johann and Frasier quickly ran outside to see what was going on. They immediately noticed a large cloud of smoke coming from the north gates.

"We better hurry up and go investigate. For knows how many infected could have heard that explosion." Frasier suggested.

As the two boys ran for the gates the intercoms began to turn on.

"Achtung! Alle können Männer berichten zum Nordtor. Es gibt einen massiven Rumpf Bresche in die Mauer." **("Attention! All able men report to the north gate. There's a massive hull breach in the wall.")** announced a voice through the intercom.

When Johann and Frasier reached the north gate they could only look in horror as the wall had a massive chunk that was now just a smoldering pile of wreckage. Guards that were stationed on the wall were already putting out the last of the flames before it could spread to any buildings.

Entire bundles of men and guards were speaking amongst themselves all looking up to their leader Kurt as he stood at the top of the wall. He was speaking to Toreston trying to figure out what had happened but Toreston was just as uniformed as he was. Kurt then turned his attention to the crowd summons before him.

"Männer des Hamburger Clan gut zuhören! Unsere große Wand, hält uns sicher für so lange verletzt wurde. Ich weiß so gut wie Sie, dass die infizierten gebunden waren, es so gut zu hören. Wir müssen auf das Schlimmste vorbereiten, müssen wir für den Kampf vorzubereiten!" **("Men of the Hamburg Clan listen well! Our great wall that has kept us safe for so long has been breached. I know as well as you do that the infected were bound to hear it as well. We must prepare for the worst, we must prepare for battle!")** Kurt announced as he raised his fist in the air signifying power with body language.

The men all let out a powerful shout of inspiration when they heard Kurt's words. Suddenly gunshots could be heard out in the distance, it was clear they were far off but still within range of the clan.

Before Kurt could continue with his speech a guard ran towards him with a radio in hand.

"Kurt! Es ist eines unserer Außenposten, klingt es nicht gut." **("Kurt! It's one of our outposts, it doesn't sound good.")** the radioman explained as he was trying to catch his breath.

"Was ist das Problem? Was ist los da drüben?" **("What's the problem? What's going on over there?")** Kurt questioned as he took the radio. 

"Achtung Hamburg Command! Wir werden sehen überrannt, es ist die infizierten! Etwas hat bekommen sie alle geärgert up ... gewesen sein, dass laute Dröhngeräusch wir gerade gehört von Ihrem Standort haben." **("Attention Hamburg Command! We're being overrun, it's the infected! Something has gotten them all riled up... must have been that loud booming noise we just heard from your location.")** announced a weak dying voice as gunshots could be heard through the static.

"Wie viele sind es? Können Sie ziehen?" **("How many are there? Can you pull out?")** Toreston questioned as all the rest of the men just stood there listening in on the radio.

"Negative, wir abgeschnitten. Es gibt Tausende zumindest. Werde versuchen und halten sie ab, solange wir können ... Keine wieder ihr Freaks ... Ugh uhh ... NNNNOOOO ..." **("Negative, we're cut off. There are thousands at the least. Going to try and hold them off for as long as we can... No get back you freaks... Ugh uhh ... NNNNOOOO...")** was all that could be heard of the outpost guard before the radio went dead silent with static, then the gunshots in the distance then soon became spine chillingly silent as well.

Kurt and Toreston just looked down at the silent radio communicator before turning to the crowds of men who awaited their command.

**"**Bereiten Sie für den Kampf!"** ("Prepare for battle!")** Kurt announced.

**-**

All the locks and seals within the armory ***clicked*** as entire lockers were opened up by the master-at-arms and his distributors. Men lined up each receiving weapons and ammo for the upcoming battle. Each one knew that their home and families were now at risk, that they were the first and last defense of the Hamburg Clan.

In the mechanic garages, simple family cars were being outfitted with heavy armor and mounted machine guns on the roof of the vehicles. Tires were replaced with caterpillar treads turning the vans into makeshift half-tracks. Without any military or corporation to support the clan, the best they could do was making use of what they had with them.

Meanwhile Frasier, Marcus, Johann, Saeko, Khota and Rika were all gearing up with their own personal equipment while the rest of their group helped prepare them.

"Do you really think we can handle this one?" Frasier asked aloud as he tightened his combat boots.

"You led us to battle against this many before back in Kibou City. I don't see why we couldn't win this one." Marcus commented as he loaded his Berretta pistol.

"I had a much larger and experienced force along with the American's battleship. Plus we had much more time to prepare, that outpost was within noise range. The infected at Kibou City were miles away." Frasier explained grimly.

"Not to mention they were stalled by feeding on the Marauder's little settlement." Saya brought up as she tightened Khota's vest up.

Frasier then closed his eyes as Saeko helped by detailing his face with a red, white, and blue face paint he requested.

"Why are you painting his face?" Alice asked curiously.

"I had my face painted one time at a fair when I was younger." Brian said, reminiscing in his past.

"It's not like a fair where they would do face painting for kids. This is a warrior's markings, his personal identity and last thing his enemy will see before being slain on the battlefield." Saeko explained as her hands carefully moved the brush tip against his face for the finishing touch.

"Whoa, not bad… not bad at all sword sister." Rei commented as Frasier stood up with the union jack symbol painted onto his face.

"He doesn't look very scary, you sure you did it right?" Shizuka pointed out.

"That's because none of you were ever on the receiving end of his blade." Saeko explained as she tied her hair in a bundle.

"Hey can you paint my face too? I want to be a lion." Marcus joked as he placed Ariel's tribal knife into its sheath that was latched to his hip.

Saeko narrowed her eyes, pouting at first but then grinned at her next thought.

"Very well little brother." Saeko replied as she quickly swabbed the red tipped brush on Marcus' nose.

Alice and Brian let out a laugh at the sight of him now.

"Hehehe Marcus looks like a clown!" Alice commented still giggling at him.

"Now his looks match his personality." Saya added as she let out a genuine laugh which was rare for her.

"Yeah, yeah very funny, let's just get this over with. Those troops are going to need our help." Marcus said as he began to wash his nose off.

"How can we help?" Brian asked as he stood at Shizuka's side.

"By staying here, you kids aren't going anywhere near where we will be going. We may not even come back." Frasier replied as he placed spare ammo magazines into his flak-vest.

"No you can't go! Marcus, tell them that we will be fine. You guys can't go alone!" Alice protested as she gripped tightly to Frasier's sides.

Johann slowly approached the two defiant kids and kneeled down to their level. He placed his hands on both of their shoulders.

"Don't worry about us, we will be back. This isn't the end for us, pinky promise." Johann explained in a sincere tone giving the kids a sense of trust.

**{Two Steps from Hell – Forces of Destiny}**

The two kids soon gave up as the rest of the group remained silent, watching their best fighters walk away to fight against the oncoming horde. To battle against the uneven odds that the clan must face. 

When they arrived to the front gates they noticed the gate guards were splitting up the volunteers into squads. There was plenty of weapons to go around but only so many men who were able to volunteer.

"Alle richtigen Männer aufgepasst!" **("All right men listen up!")** Toreston announced though the intercom system.

All the commotion soon settled down as Kurt could be seen standing over the men. He took a deep breath before giving them a speech.

"Dies ist, was wir für trainiert. Heute sind alle hier, um eine Sache und nur eine Sache zu tun. Um die Sicherheit des Clans unter allen Umständen zu schützen. Wenn eine einzelne infizierte Leiche gelingt es durch die Linie zu durchbrechen, dann werden alle verloren gehen könnten. Aber das wird nicht passieren an diesem Tag, weil ihr Männer des Vaterlandes sind! Unsere Regierung kann gefallen, aber unser Volk stark bleiben! Solange man Deutsche lebt dann unsere Sache wird nimmermehr sterben. Nun wollen wir gehen dort und ihnen zeigen, wie echte Deutsche Kampf!" **("This is what we've been training for. Today you all are here to do one thing and one thing only. To protect the safety of the clan at all costs. If a single infected corpse manages to break through the line, then all could be lost. But that shall not happen this day, because you are men of the fatherland! Our government may have fallen but our people remain strong! So long as one German lives then our cause shall never die. Now let's go out there and show Them how true Germans fight!")** Kurt ordered as his voice quickly rose into a fiery blaze of passion and inspiration.

Everyone in the crowd shouted in power and glory as the recently modified halftracks showed up. Frasier, Saeko, and Marcus got in one halftrack while Johann, Rika, and Khota got into another.

"Hey, du bist der Junge, die Betreuung unserer Banditen Problem hat Recht?" **("Hey you're that kid that took care of our bandit problem right?")** one of the volunteer soldiers asked Frasier recognizing him from the description people gave him.

"Yeah? Was ist damit?" **("Yeah? What of it?")** Frasier asked as he fondled the dog tags that were around his neck.

"Nun Sicherlich haben Sie töteten mehr infiziert als jeder von uns zusammengefasst. Wie schlimm schätzen Sie die Situation? Glauben Sie, dass wir in der Lage sein, wieder davon." **("Well surely you've killed more infected than any of us combined. How bad do you think the situation is? Do you think we will be able to come back from this.")** the same volunteer asked.

"Ich weiß es nicht, ich habe die Chancen, bevor gekämpft, aber ist das anders. Nur bleiben diszipliniert auf dem Schlachtfeld und beobachten Sie Ihr Abstand. Eine Minute haben Sie einer von ihnen nähert in einem komfortablen Abstand nächste, was Sie wissen, Sie haben einen Schwarm von ihnen alle bereit, ihre fauligen Zähne in dein Fleisch zu versenken." **("I don't know, I've fought the odds before but this is different. Just remain disciplined on the battle field and watch your spacing. One minute you have one of Them approaching at a comfortable distance next thing you know you have a swarm of Them all ready to sink their putrid teeth into your flesh.")** Frasier explained as the halftracks began to separate into two different groups.

"Hey what's going on!?" Khota asked as he watched that their group was being split up.

"It seems Kurt wants us to try and split up the horde, divide and conquer." Rika explained as she lit up a cigarette only to take a relaxed puff.

"Hey guys it looks like they're splitting us up. What do we do?" Johann shouted out.

"Just roll with it, those troops will need your support a lot more than we will." Frasier replied as he stood up at the side of the halftrack.

"Good luck to you my friend! I won't let you down." Johann shouted to Frasier as his halftrack was finally out of sight.

Johann then sat down and looked over to Khota and Rika. They all smiled a bit knowing that at least they could fight alongside each other in this uncertain battle. The halftrack bobbed up and down a bit as the treads rolled over the cracked rods.

The leading halftrack pushed the pile of abandoned cars aside with its steel cow sled clearing a path for the rest of the convoy. As halftracks in Johann's group soon pulled up near the original town hall of Hamburg, all the troopers quickly hustled out down the ramps that opened up in the back of the modified vehicles.

"Go go go! Richten Sie die Barrikaden, lag darauf hin, dass Stacheldraht! Ich will diese Sandsäcke entlang einer Verteidigungsgürtel gesetzt."** ("Go go go! Set up the barricades, lay out that barbed wire! I want those sandbags set up along a defensive perimeter.")** ordered the battle commander.

Johann and Khota began to pull the barbed wire out of their halftrack after putting on protective gloves. They carefully stretched their set of wire out along a wide open area of the street the infected were most likely to use in their path of destruction.

"So you fought in the battle of Kibou too?" Johann asked Khota as they helped with laying out the sandbags.

"Only the second half and I was on top the safety of a rooftop. I'm a good shot but when the infected get too close to my proximity I will panic. Luckily our group has plenty of melee fighters in it." Khota replied as he heaved a bag of sand on top of the pile he was working on.

"So I assume you're going up there with Rika?" Johann followed up as he motioned towards the light green tiled roof.

As the two boys were helping with the defense preparations, Rika simply strolled away into the city hall building setting up her gear in the once beautiful building that was ravaged by the explosions when the German military tried to fight back the infected but inevitably failed.

Khota soon joined her as Johann remained on the ground level equipped with a HK 43 semi-auto rifle with a bayonet attached to the end for close quarters combat. He looked to his sides to see that his German brethren were ready and prepared for the decisive battle of the Hamburg Clan.

Johann reached into his overcoat and slowly pulled out a picture of Rei. He gazed into her beautiful red eyes, it was almost as if they were staring right back at him. After a few seconds of that Johann turned the picture over to read the love message she left on it.

"For my beloved Johann, you mean everything to me. If we are apart for whatever reason, let this message and image of me remind you of the unbreakable bond we share. Let it inspire you to be the amazing man I love so dearly. Love forever yours, Rei Miyamoto."

A tear of happiness slowly went down Johann's cheek as he then kissed the picture before placing it back securely into his overcoat. He then checked his weapon making sure the ammo clip was properly loaded and not going to come lose in the midst of battle.

Suddenly a group of scouts came running towards the barricades.

"Sie kommen! Bereitet euch!" **("They're coming! Prepare yourselves!")** shouted one of the scouts as the troopers all took up their positions along the long rows of sandbags.

The cold winds sent chills down everyone's spines as they waited for their ultimate challenge yet. Snow could be heard being crunched under the rotten, putrid, grey feet of the undead horde approaching. As the crunching grew louder the tension began to rise among the brave defenders.

Just as it seemed like the infected weren't going to show up, the first wave was now visible to the men on the ground level. Entire rows of infected slowly treaded their way through the deep snow. Johann slowly raised his rifle looking through the iron sights locking onto the first infected scum that crossed his sights. He remembered everything his uncle had taught him so long ago before the world went to hell.

"Feuer eröffnen!" **("Open fire!")** ordered the battle commander.

A powerful combination of semi and fully automatic fire all went off at once. The pure white snow on the streets was quickly coated in the crimson red liquid of the undead. Dozens of bodies tumbled over into the frozen terrain while the infected that survived simply limped over the fallen ones. Johann took his time taking deep breaths before firing off a round. Each head of the infected he fired at would pop like a meaty melon splattering all over the snow.

As the infected continued to push forward the defenders remained strong and held their positions. More and more bundles of infected would appear for every one of Them killed. Khota and Rika both fired their sniper rifles picking off the infected that tried to flank the outer defenses of the perimeter.

The first row of defenders all tossed their fragmentations grenades at the oncoming horde before retreating to the secondary row of sandbags. Limbs, organs, dirt, and snow went all over the place as multiple grenades went off at once. Johann (along with the rest of the ground troops) felt a loud ringing in his ears as the sound echoed throughout the streets.

The infected soon wandered into the barbed wire slicing into their flesh. Despite their astonishing threshold for ignoring pain the barbed wire actually managed to keep Them pinned long enough to be picked off by the less confident of the troopers. However the bodies began to pile up rendering the razor sharp wire useless.

"Treibt sie zurück! Fight for your Vaterland!" **("Drive them back! Fight for your fatherland!")** the assault commander shouted out as he vaulted over the sandbags he was positioned at charging towards the infected.

The rest of the troops followed his lead and charged behind him with their bayonets gleaming in the dim sunlight. Entire rows of infected were impaled onto the sharp tips of the steel blades. Johann quickly shoved his first melee kill aside then jabbed his rifle forward for another. With no time to wait on retracting his bayonet, Johann pulled the trigger killing the next infected corpse that was behind his second melee kill.

The other troops managed to stand their ground for the time being. Their once cleaned bayonets were now covered in the entrails of the undead. Once more piles and piles of corpses began to mount.

However the infected showed no signs of slowing down in their advancements. The next row even managed to grab onto some of the barrels of the rifles pulling unfortunate troopers into the horde. Entire squads of men were consumed while the rest managed to fall back to the last row of sandbags.

"Kettenfahrzeuge decken uns!" **("Halftracks cover us!")** shouted out the battle commander as he fired his pistol into the seemingly infinite crowd of undead.

As quickly as they were ordered, the halftracks suddenly drove up to the front lines unleashing a hellfire of 50. Caliber rounds into the crowds. They didn't even need to hit the head for a kill, the shots were so powerful a single round would sever limbs or cave in chest cavities. When the problem of bodies piling up came back up, the halftrack gunners switched to their secondary weapons, flamethrowers.

Arcs of fire shot out across the battlefield scorching the approaching infected that began to cross over the last line of defense. The troops were in full retreat without anywhere else to go. Rika and Khota quickly packed up their gear running back to their halftrack to regroup with Johann. The smell of burning flesh filled the air as the intense heat was literally melting the flesh from the bones. However the flamethrowers were limited in the amount of fuel they had.

When the flames died out the loaded halftracks began to pull back. Now in full retreat, the remaining troops took a deep breath knowing they at least were able lower the amount of infected they would have to fight at the clan walls. However they also knew the fight wasn't over yet.

"Frasier! We're in full retreat now to the Hamburg Clan, how are you guys holding up?" Joahnn asked over their personal radio frequency Saya set up for them.

"We've yet to engage Them, wait hold it… Scratch that we've got contact. You guys just stick to the plan and keep things under control back at the homestead. We'll kill as many as we can." Frasier replied before he went quiet again.

"Do you think they will be ok? I mean they didn't have as much troops as we did and look how we did." Johann brought up concerned for his friends safety.

"Be that as it may we also didn't have two of the deadliest sword wielders around. Trust me Johann it's the infected that are in trouble. You've never witnessed how crazy those two can get when they fight together." Khota reassured as he cleaned the lenses on his glasses.

"Not to mention how they actually make a game out of it by counting their kills." Rika added as she lit up another cigar.

Meanwhile back at the second assault force, Frasier and Saeko walked over the sandbags side by side. Both grinned widely as they watched the second half of the horde approaching them. The soldiers back at the sandbags just watched unsure if they were still sane.

"Sind sie wirklich tun, was ich denke, sie tun?" **("Are they really doing what I think they're doing?")** questioned one of the troops.

"Vertrauen Sie mir, sie wissen, was sie tun. You guys nur bereit sein, für die, wenn sie nach hinten zu ziehen brauchen."** ("Trust me they know what they're doing. You guys just be ready for when they need to pull back.")** Marcus answered as he stood his ground.

**{HoTD OST – Assailing Ones}**

The two teenagers gripped the handles of their blades tightly. Their arms moved at the same time in perfect synchronization drawing their swords out. Both of them had their eyes closed as their breath became heavy.

The infected drew closer and closer as they just stood there. Then troops back at the sandbags could do nothing but just stand there unable to understand how those two could just stand before the approaching horde.

Suddenly their eyes shot wide open, their feet dashed off towards the first of the infected at rapid speed. With a single swipe of their arms ten infected were decapitated instantly. The troops just watched in astonishment as Saeko and Frasier unleashed a powerful combination of Eastern and Western sword techniques. Entire columns of the dead were sliced to pieces with simple flicks of the wrist.

However the infected continued to press their advancements through the cold, unforgiving snow.

"Marcus, give us a volley!" Frasier ordered as he impaled one infected and lifted another fallen infected by the neck to use it as a meat shield.

"Okay Sie hörte ihn, Feuer frei boys!" **("Alright you heard him, fire at will boys**!") Marcus shouted to the rest of the men as he began to fire his Mp-7 submachine gun in short, controlled, bursts.

The riflemen and machine gunners all followed his lead by firing at the infected that were out of Saeko and Frasier's kill radius to prevent any friendly fire. The snow around them was littered with shell casings as rounds continued to go off.

"Ja get some! Holen Sie sich einige!" **("Yeah get some! Get some!")** shouted one of the enthusiastic troopers.

"Suck auf diesem Sie fauligen fickt!" **("Suck on this you putrid fucks!")** another one chimed in.

Frasier and Saeko went back to back with the blades in a resting position. Both of them felt an immense rush of adrenaline coursing through their veins. Their outfits and armor were soaked in blood, red liquid dripped from the tip of their blades.

"49." Frasier smirked as his grip tightened around the handle.

He then ducked as Saeko spun around in a 360 degree slicing two infected in half. Saeko then smiled as she pressed back into him.

"51." Saeko grinned as she swiped her katana to the side to take care of the blood that covered the steel blade to prevent any damage to it.

Frasier laughed a little bit as he then cut downwards across the nearest infected he could reach. The freshly forged steel made a perfect cut, severing the upper right torso from the rest of the body. He then back kicked another one into the horde knocking some of them over.

"The others are falling back to the homestead, its best we pull back before the infected they didn't kill cut us off." Saeko brought up.

"Why? Afraid I'll win?" Frasier taunted as he cut down another abomination in twain.

"Hehe think what you want Frasier, I want to survive this battle so we can go back to bed. Unless you want me to get Shizuka and Rika on your ass that is." Saeko replied as she began to stroll casually towards the sandbags.

Frasier immediately began to pull back after processing that thought through his mind.

"Ziehen Sie Männer! Wir brauchen eine Verknüpfung mit dem Rest unserer Einheit, bevor wir abgeschnitten werden!" **("Pull back men! We need to link up with the rest of our unit before we are cut off!")** Frasier shouted as he and Saeko began to sprint through the crowds of infected cutting down any that dared challenge them.

As the halftracks pulled over the infected were already crossing the last line of defense. Frasier and Saeko continued to run away up to the very last halftrack. Some of the men piled into the closer ones while Marcus knew it would be fatal to follow their footsteps, instead he boarded the one Saeko and Frasier were in.

His spine felt a horrid chill as he could hear the troops back at the barricades being overwhelmed. One of the halftracks tried to pull away but spun out of control crashing into another one. The infected soon blocked any chances of escape for two thirds of the second assault force.

"Oh my god…" Marcus muttered as their driver began to pull away unable to wait any longer.

"There was nothing we could've done. Those halftracks weren't going to be able to get away at their speed." Saeko reminded her younger brother as she sat in the passenger's seat.

"Still wish we could've done something, only several of us made it out of there alive. The rest are now going to be a problem for us in the long run!" Marcus grunted as the sweat on his face began to trickle down his face.

****"Keep it together Marcus, men die in battles and good ones are no exception. Their sacrifice will be remembered." Frasier said reassuringly as the only remaining halftrack made a hasty retreat back to the clan walls.

**{}**

When the remains of their battle group arrived the walls were still in no condition to hold off the magnitude of infected that approached them. Frasier wiped his war paint off in disappointment then followed Marcus and Saeko off the ramp.

"Wo ist der Rest der zweiten Kampfgruppe?"** ("Where's the rest of the second battle group?!")** Toreston questioned, nearly in a panicked voice.

"Gone, wurden sie überwältigt und taten, was sie konnten, um sie davon abzuhalten." **("Gone, they were overwhelmed and did what they could to hold Them off.")** Frasier explained as if taking responsibility.

"Nun, das ist nur Dandy ... while you guys waren aus haben wir es geschafft, die meisten Zivilisten zurück zu den südlichen Toren im Falle eines Falles, aber die Dinge laufen in diesem Tempo zu verlangsamen." **("Well that's just dandy… while you guys were off we managed to move most of the civilians back to the south gates in case worst comes to worst but things are going to slow at this rate.")** Toreston explained to Frasier as Johann, Rika, and Khota stood over with Saeko and Marcus exchanging battle stories.

Before Kurt could instruct the remains of the battle groups, a man quickly ran up to them.

"Kurt haben wir eine Annäherung an Kraft aus den südlichen Toren."** ("Kurt we have an approaching force from the southern gates.")** a messenger reported as he ran up to Kurt.

"Great mehr infiziert. Nun, wie viele sind es?" **("Great more infected. Well how many are there?")** Kurt questioned as he looked over towards the messenger.

"Es ist nicht das infizierte."** ("It's not the infected.")** the messenger replied as the south gates began to open up.

Entire rows of bright red shields filled the gap of the opening gate. Men in matching crimson red leather armor stood before the Hamburg Clan.

"Legionariorum Progressum! Tenere positio et exspectare vlteriores ordines!" **("Legionaries move forward! Hold position and await further orders!")** commanded a powerful voice in what appeared to be Latin as the sound of armored footsteps grew louder and louder.

The mysterious troops marched forward in perfect formation into the city; oddly enough they never broke rank, not even for an inch of space. In the back of the rows two figures in much more distinguished, metallic armor approached Kurt and Toreston as if they already knew who was in charge.

"Ich nehme an, Sie haben unser Hilferuf gehört?" **("I take it you've heard our call for help?")** Toreston asked as the two men in shiny armor stood before him and Kurt.

"Wir haben, ist die Legion hier, um die Clan Hamburg helfen. Während Caesar ist nicht bekannt, unser Handeln, unser Legat uns explizite Anweisungen, um die infizierten hier zu beseitigen." **("We have, the Legion is here to help the Clan of Hamburg. While Caesar isn't aware of our actions, our Legate has given us explicit instructions to eliminate the infected here.")** replied the taller man of the two.

Frasier and Johann observed the two strangely dressed men. Both had a strong distrust from the stature these men gave off as if there was more than meets the eye. All they did was talk between them and the two leaders of the Hamburg Clan, but what of?

"Who the hell are those guys?" Frasier whispered to Joahnn.

"That's the Legion; they like to dress like the old Romans did and are well known for their growing empire. I hear they also speak Latin whenever they shout out their orders, so it's nearly impossible to understand them unless you know Latin of course. We never really made contact with them until now, let's just hope they're here to help and not simply here to conquer us." Joahnn explained trying to keep a cool composure.

"Frasier! Johann! Get over here!" **("Frasier! Johann! Get over here!")** Kurt ordered as he continued to face the strangers.

"Dies ist Centurion Silus und seine Opito (zweiter Kommandant). Unsere Streitkräfte sind im Moment so geschwächt werden wir die Positionierung werden unsere verbliebenen Truppen und Wachen auf den Dächern und Balkonen, während sie durch die Straßen zu behandeln. Johann Ich möchte, dass die Kräfte auf den Dächern führen. Frasier Ich will dich zu gehen und unterstützen die Legion in keiner Weise möglich. Wir müssen alle Nahkämpfer wir bekommen können." **("This is Centurion Silus and his Opito (second in command). Our forces are weakened at the moment so we will be positioning our remaining troops and guards on the rooftops and balconies while they handle the streets. Johann I want you to lead the forces on the rooftops. Frasier I want you to go and assist the Legion in any way you can. We will need all the melee fighters we can get.")** Kurt explained as he turned towards the north gates.

Firing could be heard with an occasional scream. It was clear to everyone that the infected where here and in force.

**{Rome Total War OST – Warrior March}**

"Unitates! March!" **("Units! March!")** Centurion Silus shouted to his legionaries.

"**AHI AHI!" **responded the Century as their armored boots clanged against the snow in their march towards the northern part of the clan.

The citizens of the Hamburg Clan watched as these matching soldiers marched down their cobblestone roads to take the horde on directly. Normally going toe to toe with Them was a death wish but they have yet to see the fighting power of the Legion.**  
><strong> 

Children watched as the legionaries marched past them, their shadowy silhouettes peeking through the cracks in the boarded up windows. The sound of eighty men marching by, the sound of snow being crushed under their feet was almost intimidating.

Meanwhile, Johann, Marcus, Rika, and Khota ran ahead to assist the Hamburg guards. They ran up some stairs then began to take positions on the balconies. Without any need to say it they all began to open fire at the nearest of Them.

The infected groaned and let out moans of hunger. No matter what was done the bullets weren't enough to tame the oncoming horde in time.

However the Century had finally caught up with Saeko and Frasier running ahead of them. They already began to slice and dice their way through the horde, unable to stop for a second without being overwhelmed instantly. Soon they had to pull back with Johann; both were exhausted and needed to regain their composure. However this didn't keep the Legion from stopping at all.

**{}**

**{Rome Total War OST – Melee Café}**

"Unitates contestare!" **("Units charge!") **Centurion Silus commanded as he stayed back to observe the battlefield.

"**Ayi Ayi!"** responded the legionnaires as the charged forward with their massive shields raised high.

The first line of Legionaries composed only of troops that used their shields and nothing more. The strongest men were placed in this row for one simple purpose: ramming. Their combined force and momentum plowed right through even the heaviest bulks of infected. Smelly, rotten, grey bodies would either be slammed aside or tossed over the red shields.

In the second row of Legionaries, the troops were equipped with slingshots and a bundle of fragmentation grenades. They tied them together and swung them around their heads until they tossed them far ahead of the first row. Massive gaps of infected were blown to pieces and caused weak points from the inside out in their massive bulk of a horde. This was perfect and gave the first row a much softer target to ram. When they ran out of grenades they resorted to their spears to pick off any infected that put up any resistance for the first row.

The third row of Legionaries drew their Gladius short swords out; their job was to finish off the infected that were tossed over the first row's shields. Entire columns of the undead were being smashed, bashed, sliced, diced, pounded, and decimated in a single valiant charge.

Any infected that got past the Legion or were flanking from the other streets were picked off one by one by the Hamburg defenders. Entire clips of ammo were unloaded at rapid rates cutting down the mobs of undead.

Centurion Silus grinned at how well the battle was turning out for them. It was clear to everyone that the Legion had broken the back of the infected rampage now all that remained was to pick off any of Them that have yet to be slain to ensure total victory.

"Legionariorum! Scelera discedere omnibus ad unum persequeris!" **("Legionaries! Disperse and hunt down every last one of these abominations!")** shouted Centurion Silus from the rooftops.

Frasier and Saeko just stood there on the sidelines of this battle amazed at how efficient the Legion's soldiers were. The tide of battle had finally turned in favor for the survivors, now was the time to finish the fight.

"Let's go guys" Frasier orered to his group, motioning them to get to ground level.

From the safety of their house, the rest of the group watched the battle, astonished by the carnage and intensity that was the Legion.

"Hey where did Rei go? She was here just a minute ago." Alice asked as she realized Rei wasn't with them.

"She said she needed to go grab something from Johann's home, she will be ok so long as she avoids that." Saya explained as she pointed to the battles being fought out in the streets.

"Whoa, look at all the soldiers!" Brian commented as he watched Legion soldiers taking on scores of the undead.

"They look like those big, strong, muscle men from that Zack Synder movie." Shizuka noticed as she leaned on the rail.

"Ugh those were Spartans you blonde dolt. These guys are clearly dressed as Legionaries." Saya corrected.

"What's the difference?" Alice questioned as she watched a Legion soldier shield bash an infected woman aside only to stab his spear through her skull.

"Well Spartans were elite soldiers from Greece, while Legionaries were the backbone soldier of the mighty Roman Empire." Saya said in attempt to educate the kids.

"Hey look it's them! They managed to push the monsters back!" Alice exclaimed as she pointed towards Johann, Marcus, Saeko, and Frasier fighting off the remains of the undead scourge that plagued the Hamburg Clan.

"Why do I even bother?" Saya grumbled to herself as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Let's get ready to go down there, it won't be too long now before they mop things up." Shizuka said as she headed downstairs.

Kurt noticed a small family trying to flee from an infected group. Without thinking he quickly tackled four infected to the ground giving the family plenty of time to escape. Kurt fought with all his might to keep the undead fiends pinned. During this epic struggle one of Them sank its rotten teeth into his glove just enough to pierce the skin. Kurt let out a cry of pain as he stabbed two of the four abominations before being overpowered. Johann and Toreston both saw this and quickly rushed in to help.

**[Written by my Co-Writer Jayme F. Midorikawa]**

Gritting his teeth, growling with rage, Johann viciously shoved the infected man into a brick wall, the momentum allowing him to drive the combat knife in his hand straight into its eye, scrambling its brain and ending its wretched existence.

At the same time, Toreston was up against the very last of the infected that had managed to get the better of Kurt. With a well placed kick, Toreston managed to completely shatter its leg, bringing it back to the ground. Without a moment's hesitation, he reeled the fire axe in his hands back over his head, and brought it down with an enraged warrior's shout, cleaving its rotten head in two.

Once all was quiet, both Johann and Toreston's minds returned to what was now the most important matter: Kurt.

"Onkel!" **(Uncle!)** Toreston shouted; his rage now replaced with fear as he and Johann broke off into a sprint to where Kurt was now in the middle of the town square, breathing heavily, clutching his right arm tightly. Perhaps it was an attempt to hide his mortal wound, or perhaps it was an attempt to stop the bleeding. It mattered little now. There was no denying what was going to come next.

"Nein, Onkel, können Sie nicht gebissen!" **("No, Uncle, you can't be bitten!")** Toreston pleaded as he grabbed his uncle's shoulders, desperately trying to get Kurt to let go of his arm so he could see for himself.

"Es hat keinen Zweck zu leugnen, Toreston. Eines dieser Monster tatsächlich geschafft, mich zu holen." **("There's no use denying it, Toreston. One of those monsters actually managed to get me.")** Kurt sighed, his strength rapidly starting to leave him as he revealed the hideous bite marks on his hand.

Everyone who had gathered and fought in the square all looked in horror as the sign of their leader's demise stood apparent for all to see. There was unbearable silence hanging in the Fall air as none knew what to do next, and yet knew exactly what to do as well.

"Ich werde mich nicht, mir zu erlauben eines dieser Dinge geworden. I, Kurt Weissberg, geschworen, mich auf den Tag alles endete, dass ich bleiben würde, bis meine letzten Atemzug menschlich. Ich stehe zu diesem Wort noch." **("I'm not going to allow myself to become one of those things. I, Kurt Weissberg, vowed to myself on the day everything ended, that I would remain human until my last dying breath. I stand by that word still.")** announced Kurt as he saw the looks of fear written all over the faces of his people.

Without hesitation, he suddenly reached for the holster at his side and pulled out a Walther P-38, wasting no time to level the barrel at his own head.

**"**Uncle, kann ich nicht lassen Sie dies tun!"** ("Uncle, I can't let you do this!")** Toreston protested as he suddenly grabbed Kurt's arm, struggling to wrestle the gun out of his uncle's hand.

"Nein, Toreston! Dies ist das Beste!" **("No, Toreston! This is for the best!")** Kurt argued as Frasier and a couple guards stepped in to wrestle Toreston off of him. Apparently, Kurt's final wish was more than understandable to all of them.

***BAM* **suddenly, before Kurt could pull the trigger for the final time, a small brick was smashed over the back of his head. After a second or two of his head ringing, his vision went black, and Kurt collapsed.

All the people looked on with shock as Johann stood over Kurt's unconscious form, half a brick still clutched in his hand.

Taking a deep breath of the cold, cold air, Johann suddenly felt something inside him that he hadn't ever felt before. The best possible way he could think to describe it was...clarity.

"Jemand hält seine gebissen Arm." **("Somebody hold out his bitten arm.")** Johann suddenly ordered. For several seconds, nobody moved, completely taken aback that he was suddenly barking orders.

"Was zum Teufel wartest du noch? Jemand packen seinen Arm und halten Sie es aus!" **("What the hell are you waiting for? Somebody grab his arm and hold it out!")** Johann shouted again, and this time one of the guards responded, running up and holding out Kurt's bitten arm as far and straight as it could go.

"Jemand packe einen von den Mülltonnen, die wir für Feuer und bringen Sie es hier. Frasier, erhalten Sie Ihre Breitschwert aus." **("Somebody grab one of the trash cans we use for fire and bring it here. Frasier, get your broadsword out.")** Johann proceeded to order in a calmer tone.

Without hesitation, after quickly translating for him, Marcus and Khota ran for one of the nearest flaming bins they could find whilst Frasier slowly approached Johann, pulling his broadsword out of its sheathe. Pretty soon, Marcus and Khota had returned with a flaming can clutched in their hands, setting it down beside Kurt's body.

"Frasier, I want you to hold your blade over that fire until its red hot, understand?" Johann instructed as he drew out his machete before getting down on one knee and tearing the sleeve off of Kurt's sweater, revealing the full extent of the bite on his arm.

As Frasier ran the extent of his sword across the flames, Toreston watched the whole scene with dazed confusion.  
>"Johann, was machst du denken tun, um meinem Onkel?"<strong> ("Johann, what're you thinking of doing to my uncle?")<strong> Toreston asked, the emotional trauma of losing his only remaining family clearly preventing him from being able to think clearly.

"Vielleicht haben wir noch eine Chance. Vielleicht nicht zu viel Zeit noch bestanden." **("Maybe we still have a chance. Maybe not too much time has passed yet.")** Johann responded, mostly talking to himself as he then turned his attention to Shizuka and Saya.

"Do you have any peroxide and bandages left at all?" he asked Shizuka in Japanese, catching her off guard that he was suddenly talking to her.

"Well, I'm pretty sure I still have one roll of bandages and half a bottle in my bag back home." she responded, not entirely sure if her own answer was right or not.

"Then hurry up and get it, we don't have time for this!" Johann shouted in response, clearly not having the patience for her usual airheaded thought process.

Shizuka was clearly momentarily frightened by his sudden outburst, but quickly turned on her heels and ran as fast as she could for home.

"Do we have anything to serve as a tourniquet?" Johann asked Saya in a much calmer tone.

"I-I'm not sure. I think so, but I don't know where to look!" Saya answered in either fear, or frustration that she wasn't able to figure out some kind of answer to this situation.

"Then I guess there's no alternative." Johann muttered to himself as he turned his gaze back to the horrible bite on Kurt's arm.

"Johann, was wirst du mit ihm tun?" **("Johann, what are you going to do to him!?")** Toreston asked, this time much angrier than before as he started to put it all together what Johann was planning.

"Ich bin sein Leben zu retten, Toreston! Es kann immer noch eine Chance, aber nicht, wenn wir Zeit verschwenden like this! Es gibt keinen anderen Weg! Weißt du nicht bekommen, Toreston?" **("I'm saving his life, Toreston! There may still be a chance, but not if we waste time like this! There's no other way! Don't you get it, Toreston?")** Johann shouted in anger as Toreston started to approach him, only to suddenly be restrained by several of the other guards. Knowing there was no longer any time to lose, Johann raised his machete over his head, his eyes never leaving the mark on Kurt's arm. 

"Ich muss das tun!" **("I HAVE TO DO THIS!")** Johann screamed with all his rage as he brought the machete down, the blade slicing right through the flesh and halfway through the bone. Blood flew through the air, accompanied by the horrified gasps of everyone gathered as Johann pulled the machete out of the gaping chop mark on Kurt's arm, blood beginning to gush out.

Johann tried to ignore the sickening twisting feeling in his stomach as he swung the machete once more, this time cleaving through the rest of the bone, the signifying ***CLANG*** of his blade hitting the cobblestone of the road letting Johann know that the worst part was now over.

Without hesitation, Johann quickly grabbed the severed part of Kurt's arm and tossed it aside to even more disgusted gasps from the onlookers.

"Frasier, PLEASE tell me that sword is glowing right now." Johann said in a much more relaxed, but exhausted manner as he turned his gaze to Frasier over the flames roaring from the bin.

"I would definitely think so." Frasier responded as he lifted his broadsword up from the fire, the blade glowing orange hot.

"Alright, good. I think we know what's next." Johann went on as he grabbed the stump of whatever was left of Kurt's arm, and holding the stump up facing the night sky. Several of the onlookers groaned once more with disgust.

Frasier looked and nodded, his face turning stone cold as he got down on one knee, and without hesitation, pressed the glowing hot steel of his sword right onto the stump of Kurt's arm. A sickening smell of burning meat and a horrid sizzling sound rang through the air as Frasier cauterized his wound.

Almost the instant the hot steel touched his arm; Kurt regained consciousness just from the sheer shock of the pain alone, screaming in anguish to this primitive medical treatment.

Hearing his uncle scream in pain, Toreston tried to struggle out of the grasp of the guards once more, pure rage and fear for his uncle's life driving him on like some kind of machine. He quickly managed to escape from their grasp and ran for Johann and Frasier with all intentions to tear them apart, being driven by blind panic.

However, just before he could reach them, he was tackled to the ground by Marcus and Khota, the two of them soon struggling to keep him pinned down while Johann and Frasier continued with their work.

Soon, all was done that could be done, and Kurt's amputated arm had managed to be completely cauterized.

Almost as soon as they were done, Shizuka came back running with her medical bag slung over her shoulder. Completely out of breath upon stopping, she gazed upon the scene of what they had just done, and looked like she was near ready to pass out.

However, steeling herself in time, she reached into her bag and pulled out a bottle of peroxide.

"I thought you said you had bandages." Johann responded, not even having the energy to raise his voice higher than a tired mutter.

"I'm sorry. I must've ended up using the last of them awhile ago." Shizuka responded in between tired gasps for air.

Johann bowed his head in exhaustion, trying to muster up the energy to finish what he himself had started here. Grabbing the bottle from Shizuka's hand, he unscrewed the cap with his teeth and began to pour whatever was left of the liquid onto Kurt's wound. By this time, he had once again passed out from shock, so this time he didn't start to scream again.

Once the bottle was completely empty, Johann tossed it aside as he then turned his gaze to all the onlookers.

"Hat jemand ein kleines Messer oder so etwas?" **("Does anybody have a small knife or anything like that?")** Johann asked as he could feel all the energy he was feeling earlier this day quickly bleeding away.

"Here." Marcus suddenly answered as he tossed the knife Ariel had given him to Johann. He caught the small weapon in his hand, and without another word suddenly pulled his long, braided ponytail out from under his jacket.

Before anyone could ask Johann what he was doing, he ran the blade across the halfway point of his ponytail, severing it in half. Pulling out the hair band that kept it tied together, he proceeded to wrap his severed long hair around Kurt's arm like a makeshift bandage, tying it as tight as he could manage to do.

He remembered back to when his aunt was teaching him about basic and makeshift first aid. She had told him that her father was a farmer back in Holland, and that he had taught her that horse hair and human hair can be used as a makeshift tourniquet in desperate situations, because it's naturally course, and therefore able to hold together better than most other animal hair.

Once it was all done, Johann got back onto his feet, looking down upon Kurt's unconscious form, now missing an arm. Raising his gaze to all the onlookers, he sighed in exhaustion, this action having clearly taken more than a big toll on him. "Somebody get him to the hospital." he ordered.

When it seemed like nobody was about to take a single step forward under a command of his, Shizuka and Saya suddenly stepped forward and managed to hoist Kurt back onto his feet. Soon, Khota and one of the other doctors amidst the crowd ran to help them, and soon the four of them began to make their way towards the hospital.

All was silent once Kurt was taken away, and everyone turned their gazes towards Johann, still standing there amidst them with his head bowed down. Some of their gazes were of wonder at what he'd just done, others were of fear, but most were of anger.

Feeling their hateful eyes, Frasier stepped forward to take momentary command.

"Was machst du alles starrt? Das Loch in der Wand repariert werden muss, bevor noch mehr von ihnen auftauchen! Komm, lass uns bewegen!" **("What are you all staring at? That hole in the wall needs to be repaired before more of Them show up! Come on, let's move it!")** he shouted. The people all looked at Frasier for a minute, and slowly began to make their way back towards the breach in the wall on the other side of town.

Once they were alone, Frasier, Marcus, and Toreston all just looked at Johann, who hadn't moved an inch after Kurt was taken. He almost looked like a living statue standing amongst them.

He slowly raised his head, his eyes looking straight forward, but yet looking at nothing as well. He soon turned to face Toreston, who had gotten back onto his feet. By this time, his anger had turned into nothing more than extreme concern for his uncle.

"Eines Tages wirst du mir danken." **("One day you'll thank me.")** was all Johann said as he then turned his back to the three of them and began to slowly make his way for a dumpster sitting in an alleyway. Once he was there, the three of them could hear Johann wrenching in the shadows, no doubt a delayed reaction to what he just had to do.

Once all was quiet again, a single man came running into the town square.

**"**Wo ist Kurt? Es gibt etwas, was ich ihm zu sagen!"** ("Where's Kurt? There's something I have to tell him!")** the man exclaimed, clearly freaked out by something.

"Er ist mit dem medizinischen Zentrum getroffen. Warum, was ist los? Neben den offensichtlichen, natürlich." **("He's been taken to the medical center. Why, what's the matter? Besides the obvious, of course.")** Toreston responded as he regained his previous composure, and motioning to all the slain bodies of Them scattered throughout the square.

"Es ist der Gefangene, dass japanische Junge! Er stieg aus! Einer der Wärter hatte ein Taschenmesser in sein Herz und die Schlüssel zu dem Jungen Zelle aus seiner Tasche genommen erstochen." **("It's the prisoner, that Japanese boy! He got out! One of the guards had a pocket knife stabbed into his heart and the keys to the boy's cell taken from his pocket.")** the man replied, even more scared now that he'd gotten the message out. As he said this, Johann slowly made his way out of the alley.

"Hat niemand in der Lage, ihn inmitten all diese zu finden?" **("Has nobody been able to find him amidst all this?")** Frasier asked as Johann reunited with their group.

"Jeder ist schon zu sehr mit dem infizierten Bruch in Anspruch genommen zu schauen! Aber das ist noch nicht alles, jemand hat in der Waffenkammer gewesen! Vielleicht war es dieser Junge! Eine unserer Pistolen fehlt zusammen mit einer der Kampfmesser und einer der Plastiksprengstoff sowie!" **("Everybody's been too preoccupied with the infected breaking in to look! But that's not all; somebody's been in the armory! Maybe it was that boy! One of our pistols is missing along with one of the combat knives and one of the plastic explosives as well!")** the man went on.

"Perhaps those explosives are what caused the dead to get in here in the first place." Marcus replied as everyone seemed to realize just how serious this had now become. However, none of them looked as distressed as Johann did when he heard all this.

"Oh god..." he whispered to himself, before suddenly breaking into a sprint towards his house, his heart racing a million miles a second, not out of adrenaline, but out of fear for Rei's safety.

**[Back to me]**

Meanwhile, Rei rummaged through Johann's home to find what she was looking for. When she heard the door close she quickly turned around to investigate who was there.

"Johann is that you?" Rei asked as she ran to the next room only to see it was the last person she would've expected.

"T-takashi?! What are you doing here?" Rei gasped as she noticed he had a knife in one hand.

"Aren't you glad to see me Rei? I did this all so I could be alone with you." Takashi said as he began to step closer.

"Takashi you need to go before someone sees you're out of your cell. You have no idea what Frasier and Marcus will do to you if they see you out of custody." Rei warned, feeling fearful as to why Takashi wanted to be alone with her.

"It's ok Rei, no need to worry about me. They will be too busy fighting off the infected. Come back to me Rei, your all that matters to me now." Takashi said with a demented grin on his face.

**[Back to him]**

"Takashi, please...please, just stop this. I love Johann, and..." Rei began, her voice trembling with sadness as she finally saw just how far gone Takashi really was now.

"Stop saying that, goddammit! Stop saying that!" Takashi shouted angrily, pounding his fist into the wall beside him, effectively leaving Rei silent.

"You keep saying you love that guy when you've barely even known him for two months! What about me, huh?! We've known each other all our lives, so where the ** is your love for me?! What about that day in kindergarten?! The day you said you'd marry me!" he continued, his expression constantly shifting between rage and unbearable sadness.

"Takashi...we were just little kids back then...I just thought people could marry even if they were only friends." Rei answered in a heartbroken whisper, tears starting to roll down her cheeks, as she was now finally seeing just how much her words from even back then were affecting him.

"Well dammit, it felt real to me, Rei! Why couldn't you have just said that from the beginning? Why did you have to lead me on like that for so long...?" Takashi asked in a defeated mutter as he hung his head low.

"Takashi...I thought you would have known. We were just kids, too young to really think about things like love." Rei responded, hesitantly beginning to approach him. He looked so pitiful in this state, and all Rei could feel right now was regret for being the source for all his emotional anguish over the years.

"But I really loved you, Rei. Even back then." Takashi replied, clearly choking up with tears as his shoulders began to shake.

"Takashi...Takashi, I'm so sorry." Rei replied, starting to reach her hand out to his shoulder to help comfort him.

Takashi remained completely silent, his head still hanging down low, as if he was trying to stare a hole into the floor.

"Takashi... there is one thing that I can tell you with the utmost certainty, though. Those times when we were together up until high school...those were some of the happiest times of my life. Back then...I really did love you." Rei continued while fresh tears began welling in her eyes as those distant happy memories began to come back.

"What about what you said?" Takashi suddenly asked, the sadness gone from his voice, replaced by a flat, emotionless tone.

"I don't…" Rei began before Takashi slowly raised his head back up, the life completely drained from his eyes.

"That day at Takagi's house. You said to me...that you would always be by my side, no matter what. That you couldn't live without me. Was that all a lie, then?" Takashi asked again, not even a hint of hostility to be found in his voice, which truthfully, unsettled Rei more than anything.

"I wasn't lying to you, Takashi. I meant every word of what I said that day." Rei answered, desperation now evident in her voice, as she could clearly see Takashi was only slipping further away no matter how hard she was trying to get through to him.

In a split second, Takashi suddenly flung his arm outward, and with a deafening clap, his empty hand struck Rei across the face as hard as he could, nearly sending her off her feet, only driving her as far into the corner as she could go, her hand covering her stinging, nearly burning cheek in pain, trying her hardest not to cry.

"Don't lie to me, you bitch! Everything you ever said to me was a lie! If you really meant it, why the fuck did you leave me for that ugly German?! Can you answer me that?! HUH?! CAN YOU?! WHAT THE FUCK MAKES HIM SO SPECIAL, THAT YOU'D LEAVE ME FOR SOMEONE YOU ONLY JUST MET!?" Takashi roared with fury as he towered over her, fire burning his eyes, nothing but pure hatred to be found in his voice.

Rei remained silent for several seconds, before she slowly turned her gaze towards Takashi, her eyes burning not with anger, but with sadness.

"Because...because you're not the Takashi I once knew… not anymore." she responded in barely a whisper.

Takashi could only look down at her, a hint of confusion written on his face as Rei straightened herself up and slowly began to approach him, no fear to be found in her presence.

"I don't know what happened to you, Takashi. Maybe it was that night in Kibou, maybe it was the heatstroke back in America, maybe it was just the constant pressures of leadership mixed with the never-ending fear of death finally getting to you. I don't know what it could've been. The only thing I do know for certain is that you're not the Takashi I loved when we were kids. You're not the same Takashi that was there for me after what happened to Hisashi. You're not the same Takashi I said those words to at Saya's house. You're not the same Takashi that I was friends with for all my life. I hate what's happened to you, and I wish I knew how to change it so you could be the way you used to be. But even I know some things can't be changed. " Rei went on to explain, never once raising her voice out of anger, but rather out of what could only be described as confidence.

**[Back to me]**

"That night in Kibou City? You mean that night of passion where I made you a woman and you made me a man? That night we both can never forget? Because I'm still the same guy as I was there." Takashi finally managed to mutter aloud.

"Takashi, do you even remember what happened there? You don't do you?" Rei finally realized as she looked down shaking her head feeling foolish for not figuring it out sooner.

"Enlighten me Rei! Show me the error of my ways as you always do!" Takashi demanded almost shouting it out for everyone in the clan to hear.

Rei took a deep breath and then looked Takashi straight in the eyes to explain how things really went down between them that night:

**(Months ago)**

"Takaski this is my first time. You don't seem like yourself. Maybe we should wait." suggested Rei.

Takashi closed his eyes for a moment feeling the burning sensation driving him wild.

"Rei it's ok everything will be fine. Trust me on this one." said Takashi as he just looked down into her eyes.

Rei took a deep breath and slowly nodded giving into him. There was no going back now. She slowly crawled underneath him unable to continue any further. However as she walked back she noticed Takashi continued to move his hips forward as if she was there.

"Does he not realize I'm not even there?" Rei thought to herself as she kept her distance.

She just watched as Takashi's throbbing member continued to thrust forward against the bed. Rei could hardly believe the sight before her. Takashi was clearly delusional at this point if he couldn't even tell she was no longer there.

Unable to really do anything without the risk of being raped, Rei just sat in the corner of the room with her chest propped against her chest as she watched Takashi. Making sure he didn't hurt himself in any way, just in case he decided to get up and move about.

Tears trickled down Rei's cheeks as she felt immense guilt for giving Takashi that damned aphrodisiac. It was clear that it was messing with his mind but for how long? That was the real question now.

Takashi eventually wore himself out and just slumped over onto the bed falling into slumber, but Rei just sat there not taking her eyes off of him even for a second. She just sat there until the sun was up.

**(Back to the present)**

"No… I don't believe it. You're just lying and trying to avoid why you love Johann." Takashi replied after hearing the truth about what happened between him and Rei that night, his voice in total denial with every word he spoke unable to truly accept it. He slammed the knife into the wall leaving it in its place.

"If that's not enough of an answer than maybe this is. I love Johann for many reasons: He's funny; he cares about my well being and will actually listen unlike you. Every time I feel distress or pain he is always 100% there for me. We never need to argue over anything because we share the same opinions, and even if we differ on something he is cooperative about it. I trust him and I certainly don't have the burden of needing to make sure he won't betray my heart for another woman. When I look into his eyes I know everything will be alright despite our fucked up little world!" explained Rei still preserving her confidence.

"But I look better than him, compare my body to his!" said Takashi.

"You don't get it do you? I don't care about looks, no girl should. It's all about personality and character. Honestly I couldn't care less if he had abs or big muscular arms. Granted not every woman thinks like that but that's their own personal hang up not mine. I love him Takashi, the sooner you get that the better." said Rei in disgust when Takashi assumed that she only liked Johann for lustful reasons.

Johann suddenly busted into the room. Takashi quickly turned back surprised that Johann wasn't out investigating the explosion he caused earlier.

"Rei is everything ok?!" asked Johann breathing slowly observing everything.

"Get out of here Johann! This is between Rei and I." warned Takashi as he stood between Johann and Rei.

Johann suddenly noticed Rei had a red mark the size of Takashi's hand. He didn't need to think to put the two and two together.

"Rei... YOU!" Johann spoke softly at first then turned a hateful gaze to Takashi.

He slowly shoved Takashi aside and approached Rei to tend to her wound. Takashi gripped his fist and threw a wild sucker punch towards Johann.

**{Megas XLR OST - Harsh Life}**

However Johann had come to expect such cowardly tactics from Takashi. He caught the fist with ease bending it backwards. Takashi could do nothing but try to pull his fist away like a trapped animal.

Johann's eyes filled with a burning hatred, fueled by seeing his beloved Rei in pain. He yanked Takashi's arm forward dislocating it as he threw his knee up into Takashi's stomach.

Johann then raised an elbow only to bring it down upon Takashi's back sending out a crippling pain throughout his spine.

"YOU BASTARD! HOW DARE YOU STRIKE HER!" growled Johann viciously as he pulled Takashi's head up by his hair only to punch his face back.

Takashi stumbled back into the kitchen leaning against a counter top. With no time to recover, he quickly grabbed a kitchen knife and charged Johann with it.

He brought it down towards Johann's face in a stabbing motion only for Johann to firmly grasp his forearm. Without warning Johann twisted Takashi's other arm causing him to drop the knife.

He then lifted his boot kicking Takashi into the wall. Dazed by the pain, Takashi stumbled back and forth only to receive a heavy barrage of hits to the face. Johann mercilessly lashed out at him punching Takashi's face with no remorse.

"She belongs with me! Why the fuck are you getting in the way of our love?!" demanded Takashi unable to put up a proper fight anymore.

"Funny how one day it's Saeko that you lust after, then next week it's Rei. It doesn't matter though because you're not getting either of them you pathetic excrement." replied Johann really striking a nerve in Takashi.

"You ugly douchebag I'll kill you!" shouted Takashi throwing himself into Johann.

Both boys went out the window landing on the shrubs below them.

**{}**

"NO!" shouted Rei as she just witnessed the fall.

She quickly ran down the stairs of the two story house and ran to him outside in the snow.

Takashi looked over to see Rei running towards him. He smiled and knew she was coming to his aid. His hand slowly reached out out of the snow towards her.

"Rei I knew you would make the right choice." groaned Takashi smiling to himself.

However when Rei reached him she didn't stop. Her legs kept moving until she reached Johann's figure lying in the cold snow.

"Rei... No..." whimpered out Takashi as he dropped his hand back in the snow realizing she loved Johann more than him.

Johann! Please be alright, I can't lose you!" sobbed Rei as she cupped her small hands under Johann's head lifting it up to her chest.

Johann's eyes slowly opened to see Rei's beautiful face looking down at him. He lifted he glove up gently rubbing it along her red cheeks.

"Shhh it's ok Rei. I'm still here, I'm not going anywhere so long as you're around in my life." reassured Johann as he sat up winded from his rage.

Takashi slowly pulled himself up, limping towards them in one last struggle.

"Rei! You've betrayed me; I'm supposed to be yours, not him! I love you Rei! Don't let our love die now!" begged Takashi still with a pinch of fight left inside of him.

As he stood over Johann and Rei he suddenly felt two different hands clamp down on his shoulders. He turned his head in time to see both Markle brothers with their arms pulled back, both with a look of pure vengeance.

"Fuck." was all Takashi could mutter before two fists connected to his jaw.

Takashi went flying back into the snow, all he could see were black spots flashing within his vision. He then remembered he had a pistol under his coat this entire time. Before he could even get a single shot off, Marcus and Frasier were already on top of him. Frasier yanked the gun away viciously as Marcus stomped down on Takashi's wrist nearly breaking it on the spot.

Meanwhile the rest of the group caught up to the scene; they all rushed over to aide Johann and Rei while the Markle brothers got some good old fashion payback. Shizuka quickly began to pull the pieces of glass that were on Johann. Luckily his winter clothing managed to absorb the shards when he was tackled out the window.

Saya shielded Brian and Alice from witnessing anything; she felt it was best that they didn't witness anything here.

"Takashi!" Alice cried out as she ran towards the beatdown.

Saeko quickly intercepted by reaching out pulling Alice into her. Alice squirmed and struggled unsure why they were hurting Takashi.

"Let me go! Family shouldn't hurt family!" Alice protested no longer wishing Takashi to be hurt any more then he needed to be.

"Alice stop… that's not Takashi… not anymore at least. We didn't want to tell you this but he's the one who tried to kill Marcus and Frasier." Saeko explained no longer able to hide Alice from the truth.

"He's also the one who let Them in." Rei confirmed as she helped Johann up to his feet.

After hearing such thing, Frasier's face became so red with rage it looked like his face was about to tear in half from the strain. He quickly picked up the pistol from the snow and dragged Takashi up onto his knees.

"**FACE THE FUCKING WALL AND PUT YOUR HANDS AGAINST IT KOMORO!"** Frasier roared out in hatred as he forced Takashi to position himself for an execution.

"Go ahead, do it Frasier. Shoot me in front of the kids; show them it's ok to kill an unarmed man." Takashi whispered to Frasier as if he wanted them to see him do it.

Frasier then quickly glanced back to his group. Saeko looked at him with unsure eyes as she kept her hands over Alice's eyes. Tears could be seen running down the little girls' face. Shizuka and Brian looked as if they were afraid to see what Frasier was becoming when driven by blind rage. Khota and Saya looked away knowing it would be painful to watch the most likely of outcomes. Marcus had a look that made it clear he wanted Frasier to end this here and now. Rika however had the most peculiar response to Frasier's sudden burst of anger; she was a soldier and was able to coupe under stressful situations like this.

"Well? I'm waiting." Takashi muttered trying to provoke Frasier.

Frasier took a deep breath before he lowered the pistol down. He slid the ammo clip out then popped the round out of the chamber. Takashi grinned and chuckled to himself.

"Pathetic." Takashi mumbled to himself.

Frasier let out a low growl as his hand gripped the handle to the pistol. He raised his hand only to bring it down against Takashi's neck causing him to fall to his knees. Frasier then pulled Takashi's hair back and made the coward stare into his eyes. He then spat in Takashi's face before shoving him aside like a rag doll. Frasier walked off towards Alice, showing the rest of the group that Takashi was unworthy of being killed by his hand.

"I know you are." Frasier replied as he continued to walk away being the bigger man between the two.

"Ugh… you asshole!" Takashi growled as he wiped the spit off of his face.

He then grabbed a large shard of glass lying in the snow from earlier. Takashi gripped it tight until blood seeped from his palm.

In one last effort Takashi stood up and made a mad dash for Frasier who had his back turned on him this entire time.

"Takashi?" Alice whispered to herself as she realized Takashi had truly changed for the worst.

"Frasier look out!" Johann shouted as he pushed his leader out of the way.

As the piece of glass came towards him, Johann instinctively twisted Takashi's arm around. Without stopping, Takashi ran directly into the shard of glass piercing his heart with it. His eyes shot wide open as he coughed blood up onto his chest.

"Oh god what have I done?" Johann asked aloud as Takashi slumped onto his knees then toppled back onto his back with the glass shard sticking out.

The rest of the group was mortified by the event, it all happened so fast. Everyone from the original group looked down at Takashi in his final moment. It was a shock to see someone they've been surviving with since day one of the outbreak, was finally dying.

"Rei?" Takashi softly muttered out as his blood made red imprints on the snow underneath and around him.

"Yes Takashi?" Rei asked as she felt tears sliding down cheeks, to see a best friend dying before her.

"Remember that promise made so long ago? Heh, pinky promise." Takashi chuckled deeply as he used all his remiaing strength to lift his little finger up.

"I guess so didn't I?" Rei responded as she kneeled down wrapping her pinky around his out of pitty.

"I'm sorry for what I've done, to all of you. Things spiraled out of control so fast, I couldn't take it anymore." Takashi explained in a more sincere tone.

"Ssshhh. Save your strength, its time you let us handle things Takashi. Your leadership in the past has made us stronger individually." Rei whispered as she ran her hand down his bloody cheek.

"Johann… Frasier… promise me you two will protect them. See to it that they make it to England." Takashi requested.

Frasier just stared at Takashi, feeling deep down that he deserved a far more gruesome death than this. Johann however was still in shellshock from accidently setting Takashi on a path to his grave. But he managed to eventually nod in response. Takashi then turned his gaze over towards Brian and Alice.

"You two be good for Saya ok?" Takashi instructed as he felt his life on the edge between life and death.

"We'll be good for all of them." Alice softly responded as she placed a small flower on Takashi's chest just as he did when her father was slain on that porch that fateful day.

Takashi's eyes then slowly closed, never to open again. Everyone in the circle remained silent out of respect for the boy that kept them together for so long. Frasier and Marcus however could not be happier that Takashi got what he had coming to him for so long now.

**[Back to him]**

That night, none of the Hamburg Clan slept.

Every able-bodied man was put to work either repairing the hole in the city wall, or being forced to destroy the brains of their casualties. It was no easy task, being forced to have to practically desecrate the bodies of their fathers, brothers, sons and daughters and spouses, but it was all for the safety of the homestead.

Frasier, Marcus and Khota had stepped forward to help repair the wall, while Saeko, Rika, and Rei had decided to help with the cleanup and disposal of potential infected. Shizuka had decided to stay in the medical center to make sure Kurt was always in stable condition, and Saya had decided it would be best for her to stay with Brian and Alice. God only knew what could've been going through those poor children's heads after witnessing what had happened to Takashi.

As for Johann, he did only what he thought was right. He dug. All hours of the night, he dug, and when there was no more need to dig, he took two planks of wood, carving into them. By the time he had done all he felt he had needed to do, the sun had already begun to rise over the Hamburg skyline.

"Achtung an alle Bürgerinnen und Bürger der Hamburg Gehöft. Entnehmen Sie bitte dem Stadtplatz." **(Attention all citizens of the Hamburg homestead. Please gather to the city square.)** Toreston's voice announced over the loudspeaker system that had been wired through the entire homestead.

Everyone did as they were told and began to flock to the city square that stood perfectly center of their walled off part of the city. Toreston stood upon a makeshift podium with a microphone in his hand as he watched all the people gather shoulder-to-shoulder to hear what he had to say.

Frasier, Marcus, and the entirety of their group soon gathered into the crowd as well. Rei soon noticed Johann was nowhere to be found, but he arrived within seconds. She noticed the weary, beyond-exhausted look in his eyes, which were still red from all the crying he had done only mere hours ago.

So much had happened in just that one night, but nevertheless, to see him so broken down like this broke her heart.

Once everyone had gathered, Toreston took a deep breath as he prepared to make his big announcement.

"Jeder, ich weiß, diese Nacht war eine sehr anstrengende ein für uns alle, aber ich fürchte, ich habe eine Ankündigung zu machen. Mein Onkel, unser Führer, Kurt Weissberg, wird derzeit in der medizinischen Zentrum gelegt. Natürlich ist er nicht in der Art der Bedingung zu helfen, sich alles organisiert, so dass von diesem Moment, ich nehme die Position des Clan-Leader, bis er in fit Bedingung ist einmal mehr regieren.." **(Everyone, I know this night has been a very exhausting one for all of us, but I'm afraid I have an announcement to make. My uncle, our leader, Kurt Weissberg, is currently laid out in the medical center. Clearly, he is in no kind of condition to help get everything organized, so as of this moment, I'm taking up the position of clan leader until he is in fit condition to rule once more.)** Toreston announced, his voice indicating no excitement, but rather exhaustion.

Nobody in the crowd made any kind of response to indicate a reaction to his abrupt promotion to leader, but he didn't need it. All he needed to do now was make the first order of business to finally bring all this tragedy to an end.

"Wir haben es geschafft, die Schäden an der Wand zu reparieren, daher Löschen jede künftige Bedrohung der Toten immer in unserem Haus. Allerdings haben wir einen letzten Auftrag des Geschäfts zu erledigen." **(We have managed to repair the damage to the wall, therefore erasing any future threat of the dead getting into our home. However, we have one last order of business to attend to.)** Toreston continued, and everyone in the crowd felt a cold in the pits of their stomachs, as it could only be one possible thing Toreston was getting at.

"Wir müssen mit der Beseitigung der Leichen beginnen. Es ist mein Verständnis, dass unsere Wachen haben mehrere brennende Haufen durch das Gehöft gebaut, um der Körper des infizierten entsorgen. Gleichzeitig müssen wir auch damit beginnen das Vergraben diejenigen von uns, deren Leben auf tragische Weise verlor letzte Nacht." **(We need to commence with the disposal of the bodies. It is my understanding that our guards have constructed multiple burning piles through the homestead to dispose of the bodies of the infected. At the same time, we must also begin the burying of those of us whose lives were tragically lost last night.)** Toreston finally finished, and the despair felt by everyone in that crowd could've turned the air ice cold if it hadn't been already.

"Ja, wir müssen begraben unsere Freunde und Familien. Aber was ist mit dem japanischen Jungen? Er war das einzige Opfer, das nicht von uns." **(Yes, we must bury our friends and families. But what of the Japanese boy? He was the only casualty that wasn't one of us.)** a middle-aged man suddenly asked from within the crowd, and soon, murmurs of agreement could be heard amidst the crowd.

Everyone in Frasier's group could feel chills run up their spine at the mention of what was to be done with Takashi's body, made only that much worse when they saw Toreston bow his head for a second before returning his gaze to his people.

"Ich fürchte, es ist etwas, das muss ich euch alle in Bezug auf ihm zu sagen. Letzte Nacht, einer unserer Wachen hatte mir mit einer schockierenden Entdeckung zu rügen. In der Mitte des infizierten eindringenden unsere Heimat, jemand in unserem Arsenal gebrochen. Wer auch immer es war, hatte einer unserer Geschütze, eine Reihe von Plastiksprengstoff, und einige unserer Munition genommen. Vor wenigen Stunden wurde mir mitgeteilt, dass diese japanische Junge ... hatte die gestohlenen Gegenstände auf seine Person. Die Plastiksprengstoff waren nirgends zu sehen, aber auf Grund der umfangreichen Schäden an der Wand, ist es sehr klar, was daraus geworden ist." **(I'm afraid there is something that I must tell you all in regards to him. Last night, one of our guards had come to me with a shocking discovery. In the midst of the infected invading our home, someone had broken into our armory. Whoever it was had taken one of our guns, a set of plastic explosives, and some of our ammunition. A few hours ago, I was informed that this Japanese boy...had the stolen items on his person. The plastic explosives were nowhere to be seen, but due to the extensive damage to the wall, it is very clear what had become of it.)** Toreston announced grimly, and with that, the entire crowd had gone even more deathly silent.

"Du meinst ... der Junge ist verantwortlich für all das?" **(You mean…that boy is responsible for all this?)** a young woman asked in just barely a whisper, yet it rang out amongst the crowd as clear as day.

Toreston could only nod his head in silence.

"VERBRENNT IHN!" **(BURN HIM!)** another man suddenly shouted from amidst the crowd, and soon, more and more voices began to voice similar thoughts as well.

"Verbrennt ihn! Verbrennt ihn mit dem Rest der Dreck! Das Stück Scheiße meinen Sohn getötet! Senden Sie seine Leiche auf, wo er hingehört Hölle!" **(Burn him! Burn him with the rest of the filth! That piece of shit killed my son! Send his corpse to hell to where he belongs!)** Were among many of the voices of fury rising from the now being shouted from the crowd. Everyone in Frasier's group could practically feel the desire for blood this crowd was now expressing.

"NEIN!" **(NO!)** a single voice suddenly shouted from the back of the crowd, effectively bringing the entire crowd to silence. Every single head turned to see the single protest had come from Johann himself.

"Wir sollten nicht verbrennt ihn. Er verdient ein angemessenes Begräbnis wie jeder andere." **(We shouldn't burn him. He deserves a proper burial like everyone else.)** he continued quietly as everyone's eyes, burning with nothing but hatred, drilled right into him and him alone.

"Die Hölle tut er! That Fucking Punk ist der Grund warum wir verloren so viele haben an diesem Tag! Brennende seinen fauligen Kadaver ist die einzige Gerechtigkeit verließen wir können!" **(The hell he does! That fucking punk is the reason we've lost so many this day! Burning his putrid carcass is the only justice left we can have!)** an older man shouted angrily, rousing multiple angry cheers from the crowd.

"Aber es war nicht seine Schuld. Er tat es nicht all diese Dinge absichtlich. Die Welt war gerade machte ihn verrückt, dachte er nicht." **(But it wasn't his fault. He didn't do all these things intentionally. The world had just made him crazy, he wasn't thinking.)** Johann argued, clearly the only person who felt this way in the entire crowd.

"Du bist derjenige, der verrückt ist, wenn man werden wir tatsächlich glauben, dass denken!" **(You're the one who's crazy if you think we're going to actually believe that!)** An older woman shouted back, earning several hateful murmurs of agreement from the crowd.

"Bitte, nur auf mich hören. Was er tat, war schrecklich, ich behaupte nicht dagegen, aber ..."**(Please, just listen to me. What he did was terrible, I'm not arguing against that, but...) **Johann began before a single rock suddenly came flying through the air, hitting his face hard, leaving an already bleeding bruise above his right eyebrow.

Everyone in the crowd turned to look where it had come from, and there, amidst the crowd with her arm extended from having just thrown something, was Bernd and Eber's mother, breathing heavily, with nothing but hatred written on her face.

"Du ... du verlor jedes Recht, uns etwas zu sagen, wenn Sie meine Söhne getötet! Sie haben kein Recht, uns zu sagen, was zu tun ist, wenn Sie nicht einmal bringen könnte meinen beiden Jungs heil nach Hause!" **(You...you lost every right to say anything to us when you killed my sons! You have no right to tell us what to do, when you couldn't even bring my two boys home safely!)** she screamed furiously as she picked up another handful of rocks and began to throw them at him, one after another.

Johann raised his arms over his head, blocking the rocks being thrown at him, until more people in the crowd began to throw rocks of their own, each one hitting him harder than the last. It almost felt like the bombardment would never end until Frasier, Marcus, Saeko and Rei suddenly stood between the angry crowd and Johann, blocking, catching, and deflecting every rock that was thrown their way.

"Jeder, das reicht jetzt! Genug!" **(Everyone, that's enough now! Enough!)** Toreston shouted into his microphone, his word echoing through the square, causing the crowd to stop their assault begrudgingly.

"What the hell is wrong with you people? Johann has done so much for all of you, and yet you keep treating him like everything is his fault! He hasn't done anything to any of you to deserve this!' Rei shouted angrily in Japanese, her anger causing her to not even bother attempting German.

Of course, her words fell on completely deaf ears as one of the older men began to approach her.

"Fahren, dass verdammte Fotze Mund!" **(Shut that fucking cunt's mouth!)** one of the men in the crowd shouted as the older man balled his hand into a fist, ready to shut her up for all of them.

Before he could beat her down, Frasier suddenly had his hand around his throat, squeezing as hard as he could without killing him outright.

"Sie legen einen Finger auf sie, dann sei es durch Johann Hand oder meins, es wird das letzte, was Sie jemals tun werden." **(You lay a finger on her, then whether it's by Johann's hand or mine, it'll be the last thing you ever do.)** Frasier growled threateningly, almost lifting him off the ground.

"Frasier, lass ihn jetzt gehen!" **(Frasier, let him go now!)** Johann suddenly said whilst Rei and Saeko were seeing to the cut on his forehead and the multiple bruises on his arms.

Frasier reluctantly shoved the man back to the crowd, and now all their hateful eyes were upon the entire group itself.

"Weißt du nicht die Menschen es bekommen? Wir reißen sich gegenseitig auseinander hier! Wir müssen lernen zu kooperieren, wenn wir das überleben wollen." **(Don't you people get it? We're tearing each other apart here! We need to learn how to cooperate if we want to survive this.)** Johann continued as he wiped the blood from his face.

"Wo zum Teufel haben Sie und sagen Sie uns, wie wir handeln sollten? Es ist deine Schuld all dies in erster Linie passiert!" **(Where the fuck do you get off telling us how we should act? It's your fault this all happened in the first place!)** A woman in the crowd shouted angrily, rousing the crowd into another furious cheer of agreement.

"Ja! Alles war prima, bis alle diese Leute kamen! Wenn Sie noch kein erlaubte ihnen, hier in erster Linie, wäre alles nicht Scheiße gegangen, wie es jetzt ist!" **(Yes! Everything was just fine until all these people showed up! If you hadn't allowed them to stay here in the first place, everything wouldn't have gone to shit like it has now!)** Another man said in agreement, drawing more cheers from the crowd.

"Das ist alles deine Schuld! Es ist alles deine verdammte Schuld! Wir sollten brennen Sie zusammen mit diesem verdammten Kind!" **(This is all your fault! It's all your fucking fault! We should burn you along with that fucking kid!)** The people all began to unanimously shout in agreement, some even pushing their way through the crowd to grab Johann.

"Männer, beschränken diese Leute jetzt!" **(Men, restrain those people now)** Toreston ordered through his microphone so he could be heard over the collective shouts of the people, and within seconds, several guards had managed to make their way into the crowd, and had the proceeding men pinned to the floor while the rest of the crowd was being shoved back.

"Jeder, ich bin nur noch zu fragen, Sie alle noch einmal, um Ihren Mund und bleiben, wo du bist, oder so wahr mir Gott helfe, ich werde jeden einzelnen von euch in den Haft-Zellen geworfen haben, bis Sie alles lernen, zu handeln zivilisiert!" **(Everyone, I'm only going to ask you all one more time to shut your mouths and stay where you are, or so help me God, I will have each and every one of you thrown in the detainment cells until you all learn to act civilized!)** Toreston shouted angrily, echoing through the entire square and thankfully rendering the whole crowd silent and pacified, at least for now.

After several silent seconds had passed in order for the crowd to calm down considerably, Toreston decided it was best to continue.

"Johann ist richtig. Wir sollten nicht zu verbrennen die Körper der Lebenden. Es ist eines der wenigen Dinge verlassen, die uns trennt von gesetzlosen Banditen und infiziert. Wir begraben unsere Toten. Und das gilt für alle innerhalb unserer Wände, auch die Jungen. Wir begraben sie, verstehst du? WIR NICHT brennen Sie sie!" **(Johann is right. We shouldn't burn the bodies of the living. It's one of the few things left that separates us from lawless bandits and infected. We bury our dead. And that goes for everyone within our walls, even that boy. We bury them, understand? WE DON'T BURN THEM!)** Toreston continued, his voice rising with anger, and most of all, passion and dedication, to bringing these people, his people, back from the brink, and the first step to that, was to bring them all back to their senses, back from this animalistic hate that was burning in all of them.

For a good several minutes, nobody reacted, and all was silent. Then, one man spoke amidst the crowd.

"Johann begräbt sie." **(Johann buries them.)** He stated flatly, his tone expressing the utmost seriousness in what he was saying. Several people in the crowd began to murmur in agreement.

"Ja. Dies alles geschah, weil er die Menschen um in unseren Mauern zu bleiben erlaubt. Das ist seine Verantwortung, sollte er derjenige, der dafür zu zahlen sein!" **(Yes. This all happened because he allowed those people to stay within our walls. This is his responsibility, he should be the one to pay for it!)** another old woman shouted from within their numbers, and once more, like clockwork, they all vocalized their agreement.

Frasier, Marcus and Johann could understand perfectly what those people were saying, but everyone else was completely clueless. Rei, however, could tell it was bad when she saw Johann's face literally go white as a sheet at what these people were demanding he do himself.

"Johann, my love, what's wrong?" she asked worriedly as she held his face in her hands, trying to get him to speak to her. Alas, he remained completely silent, his eyes glued to the ground, beads of cold sweat running down his face.

"They're making him do it himself. They're making him the undertaker, and burying all the lost clan members himself." Frasier answered for her, his expression grim as he now knew the cold reality of this situation they were now in.

Rei's expression was of absolute shock, as would be expected. Out of all the horrible ways these people had treated him so far, this was no doubt the worst yet, to make him have to do something so horrible.

"They can't make him do that, this wasn't his fault!" Rei protested as she went up to Frasier, desperate for him to think of some kind of solution that didn't involve Johann having to take on more emotional baggage than he already had.

"There's no alternative. If this is the next best way these people think justice can rightfully be served without burning him alive at the stake, then it's not ours to argue." Marcus responded as he bowed his head down, trying to fight back the anger and resentment he was feeling, having to see not only their friend, but their entire group become ostracized like this.

Rei was at a complete loss for words, unable to come up with some kind of protest or anything to make her voice heard.

"They're right, Rei." Johann suddenly said himself, drawing the whole group's attention towards him as he turned his nearly lifeless eyes towards the dark, cloud-filled sky, just as a single thunderclap rumbled through the air, signifying a storm.

"This is all my fault. Kurt said it himself from day one when you all came here: I was responsible for all your actions within these walls. Therefore, Takashi was my responsibility, and now this all happened because of me. I have to pay the price these people feel is right, now." Johann continued, his voice distant and broken as heavy raindrops began to fall from the sky.

Without another word, Johann turned his back to the group, his eyes staring distantly ahead at nothing, and he began to walk back to his home, where the first one to be buried was still waiting for him.

Rei immediately began to go after him, trying to call out to him, but just as quickly stopped in her tracks, unable to think of just what to say to bring him back to his senses, back to her. At a complete loss for words and overcome with sadness at seeing the man she loved in such a miserable state, all Rei could bring herself to do was to fall to her knees, burying her face in her hands, tears flowing freely as she couldn't think of what to do to bring him back. As she sat there in the pouring rain, Saeko silently approached her and knelt down to her level and wordlessly wrapped her arms around her sister-in-arms, trying the best she could to comfort her in this dark hour.

Toreston watched the entire scene silently from his podium, unable to say anything as he basically witnessed one person get turned into a social pariah in a matter of minutes. Eager to bring this mess to an end, he brought the microphone back up to close the whole gathering.

"Jeder, beginnen Sammeln der Organe der infizierten und stellt sie auf den brennenden Haufen. Die Wachen sammeln, was Materialien, die wir um die Pfähle aus dem regen zu schützen, damit wir können sie verbrannt so schnell wie möglich benötigen. Diese Sitzung ist vertagt." **(Everyone, begin collecting the bodies of the infected and setting them on the burning piles. The guards will gather whatever materials we need to protect the piles from the rain so we can get them burned as soon as possible. This meeting is adjourned.)**

The whole crowd soon began to disperse, the anger that permeated the air around them quickly fading, giving way to the relentless chill being brought on by the chilling rain.

Frasier's whole group stood in the middle of the square by themselves, the downpour beating down hard upon all of them. So quickly had everything fallen apart. Things seemed like they were actually working out, then in the course of a single night, they had gone from being welcomed members of a community, to despised outcasts.

Saeko helped Rei get back onto her feet as she tried to wipe the tears from her eyes. None of the group knew what to do. Because of them, their best friend in the entire city had become the most hated out of all of them, and now there was nothing they could do to take it back, to make all those people forgive him. They knew that deep down; they had deprived him of a real place to call home.

As the group gathered together, Toreston made his way over to him, pulling his baseball cap low over his eyes to keep the rain out of his face.  
>"Hören Sie, ich weiß, das war wirklich hart an uns alle, und du bist da keine Ausnahme. Aber es gibt etwas, Ich mag, um alles in Ordnung jetzt vor hatte." <strong>(Listen, I know this has been really hard on all of us, and you're all no exception. But there's something I'd like to suggest to you all right now.)<strong> Toreston spoke to them solemnly.

"Sprechen." **(Speak.)** Frasier responded humorlessly as he saw just how downtrodden the whole group had become.

"Sehr gut. Diese Leute haben kein Recht zu behandeln Johann, wie sie tat, aber zur gleichen Zeit, ich weiß, dass sie alle trauern, und dies ist zweifellos das Ergebnis von viel Stress und Angst im Laufe der Zeit aufgebaut. Wenn die Leute das tun, neigen sie dazu, ein einzelnes Ziel, all diese negativen Gefühle projizieren Richtung zu finden, und zwar nicht die ganze Zeit, manchmal werden sogar heftig reagieren." **(Very well. Those people have no right to treat Johann the way they did, but at the same time, I know that they're all grieving, and this is no doubt the result of a lot of stress and fear built up over time. When people do that, they tend to find a single target to project all those negative feelings towards, and while not all the time, sometimes they'll even react violently.)** Toreston began, slowly drawing the attention of everyone in the group.

"Warum erzählst du uns das alles?" **(Why are you telling us all this?)** Marcus asked.

"Denn während Johann und ich kann nicht auf eine Menge von Dingen zustimmen, Ich halte ihn so etwas wie ein Freund, und ich würde es nicht an einigen dieser Leute wollen ihn jagen. Sie konnten nicht glauben, es ist fair, dass er noch am Leben, während ihre Lieben nicht." **(Because while Johann and I may not agree on a lot of things, I still consider him something of a friend, and I wouldn't put it past some of these people to want to hunt him down. They might not think it's fair that he's still alive while their loved ones aren't.)** Toreston responded, clearly meaning every word he said. The whole group could feel the hard reality of those words, and knew that it could not only prove dangerous for Johann, but for themselves as well.

"Das ist, warum ich vorschlagen, dass Sie alle nehmen Johann mit Ihnen, und lassen Sie das Gehöft, während Sie können noch wollen. Heute, gerade jetzt, wenn Sie könnten, aber es ist nicht genau das einfach richtig." **(That's why I wanted to propose that you all take Johann with you, and leave the homestead while you still can. Today, right now if you could, but it isn't exactly that easy right now.)** Toreston continued, clearly showing some regret that this was without a doubt the best option.

The group all remained silent for a few moments, Frasier pondering if this really was for the best whilst Marcus explained just what was going on for the others.

Frasier took a deep breath as he finally realized that Toreston was right to take this course of action.  
>"Sie haben Recht. Wir haben genug Schaden hier ist es getan, es wäre wirklich am besten für den Menschen, wenn wir zu verlassen. Wir finden Johann, sammeln unsere Lieferungen und dann auf unserem Weg." <strong>(You're right. We've done enough damage here as it is, it really would be best for those people if we were to leave. We'll find Johann, gather our supplies and then be on our way.)<strong> Frasier soon responded, clearly having made up his mind, no matter how difficult a choice it really was to make.

"Ich bin nicht gehen zu lassen, euch ohne irgendein Mittel sicher zu bleiben gehen. Ich werde einige der Wachen sprechen, ihnen sagen zu lassen, nehmen Sie ein oder zwei unserer Fahrzeuge für euch, wir haben viel mehr wie es ist." **(I'm not going to let you guys go without some means to stay safe. I'll speak to some of the guards, tell them to let you take one or two of our vehicles for yourselves, we've got plenty more as is.)** Toreston went on, a small, friendly smile forming on his face, showing that his intentions really were as kind as he was saying they were. 

Frasier could only smile and nod his head before taking Toreston's hand in his own, shaking his hand for the first time since they'd actually come to this city.

"Ich wirklich zu schätzen." **(I really appreciate that.)** Frasier answered gratefully. This act of generosity really seemed to put Toreston in a very different light than when they had first met. Frasier felt that perhaps it was some kind of a sign, that he had the makings of a good leader in him.  
>Once Marcus had explained to the rest of the group what was going to happen, everyone seemed to agree that it was for the best. Having come to an agreement, Frasier began to march to where Johann had gone, the rest of the group following close behind him.<p>

"Wenn Sie fertig sind Gespräche mit Johann, sagen Sie ihm zu kommen finden Sie mich, bevor Sie verlassen alle. Es gibt etwas, was ich möchte ihm sagen." **(When you're done talking to Johann, tell him to come find me before you all leave. There's something I want to tell him.)** Toreston called out to them as they left further into the city. Frasier raised his hand over his head to indicate that he'd heard what he said.

**{Henry V Soundtrack – Non Nobis Domine}**

Johann stood there by himself in the front yard of his home. There at his feet, laid Takashi's body. All the color had completely disappeared from his skin, leaving him as pale as a sheet. His clothes were still almost completely red from the blood, but now that the blood had been wiped from his face, if one didn't know any better, he would've looked like he was simply sleeping.

Johann swallowed the newest set of tears creeping behind his eyes as he slowly bent down and hoisted his body over his shoulder. The homestead cemetery wasn't too far from here, and somehow in this moment, Takashi felt about as light as a feather.

Johann began to make his way forward, shifting his weight every now and then so he could be as balanced as possible while carrying such deadweight on his shoulders. Along the entire way, several of the people of the homestead were moving about with whatever kind of business they could've had, whether it was setting fire to a pile of corpses, or setting up tarps over said fires so that they could burn in the first place.

It wasn't too long after Johann had made his way from his home with Takashi, that Frasier and the rest of the group had arrived. It didn't take long for them to notice him, but as they followed after him, they also couldn't help but bring themselves to look at all the bodies of the Clan's people that were laid out along the sidewalks and streets. It wasn't right that the burial of all these people was to be on Johann alone, they all knew that. Frasier soon noticed an abandoned wheelbarrow nearby, and without a word, grabbed it and began to hoist the first body he could find into it. Soon, the rest of the group, one by one, began to do the same, looking for some way to carry the bodies themselves to the graveyard as well.

As Johann continued to walk, the pouring rain never relenting for even a second, he soon heard a commotion from nearby. A young woman was weeping at the entrance to her home, and before her lay three dead bodies wrapped under sheets, red stains pooled right where all their heads were supposed to be. One of the bodies was as big as she was, while the other two were as big as Alice and Brian. Someone's entire family, lost in a single night. Johann turned his gaze away and continued staring straight ahead, lest she notice him and spew even more hateful words on him than everyone else already had. 

It seemed like the further he went, the more and more people would come to grieve over the bodies of their loved ones. One could've easily felt it was a way for the powers that be to mock him for all the things he'd done wrong by these people, that it was somehow fitting that he see the heartache and emotional devastation that his actions had brought upon this place he once called home.

As he walked, he never even noticed the sound of a rusty wheelbarrow approaching him from behind as Frasier was carrying a load of bodies of his own, at one point never taking his eyes off of his German friend, and then at another never taking his eyes off the path ahead. Frasier was soon accompanied by Marcus and Khota who were both carrying a stretcher loaded with more bodies.

Soon, they themselves were joined by Saya and Shizuka pushing a stretcher of their own whilst Alice and Brian followed them close. At first the kids wanted to help too, but Saya refused to let them touch something as filthy as a dead body, for good reason.

Alongside them, Rika was pushing a stretcher of her own by herself, the combined weight of three or four human bodies actually bringing the soldier to break a sweat for the first time in years.

At the back of the entire group, Saeko and Rei were working together to bring the last stretcher of bodies up the road with them. To an outsider, the whole lot of them almost resembled a kind of funeral march, or a troupe of pallbearers and undertakers.

After proceeding on like this for several more minutes, a shout suddenly rang through the air, drawing everyone but Johann's attention. Two older women suddenly came charging out the doorway of another building with knives in their hands, charging straight at Johann. Before Frasier, Marcus and Rei could even take the first step forward to stop them, a couple of the city guards suddenly came running from almost out of nowhere and managed to grab hold of the women, restraining them.

Johann acted like he hadn't even noticed any of what just happened, and just kept on walking unperturbed. The guards kept restraining the old women until they eventually fell to their knees, their cries of anger reduced to mournful sobbing.

Frasier and the rest of the group then got back to their previous business and proceeded to follow after Johann, the toil of carrying such heavy loads wearing on some of them, but they never stopped once.

Within minutes, Johann had finally arrived at the entrance to the homestead graveyard. There were only a very few spread out headstones throughout the field at first, but after the previous night, Johann had seen to it himself to dig a hole for each one lost, turning the once peaceful green land into a field of holes with nameless wooden crosses at the head of each one.

Johann wasted no time, especially since the weight of Takashi's body was now beginning to actually become noticeable. Johann began the final stretch towards the front-most grave he dug. The clan wasn't able to afford wasting construction materials like wood on something like coffins, so he wasn't able to give Takashi that luxury.

Looking down into the six foot hole, Johann took a deep breath before he used the last burst of strength he had to lift Takashi's body off his shoulder and down into the ground. Once it had landed on its back, Johann just couldn't help but look down at him one last time. To look down upon the first person he never had any intention of killing.

Not wanting to waste a single second, Johann grabbed the handle of the shovel that stuck out of the mound of dirt, and began to shovel it all back in. It felt like it took forever, but with the adrenaline he was really burning through in the eyes of everyone else, he managed to completely fill the grave within a half hour. He never even noticed the rest of the group watching him from the entrance to the graveyard. They didn't want to interrupt whatever could've possibly been going through his head at that moment, feeling perhaps it was best he gets through whatever he's dealing with himself, and if bad comes to worse, than they would let themselves be known to him.

Johann tossed the shovel aside and soon grabbed the wooden cross he had carved for this particular grave. It was the only one that had any writing on it. Johann quickly stabbed the headstone into the ground, and upon making sure it was secure, he took a step back to gaze upon it.

On the front of Takashi's headstone was carved the words: "Here sleeps a soul that was lost, not to the hands of man, but to the world around him."

Johann remained completely silent for several minutes, the rest of the group still watching him, all of them concerned, Rei most of all.

Johann then took a deep breath, and began to speak the last words he wanted to say before letting Takashi rest forever. Frasier and the rest of the group could hear every word.

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry that this happened to you. I'm sorry that all of this happened to you. I may not have known you that well, but I'm sure...no, I'm certain that you didn't deserve it. None of us deserve to live like this, like we do now. But there's nothing that can be done about that, just like there's nothing that can be done about this. So...the best thing I can say right now is that I'm sorry. And wherever you may be, I hope you'll be able to forgive me. I hope the rest of the group will be able to forgive me. I can only imagine how much you must have meant to all of them when all this first started, and I'm sure some of them must hate me for what I did to you, regardless if it was an accident or not. I don't blame you for what you tried to do to me. I'm sure you weren't all together. This world doesn't leave anyone untouched, and I'm sure that must've been how the world had touched you. so just know, I don't blame you, and I forgive you. And while I may not blame you if you refuse to forgive me, I can only hope the rest of the group can." Johann said, his voice starting off deathly silent before slowly rising in volume, his voice getting shakier and more emotional as he finally let the new tears that were constantly at the back of his eyes come out.

**{}**

Johann then turned around to see Rei approaching him while the men of his new group hauled the extra corpses into the pre-dug graves. He got up and wanted to stop them, it was his punishment after all. But Rei placed a hand on his chest and looked up at his dirt covered face.

"Stop." was all Rei needed to say.

"But Rei this is my punishment, my redemption. I can't let them do it for me… it would only make the clan think I was weaker and unable to commit to my task." Johann protested, hoping she would understand where he was coming from.

"Johann you've been fighting all day and digging all night up until now. If you continue any further then you're going to die from exhaustion, and I can't let that happen." Rei explained as she wrapped her arms around him, letting a few tears trickle down her cheeks unable to hold them back.

Johann remained silent; he then slowly wrapped his arms around Rei comforting her pain. Rei buried her face into his chest still unable to get rid of the image of Takashi before he died. Alice then walked over looking up at both of them; she tugged at their sides trying to get their attention.

Johann and Rei both looked down to see Alice was holding up a flower she had picked from the ground. They couldn't help but smile at her innocence. Johann slowly knelt down and picked Alice up letting her rest on his sore shoulders.

Meanwhile, the rest of the men of their group just finished placing the last of the corpses into their respective graves. Marcus lifted his head up and opened his mouth letting the refreshing rain water quench his sudden thirst. He then looked over to see Frasier was slowly using the tribal dagger to carve into a rather large stone he found at the burial site.

On the stone it read "Noah Markle: 1998-2012, may his innocence and kind hearted nature be remembered by those he loved most."

Marcus then walked over and placed his hand on Frasier's shoulder gently patting it. He fought as hard as he could but he could no longer hold his tears back, he missed his little brother and wished deep down it could have been him that perished on that god forsaken ship. Frasier then looked down to Marcus and smiled softly.

"Let's honor his sacrifice and see to it that his dog tags are placed on the family wall of honor when we return home." Frasier said before walking over to Johann.

"You didn't have to do that, none of you did." Joahnn explained as he looked to see his entire group was now standing before him.

"True… but you're one of us now and we stick together no matter what. This may be your home nation, but we're your family now Joahnn." Khota explained.

"Yeah we couldn't just let you die of exhaust, you just joined after all!" Marcus chimed in trying to put a positive spin on things.

"No one gets left behind!" Brian exclaimed.

"All of us have lost someone close, someone that we wish we could have taken the place of." Rika said as she leaned against a tree smiling.

Johann then realized something; it didn't matter where his home was. Any patch of dirt could be considered home, but the people who you live with are what truly matters. He then just smiled and nodded in silence unsure what to say now.

"We should get going; this place is becoming more and more dangerous by the second." Frasier announce to his group as he turned to see the local people glaring over at their group speaking amongst themselves.

Without any reason to disagree the group began to move back towards the house they were granted. However people were already around the house as they set fire to it. Frasier held his hand up motioning everyone to stay out of sight.

"What are they doing to our home?" Alice asked unsure why those angry people were destroying the house she slowly became accommodated too.

"Because they're stupid savages who can't coup with their own problems, and are taking it out on us." Saya grumbled as she pulled Alice and Brian behind her for protection.

"Everyone remain out of sight, we're just going to leave with what we have on our backs." Frasier ordered no longer even considering bringing Johann in to talk to Toreston or even accept the generous offer he made earlier.

"Wait where's Zeke?! He was inside the house last time I checked." Shizuka said with a faint look on her face.

"Right here!" Alice answered as she held up the timid white pup.

"He was scared from all the noise so we put him in her backpack so he could feel safe." Brian explained.

"Where should we go now? Everyone here knows my face, and I'm certain it wouldn't be hard to spot you guys in a crowd either!" Johann said referring to the fact that the women (along with Khota) were clearly foreigners.

"True, but I think we can find a way out of this situation." Shiuka said with high spirits.

"Hey look over there! You thinking what I'm thinking brother?" asked Marcus as he pointed to a pile of three fallen legion soldiers that weren't discovered yet in a nearby alley with a few slain infected corpses nearby.

Frasier slowly walked over and kicked one of the dead Legion soldiers to make sure things were as they appeared. He then began to pull the armor off and placing it over his clothes despite the fact it was from a dead man.

"Ewwww that's so disgusting. There's no way in hell I'm putting that on!" Saya hissed nearly yelling that for everyone to hear.

"I didn't expect you to like it, besides the armor wouldn't fit." Frasier said with a smirk as he placed the helmet over his face, adjusting to the rotten smell within.

"Grrrrr." was all Saya could verbally express quietly as Johann and Marcus were fitted with Legion armor.

"What about the rest of us? How are we going to get out of this one?" Rei asked as she looked at the raving mob that began to head off towards Johann's home.

"Wait here." Frasier instructed as he motioned Johann and Marcus to follow him.

Several minutes later they all returned with clean wheelbarrows in their hands.

"Oh I get it now; you want us to play dead!" Rei exclaimed feeling somewhat impressed by the quick thinking.

"Please tell me those aren't the ones you guys used to bring those bodies to the graveyard." Saeko groaned as she inspected them.

"Found some fresh ones not that far away, so I suggest getting in unless you plan on trying to leave town another way." Johann replied.

With no argument to be held everyone not in legion armor began to pile into the wheelbarrows carefully. Marcus then threw a tarp over each one to hide what was really inside. All three boys then began to push the significantly heavier wheelbarrows forward into the open streets.

"Ugh these things are heavy." Marcus grunted as he could already feel his body tiring out.

"Stop your whining you're not the one pushing Khota." Johann replied as they began to push uphill.

"Shut up both of you! We're supposed to be legion remember? No whining and no bickering." Frasier whispered as a mob of people began to approach them.

Zeke let out a tiny bark as he tried to get out of the wheelbarrow.

"Zeke stop it! Stay boy!" Alice whispered as she pulled Zeke back.

As the two groups met, one of the men placed his foot onto the lead wheelbarrow causing the group to halt in their tracks.

"Whatcha bekam drunter?" **("Whatcha got under there?")** asked the man as if he was onto them.

"Legion Geschäft jetzt von unserem Weg Sie Hamburg Wurm oder dem Zorn der Legion!" **("Legion business now out of our way you Hamburg worm or face the wrath of the Legion!")** Frasier growled as his hand grabbed the handle of his blade showing the mob he wasn't fooling around.

"Lustig, ich hätte schwören können, dass Ihre kleinen Freunde gerade verlassen die Wände vor ein paar Minuten haben. Also werde ich ein letztes Mal fragen, was drin ist der Schubkarre?" **("Funny, I could have sworn that your little friends just left the walls a few minutes ago. So I'll ask one last time, what's inside of the wheelbarrow?")** the same man asked confidently as he stood his ground.

"Er sagte, es sei Legion Geschäft so ich euch alle zusammen bewegen, bevor ich euch alle ausgepeitscht und gekreuzigt vorschlagen!" **("He said it was Legion business so I suggest you all move along before I have you all flogged and crucified!")** barked out a voice from behind the mob.

Everyone then turned around to see it was Centurion Silus standing there with his loyal Opito. The man clearly leading this particular mob turned around in frustration yet causally approached the Legion officers slowly. His hand slowly reaching for a shiv that was tucked away in his back pocket, he got closer and closer to the two.

"Alles, was ich wissen wollte, war, was drin war der Schubkarre. Ist das ein Verbrechen? Ist es so falsch zu versuchen, einige Antworten zu bekommen?" **("All I wanted to know was what was inside of the wheelbarrow. Is that a crime? Is it so wrong for trying to get some answers?")** questioned the mob leader as he wrapped his fingers around the tiny handle of the shiv.

"Ich werde nicht noch einmal fragen, zerstreuen und den Weg für die Legion oder untergehen!" **(****"I will not ask again, disperse and make way for the Legion or perish!")** Centurion Silus demanded as his eyes locked onto the mob leader.

"Fick dich und fick die Legion!" **("Fuck you and fuck the Legion!")** snapped the mob leader as he raised his arm up bringing the shiv down towards the powerful Legion officer.

The tip of the rusty blade stopped right before it could even come close to the Centurion's face. His armored gauntlet wrapped tightly the foolish man's hand gripping it tight until he dropped the shiv.

Suddenly the Centurion lifted the mob leader into the air with a single arm showing his superior strength. The mob leader thrashed and struggled like a trapped animal but it was useless.

"Schwach und undiszipliniert, wird dein Schicksal Wurm versiegelt." **("Weak and undisciplined, your fate is sealed worm.")** Centurion Silus announced as his Opito handed him his Gladius sword.

With a single swipe, both of the mob leader's hands were sliced off in a horrid bone breaking sound. Blood shot out of both of his forearms as he screamed in pain. The mob's moral dramatically dropped as some of them already began to run in dismay.

"Jetzt off mit dem Rest von euch, bevor ich dies ein Akt des Krieges für den Angriff auf Soldaten der Legion beachten!" **("Now be off with the rest of you before I consider this an act of war for attacking soldiers of the Legion!")** bellowed out Centurion Silus as he tossed one of the hands aside into a nearby gutter.

Frasier, Johann, and Marcus just stood there in awe as the crowd began to disperse in fear of being next. The Centurion began to walk towards them as the last of that mob had dispersed from the general area.

"Vielen Dank, Sir, ich verdammt Wilden nicht wissen, wie ihnen geschieht." **("Thank you sir, damn savages don't know what hit them.")** Johann thanked in an attempt to break the silent tension.

"Ja, ja, jetzt entlang bewegen. Legat Ares will, dass wir auf einmal wieder zu unserem Erfolg hier berichten."** ("Yes, yes, now move along. Legate Ares wants us to return at once to report our success here.")** Centurion Silus replied in a cold, un-amused tone.

"Ja, Sir." **("Yes sir.")** Johann replied as Marcus and Frasier followed the Legion officers to the South gate where the other legionaries were awaiting patiently.

As soon as the gates closed, Silus turned around and pulled off Marcus' helmet. He then just grinned and chuckled to himself. When the other legionaries noticed this they reached for their blades. However Centurion Silus raised his fist ordering them to stay their hands.

"Die Strafe für Identität eines Soldaten der Legion kann schwerwiegende Folgen haben. Allerdings kann ich nicht helfen, aber applaudieren den Einfallsreichtum der Sie Ihr kleines Dilemma zu entgehen habe. Du bist frei, zu gehen ... diesmal."** ("The punishment for impersonating a soldier of the Legion can be quite severe. However I can't help but applaud the ingenuity you've used to escape your little dilemma. You're free to go… this time.")** Silus explained to the group as he tossed the helmet to his Opito.

Unable to reply to the merciful officer, the group simply moved on after returning the armor back to the Legion. They ran until they could run no more. When they managed to finally place some distance between them and the Hamburg Clan, they walked at a slower pace to catch their breath.

"So what do we do now?" Brian asked aloud, everyone then turned their heads toward Frasier since he was the official leader now.

"We continue with the original plan, we don't stop until we reach England. After today its clear nowhere is truly safe so long as one infected abomination continues to walk the same ground we do." Frasier explained in a commanding voice.

"Well don't you worry we've got your back!" Khota exclaimed as he gave a thumbs up.

"Lead the way beloved." Saeko said encouragingly as she took his hand in hers.

Several moments later Marcus managed to hotwire a nearby car that was barely large enough to fit all of them inside. Rei and Rika assisted Johann into the car while Alice and Brina helped each other buckle in. When everyone was ready to go, Shizuka took the wheel since she had the most energy out of everyone.

The group slowly drove down the lonesome streets towards their next destination, France. It would be a long and perilous journey. But their spirits remained strong and their hopes remained high. Only one country remained before they would reach the safety of England.

**[All right that was the season 4 finale! Sorry it took so long to update, that was exactly 22,710 words. I'd like to thank my co-writer for helping me out because let's face it. I couldn't really type that much by myself in 8-9 days. Anyways this is important so listen up! I'll be taking a break for awhile so I can go back and re-write the first two seasons of my story.(chapters 1-31)I know you guys want more but not to worry, I'm leaving the task of the first couple of chapters for season 5 in my co-writer's very capable hands so this story can still keep moving along. I don't normally ask for a review but I really want to hear all of your opinions on this story and how things are going. The next season will be just as exciting as this one was, new enemies, new friends, more zombies, and maybe even the return of an old character? Who knows? (Other than me) You'll just have to wait and find out! Thanks for reading! Oh and before I forget I'd appreciate it if you all took the time to read the under-rated story "****Det Er Bare Oss Og De Døde" by Jayme F. Midorikawa and a fresh new story "Fire, Ice, or Them?: Living With the Dead" by Carolina Angel and leave them a friendly review. You don't have too but it would be very kind of you all! Peace and happy Friday!]**


	59. Act 25 Revolution of Life & Death Part 1

**Act 25 Révolution de la Vie et de la Mort (Revolution of Life and Death) Part 1******

**Outskirts of Aulnay-sous-Bois, Paris, Île-de-France, France******

**Z-Day+171**

"Alright, everyone spread out and search the house, but do it with a partner. Nobody goes by themselves. We don't know how many of Them might actually be around right now." Frasier whispered as he slowly pushed open the front door to the suburban brick house the group was now gathered in front of.

The creaking of the wooden door seemed to echo out louder than it really was as the group peered into the empty entryway to the house. There wasn't a sign of life to be seen inside. With the slightest nod of his head, Frasier motioned everyone to file into the house before turning back to the solitary car parked on the curb with Shizuka in the driver's seat and Alice and Brian in the backseat.

"Remember, Shizuka. Don't let the two of them out of your sight, and if there's any trouble at all, turn on the car and rev the engine twice. We'll hear it." Frasier instructed her, being sure to keep his voice down.

"But if there was trouble, wouldn't it be easier for everyone to know about it if I just honked the horn?" Shizuka asked worriedly as she started looking around the street they were on through the windshield.

"No. That would make too much noise. I'm certain revving the engine would be enough to get the group's attention without drawing out too many of Them. We're lucky we found a car this new with a quiet engine when we did. Now just watch the kids and keep an eye out for any problems, okay?" Frasier responded as he turned his back on the three of them before Shizuka could respond. Soon, he was out of their lines of sight and inside the house.

Shizuka simply sighed and adjusted the rearview mirror so that Alice and Brian were in her sight before she crossed her arms, resting her chin on them, leaning against the steering wheel, watching the street ahead.

-

The rest of the group waited, gathered in the entry hall before Frasier came back to them, taking the lead as they proceeded further into the house.

Upon entering the living room, it was actually really impressive. Everything almost seemed untouched. It almost looked as spic-and-span as a house would look when it was trying to be sold. However, the overhanging silence dulled down the natural beauty of their surroundings.

"Alright, we'll split into groups and inspect the whole house. Khota, Saya, and Rika; you check the backyard. If there aren't any of Them out there, then check to see if the perimeter walls have any loose bricks that could indicate a weak point. If you do find any, let me know when we gather back here and we'll see about reinforcing them." Frasier instructed as he looked through the window to the garden out back.

The three of them nodded silently as they all then filed out the door, Khota and Rika keeping their firearms leveled while Saya was holding her pistol a bit unsteadily.

Once they were gone, Frasier turned his attention to Johann and Rei.

"Alright, Johann and Rei, you two check down here, the kitchen, the family room, any bedrooms and such. Me, Saeko and Marcus will check the upstairs. If anything happens that you can't handle, don't hesitate to call for help and we'll come as quickly as possible." Frasier instructed as the two of them got their weapons raised in response.

When all was said and done, the group split as Frasier, Saeko and Marcus slowly made their way up the stairs whilst Johann and Rei began to search through the living room step-by-step, making sure to check every nook and cranny for any sign of Them.

-

Each step up to the second floor was taken with extreme cautions in case the floorboards would creak too loudly and attract any of Them that would be hiding upstairs.

The three of them marched down the hallway in single file, their eyes going from side to side constantly, watching every inch ahead of them, not a word to be said amongst them, even Marcus remaining as silent as death.

They soon came to a stop in the middle of the hall with three doors on both their sides. With a single nod from each of them, they all three set themselves in front of each door, ready to open them up and fight whatever would be waiting for them on the other side.

Mentally counting to three, they simultaneously threw the doors open and had their weapons risen for a single killing blow. But much to their relief, there was nothing to be found.

Saeko took a single step into the bathroom and looked to both sides only to find no trace of anything, dead, undead or otherwise.

Marcus carefully stepped forward into the study he was stationed at, and was met with nothing more than an empty smoking chair and some bookcases. The window was open just a crack, but just enough for the cold winds of Fall to blow through, resulting in an eerie wail that now echoed through the hall.

Frasier slowly made his way into the children's bedroom step by step, turning on the pocket flashlight nestled in his jacket's pocket once he realized it was too dark to see otherwise. The room, much like the rest of the house, seemed perfectly unscathed. Sighing with a hint of satisfaction, he left the room to meet the others.

"Everything looks clear so far. Maybe the family living here did the smart thing and hit the road while they had the chance." Marcus stated with a hint of optimism.

"Yeah, maybe. The house seems too much in order for there to have been anyone bitten living here. But we still have one more room to check." Frasier responded as he shifted his gaze to the solitary door at the end of the hall, no doubt leading to the master bedroom.

The three of them hustled to the door, shoulder to shoulder, blunt and bladed weapons at the ready in case one or more of Them were to be waiting right at the door.

"Alright, if any of Them are huddled at the door, we fall back and take Them out one at a time, alright?" Frasier asked as he got his hand on the knob, mentally preparing himself for whatever could've been on the other side.

Marcus and Saeko nodded in understanding. Taking a deep breath, Frasier quickly turned the knob and swung the door open, raising his broadsword up in an instant defensive stance.

But fortunately, all they were met with was what looked like a perfectly empty bedroom from where they were standing in the doorway.

Without a word amongst themselves, the three of them carefully crept forward, and upon entering the room itself, everything almost looked as good as new, except for one thing: a message hastily written on the wall above the master bed in black spray paint:

"Tout est perdu. Que Dieu nous pardonne." **(All is lost. God forgive us.)**

-

"Do you see anything up there?" Khota asked Rika as she sat upon the brick wall that lined the backyard of the house, the scope of her rifle detached from the weapon itself and held in her hands as she used it like a telescope.

"No, everything looks clear so far. But still, let's try to keep the noise level to a minimum. There could be several dozen of those things hiding in several nooks and crannies that we can't see from here for all we know." Rika responded as she carefully scanned everything she could see from her vantage point.

Whilst Khota was inspecting his weapon and exploring the yard at the same time, Saya took it upon herself to start feeling the walls for any loosened bricks. So far, she luckily hadn't come across any.

"You know, while I'm not one for questioning the orders of a commanding officer, I have to admit, I don't really see the point in inspecting this thing for weak spots. It's solid brick, I seriously doubt any number of these undead freaks could be able to even loosen a single brick, let alone take an entire wall down." Rika confessed as she lowered her scope and reached into her vest pocket for a cigar.

"It's just for the sake of being thorough. Solid brick and concrete mortar aside, I doubt you've really seen how strong They can be when They get a grip on someone. If a good number of Them were to find out we were here, there's no telling just what they could be able to do to a wall like this in order to get in." Saya responded, not even bothering to raise her gaze from the wall in front of her, clearly trying not to miss a single detail that could be cause for worry.

Rika looked down at the young genius below her and merely shrugged her shoulders in response before lighting up the last cigar she had. Taking a big puff, she looked out at the vast expanse of old-fashioned French suburbia that was all laid out before her. Everything around here looked so peaceful, almost virtually untouched, save for the exception of a broken window or two and the odd plume of black smoke in the far off distance that no doubt signaled a burned out car or a burned out shell of a house from back in the beginning.

Khota continued scanning every corner of the yard for any dismembered, animated husks of Them that might've been hiding underneath the overgrown foliage that lined the perimeter walls. But upon further inspection, there luckily wasn't even any sign of spilled blood, let alone any body parts. Sighing in relief, he returned to the others when he suddenly remember the small garden shed in the corner that Rika had climbed to get on top of the wall in the first place.

Taking a deep breath, he slowly approached it, leveling his gun in case there was something in there.

Saya soon noticed this, and approached the stone-faced gun nut, reaching for her pistol as well.

"You don't think one of Them could be in there, do you Saya?" Khota asked as he positioned himself in front of the door.

"I doubt it. If one of Them was in there, you'd think all our talking earlier would've gotten its attention by now." Saya whispered nervously in response as she pulled the hammer back on her gun.

Deep down, she was really hoping there would be nothing inside that would require a quick response like a gunshot. If any of Them were around, she would've preferred to stay as quiet as possible so the group could perhaps stay in this house for the night. After 15 days on the road from Germany to Belgium and then to France, she would've killed to be able to not only sleep in a real bed, but to actually be able to feel safe while doing it.

Without hesitation, Khota slowly pushed the door open, and almost the instant he pushed it an inch inwards, a dry, weak groan sounded from inside, sending both Khota and Saya jumping back in surprise, the self-proclaimed genius landing roughly on her ass as a result while Khota was trying to catch his breath.

They both instantly had their guns raised for their unexpected guest to come shambling out, but after several seconds, nothing stepped out, but the weak groaning persisted.

Rika was down on the ground beside them, her pistol raised and ready to fire the instant she saw the two of them jump in shock.

Wasting no time, she threw the shed door open again, but instead of being greeted by a hungry undead ghoul trying to pounce on her, she was instead greeted by a single hungry undead ghoul feebly clawing the air trying to grab her whilst hanging from the wooden rafters.

"It's okay, you guys. I don't think we're in any kind of trouble here." Rika called back to her two companions as they both rejoined her, looking on the almost pathetic sight before them with a mix of sympathy and apathy.

The infected man hanging by a rope around his neck looked to be young adult, perhaps early thirties, and there was a very visible chunk of flesh missing from his forearm. The musty stench of rotting flesh that was prevalent in the indoor air indicated their surprise resident had been here for quite a while.

His groans were dry, brittle, and incredibly weak, almost like the sound a severely dehydrated man would make when he'd try to speak. It certainly wasn't loud enough to draw the attention of any others, so the three of them already knew there wasn't any cause to worry.

Rika soon noticed a stray piece of paper, as if from a notepad, was on the floor underneath the undead man, right beside the knocked over stool he had clearly hung himself from.

Being sure to avoid his clawing hands, the sniper crouched down out of his reach and grabbed the note, before crawling backwards to the others, getting back on her feet before leaving the shed, Saya and Khota following after her.

"Hey, Saya, did you ever study any books on French back when we were in Germany?" Rika suddenly asked once they were all back on the grass.

"Well, yeah, I knew it would be useful once we started making our way here. I assumed everyone thought of doing that while we had the chance." Saya asked, a mild hint of surprise hidden in her tone. Clearly she'd thought wrong about everyone else thinking ahead like she did. Of course, moments like this were what justified her self-proclamation as a "genius" after all.

"If that's the case, do you think you could read this? Cause I know I definitely can't." Rika responded as she held the note out to her.

Saya's brow slightly twitched in annoyance as she grabbed the paper from the sniper's hand. Adjusting her glasses whilst reading it, she began to translate.

"Après vingt jours de survivre à cette merde, mon numéro a finalement été appelé. L'un de ces monstres a réussi à me mordre, et maintenant je sais que je ne serai jamais capable de revenir à ma famille. J'ai pris refuge dans une cabane de jardin familial. Il n'y a presque plus personne dans ce quartier, donc je sais que ces monstres ne sera pas en mesure de me rendre ici. Je peux déjà sentir la fièvre brûle en moi. Je ne peux pas revenir en tant que l'un de ces monstres. Je ne peux pas supporter d'avoir ma femme et ma fille de me voir comme ça. Le monde entier est allé à la merde que c'est, donc je devrais avoir connu quelque chose comme ça arriverait un jour. Il n'y a rien que je puisse faire maintenant, alors je pourrais aussi bien quitter pendant que je le peux. Marie, Amélie, si deux d'entre vous sont encore en vie là-bas, s'il vous plaît sais que je t'aime tant. Ne venez pas me chercher. Juste s'il vous plaît être sûr que vous soyez. Amour, Christophe. " **(****"After twenty days of surviving this shit, my number has finally been called. One of those freaks managed to bite me, and now I know I'll never be able to get back to my family. I've taken refuge in some family's garden shed. There's hardly anyone left in this neighborhood, so I know those monsters won't be able to get me here. I can already feel the fever burning up inside me. I can't come back as one of those monsters. I can't bear to have my wife and daughter see me like that. The whole world has gone to shit as it is, so I should've known something like this would happen eventually. There's nothing else I can do now, so I might as well quit while I still can. Marie, Amelie, if both of you are still alive out there, please know that I love you both. Don't come looking for me. Just please be safe wherever you are. Love, Christophe.")**

Saya slowly read the letter aloud, at first treating it like she might as well have been reciting from a basic textbook, but as she went on, her voice got lower and lower, even cracking with a bit of emotion once she got to the end.

The three of them remained silent for several moments, the only sound being the weak groans from inside the shed and the cold winds of Fall.

"So, which one of us should do it?" Rika finally asked, catching the attention of her two teenage companions.

"What do you mean?" Khota asked, momentarily unaware of just what Rika was referring to.

"What do you think? Which one of us should go in there and put him down for good?" Saya asked, a sting of frustration lacing her words in response to Khota's temporary ignorance.

The three of them remained silent for a good several moments after Saya had spelled out what they now needed to do. For some reason, this seemed much different than all the other times they had to kill one of Them. Then again, all those times in the past, it was to protect themselves. Now, it just seemed like nothing more than killing for the sake of killing.

"Maybe we don't have to do it. I mean, he's hanging from solid wood rafters. He's not hurting anybody." Khota suggested, clearly indicating to the others that this was something that for once he didn't want to do.

"We can't take that risk. Say that rope snapped from all the wear and tear of him moving around swinging all the time. He'd be free, and if he were able to get his way into the house, that would put all of us in danger. This is just us taking precautions. That's all." Rika explained in a cold, calculating manner as she shifted her gaze to the semi-open door to the shed.

Neither Saya nor Khota could find the right words to respond. Deep down, they both knew Rika was one hundred percent right about this.

When the two teenagers didn't volunteer, Rika let out an aggravated sigh before marching over to the shed. Their hesitation said all the soldier needed to know. The two of them clearly didn't have what it took.

Khota and Saya stood by themselves in the expansive, empty yard, when suddenly the weak groaning from inside the shed was abruptly stopped, and now all that could be heard was the cold Fall wind.

Rika soon came walking out of the shed, her rifle tucked under her arm as she wiped the infected man's blood from the butt of her weapon with an old rag. She tossed it aside and marched past her two partners to the house.

"You two need to start getting your act together." Rika called back to them before she made her way through the back door of the house.

-

Once Frasier, Marcus and Saeko were up the stairs, Johann and Rei began carefully searching through the expansive family room that made up the majority of the ground floor of the house.

The entire room looked so completely untouched and contrasted the dilapidated settings the entire group had become accustomed to so greatly, it almost felt like they were searching through an illusion rather than a real place.

Whilst Rei was searching underneath the couch and two lounge chairs for perhaps any reanimated children that could've been hiding underneath, Johann instinctively made his way over to the TV the whole room was arranged in front of.

Out of habit, he pressed his thumb against the power button, but just as he expected, he was only met with a black screen. In fact, if it hadn't been for the brilliant afternoon sun illuminating the house, the group would've no doubt forgotten that the power was out for no doubt the entire city of Paris.

"You know that no doubt every TV station around is down by this point, right?" Rei asked with a trace of sarcasm as she saw Johann looking at the large screen intently.

"Yeah, I know. I guess I just keep hoping the Emergency Broadcasts will come back one day. At least, just some kind of sign that somebody is still manning the controls." Johann replied as he turned away from the TV, setting his sights on the kitchen ahead.

The two of them immediately began opening each cupboard they could come across, only for a chill of despair to go down both their spines. Every single cupboard was empty. Even the refrigerator had absolutely no food to offer to either of the two, let alone the entire group once they'd reassemble.

"Somebody must've ransacked this place, took every single bit of food for themselves. Goddammit." Johann muttered impatiently to himself.

"Or maybe the people living here packed it up before they ran." Rei suggested before turning her gaze to a wall covered with framed photos.

"Well, I hope it's the latter that happened. At least then some good people would have been given a fighting chance out there." Johann responded despondently. His stomach immediately growled in response.

Shortly after exiting Germany and arriving in Belgium, the group had managed to come across an abandoned caravan that had a bountiful supply of food that they had all claimed for themselves. Of course by now almost all of it was gone, and they only had about two or three days worth at most.

"I think we're going to have to start rationing what's left of our food, Rei." Johann announced once he was done searching every corner of the kitchen. Rei didn't respond.

Johann looked over his shoulder to see her staring attentively at the wall full of family portraits. He slowly approached her, noticing her red eyes scanning over every single photo, a trace of tears visibly starting to well up in them. Johann shifted his gaze to the photos as well.

It was the perfect assortment of family photos that one would expect in a quaint house like this. A father, a mother, their two children, all smiling, all happy, all without a single care in the world.

These were precious fragments of the life the group all once knew. Reminders that the old way of life was gone forever. For all of them.

In Johann's mind, the people in those photos represented what life was really meant to be like, peaceful, uncomplicated, content, and happy. Deep down, he and Rei were both sincerely hoping that whoever the people were that lived here, they had made it out of this city alive, and were hopefully surviving somewhere out there; not having to worry about the dead at every corner, having to constantly worry about food, water and medicine.

Rei swallowed the sadness she was feeling looking at these pictures and softly took Johann's free hand in hers, locking their fingers together.

"Johann, can I ask you something?" she asked softly as she slowly took in the pristine surroundings once again.

"Of course you can." Johann replied with a faint smile as they slowly made their way down a small hallway that led to a few backdoors.

"Do you think we'll ever be able to find a place where we can stay? I don't mean for a few months like back in Hamburg, I mean like on a permanent basis. Somewhere where we could be safe and live a peaceful life?" she asked in just above a whisper as they both turned on the flashlights in their pockets so they could both see down this nearly pitch black hallway.

Johann was rather taken aback by her question. That wasn't the kind of thing he would've expected to be asked after absolutely everything he and Frasier's entire group had gone through.

"I…I really don't know, Rei. I certainly hope so, and I'm sure there's somewhere out there that could actually be considered peaceful, where the dead aren't roaming around everywhere. The only thing we can do is keep looking for it." Johann answered as honestly as he could as he slowly opened the only door on his right. Thankfully all it led to was a broom closet.

"I'm sure you're right, Johann. Don't get me wrong, I would never even begin to dream of leaving any of these people. I've come to look at our whole group like a family, really. But still, I really hope we'll be able to find peace somewhere. Where we won't have to be afraid, and we can just spend the time we have left together." Rei responded with an almost overwhelming tone of optimism.

She slowly opened the only door on her left, tightening the grip she had on the bayonet in her right hand.

Upon opening the door a crack, the both of them were assaulted with a sickening stench wafting inside the room. They both tried their hardest to suppress the urge to gag as Johann slammed the door shut, gasping for breath.

Turned out the inside of the room was filled with the long since dead bodies of Them, and they were well past rotten by this point in time.

Almost as if on cue, Frasier, Marcus and Saeko had come back downstairs to meet them at the mouth to their hallway.

"Heard a slam down here. Are there any of Them in there?" Frasier asked cautiously as he got his sword ready in case there were.

"No. We just found where the people living here were keeping any of Them that they killed. I guess that means they must've stayed here for a while before taking off." Johann explained as he and Rei hurried out of the hall, desperate to get some fresh air after that horrible brief experience.

As the five of them returned to the living room, they were quickly greeted by Rika, Saya and Khota as they returned from the backyard.

"Welcome back. So, did you find any weak spots on the wall?" Frasier asked as he, Marcus and Saeko sheathed their respective swords, finally letting the tension they'd been feeling all day wear off at last.

"Fortunately, no. Whoever lived here certainly took good care of their property, the whole thing is solid as a rock." Saya responded in relief.

"We only found one of Them in the garden shed out back. Some guy who got bit and hanged himself inside, but Rika took care of it." Khota continued, motioning towards the sniper as she leaned against the wall, looking out the window, a very distant look in her eyes that momentarily caught Frasier's attention before he pushed it in the back of his mind.

"Alright, good. Johann, Rei, did you guys find anything else down here other than that…crypt?" Frasier asked the two.

"Unfortunately, no. Everything else down here was untouched…well, except for the food." Johann replied, causing an air of dread to befall the rest of the group, especially Khota as his stomach growled loudly in response.

"We think that either the family living here stockpiled as much of their food as they could before leaving, or some looters eventually showed up and took it all for themselves. Either way, we'll have to use up more of our own stock tonight." Rei continued regretfully.

She really wasn't looking forward to seeing Alice and Brian's looks of disappointment when they'd hear the news. What little food they had left wasn't exactly desirable for kids their age, but it was all they had, and she knew the kids would have to make do with it.

"Alright, then I think that means this house is clear. None of us found any of Them anywhere upstairs." Saeko concluded as everyone quickly disarmed themselves and stockpiled their weapons into a corner of the room they could quickly reach in case anything sudden were to happen.

"Well, not necessarily, we still have one more room to check." Marcus suddenly spoke up, catching everyone's attention, even slightly catching Frasier by surprise.

"I mean, while we were up there, I noticed a panel on the ceiling that seemed slightly bigger than the others. Maybe it was just my eyes playing tricks on me, but I think it might've been an attic door or something." He continued.

At the very thought of any infected remaining hidden in a single room, the whole group tensed up. How many could be up there? And more importantly, how would they fight them in such tight quarters?

Wasting no time, the group grabbed their weapons once more and marched single file up to the second floor. Once there, they all immediately noticed the attic door Marcus had pointed out. Frasier reached up and pulled the drawstring down, bringing the door down, and a wooden ladder instantly folded out from it.

The ladder extended into sheer blackness, and there wasn't a sound to be heard from inside it. At first, everyone took that as a good sign, but then they instantly grew worried that whatever might have been up there simply didn't hear the door open, and was just waiting for some hapless fool to come looking for it.

"Alright. I'm going up there. The rest of you stay here." Frasier instructed as he prepared to start climbing up.

"No, Frasier. You're not going up there alone." Saeko protested as she drew out her katana, not a trace of humor to be found in her blue eyes.

"Yeah. I mean, haven't you ever seen [REC] before? Who knows how many might be up there. You're not going up there unless you got us watching your back, man." Marcus agreed as he got a grip on his own sword, getting behind Saeko. However this time, Frasier wasn't going to hear any of it.

"That's the point, you two. We don't know how many there might be up there, and for all we know, we could be facing up to a dozen if not more, and I can imagine that attic doesn't really offer a lot of fighting room. If things go to hell, we may need to fall back, and I can't necessarily do that if there are people crowding behind me." Frasier argued, the intensity in his voice giving the rest of the group goose bumps, with the exception of Saeko and Marcus.

"I know you don't want to hear this, but it's better if I do go up there alone. If I need help, I'll call down to you both, but I don't want you rushing into this and putting yourselves in danger, understand?" Frasier finally concluded, the edge in his tone lowering into a more calm state.

Neither Saeko nor Marcus said a word, but the fact that their eyes fell to the floor told him all he needed to hear.

"Alright. Saeko and Marcus, stay here as my backup in case I may need you. The rest of you, get our gear from the car, let Shizuka-sensei and the kids into the house and set up camp in the family room. One way or another, we're staying here tonight." Frasier ordered.

With a nod, the rest of the group filed down the stairs while Saeko and Marcus remained where they stood like sentries or royal guards.

Before Frasier started to climb up, he felt Saeko grip his free hand with hers, tightly. He looked to her over his shoulder, but was greeted by her warrior's gaze rather than the loving eyes of his wife.

"Come back to me alive, Frasier. I won't forgive you if you don't." she spoke with an icy edge in her voice.

Frasier knew there was no real malice in what she said, but he also knew that one way or the other, she meant every word of it. He gave her a single nod, then proceeded to climb.

The wooden steps of the ladder creaked with each step, and once Frasier's head was inside the attic, he was instantly greeted by the strangely pleasant musty odor of old pine that this room was no doubt built from.

Strangely, the entire attic wasn't as dark as he had originally thought. There was a small stained glass window on one end of the room that cast an orange-yellow glow through half the room.

Once Frasier was all the way inside, he was pleasantly surprised to see there was enough room he could stand up straight in. This would definitely make any fighting a lot easier.

As his eyes slowly scanned the room, he was surprised to see that there was currently no sign of any infected, no lingering shadows blindly shambling in a corner, no smell of rotting flesh, no smell of old blood. Nothing at all.

Just when he was ready to give the all clear to the whole house, his ears suddenly picked up something, the faintest of sounds. The kind where if there was the slightest bit of outside noise, you'd never even hear it…the sound of a raspy, wheezing breath. And it came from the direction of the window.

Frasier got himself into a fighting stance and had his sword unsheathed in the blink of an eye. However, there wasn't any shadows to be seen anywhere from that side of the room. However, his eye did catch something just below the window, illuminated by the sunlight coming through it.

There was a figure hunched over on the floor with its back turned to him. The body was much smaller than any of the infected Frasier had seen before. It was like the body of a child, no younger than ten but no older than fifteen. Frasier remained where he stood, but looked over this figure intently. There was one thing that kept him from going any step closer towards it. This figure had a head of thinning blonde hair, and once the figure slightly turned its head so that Frasier could see any part of it, what he saw on its face made his whole body grow cold, as if he were frozen to the spot.

He could've sworn his eyes were playing tricks on him, but what he was seeing right now, he almost couldn't bring himself to believe.

"N…Noah…?"

-

"Shizuka, how much longer will we have to sit here?" Alice asked anxiously from the backseat of the car whilst Shizuka still rested against the steering wheel, staring ahead at the expanse of the suburban road ahead of them.

"Frasier said that once everyone's checked the house to make sure it's safe, then we'll be able to go in and stay the night there." Shizuka replied without turning to look at the two children left in her charge.

"They've been in there too long. Maybe we should go in and make sure they're okay." Brian suggested, clearly nervous for the others' safety as he kept looking anxiously at the entrance to the house, hoping for someone to come out to say the rest of the group was okay.

"Don't worry. Big brother Frasier is with them, so I know they'll be okay." Alice reassured him as she put her hand on his. The young boys' face turned completely red in response as he tried to avoid making eye contact with her.

Shizuka saw this tiny exchange in the rearview mirror and couldn't help but smile to herself. In a strange way, it was almost refreshing to see something as cute and innocent as little kids and their crushes still existing, even after all the horrible things that had happened over the last nearly six months.

As she returned her attention to the road ahead, a sideways glance caught something she was surprised she hadn't noticed earlier.

In a corner of the intersection ahead of them, there was a wreck. It looked like an ambulance had plowed into a passenger car, much like the one she was now sitting in. Both vehicles were sticking out of the corner of a house, debris scattered all over the ground.

However, what caught her attention wasn't the wreck itself, but rather what she could see inside of it. There was blood all over the inside of the windshield of the ambulance, and she could barely make out what looked like an arm hanging lifelessly from the passenger side window. The ambulance itself was also steadily rocking back and forth every few seconds, as if something was inside it, trying to get out. There wasn't really much need to guess just what it was.

And inside the passenger car itself, the windshield was completely shattered, so she could clearly see what there was to behold.

The car itself looked like it was completely cleaved in half by the ambulance, but the front half of the car was still completely intact, and the person sitting in the drivers' seat was still moving about inside it.

Shizuka could make out a lot of blood around the drivers' neck from where she was sitting; and right after that, she noticed a large mess of blood all over the pavement and the sidewalk in front of the car, as if someone, or something, was thrown through the windshield immediately after the crash. Whoever it was, the trail of blood that led away from the whole mess indicated that they crawled away immediately afterwards.

Looking at the whole scene, it was like she was slowly putting together a grotesque puzzle or gazing on a crime scene.

Before she could think any more about it, there was suddenly a knocking on the passenger window that nearly made her jump out of her seat in fright, only to sigh in relief when she saw it was only Rika knocking on the window.

The nurse quickly exited the car and was instantly joined by Alice and Brian as the rest of the group exited the house to greet them before grabbing all their supplies out of the trunk.

"So does it look safe in there?" Shizuka asked Rika anxiously as she gazed on the house.

If it wasn't the promise of somewhere safe to sleep comfortably that had her anxious, it was the far off hope that perhaps the water and propane systems were still on, and she could actually shower for the first time in what felt like ages.

"Well, none of the windows are smashed, the doors are secure, and there's no way the dead can get over the backyard wall, if that's what you mean." Rika responded boredly as she looked from side to side at the road they were parked on, almost as if she was expecting an army of Them to greet them at either side.

"Yeah, but unfortunately, the power's out, probably for the whole suburb if not the whole city, and the water isn't running, either." Johann interjected as he hoisted a couple sleeping bags over his shoulders. Shizuka bowed her head and sighed with utter disappointment.

"Is there any food in there? We're really hungry." Alice asked excitedly as she and Brian tried grabbing whatever they could out of the trunk that wasn't too heavy for them to carry.

Rei looked down at the kids and then turned to Johann sadly. The regret in her eyes clearly showed she didn't want to dash their hopes, but at the same time she knew the kids deserved to be told the truth just like everyone else in the group.

"I'm sorry, kids. We all looked as hard as we could, but we couldn't find any food in there. We'll have to eat a little more of the food we already have." Rei explained as she knelt down to their level, trying not to start crying when she saw the disappointment in Alice's eyes when she heard the news.

Johann sighed deeply as he returned to grabbing another one of the bags of food out of the car. However, one little glance inside to the bottom, suddenly had him doing a double take, and for the first time in days, he could feel a smile starting to spread on his face.

"Don't worry, kids. I found something I think you're both gonna like." He suddenly announced as he joined Rei with the kids, with one arm hidden behind his back.

Once he'd seen that he'd gotten their attention, he brought his arm forward, holding out a small, quarter-full box of Belgian chocolates.

He and Rei could both feel warmth inside when they saw just how happy Alice and Brian both looked when they saw just what he was holding.

"Thank you, Johann!" "Yeah, thank you!" Alice and Brian both said as Johann handed the box to them.

"Now remember kids, we have to share it, okay?" Johann reminded them as he grabbed the bag the box was lying in again.

"Don't worry, we will. Thank you again, Johann!" Alice nodded and said excitedly as she and Brian grabbed whatever other supplies they could carry and ran into the house excitedly.

Johann and Rei got back onto their feet once the kids were inside the house, and Rei instantly planted a loving kiss on his cheek as she grabbed another one of the sleeping bags.

"You really know how to talk to kids, don't you?" she asked teasingly as they both made their way into the house. Johann's cheeks couldn't help but turn red under his thickened stubble whenever she would tease him like that.

"I guess. I don't know, I've just always been better at talking to children than with other adults." He admitted nervously as they both set their share of the supplies in the middle of the family room.

"Well, you certainly know how to talk to those two better than some of us. I can tell you've already become one of their favorite people over the last couple weeks. I can't help but think this all comes naturally to you." Rei continued, lowering her voice to a whisper as she grasped his free arm, pulling him closer to her.

Johann's whole face went pink as he anxiously looked around to make sure nobody else was watching. It was no secret to the rest of the group that he and Rei were together, but that didn't make public displays of affection any less embarrassing, at least to him.

"I'm sure that if the time ever came, you'd make a great father." He suddenly heard Rei softly whisper; almost close enough that he could just barely feel her soft lips brush against his cheek.

Such sudden words sent a tingle of surprise up his spine, and before he could ask her to repeat herself to make sure he wasn't hearing things, she was already making her way back to the front door with a warm smile on her face.

Johann just stood there in the middle of the family room, completely dumbfounded by what she had just said, not even noticing that Shizuka was watching the two of them the whole time, a knowing smirk on her face as she had just witnessed how close the two of them now were.

After a few seconds, Johann managed to snap himself out of it, and trying to find something to occupy himself with, he quickly decided to check the upstairs and see how Frasier, Marcus and Saeko were doing.

Once he joined them, he could see both of them were looking up into the dark hole in the ceiling with anxiety written all over their faces.

"Is everything okay, you guys?" Johann asked concernedly as he looked up with them and saw no sign of Frasier.

"He's been up there way too long, and I didn't hear anything. He hasn't called down to us either." Marcus explained, clearly worried sick about what could have been keeping his brother so long.

"Maybe one of us should go up there and see if he's okay." Johann suggested, feeling it would probably be best if either Saeko or Marcus went up to Frasier rather than himself in this case.

"Frasier said we should stay here unless he needs us. If we act too hastily, there's no telling what could happen if he is in trouble and needs to get out in a hurry." Saeko replied, clearly not liking that Frasier didn't want her beside him this time; but nevertheless was willing to do as was ordered.

"That's the point, though. What if something happened to him that's preventing him from calling out right now? I really think we need to go and check on him." Marcus answered, clearly having run out of patience due to his concern for Frasier.

The three of them remained silent for a few moments before Marcus finally took a deep breath and started to climb up.

"I'm gonna check on him. Don't try to stop me, either." Marcus announced as he looked over his shoulder at the two of them.

"Marcus, don't. Frasier knows what he's doing, it would surely take more than a couple of Them to get the drop on him." Saeko commented, crossing her arms, completely set in obeying her husband's command, no matter how much she detested doing so at that moment.

"You're most likely right. But he's my brother, and I'll be damned if I'm just gonna leave him by himself with god-knows-what up there." Marcus replied as he continued to climb, soon disappearing into the darkness of the attic.

Saeko and Johann looked up after him before making nervous eye contact with each other, both of them waiting for some kind of sign that things were okay.

-

Marcus had to take a few seconds for his eyes to adjust to the darkness, but once it was all done, he too was surprised to see the stained glass window on the far end made it less dark than it seemed.

He immediately noticed Frasier, sitting on his knees with his back turned to him, looking straight ahead, but as if he was looking far off into an endless horizon, his sword lying on the floor in front of him.

"Frasier? Are you okay?" Marcus quietly called out to his brother. Frasier remained completely silent.

Marcus could feel his body tensing up as he slowly approached his brother, for once having absolutely no idea what to expect.

As Marcus approached him, his nostrils were suddenly assaulted by the lingering stink of musty decay, and it was very close.

"Oh God, what's that smell?" Marcus groaned as he hid half his face behind his arm. Once he cracked his eyes open, he could see a shadowy figure curled up underneath the window, and it slowly started to rise before the both of them.

"The hell is that?" Marcus asked, momentarily unaware of just what had Frasier in the current state he was in. Once Marcus was able to actually make out the details, his eyes went wide, and he could feel his blood go cold.

"Oh my God…" was all that he could manage to say in the weakest whisper.

{Silent Hill: Shattered Memories OST – Acceptance}

The figure slowly rose to its feet with its back turned to the two brothers. It slowly turned to face them, and now both Marcus and Frasier could see the figure as clear as day.

It was an infected young boy, no younger than ten, but no older than fourteen. It had a few splotches of matted, dirty blonde hair, its eyes were completely milked over white, its lips had decayed to the point that they shrank back, permanently exposing its brittle, dried out yellow teeth in a snarl, the moans escaping from its mouth almost inaudible.

But what really got to the two brothers was the almost tragic state it was in.

The poor kid apparently had died in nothing but his underwear, no doubt as a result of the summer heat if this kid had been staying in the attic. Its chest was dried out to the point that every single one of its ribs was visible underneath the decaying gray skin, and its arms and legs were literally nothing but skin and bones.

The very sight of this poor creature immediately brought back memories of old Holocaust photographs, where Holocaust survivors almost looked like walking skeletons due to malnutrition and horrible living and working conditions. That's exactly what this undead boy that now stood before them looked like.

It didn't take long for the infected boy to notice Frasier and Marcus, and it started to approach them, but after it took its very first step, its bony legs snapped, and the boy collapsed to the wooden floor like a pile of bricks. It slowly raised its head up from the floor and started feebly reaching out to them, not even trying to growl threateningly at them anymore.

It was actually painful for the two brothers to look at this creature in such a state. The typical feelings of hatred and disgust Frasier felt for Them were completely absent this time around. Marcus could feel some tears biting at the back of his eyes, which he quickly wiped away as he slowly turned to look at his older brother, taking note of the heartbroken look in Frasier's eyes.

"He looks a lot like Noah…doesn't he?" Frasier asked quietly as Marcus gazed upon the poor thing once more.

Frasier couldn't have been more right. This boy looked a lot like their younger brother, especially in the case of if Frasier hadn't put him down so long ago.

Just that realization made it all the more harder for Marcus to keep looking on this horrible sight.

"There's almost no mark on him, just a small scratch on his right hand as far as I can see. I guess afterwards, the kid decided to hide out up here, waiting for help…and ended up starving to death instead." Frasier explained as Marcus looked upon a mess of empty food cans and plates littered across the floor next to an old mattress that definitely looked like it had been used.

"Jesus Christ…" Marcus muttered mainly to himself as he could pretty much put the whole terrible scenario together in his head.

"I guess the more severe the bite one of Them manages to get on you, the faster the infection spreads, and the faster it kills you." Marcus theorized as he kept trying to fight back a new set of tears.

"Maybe. I guess it just didn't spread fast enough to keep this kid from suffering such a horrible end." Frasier nodded in agreement as he too could feel tears welling up in his eyes. He just couldn't help but see Noah when he saw this creature lying helplessly on the floor in front of them, not even having the strength to try and attack them.

The two of them stood silently as the creature just looked up at them, lying helplessly, only the faintest sounds of its raspy breathing permeating through the silence.

"Frasier…we should go." Marcus finally said as he picked up Frasier's sword and slipped it back into its sheath.

"I don't know if I can do that, Marcus." Frasier protested weakly as he remained rooted to his spot no matter how hard Marcus tried to get him back onto his feet.

"Come on Frasier, we shouldn't stay up here, everyone's getting worried. Besides, it can barely move, it's not hurting anyone." Marcus argued as he glanced back to the open hole in the floor where Saeko was waiting for her husband to return.

"That's not the point, Marcus. Just look at him. Nobody and nothing deserves to be left in a state like that. Not even one of Them." Frasier replied in a whisper as he kept staring aimlessly at it as it lay there helplessly.

Marcus reluctantly looked back to the undead boy, and after several seconds of serious thought, he heaved a heavy sigh and let go of Frasier's arm, bowing his head sadly.

"Alright then…do whatever you need to." Marcus finally said, expecting Frasier to get up and put the boy out of his misery himself.

"I…I don't know if I can do that, either, Marcus." Frasier reluctantly said, causing Marcus to look on his brother in shock.

It was like this person sitting before him wasn't the brother he'd known all his life, but rather some bizarre clone from another world, or something other than his brother.

"What are you talking about, Frasier? You've killed hundreds of these things, if not more. This one can't even fight back, it wouldn't even be a challenge for you." Marcus argued as he continued looking down at his eldest brother in disbelief.

"This isn't the same, Marcus. I can't stop seeing Noah when I look at this one. It was hard enough having to put him down back then. It feels like I would have to relive that experience here. I'm sorry, Marcus…but I just can't go through something like that again." Frasier finally confessed as he lowered his head, not out of shame, but out of sadness. Sadness over Noah, sadness over something this tragic happening to a child.

Marcus' face softened as he knew how right Frasier was to not want to do this. Taking a deep breath, the now-youngest Markle brother prepared to make the toughest decision he'd ever had to make thus far.

"You're right. I can't ask you to do something like that again, man. So…I'll do it, this time." Marcus finally said, albeit reluctantly.

"Are you sure, Marcus? Are you really willing to do something like this?" Frasier asked, genuinely concerned of what kind of effects something like this could have on his younger brother.

Marcus looked down at the undead boy, tears of regret and sympathy glistening in his eyes as he finally made his decision.

"I guess we'll find out." Marcus said with absolutely no humor to be found in his voice.

With that said, Marcus slowly approached the zombified boy, every footstep seeming like a mile.

When Marcus came to a stop, the infected child slowly looked up at him, groaning weakly as it slowly reached its hand out towards him. Marcus instinctively reached for the holstered pistol at his side, but then stopped. He knew a gunshot could easily attract more of Them, and they would actually be a threat this time.

Marcus mentally cursed to himself now that he realized he couldn't afford to give this kid a quick, clean end. As he tried to steel himself in order to do what needed to be done, he made eye contact with the thing.

For the first time ever, he could actually see something in its pale, lifeless eyes. He didn't see the mindless, predatory menace that was usually found in any of Them. Something in this ones' eyes almost seemed…desperate. Desperate for food? Desperate for an escape from this torment? There was no way he could possibly know.

All Marcus knew for certain was that this creature looked at him, as if begging him to put it out of its misery.

By now, Marcus had given up trying to hold back his tears and was now openly sobbing as he slowly unsheathed his sword and hesitantly got it poised in a downward stabbing motion, the point aiming directly at its forehead.

As Marcus continued looking down at it, the infected child looked back up at him, its open mouth not making a sound as it stopped trying to grab at him, as if resigning itself to the sweet release that was quickly approaching.

"I'm so sorry." Marcus quietly said to the boy beneath him as he finally thrust the sword down, the blade piercing its skull like it was tissue paper. Just like that, the boy finally stopped moving and slumped to the floor, finally free of this hellish un-life.

Marcus quickly pulled the sword out, and bowed his head, tears running down his face like rain. Frasier finally stood back up and slowly approached his younger brother as he took the sword from his hands, and slipped it back into its sheath.

Frasier looked down at the dead boy and started letting tears of his own flow freely. This world…this fucked up world they were now living in. How anyone could enjoy living in a place like this, not even Frasier could ever know.

Once he and Marcus had finally shed all the tears they had to shed for this day, the two brothers looked into each others eyes, before looking down on the body beneath them.

"We should bury him." Frasier said in barely a whisper.

Marcus nodded as he knelt down and picked up the body, letting it rest in his arms. As Marcus rose back up, Frasier made direct eye contact with the body. It was as if those lifeless eyes were still managing to look straight into his soul, reminding him once more of Noah.

"I'll take care of it." Was all Marcus could say as he slowly walked past Frasier and made his way down the stairs back into the actual house. Frasier simply stood there by himself, before placing one hand over his face, continuing to weep in response to everything that had happened thus far.

{}

Johann and Saeko continued watching the darkness of the attic door, both of them waiting anxiously for some kind of sign that Frasier and Marcus were okay.

After several minutes, they could hear footsteps start approaching, and were soon greeted by the sight of Marcus slowly walking down the steps, but this time with the decrepit corpse of a young boy lying in his arms. Marcus' eyes were completely red, like what would happen when one had recently been crying.

As he got off the last step of the attic staircase, he stopped between the both of them, rendered speechless by what he had come back down with.

"Frasier's fine. He'll be down shortly. Johann, please go downstairs and get the kids out of the house for a minute. I don't want them to see this." Marcus quietly instructed, not even bothering to look either of them in the eye.

With a quick nod, Johann quickly made his way back down the stairs, and then Marcus slowly turned to look at his sister-in-law.

There was nothing but fear and concern for both him and her husband to be found in those dark blue eyes of hers. For once, she couldn't think of what to say or what to ask. Marcus couldn't think of anything to say either. All he could do was start walking once more, anxious to put an end to this miserable episode.

Once Marcus was out of sight, Saeko turned her gaze back up to the attic door, just in time to see Frasier finally make his way back down, the same streaks of tears and red eyes visible on his face.

At first, he didn't even acknowledge her presence. But then once he was back on the floor, he came to a stop, then wordlessly went back to folding the ladder up and closing the attic door. Once that was all said and done, he finally brought his tired gaze back upon his wife.

All Saeko could think to do by this point was put her arms around him, if for no other reason than to help remind him that she would always be there for him, no matter what.

Frasier didn't respond to this at first, but then slowly put his arms around her as well, too emotionally shaken to even say anything right now. Truthfully, Saeko could tell just what had gotten him and Marcus so upset, and right now all she wanted was to comfort him in whatever way she could.

-

3 Hours Later

The sun began to set over the expansive Parisian skyline. The entire suburb was cast purple in the evening sun. It looked absolutely beautiful, serene even, like something out of one of the master painters' works.

The entire interior of the group's new shelter was cast with a purple light from outside as the group had managed to get all of their supplies put together, having set up who would be sleeping where and everything.

Marcus was sitting by himself in a corner of the living room, his face and hands caked with dirt after the burial he had overseen in the backyard. After burying the boy, he'd even taken it upon himself to bury the hanged man in the shed, refusing any help offered to him the whole time. Frasier and Saeko were always checking on him to make sure he was really alright. How anyone could've been after what happened in the attic would be considered a miracle.

Khota, Saya and Rika were checking over all the group's firearms, which allowed for the pink-haired genius to learn a few new details about how to operate their guns. More importantly to her, though, it gave her a chance to be that much closer with Khota now for the first time in weeks.

Rei and Shizuka were busy sorting out what little of their food was left in an attempt to try and decide what the group should eat tonight, whilst Johann sat outside the door to the backyard, watching Alice and Brian play with Zeke a little further out.

The kids played for a while throughout most of the day whilst the rest of the group got their things sorted out. A few minutes after Johann had come outside to watch after them, Alice ran up to him, a bright smile on her face. It really did him good to see an innocent girl like her genuinely happy for a little bit of time out of the day.

"Hey, Johann, do you wanna play with me and Brian? We're gonna play tag, and we were wondering if you could be it." Alice asked him, her eyes sparkling with hope that he'd say yes.

He looked down at her and sighed deeply. "Sorry, Alice. It's been a really long day, and I'm too tired to start chasing after you today. Maybe you could ask me tomorrow? I promise I'll play with you then." He replied reluctantly. Alice bowed her head, her face showing more concern than disappointment.

"Are you feeling okay? Are you sick?" Alice suddenly asked, frankly catching him off guard. Before he could even answer she'd already put her hand against his forehead as if checking to see if he had a fever.

"No, I'm okay, really. I'm just…really hungry right now. Like we all are." He answered, clearly trying to reassure her. Of course, the mention of food, and the group's less than satisfactory supply of it failed to really lighten the mood.

Alice didn't respond, instead she furrowed her brow in an attempt to make a serious thinking face, and started making her way over to Brian. Johann just looked as she walked away, clearly having no idea just what could be going through that little girls' head.

-

"Alice, is everything okay?" Brian asked curiously as Alice returned to him, her eyes looking upward as if trying to look into her own head and come up with some kind of an idea.

For several seconds, she didn't respond, but then brought her attention back to the young boy, a look of clear worry reflecting in her eyes.

"All the big brothers and big sisters in the group are hungry, just like us. There's not enough food for all of us to eat and be full. I wish there was something we could do so that everyone could get to eat." Alice admitted as she looked back at the house worriedly.

"Well, I'm sure Frasier or Marcus might come up with some kind of an idea. They always do." Brian said, inadvertently expressing his admiration of the two brothers.

"But what if this time they can't, Brian? I don't want to just spend all our time playing around. We should be able to do something to help all of them. You know; do something useful in return for all they did for us. Save them for once." Alice protested, her anxiety clearly showing just how much she really cared about doing something like this.

Brian looked at her, his eyes wide with honest surprise. He'd never seen her act like this before: dead serious.

"Well, okay, Alice. I'm in. But what would we even do? Where would we look? Johann said there's no food in the house, remember?" Brian asked, resigning himself to the fact that he'd no doubt go wherever Alice would go.

Alice seemed momentarily stumped when Zeke suddenly started barking, grabbing both the kids' attention. When they both looked to see where the little pup had disappeared, they saw him standing at the foot of the garden shed in the corner of the yard. Then, as easy as 1-2-3, Alice's eyes were drawn to the top edge of the brick wall lining the yard, and then going along it, she noticed the top of a tree right on the other side, easily within the reach of anyone sitting on the wall.

Within an instant, Alice's eyes lit up as she saw an assortment of small red fruits amidst the foliage of the tree: apples. The small girl even rubbed her eyes to make sure the evening sun wasn't playing tricks on her, only to smile brightly as she realized it was the real thing: honest-to-goodness apples right within their reach. That's when the idea came to mind.

"Come on, Brian. Let's see if there's something in the shed we can climb on to get on the roof! We can get on the wall and get the apples from the tree!" Alice exclaimed excitedly as she ran for the shed door before Brian could even respond.

The young girl struggled with pulling the old door open, but once she did, she wasted no time exploring every inch of the shed for a stool to climb on, whilst Brian looked around nervously, hoping that nobody would see them and they wouldn't get in trouble.

Unfortunately, within seconds, the two kids noticed to large shadows blocking the sunlight coming in through the doorway. The two kids looked to see Frasier and Johann standing in the doorway, looking at the two children with concerned, and inquisitive, eyes.

"And just what do the two of you think you're doing?" Frasier asked flatly with his arms crossed, no humor to be found in his presence.

The two kids quickly lost all their bravado while cast under his shadow, and tried to avoid looking up at him.

"Come on kids, you're not in trouble. We just want to make sure you're not planning on doing something dangerous." Johann reassured them, definitely serving as a sharp contrast to Frasier's no-nonsense attitude at that very moment.

Slightly calmed down by Johann's reassuring tone, Alice looked up to the two of them.

"We were trying to get to the tree on the other side of the wall so we could get the apples on it, so everyone wouldn't have to use any more of that old food we have." Alice explained nervously, still slightly put off by Frasier's unfaltering stare.

"Yeah. We were worried cause everyone's hungry, and we just wanted to try helping you out for once." Brian admitted, not doing so well in terms of acting confident in their presence.

After a few moments of silence, Frasier and Johann glanced sideways at each other, as if communicating to each other through their eyes, before returning their attention to the two small children.

"You're not mad, are you?" Alice asked nervously, her body just barely visibly trembling at the thought of any of the group being mad at her and Brian over something.

The two older boys simply sighed, almost simultaneously, as they both kneeled down to pick up the two kids and place them on their shoulders.

"No, we're not mad at you guys. We just want you to tell us about stuff like this before you go running off and getting yourselves into trouble." Frasier explained, this time a more soothing tone in his voice as they both exited the shed.

"That's right. We're glad you guys want to help us out, but it's still too dangerous for you to be doing things like this on your own. So for now, just make sure you tell us so someone can go with you in case anything bad happens, alright?" Johann asked as he and Frasier hoisted Alice and Brian off of their shoulders and reach up so the kids could climb up onto the roof of the shed.

Luckily, the wood that made up the roof of the shed was pretty strong, enough to support the weight of two small children just fine.

"This time, we're gonna go with you kids for this trip, just to make sure you don't get hurt. Just let me find something for you to put those apples in before you go running off without us, okay?" Frasier asked as he marched into the shed, and quickly came out with a large burlap sack slung over his shoulder.

With his go-ahead, the two kids carefully started making their way down the narrow top of the brick wall towards the tree. Once they were halfway there, Frasier and Johann climbed up onto the wall behind them, slowly following after them so the kids didn't get too far ahead of them.

Once the four of them reached the tree, Alice and Brian carefully stepped off the wall and onto a thick protruding branch of the tree that looked like it could easily support the two of them.

Frasier then reached out to the two kids, handing the sack to Brian, who gladly took it as if he were being handed down some kind of sacred family heirloom.

"Now you two be carefully in there, okay? If you ever think anything's going wrong, or you get scared or even nervous, you call for us, alright? We'll be right here in case you need us." Johann reminded the kids one last time. The thought of any harm befalling the two of them was practically unbearable to him.

The two instantly nodded in understanding, and quickly disappeared within the foliage of the tree, and soon, all was quiet save for the sound of twigs snapping and the kids occasionally laughing amongst themselves.

Frasier and Johann simply sat on the top of the wall, looking out at the vast suburban landscape ahead of them. Neither of them said a word to each other for the first few minutes. Then Frasier cleared his throat as he began to talk.

"So…what do you think?" Frasier asked bluntly while still taking in their new serene surroundings.

"About what?" Johann asked confused. Frasier mentally smacked himself for not even thinking to be a little less vague.

"Well, I mean…hmm…what do you think about this place?" he asked again, clearly gr

asping for something to talk about to pass the minutes.

"Well, after cleaning out all the bodies, I definitely feel a lot safer here than before. This wall is also a pretty big help, too." Johann answered flatly; even patting the cold stone they were sitting on for emphasis.

"Yeah, I can't argue with that. What do you think of the group?" Frasier asked, this time with a little more interest in hearing what the newest addition to the group had to say.

Johann gave the faintest of smiles as he slowly looked up to the evening sky above them, the clouds painted a vast assortment of warm colors.

"Honestly, I feel a lot safer with you guys than I ever did back in Hamburg. I mean, yes, I had a place to call my own, and I had a daily purpose that kept me going, keeping my mind occupied. But there was always the constant threat of bandits getting more aggressive or another German state getting a little too ambitious. At least with this group, the majority of the people are capable fighters. Back in Hamburg, only a handful of people, including the guards, were actually capable of defending themselves in case of an attack." Johann went on to explain, a twinge of resentment towards the last place he called home visible in his voice.

Frasier looked at him silently for a few moments, still feeling the slightest pang of regret inside for what he and his group had inadvertently caused to happen in the Hamburg clan those two weeks ago.

"Yeah, I can see where you're coming from there. But what I meant was, what do you think of the group as a whole? What do you think of the people?" Frasier asked, this time making sure to let Johann this was what he really meant all along.

"Man, do you even have to ask? I'd like to think I've gotten along splendidly with pretty much everyone in the group. I definitely respect Khota as a firearms expert. I'm sure he could be able to help me learn how to keep the guns I get my hands on in better shape.

"Saya…well I won't lie, at first I thought she was going to cause me nothing but grief when I joined with you guys, always pointing out what a genius she is and what a bunch of idiots everyone else are. But I realize that's just her way. I mean, come on, we all have our personality quirks and our flaws.

"Rika…well, she's a bit harder to get close to. I mean, I've spent plenty of time over these last few months with members of law enforcement, but I've never really been around a Special Forces soldier before. To be honest, I still kinda find her intimidating.

"Shizuka makes for a great doctor, and a reliable driver in case we'd ever get in a tight spot, if nothing else. Sometimes I can't help but feel that when I'm not looking, she's undressing me with her eyes, but I'm probably worrying for nothing. I'll be the first to admit I think she has a really sweet personality, but sometimes I can't help but think she's…well, not really rooted in the real world all the time. But hell, maybe that's a good thing, considering all the things this whole group has no doubt gone through since day one.

"Marcus is probably one of the most humorous people I've run into since this whole mess started. It does me some real good whenever he tries cracking one of his jokes, no matter how much they may irritate you. It's just that I've seen people do such horrible things, or become so broken by all that's happened, to see someone still able to genuinely laugh after all of that really helps me out a lot.

"Alice and Brian…I've come to look at those two kids like the little sister and little brother I never had in the relatively short time I've known them. I already know I'd be willing to do whatever it takes to keep them safe. I really don't want to see this world change them like it's done to the rest of us.

"You…well, hell, you've managed to keep this whole group alive as best you can so far. You're not afraid to take charge when the time calls for it, but at the same time, you don't parade yourself around as some great military figure, flaunting your power over the group in some form of dominance. You know to balance both parts of your nature, for the sake of your own sanity, and for the sake of keeping your relationship with the group strong and fruitful. Not everyone can do something like that, and you have my utmost respect for managing to do that for this long.

"And Saeko is one of the most collected people I've met since everything fell apart. She still holds onto the values she had back when things were normal, and that's a rare thing to see in a world where society's rules no longer have a place. She's kind and gentle to all her friends, no matter how dire a situation that doesn't involve fighting may be, which amazes me more and more each day. You and her definitely make for one hell of a pair of fighters. Although I will admit, there have been times where you both seem to get a little too into it, and I won't lie, I find it a bit…concerning at times. But you both still seem to have a grip on things, so I won't think too much into any of that."

With all of that said, Johann brought his attention back to the apple tree, expecting one of the children to come back onto the wall with a sack full of apples for the group. However, he didn't notice Frasier was still looking right at him with a slight smirk on his face.

"Isn't there someone you forgot? Maybe a certain golden-brown-haired spear fighter in our ranks?" he asked slyly, and the slight reddening of Johann's face told Frasier that he hit a bull's-eye.

"Yeah, Rei. She um…well, there's no other way I could really say it in a way that would do justice, man. Rei Miyamoto is the best thing that's ever happened to me, and I know that now, I couldn't be able to keep going without her. I will gladly do whatever it takes to keep her safe, and I know she would do the same for me if the situation ever called for it. I love her with all my heart, and I know she feels the same." Johann began to explain, his voice taking on a bit of a dreamy tone as he kept talking about her.

Frasier could only smile as he listened to Johann keep going on, pouring his heart out. Deep down, he knew he would no doubt be saying the same things if somebody asked him how he felt about Saeko.

"In all honesty, before your group arrived back in Hamburg, I was thoroughly convinced that there would be nobody else out there in the world for me." Johann said suddenly, having dropped the romantic tone, and now had his head bowed down.

"Someone else? Was there somebody before Rei?" Frasier asked, genuinely intrigued now that he was learning something he hadn't known about him before. Johann took a few deep breaths, clearly preparing himself for something he hadn't told anyone about before.

"Yeah. Back before everything changed, I didn't really have a whole lot of friends in school to be honest. I mean, being only one of a handful of European students in a Japanese high school at best, it's not really that hard to believe, right? But…there was one person who was always there for me, no matter how lonely I got sometimes. Her name was Toshimi Niki. She was one of the very first friends I'd ever made after moving to Japan to live with my aunt and uncle ten years ago.

"The two of us quickly became thick as thieves, all the way through middle school and into our third year at high school. By then…well, what started out as a friendship had by then blossomed into a relationship. I was always happy when I was around her, and I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. But then…well, you know what happened." Johann explained, his voice becoming quieter once he had gotten to the day the dead came back. Frasier could feel a slight chill go up his spine by this point. There was no way this story was going to end happily. He could already tell.

"When everyone in the school panicked and tried to get out, one way or another I ended up in the sports field, and just being driven by pure adrenaline, the first thing I did was break into the groundskeepers shed to find something to defend myself with. Once I'd done that and holed up somewhere safe, Toshimi was the first person I thought about finding. I needed to know she was safe.

"I searched the entire school grounds for hours, desperate for some kind of a sign that she was alright. However, when I got to the library…" Johann continued, before choking up with long-repressed tears at the memories he was finally bringing back up.

Frasier didn't dare to verbally tell him to go on. He knew Johann needed time to get his emotions back in check himself, he needed to take as much time as he needed for this.

"…when I got to the library, I found her…but I'd found her too late. She was already dead. Already one of…Them. I found her together with another one of Them I'd come to recognize, her best friend Misuzu Ichijo. Toshimi had Misuzu's severed arm in her hand. It was like some kind of sick joke, since everyone said they were inseparable. So I guess fate thought it would be funny that they be inseparable, even in death." Johann went on to explain, his voice becoming bitter as he thought back on all of it.

"They both came at me…and I did the only thing I could think of doing. I killed them both. I couldn't stand seeing the first girl who'd ever treated me with kindness in such a state as that. When it was all said and done, I wanted to die. I wanted to be with her again, I couldn't stand the thought of her being all alone wherever she now was. But for whatever reason, I kept going forward, driven by some indomitable will to keep living. Even after I had to kill my aunt and uncle, I couldn't bring myself to just give up." Johann continued on, his voice starting to tremble once he had brought up what he had to do to the last remnants of his family.

Frasier couldn't think of anything to say, his thought suddenly being invaded with the memories of his mother, father, uncle…and Noah. It seemed the two of them had a bit more in common than he'd originally realized.

"Before I met your group, I simply went day by day, fighting to survive, fighting to protect myself. I had nothing to live for, but I didn't want to go out like a coward. My uncle had helped me remove any of those thoughts over the last ten years.

"But when I met Rei…it felt like something had been brought back to life in me that I'd thought died out a long time ago. I was actually feeling an attraction towards someone for the first time in what felt like years. I don't want to sound like a broken record, but that's all I can possibly say. She's my saving grace, and I want to be there for her no matter what…like she's always been there for me. If it even comes down to it…I'll even die for her." Johann finally finished, his voice returning to that somewhat dreamy tone he'd taken at the start of his whole reminiscing episode.

Frasier simply nodded and smiled at his new comrade as he heartily slapped him on the back in response.

"I know exactly what you mean, friend. You've no doubt already realized, but I'd do the same for Saeko if it were ever required of me to do so. She also helped bring me back from the brink on more than one occasion, and I could never be able to thank her enough.

"See, back before I moved to Japan, I wasn't exactly the same person I am today. I was a punk, a rebel. I hated my father for trying to control my entire life, and all I ever wanted to do was get in fights and go my own way. Looking back on it now, I can only imagine how bad things could've turned out for me if I had run away from home, but back then, everything I did…I did it just to spite my old man. We never saw eye to eye, and by the time he sent me abroad, all I wanted was to get the hell away from him and live my own life. My uncle in Japan ended up conscripting me into a local kendo dojo that was owned and run by Saeko's family. That was how we first met. At first we didn't really get along, I was too reckless and just had so much anger, and all it ever did was get in my way in the end. She helped me recognize that, helped me learn to discipline myself, to improve myself. Once that started…well, everything simply snowballed from there, and after three, almost four years now, we've come to be the way you see us now."

Johann simply looked at Frasier in amazement as he explained his entire story to him. He'd only ever known Frasier as a disciplined soldier who almost always had a card up his sleeve even in the most desperate situations. It almost seemed impossible for him to believe that at some point Frasier was just some no account punk who got into trouble willingly as a form of self-indulgence.

Once Frasier was all done, he turned to look his German brother-in-arms in the eye.

"You and I…we're a lot more similar than I'd originally thought." Frasier stated, earning a slightly confused look from Johann.

"What I mean is, we've both done things that haunt us continuously. We both know those memories are never going to go away. That the only thing we can do is just make room for them. We've both killed family…we've both lost people we've loved in some way or another. And we're both fighters in nature. We'll both willingly fight to survive, fight to protect the people that are important to us. Even give our lives to keep them safe if need be." Frasier went on to explain, clearly meaning every word of it.

Johann couldn't think of what to say to a reassuring statement like that. All he could bring himself to do was nod in agreement, rendering the both of them silent once more. Johann looked to the tree again, this time a little more than anxious for at least one of the kids to come out and tell him they were alright.

"I found one of Them in the attic earlier today, you know." Frasier suddenly said quietly, almost enough that Johann didn't hear him at all. When Frasier noticed he'd gotten his attention, he took a deep breath and decided to continue.

"It was just a boy. The only kind of injuries from one of Them I could see he had was a slight scratch on one of his hands. The poor kid starved to death while hiding out in the attic, and when he was dead, that was when the infection had finally spread enough to bring him back. The poor kid couldn't even walk, didn't even have the strength to come after us." Frasier went on to explain, pulling his knees up to his chest as he stared forward.

"I saw Marcus come down from the attic with a young boys' body in his arms. But, why are you suddenly telling me this?" Johann asked, unsure of just where Frasier could've possibly been going with this.

"Johann…I've killed hundreds of Them up to this point. I've been able to do it with no hesitation under any other circumstance. But today…I couldn't bring myself to kill one of Them, even when it was too weak to even be considered a threat. I felt so sorry for it, all I could think of doing was just putting this poor kid out of his misery. But I couldn't do it. I ended up having Marcus do it instead." Frasier continued, his voice starting to crack as memories of that afternoon came back to him en masse.

"Back when all of this started, I had another younger brother, Noah. He wasn't as capable at fighting as Marcus and I, but he was still able to hold his own soon enough. He looked up to the both of us, me especially. When I saved him and Marcus from being hanged back in Kibou City, our whole group fled for the harbor and escaped the country. The entire time since the start of the outbreak, I always promised Noah we'd get back home to England, and we'd be safe there. And he never doubted that for a second.

While we were traveling the Pacific towards the United States…we came across a Navy ship. It was filled with Them, but we took care of them easily. However, I'd made the call that we should split up, that a few of us check the inside while the rest handle the outside. That's when it all fell apart.

"While we were split up…one of the infected managed to bite Noah. He was fading fast by the time we'd all found out. Noah had always trusted me to pull through and get us all home…and I'd failed him. He asked me to shoot him while he was still human. And so I did. I buried him at sea, and when I saw him disappear from my sight forever…I knew that I had failed him, as a leader, and as an older brother.

"When I saw that infected boy in the attic, I couldn't help but feel that it had such a strong resemblance to Noah. It was as if I was looking directly at the result of if I hadn't shot him on that boat. It just…it hit me real deep, and I couldn't bring myself to kill it. It felt like I would've been reliving that horrible night on that ship all over again.

"No matter how I may seem to you and the rest of the group, I know you'd understand that since that night, very deep down inside, I'm a fucking mess as it is. I honestly don't know if I could've handled having to do something like that a second time to be honest." Frasier finally finished confessing as he rested his head in his hands, trying his hardest to maintain his composure, trying not to make any kind of eye contact. He'd said all that he felt he'd needed to say, and now he just wanted that to be the end of it.

Johann couldn't help but look at Frasier in a completely different light than he had when they'd first met. This was no longer the fearless super soldier he'd come to think of him as. This man sitting beside him was just as broken as he was.

Before Johann could think of something to say in an attempt to reassure him, he suddenly heard the branches of the apple tree starting to sway, catching both his and Frasier's attention.

They were greeted by the sight of Alice and Brian stepping off the tree branches and back onto the wall, both of them carrying a now bulging burlap sack between them.

"How did it go?" Frasier asked, putting on as optimistic and inviting a tone as he could after what he'd just confessed only seconds ago.

The children both had such bright, proud smiles on their faces as they stopped and carefully dropped the sack onto a shrub at the foot of the wall on the group's side.

"We got lots of them. Everyone can be able to eat them and we don't have to eat any of that old stuff." Alice proclaimed excitedly, clearly more than a little proud of what she and Brian had accomplished.

Johann and Frasier quickly got themselves off the wall and back onto the solid ground as they both reached up and lowered the kids back onto the grass with them.

"So did we do good?" Brian and Alice both asked in unison as Frasier and Johann peeked into the sack to see for themselves.

The whole thing was brimming with probably the freshest looking apples either of them had seen in quite some time. They both smiled warmly as they knelt down to the kids, who were both clearly anxious for some kind of praise.

"You did great, you guys. You did a great job." Johann replied as he playfully tussled Alice's hair, earning an embarrassed, yet playful laugh out of her while Frasier hoisted Brian onto his shoulders like he was a gold medallist.

"Alright. Let's get these fruits into the house. We'll have to use some of the bottled water to wash them off, but other than that, I think we'll actually be able to have a bit of a feast tonight." Frasier explained warmly as he lifted the bag up, and the four of them proceeded to make their way back into the house, just as the last rays of sunlight disappeared behind the Parisian skyline.

**-****  
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**[Up until this point my co-writer (who I'm sure you all know and love by now) has been writing the majority of this chapter so the credit goes to him.]**

Frasier lowered Brian down to the floor as Johann took Alice to grab the bottled water to wash the picked apples off. When Frasier set the bag down it immediately caught the attention of Saya, Marcus, and Shizuka who were all in the same room. All three walked over to investigate what was inside.

"Ohhh apples! It's been so long since I've had one." Shizuka exclaimed in a bubbly voice, unable to contain the excitement over the delicious, red, fruit.

She reached into the bag and took the first bite out of one, Saya slapped the apple out of her hands.

"Don't eat that! For all we know they could be contaminated, how stupid are you to eat food you don't even know is safe?" Saya snapped out, bringing up what seemed like a good point.

Marcus grabbed the apple Saya knocked to the ground and dug his growing finger nails into the red skin. He then held it up for everyone to see.

"Rawr, zombie apple! Gonna get you all! I doubt the dead came back for our apples." Marcus teased, causing all but Saya to laugh a little bit, it only took her a split second to react to him as she did with Shizuka.

"Ugh... Can't you ever keep your loud mouth of a brother quiet?!" Saya grumbled, directly addressing Frasier rather than say one more thing to Marcus.

"Party pooper, no cake for you." Marcus commented before Frasier snapped his fingers together.

"Alright you two, that's enough. Marcus I've asked you not to boil Saya's blood. As for you Saya, you shouldn't let Marcus' get to you so easily, you know he makes a sport out of being a pest." Frasier instructed, keeping his group from getting at each other's throats.

"I'll take the first bite if your concerned over the safety of the apples." Johann gladly offered, willing to make sure the apples were safe for not only Rei and the kids, but for the rest of the group as well.

"Whatever, you guys eat your stupid apples. I don't care if you die from them." Saya responded harshly, showing no room for tolerance to those that disagreed with her.

"Even me?!" Alice asked with pain in her voice, looking up to Saya with tears in her eyes after hearing such a thing.

"Wha- No! No! I didn't mean you at all ! I meant... Ugh I don't know why I said it I'm just so darn hungry munchkin." Saya explained, trying to keep Alice from bursting out into tears.

"I think you should hug Marcus and make up!" Shizuka chimed in.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me." Saya groaned, pinching her nose at the thought of hugging Marcus, especially with all the dirt he had on him.

"Yea, only I make the jokes around here..." Marcus replied before Frasier glared at him, sending chills down his back.

"... but then again I'm willing to cooperate." Marcus said, taking a change of heart quickly, not wanting to anger his elder brother.

After moments of hesitation, the two differing group members quickly hugged each other then turned away, putting their differences asides for now. The rest of the group members smiled as Alice began to feel better.

"Alright let's get things back on track." Frasier ordered, getting things back on track.

-

Everyone soon went back to their current task of setting up the last of their gear and supplies. Frasier had Rei and Khota set up candles in the living room since the power was out. Even if there was power, he wouldn't want to use it, since he calculated it would've attracted unwanted attention from the living.

Alice and Brian held up two water bottles, pouring just the right amount without wasting the precious liquid. Johann sat with them, making sure the apples were kept clean and proper for consumption.

"So can we make apple sauce from these? I like apple sauce." Brian said as he and Alice washed the same apple together.

"Umm I guess we could crush them down to a paste. Let me have a go at it." Johann offered, with one hand reached out for a clean apple.

"Do you think you can do it with just your hands?" Rei questioned, who was apparently standing over Johann without making her presence known until now.

"Oh um maybe. I'm sure I can." Johann gambled as he placed both hands around the red fruit.

Alice, Brian, and Rei watched in amusement as Johann began to place an increasing amount of pressure onto both sides of the apple. His face began to turn red as he refused to give up. Both arms began to tremble before giving out from the strain.

"I guess I'm not as strong as I thought I was." Johann confessed, somewhat disappointed he couldn't show his might to the girl he loved.

"It's ok, you did what you could. Your body is just drained from hunger." Rei explained, gently placing her hand against his shoulders for support.

"I suppose... Alice, maybe you and Brian should go ask Frasier if he can crush an apple or two. I'm sure he still has more than enough energy to spare." Johann suggested, slightly more optimistic thanks to Rei.

The two children quickly ran off and took two apples with them. In high hopes that Frasier wasn't too busy helping Saeko with making dinner. When they were out of sight Johann looked down at the apple in his hands.

"Well here goes nothing." Johann thought to himself as he took a bite without hesitation.

Rei looked at him and was intrigued as to why he was being so weird about eating an apple. After he took multiple bites, he finally swallowed the massive chunk he pulled out with his strong, canine like, teeth.

"Any reason why you were eating that apple like it was poisonous?" Rei asked, looking at Johann with curiosity in her red eyes.

"We'll Saya brought up the issue of these apples being potentially tainted. So I volunteered to try them out before anyone else." Johann explained, paying extra close attention to anything that didn't feel right in him.

"So your willing to die over a stupid apple? Why even risk your life over such an arbitrary thing?" Rei snapped, clearly disapproving of Johann being the one to volunteer for a suicidal gambit.

"I did it for you and the kids. If anyone is going to take a bullet for the group it's me. I'm expendable Rei, I will do whatever I must to keep this group safe." Johann replied, not wanting Rei to think he did it on impulse or foolish intent.

Rei remained silent after hearing that. Her arms slowly wrapped around his torso as her head gently rested itself against his shoulders.

"I'm sorry I snapped at you Johann. I just can't take another heart break, I've already lost so much. I don't think I can take anymore." Rei whispered, her eyes slowly closing.

"Don't worry Rei, I knew the apple wouldn't kill me. Saya is just being protective of the kids and I wanted to make sure she had no reason to complain." Johan said, putting a humorous spin at the end of his sentence.

Before Rei could respond, Alice came running into the room with a plastic cup with mashed up apples inside.

"Guys it's dinner time! Let's go!" Alice exclaimed excitedly, her feet impatiently tapping against the floor.

"Alright we'll be right there." Rei responded as they both stood above the hyper child.

-

Moments later, everyone was sitting in the living room, all in one big circle. The main course was vegetable soup, sweetened by a few drops of an apple. On the side was four pieces of sliced up apple for everyone thanks to the two brave child adventurers.

"So how long do you think we should stay here Frasier?" Rei asked, almost as if she was beginning to feel associated with the house.

"Not sure, it depends on how many of Them are in the local area. Tomorrow we should scavenge the other houses for supplies. If we find nothing or stay until all resources are consumed then we can siphon the fuel out of one of the many nearby cars for fuel. Luckily the one we have is fuel efficient." Frasier explained, almost as if he had calculated every outcome and step before even stepping foot inside of the house.

"So who made this? This is great!" Khota questioned, wolfing down his servings off apple slices.

"Hey! Chew your food you chubby, little, otaku!" Saya grumbled, whipping off a tiny chunk of apple that hit her cheek.

"Oh, sorry!" Khota apologized with his mouth stuffed.

Both Brian and Alice giggled as they watched his cheeks puff out similar to a squirrels. They then did the same, mimicking how Khota was eating.

"Oh great! Now you've got them doing it. How many times have I told you that those two mimic everything we do?" Saya lectured.

"If that were true they would be yelling at the top of their lungs over the smallest of issues." Marcus joked, whispering to Frasier and Saeko, both having to cover their mouths from drawing attention to themselves.

"So do you guys ever wonder how the world will ever revert to the way it used to be?" Shizuka asked, catching the attention of the rest of the group.

"I'm sure it will come to that one day, we just need faith is all." Rei answered, showing she still had some hope for the world.

"Pft. Faith... that's outbreak talk. It's been months since the world turned, since the entire planet has fallen to Them. Face it kids, faith won't get you anywhere these days." Rika argued, showing her tough as nails attitude once more.

"How can you say that? If we didn't have faith in one another then we would have perished long ago." Shizuka replied, it was nearly surprising that she was actually being serious about something like this.

"No, Rika's right. It's all about who is the best. You have to be mean, you have to be tough, you must be tactical, and most importantly you must be-" "Chocolate?" Saya lectured before Alice interrupted her.

"Chocolate?" Saya questioned as she looked over to see the little girl standing over her, holding a small fragment of one of the bars Johann gave to her and Brian earlier.

"Chocolate?" Alice repeated, cleverly attempting to divert the conversation away by sharing the delicious treat.

"Oh... um sure... Thank you Alice." Saya replied before taking it, completely forgetting where she was in her little speech.

"Hey I want some! I hope you plan on sharing Alice." Frasier announced, playing along after noticing the ruse the little girl was pulling off seamlessly.

"Where did you even get that?" "Hey pass me a piece." "Mmm that's delicious." "Oh how I've missed you chocolate!" said multiple members of the group all at once, each one canceling out another.

After the chocolates were rationed out to the last wrapper, Alice and Brian realized they had been left with the smallest of the bunch. Both ate the chocolate they had gladly, but they were somewhat disappointed they didn't have anymore for later.

Johann noticed this and decided to do the right thing. While everyone else ate their share, he kneeled down and placed his piece between them without saying a word. He winked at them both before retiring to Rei's side loyally.

-

Minutes later, Alice and Brian managed to diffuse the aggressive conversation by passing out every last bit of the chocolates Johann had kindly given them (while keeping the extra piece he handed out to them).

Both sat side by side as they shared the same piece, taking tiny, child sized, nibbles out of it as they watched the flames in the candles flickering back and forth.

They didn't need technology or fancy devices to entertain themselves; all they needed was each other's company. Zeke soon nestled himself between them before he yawned, clearly tired after a long day of traveling.

Shizuka and Rika both took turns watching the kids. Both would smile to themselves every time the two kids would look at one another before the other one would notice. It was heartwarming to even the roughest of the group members.

Saya, Khota, and Marcus were already sound asleep. All exhausted after a long day of setting up in the house.

Meanwhile, Rei and Johan shared the same sleeping bag, just as they had so long ago on that one dreaded night outside the Hamburg Clan's walls.

"So where did you guys manage to find the apples anyhow?" Rei questioned, enjoying the feeling of Johann's stubble on the back of her neck.

"Alice and Brian are the ones to thank. They felt they needed to give back to the group after all we've done for them. I assume they spotted the apple tree and decided it would be a good idea to pick the ripe apples now. Little things even tried to sneak off on their own to do it. Luckily Frasier and I managed to catch up and supervise things, it would be a tragedy if anything happened to them." Johann explained, showing his feelings to Rei for the innocence ones of the group.

"Awe Johann, I really hope Frasier is right about his home being as safe as he made it out to be. I don't know how much longer I can go on with all this running from Them." Rei brought up, clenching the rim of the sleeping bag tight.

"Ssshhh. It's ok Rei, no matter where we go, I'll always be there to protect and love you." Johann hushed, reassuring her doubts on survival.

"Heh, you always know what to say darling." Rei grinned as she flipped around to kiss Johann without warning.

"Night Johann, sweet dreams. I love you." Rei whispered before blowing out the candle in front of them.

"Night Rei. I love you too." Johann whispered back, feeling somewhat glad the darkness was able to conceal how red his face was from the sudden kiss Rei gave him.

-

While the last candle went out inside the house, Frasier let out a sigh of relief as he sat atop the sturdy wall. Acting as a sentry for the group as they all slept soundly after days of being on the move.

His crossbow/revolver hybrid was slung across his shoulder. If he saw any potential threat to the group he could take it down from a distance but more importantly, he could do it quietly.

Most would've been freezing cold at this time of night, but he was a man of the U.K. Cold had no meaning to him, his body even had become somewhat resistant to its harsh effects by now.

His eyes scanned the quiet, dark, suburban neighborhood. His mind mentally picking out the houses to search through as he spoke of earlier.

When all seemed calm, he saw out the corner of his eyes a metal object reaching around for his neck. His body quickly leaned back only to fall into the lap of the culprit.

"S-Saeko? What the hell are you doing?!" Frasier whispered, unsure why she did what she just did.

"Just making sure you're on your guard beloved." Saeko teased as she placed the kitchen knife aside on the brick wall, her hands then began to playfully stroke his hair.

"Very funny Saeko, but you know to never sneak up on me. It could get... dangerous." Frasier replied, putting great emphasis when he said dangerous.

"Maybe I like danger." Saeko grinned, her head slowly looming over his as her long, purple, hair drooped around his face.

"Then you've come to the right place." Frasier replied confidently before being silenced by her lips being pressed against his uncontrollably.

For minutes they remained in that position until they ran out of air. Frasier gazed up at Saeko, the moon light made her pure white skin almost glowing in radiance.

"Come back inside, you need your rest Frasier." Saeko ordered as Frasier sat up.

"I don't want to leave the group unguarded. Who knows who or what could stumble upon us. The wall is nice but I'll be damned if I leave it to a inanimate object to be the leading source of our security." Frasier explained, making it clear to Saeko he wasn't going to come back in until the sun was up.

"But you need your rest, without it you could collapse during the day. It's not wise to cut back on the amount of rest you've neglected for the last few days." Saeko argued, hoping Frasier would listen to reason this time as she climbed down the wall.

"You're right on that one. But who will watch over us then?" Frasier asked stubbornly.

"Don't worry Frasier, things will be just fine. Now get down from there and come to bed." Saeko asked one last time, before she entered the house through the back door.

Frasier sat there for a few seconds, he sighed to himself before realizing she was right. He hopped down the wall and entered the house quietly, even manging to sneak by Rika without waking her up.

-

After setting his weapons down and taking off most of his clothing, Saeko wrapped her arms around him and pulled him down into her sleeping bag. He was now hers for the rest of the night.


	60. Act 25 Revolution of Life & Death Part 2

**Act 25 Révolution de la Vie et de la Mort (Revolution of Life and Death) Part 2**

**Southern Side of Bondy, Paris, Île-de-France, France**

**Z-Day+174**

The interior of the house was quiet as a tomb. Not even the nearly silent winds of Fall could penetrate the somber silence that pervaded through the air.

The two infected men that stood idly in the entrance hall were as still as statues, having long since run out of living humans to devour, and now resigning themselves to standing aimlessly until the rare chance would come that a lone vagrant would come to this place seeking shelter.

_CRASH_

The front door to the house was suddenly slammed open, and before the two undead monstrosities could prepare to attack, a broadsword suddenly swept down, cleaving the younger creatures' head in two, and before the elder could pounce, a long-bladed combat knife was stabbed right into its forehead, forcing the creature to tumble backwards into a mirror before sliding down to the floor lifelessly.

Marcus pulled his knife out of the skull of the now-lifeless elderly man as Frasier pulled his broadsword out of the obliterated skull of what was probably his son.

The two brothers were quickly joined by the rest of their group. With the exception of Alice, Brian and Shizuka, they all had their own weapons at the ready.

Not a single one of them shared a word with each other for what felt like an eternity as they all waited for any revealing sounds of footsteps from upstairs. Surely the noise of the door getting kicked in would've drawn some attention from any of Them that were hiding out in here.

Once he was satisfied, Frasier pointed to Johann, Rei, Rika and Khota before nodding his head towards the stairs. They all simultaneously nodded as they made their way single file upstairs.

The rest of the group gathered around Frasier, ready to check the rest of the house downstairs. As they prepared to spread out and investigate, Frasier looked to see Shizuka place her hands on Alice and Brian's shoulders, giving a single nod to let him know she would look after them while the group did what they had to.

With an understanding nod, Frasier, Marcus, Saeko, and Saya all split up to check each room.

Frasier carefully pushed open the door to a guest room, keeping a firm grip on the handle to his broadsword in case anything tried to get the jump on him. When he realized there was nothing in the room, he got on all fours to look under the bed. All clear. Checking inside the closet, all he found were some musty old rags that were supposed to pass for clothes apparently. Sighing at the lack of anything useful, he made his way out.

Marcus had just finished quickly looking through a broom closet as he prepped himself to check another door. Getting his combat knife ready, he slowly pushed the door open, every second seeming like a lifetime as a trickle of sweat ran down his face. Once the door was all the way open, he shined his flashlight in to see that it was only a room with a propane tank and the fuse box to the house. The hall he stood in was plenty dark, so it wasn't until he decided to leave that he noticed some bloody smears on the door that led to this room, and upon looking lower, a trail of blood that dragged across the carpet, and to the entrance hall to the house. He guessed this must've been where one of those two infected folks had come from.

Saya carefully made her way through the family room, keeping her pistol ready in case of anything unexpected. Her eyes shifted from one end of the room to another, looking for absolutely anything that could've been amiss or cause for worry. Nothing escaped her hawk-like gaze today. Any sign of blood, she could spot it almost instantly, and would then pull the hammer on her gun back, so that if anything did try to make a move, she'd be ready to just pull the trigger. Over the last couple days, she'd finally managed to get a considerable bit more practice in once it had been confirmed there were no nearby infected in whatever area the group was staying in; and she was now a little more comfortable with her firearm now. Upon checking in another closet and looking through the windows that looked out onto a small yard and some neighboring houses and back alleys, she heaved a sigh of relief as she pushed the hammer back into position and flipped the safety back on.

Saeko carefully peeked around the corner of the doorframe that led to the kitchen. The bright afternoon sun shined brightly through the single uncovered window. The natural light colors of the room almost made it seem illuminated, and after searching through a house that was mostly shrouded in darkness, the sudden light almost hurt her eyes. Once her sight had adjusted, Saeko's eyes were instantly drawn to the floor, to behold a sight that actually caused her stomach to churn.

Splayed out in the middle of the kitchen floor was an unbelievable mess of blood and other bodily fluids. There was the hollowed out, mutilated remains of a middle-aged woman splattered all over the floor. All her limbs had been torn off and were scattered across, half of her face was eaten away, revealing half of a skeletal expression of terror painted red; and her torso was completely torn open and hollowed out like some kind of sick high school biology experiment.

Once she had registered all these details, that was when the ungodly stench finally registered in her brain, causing the normally stoic swordswoman to reel back, covering her nose and mouth in disgust. These remains were definitely here for quite a while, so they had a lot of time to get really…ripe, so to speak.

Saeko kept half her face covered as she slowly approached the grisly scene. She had seen her share of horrific sights since this had all started, but seeing something like this was almost proving to be too much, even for her. Even though there was no visible sign of damage to the skull that would've indicated she was put down, it was all to clear to Saeko that this woman was definitely not coming back. She was left with no other idea than to assume the dead had simply eaten too much for anything to really come back to life.

Trying to avert her gaze from this grisly scene of carnage, Saeko quickly started searching through all the available cupboards and the refrigerator. The most she was able to come up with was one or two boxes of dry cereal and stale crackers respectively, and a couple bottles of warm water, thanks to all the power being out.

Desperate to get out and away from this horrible smell, Saeko tucked her findings into the messenger bag slung around her shoulder and went off to meet with the rest of the group in the entrance hall.

Upstairs, The group had split into teams of two, each searching half the upper floor of the house.

Khota and Rika were carefully searching through one of the bedrooms. Judging by the casual look to it all; it was only safe to assume that it was occupied by the younger infected male Frasier took out earlier.

Rika positioned herself at the only window, slowly sliding it open and positioning her rifle so that the scope was looking out at the alleys, roads, neighboring houses and apartment buildings that the window faced. There was the occasional single one of Them shambling any which way direction, not even noticing that it was being watched by the group's stone-faced sniper.

As much as Rika wanted to blow the heads off any of Them that her scope came across, she knew that would only bring out any of Them that were hiding; and it would bring Them coming down on top of the group. So with an exasperated sigh, she took her finger off the trigger and continued aimlessly scanning the area.

Khota carefully checked under the bed with the flashlight he had taped to the barrel of his assault rifle. When he found nothing underneath, he turned his attention to the small closet in the corner. Throwing the door open and immediately taking a step back in case something fell out, all he was greeted with was a bunch of abandoned clothes and an old, partially deflated soccer ball.

Khota slung the rifle over his shoulder and immediately grabbed the small electric clock sitting on a bedside table. Wasting no time, he opened the battery door and emptied the two batteries into his hand before tucking them into his pocket. At least they'd be able to keep one of the group's flashlights working a little longer.

Nodding to Rika that they were done with this room, the gun otaku and the sniper made their back into the hall, waiting silently for the other team of two to come back.

Johann and Rei were currently checking the master bedroom, melee weapons at the ready the whole time. Luckily, the large bounty of apples Alice and Brian had found three days ago were able to help keep the group nourished for a while; so neither of them felt light-headed or weak from hunger now, which was important right now more than ever. If something were hiding and able to get the drop on them, they would need to have the strength and energy to fight back.

Neither of them knew for certain what they could find that would be useful in a master bedroom, since the whole group already had winter clothes to keep them all warm once the snow started falling.

After a few minutes of careful searching and sorting through yet another closet and some bedside drawers, Johann's eyes fell on a single bathroom door in the corner. And worst of all, there was a noticeable splatter of blood on the carpet that led into it.

Gently placing a hand on Rei's shoulder, Johann nodded his head towards the door, slowly unsheathing his machete. She nodded in understanding, getting the bayonet knife in her hand ready for whatever would be on the other side.

Johann positioned himself at the door, hand gripping the doorknob, mentally preparing himself. Fights with the infected out in an open space were one thing, but in a close-quarters fight with no light to help you see what you're doing, these confrontations could go one of two ways.

On the mental count of three, Johann quickly threw the door open, machete raised over his head for whatever was there to greet him. Once he'd turned on the flashlight in the pocket of his jacket, he was surprised to see there was nothing in here that he could see. There was a very visibly mess of blood on the floor and counter of the bathroom, but no body, no traces of Them. As he slowly stepped in, lowering his machete to his side, he started wondering if whoever died in here had wandered out after turning.

As Johann lowered his guard, he didn't even notice that the single infected person he was expecting had been hiding behind the door, hidden behind it after Johann had thrown it open. It silently got onto its feet, and started approaching Johann from behind, arms outstretched to grab his head, its bloody teeth twisted into a vicious snarl as it was about to grab him and sink its teeth into the back of his skull.

As Johann had gotten himself accustomed to the silence, there was the sudden splitting sound of something digging into cartilage and bone.

As Johann turned around, he nearly jumped a foot backwards to see the frozen face of one of Them a couple inches away from his face, one of its pale eyes skewered on the end of a bayonet blade.

The blade was quickly wrenched out the back of its skull as it collapsed lifelessly to the floor, Rei standing over it with the bloody bayonet clenched tightly in her hand.

For a few seconds, Rei was panting heavily before she caught her breath and grabbed a spare towel off the rack, wiping her bayonet off as best she could before sheathing it. She brushed a few strands of her golden-brown hair out of her face before giving a sly smirk to Johann, as if playfully making fun of him that he'd missed one.

Johann just smiled embarrassedly as he sheathed his machete and started to search the bathroom for whatever could be useful.

Upon sliding open the medicine cabinet, his eyes instantly fell on a couple packets of aspirin and one bottle of cold medicine. He quickly grabbed them and stuffed them into his pocket before he and Rei nodded in agreement that they'd found all they could be able to use here.

The two of them quickly headed back out into the hall to rejoin Khota and Rika, who were standing there patiently waiting, as if they could've had all the time in the world for the two lovers to come back and let them know they were done up here. With a unanimous nod, they headed back downstairs.

The whole group had gathered back together in the entrance hall to the house, Frasier slowly looking over what meager supplies they were able to scrounge up. While he didn't communicate it verbally, his eyes were able to communicate his feelings to the rest of the group perfectly by this point.

He was a little glad Khota was able to come across a couple batteries and Johann and Rei were able to find some meds in case someone were to get a cold or the flu, especially with winter fast approaching. The water Saeko had found was also to be considered a godsend by this point, even if it was warm.

After going over everything, and then looking into the large duffle bag Shizuka had strapped over her shoulder to look at what was left of their original supplies, Frasier tucked all the group had found inside it, officially confirming that this was all they found that was worth taking in this house.

The group remained silent for a few moments. This was the fourth house they had scoured through today, and only the second house that actually had anything useful to scavenge.

As if to emphasize how desperate things were quickly getting, the sound of Alice and Brian's stomachs growling in hunger broke through the air, effectively shattering the lingering silence.

The two children looked so hungry, so miserable right now, it just broke everyone's hearts to see them like this. Unfortunately, there weren't too many of those apples left by this point, and the group knew they needed to make them last as long as possible.

Taking a deep breath, Frasier knew it was time to hit the road again. There was no way they were going to call it a day while it was still daylight today.

"Alright. Let's go, everyone." Frasier finally spoke, breaking the hanging silence that seemed to have been existing among the group for the entire day. The rest of the group silently agreed, and marching in single file, they all left this house forever, leaving it to the elements, making their way down the empty road, further into the city of Paris, none of them knowing just what could've been in store for them.

**4 Hours Later**

The group continued to march side by side through the empty streets, nothing but the abandoned or burned out remains of cars that had all been stripped for parts (tires, engines, car batteries etc.) for some reason, or the looming shadows of abandoned buildings to greet them.

The Fall winds blew eerily through the streets, sending chills up all their spines, even through their winter clothes. They had managed to scrounge up another flashlight and an old can of tomatoes after searching through two more houses and the remains of an outdoor market.

The sun was beginning to set, and they knew they needed to find shelter, some way to get away from this bitter cold.

Unfortunately, the car they had arrived in France with had long since run out of gas, and since every vehicle in sight was either totaled, burned out, or stripped and siphoned, there was no other choice but for them to proceed further into Paris on foot.

After a few silent minutes of walking, the group came to a stop as Frasier pulled a map out of Shizuka's duffel bag.

"Any idea where we are right now, Frasier?" Marcus asked tiredly as the group all started looking around to make sure no infected were around. Luckily, all that there was were a few of Their bodies, thankfully shot down or with Their skulls crushed by a car or something.

Frasier grimaced in irritation as he quickly scratched at the thick stubble on his face. By now, his hair had started to show some length, and he almost looked officially bearded as well.

His eyes started quickly looking through the large unfolded map in his hands. Thankfully, he'd managed to scrounge it out of an abandoned truck the day before last, so at least now the group could have some fragment of a clue of where they were going.

"Let's see…we're currently on Route Nationale 3 in Bondy, headed South…if we keep going in this direction, we'll soon reach a rise, like an overpass or something. From up there we'll have a better view of the immediate area, and we can pick out a place to take shelter there for the night." Frasier explained before folding it back up and tucking it back into the bag around the nurse's shoulder.

"I think that might be what you're looking for right up ahead." Rika said boredly as she pointed straight ahead, and sure enough, the road split in two, with the left half rising up.

"Alright, let's not waste any time, okay?" Frasier called over his shoulder, and like a weary platoon of soldiers, the group began making their way forward once again.

As the group slowly trudged on, Saya looked over to see a large gray building to their right with a sign on the roof that read "Hotel" above it. She sighed in exhaustion before turning her attention to Frasier up ahead.

"Hey, don't you think it would be easier if we could just set up shelter in there for the night? All this scavenging and fighting and walking we've been doing today, I feel like I'm about to keel over any minute." Saya explained, almost borderline complaining, as the rest of the group turned to look at the hotel itself.

"It's too big. We don't know how many infected could be roaming around inside. We need to settle on some place smaller, or if necessary, maybe even sleep in another truck." Frasier explained with no hesitation, earning a tired groan out of Saya and Shizuka at once.

Without another word, they continued making their way up onto the overpass the road started turning into. However, once they began to walk uphill, Rika and Johann both instantly saw something that got their nerves to flare back up again: infected.

Up ahead at the peak of the road, there were about five or six infected shambling about aimlessly, apparently having not even noticed the group.

Without a word, Rika and Khota both got their rifles leveled and ready to fire before Frasier put his arms in the air and stood in both their way.

"Don't. Remember that these things only hunt by sound? We can avoid a fight with these things altogether if we just go about this carefully." He reprimanded them as they both hesitantly lowered their guns.

"Well listen to you, the guy who normally can't go a day without slaughtering at least a dozen of Them. When did you suddenly start wanting to avoid fighting?" Rika asked, a hint of sarcasm ringing in her voice as the rest of the group never took their eyes off Them, in case They started approaching the group.

"In case you haven't noticed, our food supply has been dwindling for a while now, and all the scavenging, fighting and walking we've been doing today has been adding up, even for myself. I know some of us are always capable of fighting, but that doesn't mean all of us are. If at all possible, I want to avoid a situation that could put the less combat-skilled of us in any danger. Understand?" Frasier explained, his voice in a harsh a whisper in case an echo would carry over to any of Them that were currently hiding or out of sight.

Khota nodded in understanding, himself not really feeling in good enough shape to start a fight with Them, whilst Rika just rolled her eyes in aggravation before slinging her rifle back over her shoulder.

"Whatever, you're the boss. But you know we won't be able to avoid fighting Them forever." Was all she said before turning her back on Frasier and rejoining Shizuka and the kids.

"Alright, we'll head back the way we came and take the right section of the road that heads West. We're sure to find someplace to take shelter before it gets too…" was all Frasier was able to say before the silence was suddenly broken by the most horrid shrieking any of the group could've possibly imagined. It seemed to carry on forever in every direction, the ear-splitting frequency forcing the whole group to cover their ears in desperation to block it out.

As quickly as the noise had started, it suddenly ended, echoing out into the distance. The group soon uncovered their ears and started looking around nervously. This was the first time any of them had heard something so ear-splittingly loud and high-pitched before, almost like it was trying to get into their heads.

"What the fuck was that?" Rika asked anxiously while Shizuka remembered to cover the children's ears with her hands just in time so they wouldn't have to hear the sniper's profane language.

"I have no idea. Whatever it was, it came from the South, so any infected that heard it will be heading in that direction. We need to start looking for shelter before any of Them show up, alright?" Frasier asked, the sudden shock of that noise bringing his normal amount of adrenaline pumping again.

"Uh, Frasier, there's just one thing I'm not sure about." Johann suddenly stated, drawing the whole groups attention.

"If that noise came from the South, which is behind those infected up the road…then why are they heading North…towards us?" he asked nervously. The whole group instantly turned simultaneously to the direction they were originally going, and sure, enough those six infected were hustling towards the group, no doubt about it.

Before any of the group could react, the sound of multiple groans and snarls started to echo through the once silent air, and this time, it was coming from behind them. The whole group turned, and this time they were greeted by the sight of several dozen infected shambling out the busted-in doorways and shattered windows of multiple buildings that lined the road, and They were all making a beeline towards the group.

Turning back to the rise in the road, the group all felt a chill of fear as the six original infected were now being followed by a few more dozen of Them shambling over the horizon.

"Oh shit! Everybody, RUN!" Frasier shouted out after several seconds of stunned silence. Almost as if a switch had been flipped, the whole group was able to get their legs back in gear, and they all started to run for the split in the road that headed West.

Sheer adrenaline was burning through everyone as they ran down the road, the gigantic mob of Them chasing after them like a slow-moving tidal wave of bloody teeth and claw-like bony fingers.

As they ran, they soon came across a round-about up ahead that had a few scattered infected shambling around, apparently having not noticed the group of living folk running towards them.

Frasier, Marcus, Saeko and Johann all got their blades unsheathed, ready to cut through these few that stood in their way, since They hadn't taken notice of them yet.

However, just as Frasier was ready to take a jump and cleave the first one in two, the second closest infected man suddenly jerked its head right in his direction, and for the first time ever whilst dealing with the dead, Frasier could actually feel this one actually looking directly at him, staring right at him with intent instead of just staring blindly past him into the distance. He could feel that this one could actually see him.

The undead man staring directly at Frasier with bleeding eyes suddenly raised one arm, pointing in his direction before opening its mouth wide enough to the point of unhinging its jaw, and suddenly let out a deafening shriek that pierced through the air, nearly bringing everyone in the group to a sudden halt in an attempt to cover their ears.

The thing was only able to issue its banshee-like scream for a second before Saeko managed to dive in and slice its skull in two, effectively silencing it as the corpse collapsed onto the ground.

The group quickly managed to recover and get their senses back together before regaining the running start they had on the horde of zombies that was still hot on their heels.

This time, all the other dead that were wandering the roundabout now took notice of the group running past Them and proceeded to give chase, adding yet a few more numbers to the gigantic mob that was now congesting the roads behind them.

The group continued to run for their lives, the mob never letting up as They continued clawing at the air behind them, Their collective snarls, growls, moans and groans resounding into a veritable wall of noise that only served to push the group to run faster.

Out of desperation, Rika, Khota and Saya pulled out their side arms and took only a precious fraction of a second every dozen paces to look over their shoulders and fire off a shot into the mob, every shot thankfully managing to nail one of the ravenous monsters between the eyes, and sending Them toppling to the asphalt, even managing to trip a few of the ones following close behind. It was now more than ever that Saya was grateful to squeeze in whatever practice time she could in the past.

After several minutes of running down a multitude of small streets, the group was forced to come to a stop when they came across a massive obstacle completely blocking the road. It was an overturned tanker, lying on its side, the massive tank lying on its bed completely gutted, the flammable chemicals it was carrying having long since evaporated into the ground. Either way, there was no way for the group to continue forward.

Thankfully, due to Rika, Khota and Saya's potshots, the group had managed to put a good several yards between themselves and the slowly approaching horde.

Looking around in desperation, Marcus suddenly noticed a closed gate that led into an alleyway, and upon looking up, he could see what looked like a fire escape that went up to the roof of a small apartment block.

"Follow me, guys. This way!" Marcus ordered as he quickly sprinted for the gate. Wasting no time, he unsheathed his combat knife and bashed the padlock off of the gate with the handle. It was regrettable, but necessary.

Kicking the gate open, Marcus darted down the stone steps and into the alley, the rest of the group right behind him.

Upon reaching the fire escape, Marcus looked up to see that the ladder leading up was still too high up for any of them to grab onto. As the rest of the group had their eyes set on the direction they came, just waiting for the first of the infected to appear, Marcus and Frasier started to pull at the handle to a nearby dumpster, dragging it backwards so they could be able to climb on top of it and therefore reach the ladder.

As the brothers dragged the dumpster, the rest of the group all began to tense up, those with weapons tightening their grips as the wall of noise made by the dead steadily grew louder and louder. The horde could've easily be numbered around a couple hundred due to the sheer volume of all the combined noises They made.

The horde was going to be here within less than a minute, and every single one of the group was desperately hoping Marcus and Frasier would be able to get them access to the ladder in time.

Rika quickly slid five rounds into her sniper rifle before pulling the slide back and pressing the butt of her weapon against her shoulder, leveling the scope with her dominant eye, her finger on the trigger, ready to pull it once the first of Them showed its half-eaten face.

Khota had just finished sliding a fresh magazine into his assault rifle before flipping the switch to single-fire. Every bullet was going to be sacred in this circumstance, and he needed to make every single one count.

Saya had just finished fitting the last of the bullets she had on her into her pistol before pulling the slide and pulling back the hammer. She nervously raised her arms forward, making sure not to lock her elbows as she lined the sights up. While she was visibly trembling with fear, deep down, she felt somewhat confident with Khota at her side. If this were to turn out to be where they were going to meet their end, she was happy that she would at least be with the chubby gun-lover to the very end.

Johann pulled out the revolver he had tucked in his back pocket, double-checking to make sure it was fully loaded. He flipped off the safety and pulled back the hammer, aiming it steadily with his left hand whilst keeping a tight grip on his machete in his right hand. He could feel a frigid sweat beading on his forehead as he anxiously awaited the coming wave of undead.

Rei fitted the bayonet blade onto the large assault rifle she normally kept slung on her back, readying the gun itself for the first battle she would actually be using it in. She remembered all the instructions Khota had given in the past about how to prep and ready an assault rifle, silently thanking herself for remembering to load the magazines back when she had the chance.

Shizuka and Brian were both helping to push the dumpster forward while Frasier and Marcus struggled to pull the incredibly heavy object backwards, Saeko quickly joining them after several tense moments. Their combined efforts helped to get it moving faster, but it was still going to be a close call if they could get climbing before the horde reached them.

As the whole group readied themselves for what could possibly be their last stand, poor Alice stood in the middle of the group, trembling with fear. Looking nervously to all of the people she'd come to view like big siblings, she nervously grabbed onto the hem of Saya's jeans, trying desperately not to look at the entrance to the alley they had just come from, knowing full well the dead were going to show Their faces any second now.

"Saya, are we going to get out of here? Are we going to make it?" the little redheaded girl asked, her voice shaking with uncontrollable emotion, tears streaming down her innocent face.

Saya looked down at the little girl and almost couldn't resist crying herself seeing the poor child so terrified. "We will make it, munchkin. I promise we will." Saya hesitantly reassured her. As much as it tore the genius apart to lie to this sweet child, she at least wanted her to have at least one last thought of hope if this was indeed going to be the end.

Finally, the dreaded moment had come. The very first of the dead had turned the corner leading into the alley, heading straight for the group, closely followed by a vast multitude of other infected.

The very first deafening gunshot resounded from Rika's rifle, the first round thankfully managing to tear through the skulls of three infected in a row, Their bodies collapsing to the bottom of the stone steps that led to the entrance gate.

The next shot erupted from Johann's revolver, the .357 round splattering an infected woman's skull like a rotten fruit, and blowing away half of the skull of an elderly man right behind her, both of Them toppling down.

Saya and Rei both fired their guns simultaneously, effectively taking down 3 infected at once, already starting to form a small mountain of bodies at the bottom of the stone steps.

Shortly after the gunfire started, Marcus started shouting for the others alongside him to stop moving the dumpster once he realized they were now directly under the ladder to the fire escape. He wasted no time climbing up it and jumping straight up, luckily managing to grab onto the bottom rung of the ladder, pulling himself up onto the first landing of the fire escape.

Fueled by pure adrenaline and fear, he placed one well-aimed kick at the side of the ladder, effectively bringing the ladder sliding down to the ground for all to reach.

"COME ON, PEOPLE! MOVE IT OR LOSE IT! FOR CHRISSAKES, MOVE!" He started screaming hysterically once he finally saw the thick congestion of dead steadily approaching the group trying to fight Them off.

Once Marcus had given them the word, the group all started to simultaneously move back towards the dumpster, Shizuka and Brian being the first to climb back up to Marcus, and effectively out of harms way.

They were quickly followed by Saya and Khota, who was on the verge of emptying his first magazine by the time Saya had screamed for him to start climbing.

Rika was the next one up, having just fired her last bullet, effectively decapitating both a police officer and a riot officer at once.

Saeko and Frasier were the next ones to go up, albeit Frasier was reluctant to go up to safety while others in the group were still out in the fray, but the sheer heat of the moment managed to actually cloud that judgment for the briefest of times.

Now it was only down to Rei, Johann and Alice, who was still hiding behind the both of them as they steadily backed their way to the ladder. Rei was the first one to reach it, making sure not to start climbing the ladder until Johann and Alice were up off the street with her.

As Johann fired off the last round he had for his revolver, Alice suddenly tripped over a stray brick, causing her to tumble down to the ground, and since Johann had his back to her, he didn't notice until he had ended up stumbling over her himself, hitting the filthy ground hard, temporarily dazing him.

"JOHANN! ALICE!" Rei shouted in fear as she jumped down from the dumpster beside them, immediately proceeding to fire off one round after another at any infected that she even thought were within grabbing distance of either of them.

Johann quickly regained his sense and got back onto his feet just in time to see one infected boy had managed to slip in from the side of the horde and was about to grab onto Rei's right arm. With an instant burst of terror-driven rage, Johann suddenly had his right arm reared back and flung his machete right at the boy, embedding the blade halfway through its skull, but no longer in Johann's grasp.

Wasting absolutely no time, he grabbed onto Alice, and quickly followed Rei up onto the dumpster, and quickly started climbing up the ladder after her while he instructed Alice to wrap her small arms around his neck and hang on tight.

As he started to climb, he didn't notice one of the infected, a construction worker from the look of his blood-splattered clothes, had climbed onto the dumpster behind him and was reaching for his left foot, until the rest of the group up on the first landing started screaming for him to look out.

Johann suddenly felt a hand grab onto his left foot, starting to pull him down towards it. Alice started to scream in panic as she saw the undead man with its wide-open mouth, trying to get a mouth full of Johann's leg.

As Johann tried to pull himself up against the infected man's ungodly pulling strength on his leg, a deafening gunshot suddenly burst out, and the monster's grip on Johann's leg instantly slackened, and without even waiting to get his bearings straight, he quickly proceeded to climb the rest of the way up, Alice whimpering all the way.

Once he was back on the landing with the rest of the group, he and Alice were both instantly met with Rei's arms thrown around them, the rest of the group just trying to catch their breath after the unbelievably close call they'd just experienced.

As Rei wept into Johann and Alice's shoulders, he noticed her rifle sitting on the metal floor of the landing, and not only was the barrel smoking, but the magazine was now ejected. It didn't take much to realize that she'd used the last bullet to save his and Alice's life just in the nick of time.

Once he was able to slow down his heart after it was pounding at his chest for so long, Frasier quickly made his way over to the ladder and started pulling with all the strength he could muster, bringing the ladder back up to its original position, and out of the reach of any of Them that were now all crowding the alley below, clawing up at the air in a futile attempt to grab the group.

The whole group was now recovering from various states of panic now that they were temporarily out of harms way, and they all looked to Frasier to see if he had any ideas on what to do next. His eyes looked all around them, and it wasn't long until he decided they should go the only way they could go from here.

"Alright you guys. Let's head up to the roof…and figure out what the next step of our plan is." He said in an exhausted, yet authoritative tone as he made his way past the rest of the group and proceeded to climb up the metal stairs, everyone following close after him.

Frasier was quickly followed by the rest of the group as they set foot onto the vast expanse that was the roof of this apartment block they had managed to escape to. The collective ululations of the horde in the alley below still echoed up for all of them to hear, but now the group was actually able to rest easy, knowing that there was now no way for any of Them to reach them.

Frasier quickly noticed a doorway that would led down into the building itself in the far off corner of the roof. He could feel his nerves tensing up again at the thought of any infected inside managing to get up onto the roof through that door. Without a word, he ran for it, and was soon letting out a sigh of relief as he saw a pair of handcuffs and a padlock keeping the door shut tight. There would be no way for any of Them to break through the door now, at least not without the group knowing about it beforehand.

He made his way back to the group, who were all still in varying states of aftershock.

Poor Alice was still trembling all over, crying uncontrollably while Johann and Rei were trying their best to comfort the little girl. Whilst Rei was holding Alice close, whispering words of comfort to her like a mother to her child, Johann was visibly staring off into the distance, almost as if he was experiencing some kind of mind-altering revelation.

Both Brian and Shizuka were still visibly freaked out, as they were both looking all over, as if afraid that the infected were going to come climbing up the walls to get them, like some nightmarish hybrid of _The Walking Dead_ meets _Spider-Man_. Rika herself was still as stone-faced as she'd been for the last three days, but the way she kept impulsively checking her vest pockets for a cigar every few seconds showed that she was definitely shaken up by what had just happened.

Khota was holding his rifle in his shaky hands, continuously looking down over the edge of the fire escape at the massive horde that was still congesting the alley below, all of them blindly pounding at the impenetrable stone walls of the building, or reaching up into the air as far as their hands could possibly go.

Saya and Marcus were both anxiously pacing back and forth across the roof, clearly trying to get a grip on their narrowly avoided meeting with death. Frasier could easily hear Saya muttering to herself in an attempt to try and deduce some kind of logic out of this insanity that had presented itself.

Finally, his eyes fell on Saeko, who unlike everyone else, still looked as cool, calm and collected as always. However, upon approaching her, he could feel an undeniable tension in the air around her. Apparently she was trying to deal with the group's close call in her own way just like everyone else. She just didn't want to make it as obvious to everybody else.

After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, Frasier finally felt the need to start talking again.

"We'll be safe up here. The only door leading into the building has already been sealed shut with some handcuffs and a padlock." Frasier whispered reassuringly to his wife, and while it didn't do much, he could just feel that Saeko was at least a little bit less tense now.

"How about we worry less about Them getting on the roof, and talk more about what the hell happened out there!" Saya exclaimed, her voice bordering on either terrified hysteria and unbridled anger.

"Would you keep it down for God's sake? Your voice carries, you know." Marcus replied impatiently, causing the pink-haired girl to shoot an icy glare at him.

"Stuff it, Marcus! We all know we didn't make any kind of noise to grab any of Their attention out there, and yet They somehow still managed to zero in on us, and come after us! That's never happened before! They only hunt by sound, that's the way it's always been! How were they able to find us?!" Saya asked angrily, her volume only rising higher and higher as she finally asked the one gigantic question the entire group all had on their minds.

"The way you're always yelling, it's a wonder They didn't find us sooner!" Marcus shouted back, nearly driving Saya to step over and break his nose in response.

"ALRIGHT, THAT'S ENOUGH FROM BOTH OF YOU!" Frasier shouted, effectively silencing the two of them, and drawing all eyes in the group onto him.

"Now, I don't know what happened, alright? None of us do, that's the only thing we all know for certain. Yes, it's true that up until now, the infected have only been able to hunt by sound. Something has definitely changed in them, though." Frasier continued, scanning over everyone to see just how they could all be able to take just what he was about to theorize to all of them.

"Back at that roundabout earlier, when I was about to kill one of Them…I felt something. Something I'd never felt before. I saw one of Them looking right in my direction, but it wasn't like he was just staring past me into some endless void like all the others. I felt like it was staring directly AT me, with intent, knowing full well where I was, despite my not making any noise that would've gotten its attention." Frasier continued to explain, his voice dropping an octave as he had finally realized just what he was trying to figure out.

"What are you trying to say, Frasier?" Saeko asked concernedly as Frasier bowed his head, the gravity of the situation becoming crystal clear to him.

"What I'm saying is…I think They are able to see again." He finally said, reluctantly raising his head to see just how everyone was taking it. It was about as bad as he had expected.

Everyone was tensing up, clearly shaken by what they'd just been told. Up until now, fighting the infected was simply a case of being quiet. That was easy enough. But now that they had the knowledge of the dead suddenly being able to see them again, that was going to make fighting Them a lot harder, and surviving in the major cities much more difficult.

"This doesn't make sense. They're not infected people, they're not mutated bio-weapons, they're rancid, walking corpses! Corpses don't evolve, they decompose." Saya started muttering impatiently to herself as she started tapping her finger to her temple repeatedly, her brow furrowing, indicating that right now she was way too deep in thought to talk to anyone.

"The living dead somehow mutating and getting Their senses back, resulting in Them becoming even more dangerous than before. This can't be happening. Man, this is almost sounding like a bad _Biohazard _plot device." Khota mumbled to himself, almost sounding like he was going to start cracking up laughing at any moment. This was the first time in quite a while that anybody had seen Khota starting to crack. It was definitely a little more than unsettling.

"I dreamt about this." Johann suddenly muttered, mostly to himself, but it somehow managed to catch everyone's attention, even breaking Saya's concentration.

"What do you mean?" Frasier asked curiously as everyone started slowly approaching him.

"The very last night we were in Hamburg, before that huge attack. I dreamt about something like this. We were in an alley; I ended up tackling one of Them. It looked different from the others. Its eyes were red, almost bleeding, and it gave out a deafening screech, just like the ones that are down there right now." Johann went on to explain, not even really looking at anyone. The gravity of him being able to almost foresee something like this was sending a terrified chill down his spine.

"Man, that was just a dream. It doesn't mean you can see the future or anything." Marcus replied, trying his best to insert some kind of humor into their current situation.

"What else would you credit this as, Marcus? How often does someone dream about something, and then it ends up happening?" Shizuka asked worriedly.

"A freak coincidence, that's all it is." Frasier retorted, clearly signifying that this current discussion was over. He could tell just how uneasy Johann was getting the more the people crowded around him, and he knew it would be best to give him and Rei some time to themselves, to calm their nerves.

"Now, worrying about who could somehow foresee what isn't going to get us out of this mess. We're stuck up here, our only door is shut up tight, and there aren't any buildings here that are low enough for us to travel from roof to roof on. That horde is still down there, so traveling back down to the streets is out of the question for now." Frasier went on to explain, clearly having managed to regain his authority for the moment.

Everyone in the group nodded their heads in agreement. All this bickering, paranoia and panic wasn't going to get them anywhere. Frasier let out a sigh of relief as he saw everybody finally starting to calm down and get their senses back. The most important thing for all of them to remember was that they were safe now, and they now had plenty of time to start brainstorming, come up with a way to get out of here.

However, before anyone could start proposing any ideas, a low grumbling sound suddenly sounded out, grabbing everyone's attention, even making Shizuka jump in shock. Not that anyone could've blamed her, given what they all had just gone through.

All eyes fell on Alice and Brian who were looking down at their stomachs, and then up to the rest of them, their eyes wide, almost making them look like child beggars.

"We're hungry." Was all either of them could say. Just those two words suddenly brought the hunger pains the rest of the group had been ignoring all day back, and with full force.

Almost as if on cue, a cold wind started to blow as well, bringing some of the women in the group to start shivering. Frasier looked to see the sun had now disappeared over the cityscape, the sky quickly turning a dark purple as night was beginning to settle in.

"Alright, we'll sleep up here for the night. Come morning, we'll start thinking about just how to get out of here." Frasier announced. The rest of the group nodded in agreement as Shizuka reached into her duffle bag and pulled out an electric lantern. Khota reached into his pocket and pulled out the batteries he had gotten earlier that same day.

"If we're going to eat tonight, we don't have to do it in the dark like animals, at least." Shizuka announced cheerily, not even noticing Zeke turning up to look at her as if he took offense to the last thing she had said.

Within minutes, everyone had gotten their sleeping quarters set up in a circle in the middle of the roof.

Their sleeping bags weren't really enough to keep out the cold this time, since they were being forced to sleep outdoors, so now they had to pull out the reserve blankets they had taken from the house they stayed in three days ago. Once that was all taken care of, everyone was able to settle in much more comfortably.

It was decided that tonight, the rest of the apples would have to be eaten before they'd start going bad. Thankfully they were still in good enough shape to eat, although not as absolutely fresh as that very first day, as was to be expected.

Almost nobody said a word to each other the whole time, though. The devastating emotional aftereffects of the near brush with death they'd gone through only an hour ago was still hanging heavy over all their heads. The incessant growling of the dead down in the alley was still going strong, continuously forcing a few people, mainly Shizuka, Alice and Brian, to look over their shoulders to the edge of the roof, still overwhelmed with fear that They might come climbing up the wall in order to get them. Everyone else simply tried their hardest to use their own imaginations or each other to ignore Them.

Rika was continuously looking into the light of the lantern that sat at the center of the circle the group had made. If anyone tried to talk to her or ask her anything, she wouldn't answer. She would keep staring, as if trying to look into some far off distant place within her own mind, completely sealing herself off from the rest of the world. Frasier couldn't help but notice this detached attitude of hers, and once again felt a surge of concern start welling up inside him.

Johann and Rei were both sharing one of the two bigger blankets the group had procured, keeping to themselves and only exchanging sideways glances every few seconds. At one point, Johann felt Rei place her hand over his before grabbing onto his hand, clearly not wanting to let go. He could feel a slight trembling in her arm as he placed his hand over hers. It was only natural for her to be feeling like this. He still felt the same way. He had just become adapted to hiding how scared he always was by this point.

As much as they all wanted to just say something in order to break the unbearable silence, everyone in the group, even Frasier, were all still too shell-shocked in order to come up with the right words to say in order to calm everyone's nerves. The meal that night was one of the more unpleasant experiences the group had gone through. To this point, they functioned like a well-oiled machine, but today, that entire evening had proven that even despite their skills at fighting, the dead would always outnumber them, and would always have the ability to overpower them. Their delusions of power over Them had been nearly shattered today.

When the time had finally come for everyone to get into bed and rest for the coming morning; that was when they had finally managed to regain enough of their senses to finally start talking to each other again. Marcus and Saya once again apologized for their earlier bouts with each other whilst still fresh in their panic.

Rika had managed to finally talk Shizuka into finally calming down completely, and convincing her that they would be much more careful and therefore much safer from this point on. Frasier noticed this whilst slipping into bed with Saeko, and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Rika wasn't distant enough to not still care about her closest friend in the group at least.

Khota and Saya were both visibly trying to comfort each other as they could both be seen whispering to each other, holding each other close. Brian and Alice, looking to see if they could share the covers and sleep with them tonight, soon approached them. For Brian, it was unusual seeing the young boy actually reduced to asking for something like that from anyone in the group. He usually pretended to be tough like Frasier and Marcus. For Alice, it was a much more natural sight, since she'd come to look at Saya like a real big sister in all the time she'd known their whole group.

As much as it hurt to have to tell the kids that there wasn't enough room, Saya knew it was pointless to try pretending that there would be. Khota's wide girth didn't leave enough room for two teenagers and two children.

The kids both understood, but that didn't make the cold they were standing in any less unpleasant. That was when Shizuka offered to share her sleeping bag with Brian, and Johann and Rei offered for Alice to sleep with them under the only other large blanket they had, offers that both children accepted happily.

With everyone settled in and ready to put this wretched day behind them, Marcus turned off the lantern, and the roof was now enshrouded in darkness, only illuminated by the light of the full moon overhead.

What nobody in the group had ever even come close to suspecting, however, was that the entire time that had passed while they were eating, only illuminated by that single lantern, they were actually being watched.

Across the street from the building the group had taken refuge on top of, inside one of the many vacant offices that made for good on-the-spot shelter, a single pair of curious eyes was watching them through a pair of binoculars. Whoever was watching them also had a walkie-talkie planted on his belt, and a pair of headphones with a microphone attachment connected to it, so that if he ever had to talk to whoever was on the other end, no outside sources would be able to hear it.

As he watched the people on the opposite roof start turning in, he could hear his walkie-talkie start buzzing, meaning there was someone who needed to talk. With a push of a button, he was greeted by an anxious voice of an older man on the other end.

"Henri, êtes-vous là? Bonjour?" **(Henri, are you there? Hello?)** the voice called out, a twinge of worry more than evident in his tone.

"Je suis ici, Luc. Que voulez-vous?" **(I'm here, Luc. What do you want?) **the man named Henri asked as he turned on his microphone.

"Cela fait trois jours que tu es parti, Henri. Vous êtes normalement de retour de vos courses à ce jour. Qu'est-ce qui vous retient?" **(It's been three days since you left, Henri. You're normally back from your runs by now. What's keeping you?) **Luc asked worriedly, causing Henri to just shake his head and snicker in younger brother was always like this whenever he was gone for more than a day.

"Je suis sur mon chemin de retour, mais je suis tombé sur quelque chose d'intéressant." **(I'm on my way back, but I've come across something interesting.) **Henri responded as he raised the binoculars up to his eyes again, looking at the group of people with intent once more.

"Qu'est-ce que c'est? Avez-vous trouvé un autre camion GM? At-il des armes à poser?" **(What is it? Did you find another GM truck? Does it have any more guns?) **Luc asked excitedly.

"Non, ce n'est pas plus d'armes. C'est plus de survivants. À propos de douze d'entre eux à partir de mon compte." **(No, it's not more guns. It's more survivors. About twelve of them from my count.) **Henri replied as he slowly scanned over all the people he could see to make sure his count was right, and it was.

It had been ages since he'd seen such a large group of people out on the surface that were still alive.

"Que portent-ils? Ils ne sont pas du centre-ville, sont-ils?" **(What are they wearing? They're not from the inner city, are they?) **Luc asked, that all too easily recognizable worry back in full force again.

"Non, c'est des vêtements de ville, à quelques pas uniformes. Il est assez difficile de faire à partir de cette distance, mais je pense que la majorité d'entre eux sont d'origine asiatique. À quand remonte la dernière fois où vous avez vu les Asiatiques courir avec ces personnes dans le centre-ville?" **(No, it's just street clothes, not uniforms. It's rather hard to make out from this distance, but I think the majority of them are Asian. When was the last time you saw Asians running around with those people in the inner city?) **Henri asked in disbelief as he finally confirmed what he was seeing. For the first time in months, actual foreigners in Paris that were still alive.

"Whoa ... incroyable. Que lisez-vous hors eux? Ne regardent-ils amicale?" **(Whoa...incredible. What are you reading off them? Do they look friendly?) **Luc asked curiously, clearly just as intrigued as his older brother was.

"Eh bien, d'après ce que je peux voir, ils n'ont pas été battent entre eux, et ils ont deux enfants avec eux. Bien que ne dit rien sur la façon dont ils pourraient accueillir les étrangers, donc je suppose qu'il n'y a qu'une seule façon de savoir avec certitude." **(Well, from what I can see, they haven't been fighting with each other, and they have two children with them. Though that doesn't say anything about how they might greet strangers, so I guess there's only one way to find out for certain.) **Henri explained as he kept switching from looking at one person to the next, just before the bright light emanating from their lantern was snuffed out, and he couldn't see them anymore.

"Henri, vous n'êtes pas l'intention d'aller à leur rencontre, êtes-vous?" **(Henri, you're not thinking of going to greet them, are you?) **Luc asked concernedly as Henri got up onto his feet and tucked his binoculars into the large travelers' pack he had slung onto his back.

"Que voulez-vous que je fasse autrement, Luc? Ce sont des gens vivants dont nous parlons. Même si les personnes décédées ou celles ne les obtiennent pas, combien de temps pensez-vous qu'ils vont durer sur la surface après que nous avons déjà pris tous les bâtiments ici de quelque chose d'utile propre? Maintenant, je ne vais pas me disputer avec vous à ce sujet. Je vais être de retour à la station d'ici demain matin, peut-être avec ces gens nouveaux se joindre à moi. Je veux vous assurer qu'il ya un train qui nous attendait au moment où nous y arriver, d'accord?" **(What would you have me do otherwise, Luc? These are living people we're talking about. Even if the dead or those people don't get them, how long do you think they'll last on the surface after we've already picked every building here clean of anything useful? Now I'm not going to argue with you about this. I'm going to be coming back to the station by tomorrow afternoon, possibly with these new people joining me. I want you to make sure there's a train waiting for us by the time we get there, alright?)**

Henri waited for several moments of silence, hoping that Luc either hadn't hung up on him, or he hadn't lost the connection.

"Bon, Henri. Il y aura un train en attente de vous accueillir demain matin. Je viens vraiment que vous avez raison à propos de ces personnes." **(Alright, Henri. There'll be a train waiting to greet you tomorrow afternoon. I just really hope you're right about these people.) **Luc finally responded in defeat. With a grateful nod of his head, Henri turned off the walkie-talkie, removed his headphones before placing them in his pack, and reached over to a nearby desk and grabbed a grappling hook that was sitting nearby.

Gripping it firmly in his hands, he immediately started quick-walking his way to the door that would lead to the stairwell leading to both the ground floor and the roof. Whoever those people on that roof were, they were going to wake up to possibly a very pleasant surprise come tomorrow morning.

**Z-Day+175**

The first rays of daylight were starting to crack over the horizon. The sky was a dark blue and only getting brighter. If his face had been buried in his pillow, Marcus probably wouldn't have even known it was morning. But with his face to the sky, being graced by the refreshing cool morning air, the red glow greeting his closed eyes helped to urge him back into consciousness.

Just as he regained full control of his body and began to stretch himself out in preparation for a new day, he didn't notice the red glow of the sun being obstructed by a sudden shadow.

Once he opened his eyes, he was greeted by a large blur. Upon rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, he blinked a few times to be greeted by a tall, lanky looking man in his late thirties with semi-long curly black hair and graying five o'clock shadow, dressed in a dark green hoodie, track pants, and engineer boots.

"Eh bien, bonjour, soleil. Le monde dit bonjour." **(Well, good morning, sunshine. The world says hello.) **the mystery man suddenly said in what sounded like a friendly tone. Before Marcus could even think…

"HOLY SHIT, HOLD IT RIGHT THERE, ASSHOLE! MOVE AND YOU'RE DEAD!" Rika suddenly shouted upon seeing the stranger standing over Marcus. In the blink of an eye she was on her feet with her sidearm drawn and pointed at his head while everyone else had been abruptly awakened by her shouting, and they all quickly reacted about the same way upon seeing their unexpected guest.

The stranger man stepped away from Marcus and slowly looked over everyone that was now standing around him tensely, ready to fight if he did anything funny. He simply smiled however and slowly brought his hands up.

"Calmez-vous, les gens. Je ne veux pas vous faire de mal, je suis juste ici pour parler." **(Just calm down, people. I don't mean you any harm, I'm just here to talk.) **the stranger replied gently, but nevertheless, nobody in the group seemed to calm down at all, those of them who managed to grab their guns having them aimed straight at his head.

"Who the hell are you and what do you want?" Frasier asked angrily, drawing the stranger's attention almost instantly.

"Ah, you are English. You do not speak French?" the stranger suddenly asked, his English very heavily accented.

As the stranger began to slowly approach Frasier, Rika suddenly stormed forward and had the barrel of her gun pressed right up against his head.

"Move one more inch and you're dead, stranger. Answer his question, who the fuck are you and what do you want?" the sniper asked harshly, never once letting her finger off the trigger.

The stranger only glanced sideways to the sniper before bringing his attention back to Frasier, who he could clearly tell was the one in charge, judging by his physical demeanor, and the fact that he was the first to ask anything of him since he'd arrived.

"I will tell you all you want to know, but will you tell your Japanese friends to lower their guns? I do not do so well with barrels pointed at my face." The stranger replied, never even letting a single drop of hostility make itself known, in case any of these people had trigger fingers as itchy as the one with her pistol up to his head.

"First just answer these two questions, stranger. First, who the hell are you. Second, why are you here?" Frasier demanded, never once taking his eyes off the Frenchman in front of him.

The stranger sighed and shrugged his shoulders, suddenly forcing Rika to pull the hammer back on her sidearm.

"I told you not to…" Rika suddenly shouted, right before the stranger suddenly ducked down, and within a fraction of a second, swept his leg across, knocking out Rika's feet from right below her, sending her toppling down to the ground. Before her pistol could even touch the ground, the stranger grabbed it in midair, and instantly ejected the clip, pulled the slide back, ejecting the one round still in the chamber, and then with a click of a switch, had nearly the whole gun disassembled in his hands, letting the pieces drop to the floor.

The whole group was both stunned, and horrified by what they just saw. Rika was without a doubt the most experienced soldier in the group, a real pro. And yet this visitor with graying facial hair and an old green hoodie had knocked her flat on her ass and disassembled her pistol like it was nothing.

He quickly got back onto his feet and let out a deep sigh as he loosened up.

"I apologize. I said before I do not do so well with guns pointed at me. I did not mean harm, I just wanted breathing room." He explained calmly as if nothing had happened.

As he approached Frasier, the rest of the group cautiously took a step back away from him. It was definitely clear they didn't want him within grabbing distance of them.

"Now then, since you asked so nicely, I shall answer your questions. My name is Henri Depardieau, and the reason I am here is because I noticed the light of your lantern last night, and could only assume that meant there were still more survivors in this city." He calmly explained as if he was simply having an afternoon chat with an old friend.

"You mean, you were spying on us?" Marcus asked aggressively. He was liking this Henri character less and less.

"Spying, no. I only noticed your presence just last night. I do a lot of scouting throughout this part of Paris, and you all were the first survivors I have come across in months. I could not in good conscience leave you all to your own devices. To say you would not survive here is no exaggeration." Henri replied gently as he tucked his hands into his pockets and started slowly pacing in a circle, looking each and every one of them in the eye, the smile never once leaving his face.

Frasier looked him up and down suspiciously. While he definitely didn't trust Henri as far as he could throw him, a nagging feeling in his gut told him this man really didn't mean them any harm.

"How exactly would you know that? We've proven ourselves to be more than a little adaptable to hard situations." Frasier responded, looking hard to see if Henri's body language would give some kind of telltale reaction to his mildly threatening statement.

Henri didn't look the least bit perturbed.

"While I am sure that bode true wherever you all may have come from, the same will not be said while you are in Paris. Whatever me and my people have not taken from this city, the people from the inner city most certainly have. All you will succeed in doing is either starving to death, or getting yourselves eaten." Henri retorted, his tone indicating no ill intentions, but his words too having a bit of a threatening edge to them.

The whole group looked nervously to each other as Marcus translated Henri's English into Japanese for the benefit of everyone else but Johann and Rika. They all couldn't help but look at Henri with cautious curiosity.

"Alright, if what you're saying is true, and there is nothing left to salvage out here, then why are you out here in the first place?" Johann asked, starting to lower the barrel of his revolver as Henri looked at him over his shoulder.

"Sometimes there is a bit of good fortune on our sides, and I sometimes come across some food the inner city people forgot about, or I find an abandoned GM blockade with some guns and ammunition left over. If there is one thing I know for certain you will not find up here, it is salvageable parts for the vehicles. We've already stripped them of everything, as I am sure you have noticed by now." Henri explained as he swept his arms out to the area around them, emphasizing the abundance of gutted, stripped and siphoned cars the group had noticed over the last two days.

"Again with this 'we' stuff. Just who exactly are you with, and who are these 'inner city people' you keep referring to?" Frasier asked impatiently, clearly having no mind to put up with mind games from this guy.

Henri mocked forgetfulness and slapped himself in the forehead as he gave out a short, good-natured little laugh.

"Of course, how rude of me to forget. Listen, I came to meet you all because I have a proposition to make, if you are all interested." He explained, looking as everyone was now visibly curious as to just what he had in mind.

"Go on." Frasier responded, finally lowering his pistol and holstering it, soon followed by everyone else.

"I am from an underground community taking shelter in the metro line underneath this city. We number at a few dozen people, and we have a good system going. We have electricity, food, warmth, shelter, running water, and most importantly, we have security against the dead. Everything a large number of people would need to survive. As I said before, you are the first survivors I have come across up here in months, and I can guarantee you now, you will not survive long up here, whether it's from lack of food and water, the dead, or the people in the inner city. So I want to invite you all to come with me to this community underground. We have plenty of room available for all of you; we have stockpiles of food, even vegetables and livestock we've been taking care of to keep it from running low. I can guarantee you would all be safe and comfortable there." Henri finished explaining, and the more he kept describing just where he had come from, one by one, all the group began to like the sound of it more and more.

Johann and Rei liked the idea of security and shelter; Khota, Alice and Brian liked the idea of there being an abundance of food; Saya was interested to see just how they managed to have electricity; Marcus, Saeko and Frasier admittedly liked the idea of a plentiful amount of shelter for each of them. It almost sounded reminiscent of Hamburg, but minus the overlying tension that existed amongst the people. Shizuka was of course only interested in the idea of running water after the last nineteen days since the group had left Hamburg.

"How do we know you're telling the truth? It's been only approximately six months since the outbreak occurred. How is it you have a functioning, possibly thriving community underground in such a relatively short amount of time?" Frasier asked, definitely suspicious, feeling as if something in Henri's story wasn't checking out.

"We don't function under a set government. We all work together and share what we have equally amongst each other. Go ahead and call it 'communist' if you want, but it's managed to keep people from getting at each other's throats over insignificant shit, and it's managed to keep our food supplies prosperous and growing. Plus, with no treasury or economy in place anymore, we're able to put our minds together and develop the community on our own time, and on our own terms. A lot of the people who created this community are engineers, electricians, industrial and construction workers and farmers who drifted into the city around the onset of the outbreak."

The more Henri explained the circumstances of how this supposed shelter was founded and was functioning, even Frasier wasn't able to come up with any other arguments or questions about the authenticity of Henri's story. It all sounded legit by this point as far as he was concerned, and deep down, he didn't want to subject the people he had come to view as a family in any more danger after the events of yesterday. Some of them even looked back at him, and he could see in their eyes that they too believed this was as good a chance as they were going to be given right now.

He also had come to realize that after the scuffle with Rika earlier, Henri was more than capable in combat. If he had wanted to kill the group, as much as it hurt Frasier to admit so, he would've managed to do it a long time ago.

"Alright. I'll be the first to admit you've convinced me, and I can already tell you, the rest of us are pretty intrigued as well. So…you've got a deal. We'll go with you." Frasier finally announced, earning a look of relief from Henri, and a furious glare of disbelief from Rika as she finally picked herself up and got back on her feet.

"But I'll tell you now, if anything seems fishy, even just a little bit, we'll take you down without hesitation." Frasier finished, adding a deathly serious edge to his words. Despite its threatening intention, Henri didn't look the least bit worried.

"Perfectly understandable given the world we're living in. Now, it's a pretty long journey back to the station that'll lead to the town. The streets, as you all know, are in no shape to travel on either, so we're going to have to do this my way." Henri explained as he made his way for the edge of the roof that led to the alley, the rest of the group following closely after him, but not before remembering to quickly pack up their supplies and stuff them into their respective packs.

"And what exactly IS your way of traveling?" Johann asked curiously. Just as he did, Henri reached into his pack and pulled out a grappling hook with a coil of rope attached to it. Without any hesitation, he partially uncoiled the rope, spun the hook a few times, and then flung it straight upwards. As if done by some kind of freakish precision, the hook flew to the roof of the building right next to theirs, and the hook instantly caught onto the grate of a deactivated A/C unit.

As the rest of the group watched in amazement, Henri tied the rope around his wrist, and then swung over the alley, planting his feet onto the brick wall, and started expertly climbing up it, almost going too fast for a regular person to do such a thing. Within only a few seconds, he was up on the roof, and tossed the end of the rope down to the next person of the group to follow him.

"It's much easier than it looks, I assure you. Just tie the rope around one of your wrists so that you always have something holding you up. You don't want to just climb up using both your hands, your hands will tire out, and you'll lose your grip before you know it. Once you're done tying it, just jump forward, put your feet to the wall, and then just pull on the rope and walk, let the rope do the work for you. It's that easy." He called down to them as they all looked at the rope nervously. This was supposed to be easy for them?

Looking back up at Henri as he was patiently waiting for them, and down to the rope, they all collectively sighed. This was going to one long trip.

**8 hours later**

It had indeed turned out to be one VERY long trip. Traversing from rooftop to rooftop using either that grappling hook or a series of cables Henri had set up during his past journeys for them to climb across, was one of the most physically exhausting experiences everyone in the group had faced. It was especially hard on the less physically trained such as Shizuka, Saya and Khota, having to support their whole body weight with their arms and legs while traversing these skinny metal ropes that extended from rooftop to rooftop, sometimes hanging over entire city streets rather than just alleyways. It would've most likely have been impossible for Alice and Brian, but Frasier and Johann had decided to let the kids grab onto them and hold onto them whenever they'd have to traverse these ropes.

Along the way, the group had taken the time to get to know their French companion a little more, mainly that he worked together with his younger brother Luc when going on these supply runs, and that there was a whole series of underground communities all throughout Paris, and that they were all working to connect each other via their own manmade tunnels that they would take old metal beams and make train rails for.

Needless to say, that kind of information was amazing to the likes of Saya and Khota, and when they asked how these people had managed to do something that monumentally huge in such a short time, the best answer he could think to give was simply: "You'd be amazed how much the right people can accomplish when they don't have budgets or supervisors to worry about.

At one point halfway through their journey, Henri had even decided to apologize to Rika for their violent confrontation earlier that morning, but the hotheaded sniper wouldn't hear any of it. It would clearly be quite some time until she'd finally loosen up and more importantly, lighten up.

After nearly eight hours of non-stop climbing and walking, Henri put his fist up, indicating it was time for the group to stop. They all nearly collapsed from exhaustion once he had given them the word.

"I apologize for the long walk, but we couldn't afford to stop if we wanted to get here before nightfall. Anyway, we're here." He explained to them before drawing his attention back to the street at the foot of the building they were now standing on top of.

Frasier and Saeko were the first to join him as they looked at the entrance to this so-called safe haven of his. All that stood at the opposite side of the street was a single metro station entrance. However, what had their attention more was the abundance of infected shambling mindlessly all over the street.

Soon, the rest of the group rejoined with them, and they all felt a cold feeling in the pits of their stomachs once they saw just what they had to get across in order to finally reach safety.

Frasier could even clearly see several of the infected down there had red, bleeding eyes, just like the ones from yesterday. That definitely made the idea of having to cross the road much less appealing.

Henri looked over each of them, and he could already tell they were having doubts about how to go about this. With a sigh, he reached into the pocket of his hoodie and suddenly pulled out a small string of firecrackers. As the rest of the group looked at him curiously, he pulled out a lighter from the pocket of his track pants and with a single click, had the fuse sparking and burning away.

Rearing his arm back, he flung the firecracker bundle as far down the road, away from the metro entrance as he could. The man definitely had one hell of a throwing arm, as it disappeared behind the wreckage of a public bus that had crashed into a fire engine, almost a block away. Within seconds, the barrage of cracks, whistles and pops start ringing out, and the whole group couldn't help but feel mesmerized as the whole bunch of infected that were crowding the road only moments before, were now going for the source of the noise en masse, even the red-eyes were falling for it.

Within a few minutes, the street was now completely clear, and without hesitation, Henri reached into his backpack and pulled out what looked like a bungee cord with a safety hook on the end of it. He hooked it around a metal hook that was sticking out of the edge of the roof, and instantly started to slowly slide himself down to the street below.

By this point, everyone had become at least accustomed enough to all the climbing that they didn't hesitate to follow suit. Of course, Brian and Alice were a bit scared by how high up they were, so it fell to Frasier and Johann offering to let the children hold onto them while they went down so that they wouldn't have to do it themselves. This of course was what they constantly had to do with every climbing trip they had to make on the way here.

Once everyone was back on the ground, Henri motioned for them to follow him into the metro entrance. Wasting no time, having no idea how long it would take until the infected would return, they followed after him silently like the devil was on their heels.

As they traversed down the stairs and past the turnstiles, Henri turned on his flashlight, but suddenly came to a stop before they reached the escalators that would lead further down. He started turning his light on and off in some kind of bizarre rhythm. However, once he was suddenly greeted with a similar rhythm from another flashlight at the bottom of the escalator, that's when it became crystal clear to everyone. It was Morse Code.

They were soon greeted by two young men in street clothes with assault rifles hanging at their hips. Their reaction upon seeing all the new faces was to be expected, their guns raised and ready to fire at the slightest provocation, but it didn't take much for Henri to convince them that the group was on the level.

Stepping aside to let them through, the whole bunch was now traversing down the escalators to behold the platform. The sight itself was rather impressive. The entire doorway that led from the foot of the escalator down to the platform was secured by a makeshift chain link fence with steel panels bolted to the tile walls to keep the whole thing secured. There were tents set up along the platform where similar men to the two guards were sitting about with assault rifles close within their reach, some of them dressed in Kevlar vests, others in simple street clothes. They all gave suspicious glances towards the group, but didn't really do much else other than that once they saw Henri was with them. The man definitely had some kind of influence among these people.

Sitting at the platform on the track was a single car subway train, and judging from the lights inside it being on, and the steady hum of its engine echoing through the subterranean tunnels, everyone could tell it was all ready to go.

"The regular subway trains from before were always too long, never had enough people or supplies to fill all the cars, which made for some unneeded wasted space. Plus back in the early days of this community, when more people went on scouting runs…before we had that fence protecting the escalator tunnel, sometimes some infected would somehow manage to get into the rear cars, and we wouldn't realize it until someone would've gone back to take a piss, and would end up getting eaten instead. But as you can see, we've taken the necessary precautions since those dark times."

Listening to the way he would talk about all the innovations this mysterious community of survivors had made, the group could all definitely tell Henri was very proud to be a part of the whole system, if not utterly passionate about it.

Once they had all climbed in and Henri signaled to the man in the conductors' cabin that they were good to go, the train suddenly started lurching forward, and soon began going at a steady speed down the tunnel, leaving the small encampment on the platform behind.

The whole group collapsed in any seats they could find first, finally releasing one collective sigh of relief. For the first time in what felt like ages, they were finally, truly safe. The more they had come to see of what these people had managed to do since the outbreak, the more comfortable they were able to allow themselves to feel. Deep down, everyone actually felt optimistic, like their luck was finally starting to change.

"We'll be at the gate to the town within a couple minutes so you can all rest easy now." Henri announced to them all as if he were some kind of grand orator addressing an audience of tens of thousands.

They all just looked up at him and just laid their heads back, some looking into the fluorescent lights lining the ceiling of the train, others simply not looking at anything at all, simply falling onto the edge of unconsciousness. It was such an alien feeling, actually being safe for once. The group needed to admit to themselves, by this point, they had become much more used to always feeling like they were in danger, rather than actually feeling safe.

After a minute or two of blissful silence, Frasier finally mustered up the will to ask the two things that had been pounding at his mind since Henri had first introduced himself to all of them.

"Do you mind if I ask you a couple questions?" he asked tiredly as Henri sat himself into an empty seat of his own as if he was on his daily trip to and from work. He waved his arm in a gesture that seemed to say _go right ahead._

"There is no law and order out in the world anymore. Everyone has done something horrible in order to survive by this point. How would you have known we weren't some traveling band of thugs that would've shot you on sight?" Frasier asked curiously as he kept staring at this bizarre enigma of a Frenchman.

Henri simply smiled warmly at him as he folded his arms behind his head and rested against them, as if he was reminiscing about something wonderful from days long past.

"To be honest, I didn't know at first. At first, I didn't even know if you were some of the people from the inner city or not. But I found two things pretty quickly that put those suspicions to rest." He explained calmly as one by one, the group turned their attention to him, Marcus and Johann remembering to translate his English for everyone else.

"And just what two things were those?" Rika asked, some hostility still present in her voice towards the Frenchman, but thankfully less than what she'd had at the beginning.

"First of all, you have two small children with you. When things fell apart and people were fending for themselves, once the food supplies ran out, it was time to go the way of _A Modest Proposal._ In those horrible, isolated instances, from what I could've gathered whenever I came across the remains of said scenes, it was always the children that were the first to go. The fact that you people have all survived out there this long while still keeping these two children with you alive and well…that pretty much told me right at the start that you weren't like the lunatics that prowled the streets back in those days."

As Henri explained his reasoning, Johann and Rei began to think back onto that horrible scene they had come across during their ill-fated journey outside the Hamburg walls so long ago. Rei could feel him tensing up at the thought and silently put her arms around him, thankfully calming him down.

"So then what was the second thing that clued you in?" Marcus asked with a yawn as he could feel all his tension and persistent adrenaline finally wearing off after nineteen hellish days out on the road.

"Well…the fact that the majority of you are Asian, foreigners in general to be exact." Henri stated bluntly, drawing more than a few raised eyebrows from the band of newcomers.

"Why would that make you think we weren't dangerous?" Frasier asked, utterly confused by what that statement was supposed to really mean.

"Because with the exception of you lot, there are no foreigners left in Paris. They either left for their home countries in some desperate attempt to reunite with their loved ones…or the inner city hunted them down and…disposed of them." Henri stated, for once the optimism and inviting ring in his voice having faded away, revealing much more weary side of him.

The group remained silent for a few seconds before Frasier finally was ready to get a full explanation.

"Again, you bring up this 'inner city' thing. What the hell is it?" he asked impatiently. If there was one thing he'd really come to get irritated immensely by, it was being left in the dark about something that could've proven to be either something important, or a serious threat.

Henri buried his face in his hands and took a deep breath as he finally got ready to lay down all the facts of just what was going on in the city of romance that was Paris.

"Back in the beginning, in the first weeks of the outbreak, social order in France collapsed very quickly. It was complete anarchy. Looting, arson, murders, complete chaos. A lot of us fled to the underground metro systems. Being Parisian citizens all our lives, or at least I assume most of us were, we had come to know the systems by memory, so we had a clear idea of where to hide out, take shelter, try setting up some kind of place to live. It was a very hard couple of weeks as we tried to procure the right materials to start building the foundations of our community, while just trying to avoid the dead or the lunatics that roamed the streets.

"After the first month, things started to change. The looters and squatters had all either fled the city in search of other places to go, or they had gotten eaten. Now the only problem left was the dead…or at least, so we thought.

"Something amazing had happened in the inner city of Paris. Apparently a whole bunch of survivors, supposedly numbering in a couple hundred, had managed to fight off the dead and had secured the center of Paris as their own safe haven. When we'd all first heard the news, we almost couldn't believe it. The idea that someone had managed to make a virtual army and actually fight off the dead to the point of being able to reclaim part of the city almost seemed like a dream.

"What was even better was that once these people had started to spread out until they had pretty much cleared the entire heart of Paris, they actually started sending out people to look for more survivors, to invite them into their community, and therefore keep them safe from any dangers present in the outside world. When they had eventually gotten to the underground shelters, you wouldn't be surprised to know that a lot of people were more than open to the idea of being able to live like normal people again.

But when these recruiters had started explaining the only things that were required of people wanting to stay in their clean city, some of us could tell something wasn't right. I don't necessarily remember all the details of what had been explained to us, but I can give you the short and sweet version of what those people there wanted from us: complete and total obedience to their laws and orders, and our acceptance of the man who had brought them together as our supreme leader.

"I don't have to tell you all that while some of us were more than willing to abide by those conditions just for the opportunity to live safely, a lot of us really saw just what was going on up on the surface: a dictatorship. This man who had united all those people, I think they all said his name was Gerard Gans or something similar to that, he had complete control over all the people in his part of the city. And once he had gotten that kind of power, he wasn't going to let it go.

"Those recruiters took those of us that wanted to be able to live like normal people again, and left the rest of us out here to fend for ourselves. I don't know about a lot of other people, but I can already tell you that I don't regret it for an instant. Yes we may not live in clean swept streets, living in high-rise apartments while still pretending that things are back to a normal daily basis. We may not have that, but the one thing we still have is freedom, dammit!" Henri had gone on to shout angrily, causing all the group to look upon him worriedly before he had managed to finally recollect himself. It was pretty obvious that this was a very touchy subject for him to be talking about.

"Anyway, once they had rounded up the people that were going to swear their loyalty to the cause or whatever, they demolished every building they could in order to form a boundary around their portion of the city, separating their peaceful, purged utopia from the lawlessness of the outside world. After that, they were no longer going to accept anyone wanting to join, making bullshit claims about outsiders being terrorists wanting to bring the infection into the city, or about outsiders being infected or something like that. Anyone who tried to get in would be mercilessly gunned down as a result from that day forward.

Another thing they had started to do was start eradicating anyone within their numbers who weren't native-born French. Anyone who had emigrated into the country before the outbreak, anyone who couldn't provide the documentation to prove they had French citizenship, anyone who couldn't naturally speak French, were all executed as a foreign influence, a disease that needed to be wiped out. When we'd all first heard those particular stories, it felt like WWII all over again for us, especially for some of the older people among us.

Of course, we eventually found the proof that these stories were real when we found the pyres those animals had made for all the people they had killed. It was no joke. This was what really had become of our once great country." Henri finally finished, his voice cracking with emotion as he bowed his head down low again and buried his face in his hands. It was truly a painful experience he had gone through when first experiencing the things he was now telling the group about, and having to drudge up those memories again was only making that pain even worse.

The whole group was absolutely speechless. This kind of thing they were being told was almost impossible to believe. They wouldn't have believed it at all if they hadn't had their own run-ins with a purist group a while back. All this talk about preserving a nations for its true people definitely had reminiscent similarities to The Patriot Brotherhood back in the United States written all over it.

As they all thought long and hard about what they had just learned, a bright light suddenly came shining through the windows lining the train car. The brakes suddenly started screeching, and the train soon came to a halt.

Before the group could even register what was happening, the only door to the train slid open, and a short silhouette stood in the doorway, immediately looking towards Henri.

The tall Frenchman quickly got up from his seat and greeted the silhouette with a hug, the look on his face having almost instantly gotten rid of any trace of the sadness he was expressing only moments earlier.

"Êtes-vous bien, Henri?" **(Are you alright, Henri?) **the shorter man asked him concernedly, looking over him as if convinced he was horribly injured.

"Je vais bien, Luc. Je commençais juste en informant nos nouveaux amis sur les dernières nouvelles en français." **(I'm fine, Luc. I was just getting through informing our new friends about the latest in French news.) **Henri reassured his younger brother as he nudged his head towards the group behind him who were now all out of their seats.

"Donc, ce sont ces gens dont vous parlez. J'en déduis donc ils étaient aimables, comme vous avez dit?" **(So these are those people you were talking about. So I take it they were friendly, like you said?) **Luc asked suspiciously as he carefully looked over each and every one of them.

"Oui, pour la plupart, ils sont tous très bien. La jeune fille en noir avec le bronzage tueur a un enfer d'un caractère bien, donc gardez un oeil sur elle." **(Yes, for the most part, they're all fine. The girl in black with the killer tan has one hell of a temper though, so keep a closer eye on her.) **Henri replied with a nod. While most of the group had no idea just what the two men were saying to each other (Saya could only comprehend a few words at a time) Rika could tell Henri was saying something about her once she saw the shorter man was looking at her more intently than the others. She gritted her teeth in frustration, but didn't do anything more than that.

"Bon, Henri. aller chercher un peu de repos. Je vous retrouve à la maison. Je vais voir à nos nouveaux arrivants." **(Alright, Henri. go and get some rest. I'll meet you at home. I'll see to our new arrivals.) **Luc whispered to his older brother as he walked past him and graciously approached the group with a welcoming smile on his face. Henri quickly departed the train car as Luc motioned for the group to follow him.

Luc Depardieau was considerably shorter than Henri, and not in as good shape either. He was definitely considerably rounder around the middle than his lankier brother, and his black hair was kept neat and trim, but his facial hair looking a bit more haggard than his older brothers.

As Luc exited the train car followed closely by the group, their eyes all widened to behold just what awaited them.

Constructed inside an unbelievably massive cave, with an assortment of utility pipes of all different thickness and colors lining the air above and descending into the walls near the floor, was a gigantic, sprawling small town like settlement. There were open air market places bustling with a few dozen people, a blacksmith, an armory, a couple wide gardens already sprouting vegetables underneath an assortment of industrial UV lamps, what looked to be a series of gigantic propane tanks, generators, and several dozen small houses built across one half of the massive town.

Such a sight like this was almost impossible for them all to believe. It was like looking into the twilight zone upon first beholding just what had been lying underneath their feet all this time since coming to Paris.

Opening his arms as if to emphasize just what kind of place they had miraculously stumbled upon, Luc cleared his throat and announced with as much gusto as a man of his short stature could produce: "Welcome to Nouveau Bondy!"

**[This time my co-writer did it all on his own so full credit goes to him. After weeks (if not months) of discussion and preparations we are proud to reveal the evolution of the undead. Also I want to let you guys and gals know that my rewrites should be done by the 31st if not by then I'll just go back to working on season 5. Stay tuned for the next chapter!]**


	61. Act 25 Revolution of Life & Death Part 3

**Act 25 Révolution de la Vie et de la Mort (Revolution of Life & Death) Part 3**

**Nouveau Bondy, Paris, Île-de-France, France**

**Z-Day+175**

The whole group was utterly awestruck by the impressive sight expanding the subterranean land below them. No matter how many times they looked it over, it still felt like they were looking upon a dream. After Hamburg, some of them had even begun to doubt they'd ever find a civilized settlement anywhere else in Central Europe.

Luc turned to look over the group of newcomers over his shoulder after he took a deep breath upon looking over his and Henri's current home.

"Please, let me show you around, let you familiarize yourselves with our little community." he invited as he started to walk down a metal staircase lining one of the cavern walls that towered about 50 feet over the ground the community was built on.

The group all quickly proceeded to follow after him, a bit of confusion to such an abrupt invitation to be shared among them.

"Excuse me, but I feel like we might be missing something. Aren't you going to ask us to relinquish our weapons?" Frasier asked curiously, clearly having gotten used to that particular procedure after Hamburg and Kibou City.

"Not at all. Everybody deserves to have the means to defend him or herself. We don't have a government setting any rules, as Henri has no doubt told you, so we don't feel we have the right to take people's defenses away from them. Besides, if for whatever reason the dead or the inner city were to come here, we would need every able body available to fight, and it's rather difficult to arm people when you have everything stored away in an armory." Luc explained calmly as they reached the ground floor.

They were immediately met by the vast hustle and bustle of around five dozen people roaming about from place to place, some carrying carts full of construction materials or canned goods, others communing with each other throughout the nearby open air market for clothes and electronic supplies.

"Please, come with me. Try to stay close. It's rather easy for people to get lost out here, especially during a rush hour like this." Luc explained as they started to make their way further into the town.

The noise of all these people haggling with each other or simply chatting, combined with all the noise of the construction work going on in the outskirts of the massive cavern would've seemed unbearable, but after 19 days of either silence or the horrid noises of the dead, this was like a godsend to all of them. It almost felt like they were back in the world before the outbreak. In a strange way, the echoing noises of this subterranean town almost felt nostalgic.

"So how exactly does this whole community work? I mean, having an entire town full of people underground seems like it would be an overwhelming thing to maintain" Marcus asked in wonder as he looked at all the impressively diverse things lined along the market stands: clothes for summer and winter, vegetables, freshly butchered meat, canned food, cameras, walkie-talkies, vinyl records, CD's, DVD's, portable television sets, radios, even car batteries and pocket batteries.

"Well, it was very difficult in the beginning, mainly because we didn't have enough people. But as more and more people fled to the underground to escape the chaos, we started getting a lot luckier. A lot of people here are industrial workers, electricians, farmers, construction workers, people who really know how to work and maintain the things we took for granted before." Luc described, an air of pride in his tone as he brought the group's attention up to the series of massive generators that lined one side of the cavern, with a series of cables that either extended into the darkness above, or into the ground.

"Once we started getting everything organized, that's when we started to plan out how we could make this community thrive, instead of just pretending it was a shelter waiting to collapse in on itself. We started forming teams to go out onto the surface and grab absolutely anything that could be useful. Our first stops were a lot of the major factories and warehouses, hence how we got these generators down here. Of course, disassembling and reassembling the damn things was a massive time consumer, but as you can all see, it was more than worth it. A lot of exploration throughout the underground helped us figure out how to connect these generators to the grids, and once we managed to get them running again, we've been able to keep a consistent supply of electricity running through the community ever since."

The whole group was beginning to feel overwhelmed by the massive amount of accomplishments these people had managed to do. There was a stable source of electricity, a consistent supply of food, and a running irrigation system? What Henri had said earlier on the surface seemed to ring more and more true with the more they saw: _'You'd be amazed how much people can get done when they don't have budgets or economies or supervisors to take into consideration.'_

"So, how exactly is it that you have an irrigation system and a steady supply of food enough to accommodate all these people?" Johann asked as he noticed one of the expansive gardens taking up one of the empty plots of land that took up a quarter of the cavern space, and then a running water wheel set up above a trench full of running water that was being supplied by a large series of open pipes protruding from one of the cavern walls.

"Yes, those were a bit harder to develop. We needed to worry about food first, and that's where the farmers came in. A lot of them were simply people helping deliver a portion of their crops to the local supermarkets, which is how they ended up in the city at the time of the outbreak. Once things had quieted down enough for us to start traveling outside, the farmers helped us secure vehicles to make a convoy that would travel out to the countryside so that they could gather up as much of their crops as possible, and transport them down to the underground. The same had to go for their livestock as well. Once those two things were brought down here, the farmers helped us develop plots of this land that they could be able to grow vegetables out of, and also a bit of pasture land for their livestock to roam and grow and breed.

"As a result, we've managed to maintain a steady supply of vegetables and meat. The vegetables the farmers harvest make for seeds that they can then plant and grow more vegetables out of. A few scouts even grabbed a few dozen UV lamps from a few factories to serve as artificial sunlight so that the crops can even grow to begin with.

"Some of us even managed to find a few florists out on the surface so they could get grass seeds for the pastures. That way the livestock get to eat and stay healthy with plenty of room to move around. If I were to estimate, this entire cavern expands for about...3, maybe 3.5 kilometers from one end to the other, so we still have plenty of room to expand, and we've managed to keep the whole place illuminated with stadium lights so that there's no chance of any dead hiding in the dark waiting to get one of us.

"As for the irrigation system, like I said, that was a much harder task to complete. First we needed the raw materials with which to make a series of trenches for the water to run through, as well as a water wheel that would actually work, in order to keep a little bit of extra energy flowing through the town. Thankfully a lot of our industrialist citizens worked at either one of the cities water purification plants or one of the irrigation centers, so we pretty much had to have them do a lot of the planning and construction for us. There was a lot of trial and error involved, but the important thing is that we managed to succeed, and we now have purified, running water that can be supplied to all the houses, and all the crop fields as well. Miraculously, we were even lucky enough to get a couple plumbers in our ranks as well, and they were able to help us develop our own propane system so that the houses can get heated water supplied to them as well." Luc finally finished explaining, almost as if he was trying to explain every single amenity the community had in one breath.

By this point, this whole town seemed like an absolute paradise. It had food, water, electricity, and security. It was almost perfect. In fact, Shizuka had nearly felt like fainting in joy once Luc had explained the availability of warm running water.

None of the group could deny that this place was seeming very promising, a very welcome change of not only scenery, but of pace as well. By now, none of them could deny that Henri had come across the group right when they needed a helping hand the very most.

By this point in time, they had managed to be given a good enough chance to see the market, the crops, the pastures, the generators, the irrigation system and the purification plant, as well as a good view of the remaining open space of the cavern that Luc had explained they intended to expand to.

"Well, I'm not going to lie. This place is looking better and better with everything we're seeing. But I just have two more questions." Frasier asked as he looked upon the group's short, semi-pudgy impromptu tour guide.

"Please, anything. I want to help any of our new arrivals feel at as ease as possible." he explained invitingly. Luc was definitely the opposite of the popular stereotype of the French. He didn't treat the whole group of foreigners like idiots, he didn't have a smug air about him, and he was probably one of the most polite people the group had come across since their journeys had begun, period, let alone one of the most polite French people they'd come across.

"Okay. First of all, this entire setup is really impressive, and I did notice when we were on our way here that you have a security detail at the metro entrance. But how do you protect yourselves in case that detail somehow falls?" he asked concernedly, clearly thinking hard about how they could manage to protect a place this expansive without putting the lives of the people inhabiting this town at risk.

"Well, we always make sure to train any new recruits into our security forces on how best to fight with the weapons we have available for them. But in case the threat were to be too big for them to handle, we managed to jury rig a couple industrial strength factory doors to shut and lock itself at the mouth to that tunnel you came into this cavern through, at just the press of a button we have set up in a booth up on that platform itself." Luc explained, temporarily taken aback by Frasier's sudden questioning of their security capabilities after having been shown how the community had been prospering like this for a number of months.

For a few moments, Frasier remained silent and looked upon the other members of the group. They all looked as concerned as he was, but he could also see just how tired they were. He couldn't deny he was also feeling rather worn down after all their struggles since Germany. This place was as good a bet as they were going to be given, and he really didn't want to ruin this for any of them. So with a sigh, he nodded his head in understanding to Luc's answer. What he'd explained as their best security detail seemed good enough for him, so it was good enough for Frasier.

"Alright. The last question is...why are you so eager to accept new arrivals? I mean, don't get me wrong, we all appreciate your invite, but it just feels odd."

The rest of the group for a fleeting instant looked at Frasier like he was insane. Was he trying to say they didn't want these people's charity? After how desperate their situation had proven to be on the surface, was he going to send them all back out there because he was too proud to actually accept any kind of aide?

"I mean, we would be a little further strain on your resources. I understand that you've found a way to keep those supplies fresh and constantly coming, but wouldn't extra mouths to feed prove to be a drain on that?" Frasier asked curiously; completely oblivious to the panicked looks on the rest of the group's faces.

Luc took a deep breath and sighed, lowering his head. The rest of the group could feel goose bumps. Whatever was about to happen, chances are it wasn't going to be good.

The reason we're so eager to accept new arrivals...well, as you've no doubt noticed, despite how large the community itself is, there's nowhere near enough people to completely fill it. We all work together to make this community thrive, but there are times when it's more difficult than usual. We're willing to accept any helping hand we can find. But the real reason...well, Henri has no doubt told you about what's happened in the inner city on the surface, correct?" Luc asked, the optimism in his voice having now lowered a few notches. The group could only nod as they remembered the terrible news they'd been given on the train ride over here.

"Those bastards in the inner city have been hunting down people like you, treating them like a disease, like something worse than the dead. It's like Nazi Germany in the late 30's all over again. France is a nation that has fought for the freedom of the people ever since the late 18th century, and to see that history be perverted and twisted into some kind of totalitarian ideal is just unacceptable.

"We want to be able to save as many people as we can, somehow make France a home for all the struggling survivors in Europe, even the world if need be. But with things the way they are on the surface, with the inner city having as much power as it does, that's a task we can only dream about achieving. Until some kind of miracle comes our way, we want to help the people in any way we can, and in this case, that includes inviting you people into our community." Luc explained, at one point nearly breaking down into tears when he thought about what the inner city had done to its victim's months before.

The entire group was rendered speechless. Everything Luc had to say made total sense, and the sad fact remained that if these inner city people were as powerful as they were being led to believe, then the people living underground would need as much help as they could possibly get. Frasier kept cycling all this information in his head, thinking long and hard. He didn't want to pass up the opportunity for his people to recuperate, feel safe for a while. At the same time, deep down, he was anxious to get back to England, and finally put all the horrible things they'd all witnessed throughout the world behind them for good.

With a sigh, he once again nodded his head in understanding. Luc's reasoning was good enough for him.

**3 hours later**

Once the group had been guided through every separate part of the community, Luc wasted no time to bring the group to one of the many vacant houses that made up the living quarters for the town. He explained that in the beginning after a large portion of their people had left to join the inner city, it left them with a lot of available housing in case new arrivals were to have ever shown up.

The group had accepted the house with much gratitude. It wasn't too big, wasn't too small. It fitted their needs perfectly, and allowed for enough space for everyone to get their own little bit of privacy. The people who had built this community had clearly taken into account the possibility of a group with large numbers coming into their town.

The group quickly managed to settle in comfortably, and soon, it felt like the last 19 days of hardship had quickly melted away, now that they were all finally able to relax.

However, whilst the women decided to arrange their supplies and check their food stocks in the kitchen, the one person in the entire group who seemed to still have some tension about him was Frasier, and it was the fellow boys who could easily see this.

"Everything ok Frasier?" Johann asked, noticing there was something on his mind.

"Yeah. It's the kids, we need to talk about what we're going to do with them." Frasier replied, sitting on a crate as if it was a chair.

"What do you mean? We keep them under our wing and do what we can to protect them. Simple as that." Saya interjected, wanting to avoid any change in how the kids would be treated.

"We aren't birds Saya, we don't have wings." Marcus commented.

"You and your stupid jokes! Just for once can't you be normal?!" Saya suddenly shouted out in anger.

"No he's right Saya, not the best way to say it but he's right. We aren't birds we're humans. As humans we survive by learning and adapting to whatever challenges we have or may face."

"Ask yourself this: What if the unthinkable happens and we all perish? How will the kids survive then? Hiding and running will only get them so far." Frasier explained, reminding the group of the cold, harsh, reality they've been able to momentarily slip away from ever since entering the metro.

"I-I'm sorry. I just try not to think about things like that. So what exactly did you have in mind Frasier?" Saya asked in a far more calm tone of voice.

"It's time they learn to use a gun, patch up wounds, scrounge for food, but most importantly... learn who they can and can't trust. The only thing more dangerous than the dead is the living. The dead don't kill their own." Frasier answered.

"Who will teach them?" Rei asked as she leaned against the wall of their new home.

"Depends on the lesson." Frasier replied shortly after giving it a second to think over.

"Well maybe they can choose. Maybe something like a lesson per day. Sounds fair right?" Johann suggested, concerned over how the kids would react to daily training.

"I think Johann's right. They may need to learn the how, but they're still kids who need time to absorb and retain this new knowledge. The way of the sword can not simply be learned in a single day." Saeko said in agreement.

"Very well, we will all take turns teaching the kids how to survive and fend for themselves." Frasier stated, now in a more official tone.

"So who goes first? Better yet who will teach what?" Khota asked as he began to disassemble his weapon over a large, wooden, spool that acted as a table.

"That's entirely up to who they choose for that day and no being picked twice in a row. Don't want them picking the easy training every time now do we?" Frasier asked the group as he thought of the kids constantly choosing Rei and Saya to baby them for as long as they could.

"So what do we do now?" Shizuka asked as she couldn't help but look around for where the shower room could be.

"I say we relax for the rest of the day. We all know tomorrow is going to be a rough day. Eat up and shower down, lord knows we can use some R&R." Frasier ordered as he walked outside to tell Rika and the kids they could come inside now.

Moments later the two little kids burst inside their new home. Granted it wasn't as glamorous or fancy, but compared to being smushed between Shizuka's breasts in a car with everyone else inside, it was paradise. What caught their attention instantly though was the smell coming from inside what appeared to be the kitchen.

"Alice, I smell food!" Brian exclaimed excitedly.

"Me too! Let's go check it out!" Alice suggested as they both took off and ran into the kitchen to see Saeko and Rei standing over a black stove.

They both instantly noticed an enticing aroma flowing through the air. The two kids slowly crept up and stood under Saeko and Rei. Both women giggled as they looked down to see the kids peeking over the stove.

"No 'hello?' It's impolite you know." Saeko teased as she kneeled down tussling both kids hair.

"Hello!" the two youngest members of the group said immediately afterwards.

"What're you making?" Brian then asked out of curiosity.

"We're just cooking up some meat and vegetables, nothing too fancy. It's been so long since we've had anything decent to eat." Saeko replied.

"Not that those apples you two found weren't good." Rei quickly corrected unless the kids were to misinterpret Saeko's words.

"How much longer?" Alice asked as she looked at her tummy.

"Not too long now. We'll call you two first when we're finished." Saeko replied as she stood up to help Rei continue what they were doing before the kids showed up.

Suddenly the front door could be heard slamming. Marcus stormed in the house and tried to find an ice pack in the freezer container. As he rummaged around violently, Johann and Shizuka approached him.

"Everything ok Marcus?" Johann asked as he and the nurse watched Marcus rummaging through the cold freezer.

He then stood up and turned his face to reveal a large area on his face that was slowly becoming purple. Johann and Shizuka both flinched at the painful sight.

"Awe Marcus! What happened to you? Where did you get that shiner?" Shizuka asked in a motherly tone as she wrapped her arms around him for comfort.

"Your best friend. There she was skulking and being all moody as usual, then I figured it would be nice of me to try and cheer her up. Nope, she gets even more pissed off and punches me in the eye for invading personal space." Marcus explained in an annoyed tone, feeling his eye tingle and nearly impossible to open up for now.

"She did what?!" Frasier suddenly could be heard shouting from across the house.

Everyone turned to see he was able to hear from the next room over. They all flinched as Frasier stormed out the door to confront Rika and her recent unusual behavior. Shizuka looked down with a sad expression on her face. Her best friend was slowly becoming more and more distant by the day.

"Oh boy, better start getting more ice packs." Johann anticipated.

Frasier stormed down the concrete steps and kept an eye out for Rika. He looked down to see that her boots left prints on the dusty floor. Now able to track her, Frasier followed the trail until he could see Rika sitting all alone on a waiting bench.

"RIKA!" Frasier shouted out in anger, both his fists gripped tight as if expecting a fight.

Rika kept her head low and remained silent, not even looking at her enraged leader. She just kept looking at her feet, her hair hiding her face.

"Rika! You've got some nerve to be hitting Marcus! He tried to help you and you punch him!? I don't care what your reasons were; your attitude lately is out of control. What the hell has gotten into you? Why are you so damn distant and moody all the time? Why are you always yelling and ready to explode on those who love you? Why are... Rika?" Frasier asked, yelling at first but instantly changing to a voice of concern when she looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

**{DBZ OST - Android 16 Theme}**

"Rika... why are you-" was all Frasier could ask before her arms wrapped around him tight, pulling him into her body.

"I'm sorry... I'm so, so sorry Frasier. I just can't take it anymore. The past few weeks have been eating away at me from the inside." Rika sobbed as she closed her eyes tight, trails of tears running down her cheeks.

Frasier was entirely shocked by the situation. Never once had he seen someone as tough and experienced as Rika break down. He then remembered she was only human and figured this was most likely her breaking point.

"Why are so you angry Rika? What's been eating at you?" Frasier asked in a more calm tone.

"I'm just so lonely! Everyone in the group has someone. You have Saeko, Rei has Johann, Saya has Khota even if it's not that openly visible, Marcus has that Amazon girl, fuck, even Alice has Brian. What about me, though? I have no one Frasier, not one person to talk to." Rika explained, her voice on the verge of cracking.

"What about Shizuka? She doesn't have anyone either, Rika. Don't you guys... you know..." Frasier said suggestively.

"We aren't lesbians you... no, its not like that. Granted, we fool around sometimes, but it's just to fill the void and forget the fact that we don't have a man in our personal life. Shizuka may be alone too, but she had those kids to occupy her time. So in the end, it's just me and me alone." Rika replied, showing clear signs of jealousy in her voice.

"So because you're lonely and have no man to love, that's why you've been acting out?" Frasier asked, trying to piece things together.

"Yeah, pretty stupid for someone like me huh?" Rika asked, her arms still wrapped right around Frasier, border lining on crushing him.

"It's understandable, you're only human Rika. We all have a weakness or flaw that with enough pressure can break us apart with ease. If its company you need, then just come and talk to me. We're a family Rika, there's no need to be so distant from us. We all love you." Frasier said as he slipped out from under her grasp.

Rika smiled a little and wiped the tears from her face with her torn up glove. She then looked down at her feet and took a moment to compose herself.

"So now what?" Rika asked awkwardly.

"That's up to you, I recommend apologizing to Marcus first. After that you can help me with something. This group is going to need to change if we plan on surviving." Frasier answered as he began to walk away.

"Hey, Frasier..." Rika began to say, as he was already a few meters ahead of her.

"Yeah?" Frasier asked, not even turning around to look at her this time.

"Thank you." Rika said, her voice returning to a confident state.

"Don't let it get to your head soldier." Frasier replied, smirking slightly as he continued to walk away.

"You ass." Rika grinned, as she couldn't help but smile at him.

**{}**

**1 Hour Later**

Everyone was gathered around the dinner table, their eyes all shifting from side to side, carefully looking over every individual around them. Every few minutes, one of their stomachs would growl, breaking the silence for a moment. The lingering smell of cooked vegetables and meat drifting out from the kitchen that now filled the air was like a blissful torture. Every time their brains registered the scent, it only reminded them of how hungry they all were. At the same time, however, it reminded them also that it would come soon enough.

After what felt like hours, Saeko and Rei both came single file out of the kitchen with two large platters resting on their arms each. The whole group gave a collective sigh of relief as their new banquet of food was efficiently laid out before them so that they could all get a good look and bask in its glory.

It was an even split between green vegetables, tomatoes and squashes taking up two platters whilst the other two were lined with thick slices of cooked beef, enhanced by a sprinkling or two of a few spice bottles that lined one of the many cupboards.

If anyone in the group was on the verge of crying in joy over all the food there now was, it was Khota and the kids. But deep down, every single one of them was grateful, for not only the food, but also all the good fortune they had managed to come across on this day.

They all couldn't help but shed a single imaginary tear as they could just imagine all the days of relentless hunger they had gone through over the last almost-three weeks, and now they could finally be able to truly indulge themselves. Tonight, they were all going to eat like kings.

"Alright everyone, let's not just stand on ceremony, here. Let's all dig in." Frasier announced, and as if on queue, everyone immediately lunged for whatever they could get their hands on. Even the kids were reaching for the vegetables, which only served to show just how truly hungry they really were.

Within seconds, half the platters had already been picked clean by everyone claiming their fair share (although Khota's idea of a fair share was twice the amount of everyone else's.)

For several blissful minutes, nobody could say anything as they just let the heavenly bliss that was real food just wash over them, taking them away from their short lives of starvation and fear, and into someplace serene, peaceful.

"This stuff tastes amazing. I didn't know you girls could cook." Marcus exclaimed as he tore into the meat like a real carnivore. Alice and Brian couldn't help but laugh to themselves at his poor table manners, although of course they weren't exactly much better.

"Well, since it was only me and my father living together for quite some time, I also had to learn about good housekeeping as well as swordsmanship." Saeko replied casually, clearly not taking any kind of boastful pride from Marcus' compliments, although being praised for something other than her fighting skills for once did make for a rather nice change of pace.

"I used to work at a café, and I just ended up picking up a few cooking lessons along the way as a result." Rei explained, also sounding just as nonchalant as Saeko; although nobody noticed the slight pink blush spreading on her cheeks when she saw the blissful look in Johann's eyes as he ate his fill, momentarily looking her way every now and then in some kind of silent form of showing his gratitude.

The rest of the time everyone ate, there were no words to be said, just a blissful time of peace for them all to share with each other. However, once the food had all disappeared and everyone was more than full, they couldn't help but notice a distinct, serious glimmer in Frasier's eyes, as if he were deep in thought. Of course, the only ones who didn't know just what was going on were the kids. Everyone else knew they were going to be in for a pretty big surprise within a couple minutes.

"Frasier, are you feeling okay?" Alice asked concernedly when she saw the serious look in his eyes.

"I'm fine, Alice." He answered reassuringly, although the expression on his face didn't change a bit.

"Are you mad?" Brian asked nervously, slightly intimidated by the serious glare in Frasier's eyes.

"No, I'm not mad, Brian. I'm just thinking about something, that's all." He replied, this time making sure to raise his voice an octave so that he wouldn't actually sound angry.

"Is something wrong?" Alice asked worriedly.

"No. I've just been thinking about you kids is all." Frasier admitted, his gaze slowly shifting to everyone else in the group. They all already knew where he was going with this, and right now, he just needed to make sure they all still approved. The looks in their eyes were all unanimous. This was the best course of action at the moment.

The kids both looked at each other confusedly as Frasier continued.

"I think it's time we all started teaching you kids how to take care of yourselves." He finally said, causing both children to look up at him wide-eyed, either out of excitement, or out of fear.

"We need to start teaching you kids how to start defending yourselves, how to take care of yourselves, and how to survive in general." Frasier stated bluntly, naming each lesson with a sense of intensity, as if it were some kind of attempt to hammer it in their heads just how serious this was.

"But…you all have been taking care of us so well all this time. Why are you suddenly saying this?" Alice asked, her voice trembling as she looked at everyone in the group.

"We just want to make sure you kids are prepared in case…the worst case scenario should somehow come to pass." Frasier answered, his voice lowering once he brought up the idea of the group not being able to take care of the kids anymore.

The children both went pale as sheets once he'd brought it up. Alice even looked like she was about to start crying at the thought of everyone around her dying, and she and Brian being left all alone.

"It's not only that, munchkin. What if something were to happen, and you kids were to get separated from us?" Saya suddenly asked concernedly as she wrapped her hands around Alice's head in a soft hug.

"There aren't just those monsters out there that want to hurt you. There's also people out there who would want to do bad things to you, and it's just better if you both knew how to defend yourselves." She continued as she softly stroked Alice's hair in an attempt to get her to calm down. Alice wiped the tears from her eyes as she hesitantly nodded her head in understanding alongside Brian.

"We know that. We know there are bad people still out there. But what you're saying is just…scary. We don't want to be alone." Brian said, clearly just as scared by the thought as Alice was.

"We're not going to leave you all alone, Brian. That's not the point. We're all going to do our best to stay with you both and keep you safe, but we can't promise that we can always be there in time, so that's why I brought this up." Frasier reassured him, convincing the young boy to take a deep breath and give a single nod in understanding.

"We're all going to help teach you both how to take care of yourselves. Not only by teaching you how to defend yourselves, but also how to survive when you're out there in the world." Johann reassured them so that they could both understand just what was in store for them.

"How?" Alice asked curiously, this time without any kind of fear to be found in her voice or her eyes.

"We were thinking of starting this whole thing tomorrow. We would all equally participate and teach you both what we know. We've all been working together to survive this long, which means we all have something to contribute that makes it all work. So we're all going to teach you the best things we know that could help you both out in the long run. Understand?" Frasier explained, clearly wanting the kids to remember all this.

This was going to be a difficult task, teaching these two small children the must-knows of survival and self-defense, but in the end, it would be all worth it, both for the sake of the group, and most importantly, for the sake of the two of them. The children both nodded in understanding, Brian even seeming a little excited that he and Alice would get to learn how to be more useful now.

"Alright kids, now that you know what's in store for tomorrow, we've all agreed to let you choose who you get to train with for the day. You will each be trained separately throughout the week and during the weekend you will both be trained together. So choose wisely." Frasier instructed as he leaned back in the tattered sofa.

Alice and Brian looked at each other unsure of whom to go with first. They just stood there and remained silent until Frasier began to become impatient.

"Five..." Frasier started.

"Why are you counting?" Alice asked.

"Four..."

"Wait hold on we're not ready yet!" Brian exclaimed, not wanting to find out what would happen when he said zero.

"Three..."

"Umm, uh…" both children stammered as they felt the pressure rising to pick someone.

"Two..."

"Johann!" Brian said in a panic.

"Saya!" Alice said out of reaction.

"See? Was that so hard?" Frasier asked, he then turned towards Saya and Johann.

"You two better think of something for them. Wouldn't want the kids to be bored now would we?" Frasier questioned to the two group members.

"Ha! I've already come up with multiple ideas before I was even chosen. I'm always thinking ahead Frasier, you should know that by now!" Saya said with a confident smirk.

"Uh, yeah, me too!" Johann followed with a hesitant delay and not so confident voice.

"Doesn't sound like it." Marcus commented as he played with Ariel's knife.

"All right ladies hit the showers! Men let's go unpack our gear and get settled in. I have a feeling we won't be going anywhere far anytime soon." Frasier ordered.

-

Saeko, Rei, Shizuka, Rika, Saya, and Alice all gladly took the first use of the shower system set up by the plumbers mentioned earlier. There were five individual nozzles attached to the tiled room, it seemed more like a high school locker rather than a bathroom.

However, after what they've been through, and the state of the condition they were in, this was paradise to the women of the group.

Shizuka dropped her towel and was the first to walk into a stall. She turned the knob on full blast and hardly had to wait for the water to heat up. Her body nearly melted at the feel of warm water spraying against her aching body.

"Mmm the water is fine, girls. Better hurry, no telling how long it will last for us." Shizuka said invitingly.

"I say we take it all. Not like the men even care if they shower. If anything, they enjoy smelling like monkeys." Saya commented as she and Alice shared a stall.

"Silly Saya, they aren't monkeys! They're people like you and me. Plus I don't think we have any bananas for them to eat." Alice replied childishly.

All the women laughed and giggled at Alice's innocent comment. Saya grinned as she washed the little girls hair out with the shampoo that was kindly provided.

"True, but they're hairy and smell like them." Saya replied.

"Brian doesn't smell. I think he smells nice actually." Alice stated, smiling to herself whenever she would think about him.

"Oh? Is that so? So how long have you two love birds been going out now?" Rei teased as she leaned over the barrier to look at Alice.

"We aren't dating! Not until I'm a big girl! Papa said so!" Alice shouted, remembering a talk with her parents so long ago, in a time before the dead plagued the earth.

Everyone stopped laughing at the innocent conversation and became silent. All that could be heard for a few moments was the sound of the water pitter-pattering against the tile floors.

"Alice... I was just teasing. I'm sorry I brought it up." Rei said apologetically.

"It's ok Rei. You didn't know. Saya, can we go to bed now? I'm really tired." Alice said in a broken voice, trying to hold back her tears of sorrow for her parents, fully aware that she would never see them again.

"Ok. Let's get you ready for bed, munchkin." Saya said in a motherly tone as she wrapped a towel around Alice.

When both exited the shower room, Rika let out a soft sigh.

"Talk about a conversation killer. So do you guys think we will be here for long?" Rika asked out of curiosity, wanting input from the other female members of the group.

"I sure hope so. This place has just about everything we need, plus my legs can't take anymore running. I just want to find a nice comfy bed and just curl up with..." Shizuka responded, her words slowly becoming lazier, almost as if she was falling asleep mid-sentence.

"I agree. Hot water is more than enough to keep me planted in one spot." Rei said in agreement as she washed her hair out.

"It doesn't matter what we want. What matters is what Frasier wants. He is the one in charge after all." Saeko said with utmost loyalty in her words and her tone.

"True, but you're his wife. Doesn't that give you a piece of the executive pie or something?" Rika questioned.

"I… Umm… Hmmm. I guess so, huh? I never thought of it that way before." Saeko responded, pondering about what Rika just suggested.

"Just think about it Saeko. Frasier may have the power, but he listens and responds to your every move. If anything, you control the leader." Rika grinned as she leaned against Shizuka.

"Hey Johann, go see if there is anything good to drink in the fridge." Frasier requested as the men of the group sat in a circle, all customizing their weapons and coming up with new ideas for ones if they could find the spare parts.

"What? Why me? Aren't you tough enough to get your own drinks?" Johann teased.

"Yes. However, I'm also really close to finishing this complex gear system. I don't want to lose my place." Frasier responded, not taking his eyes off the new contraption he was configuring.

"Plus you're the new guy so I'm sure that counts for something." Marcus added in.

"Oh very well. I'll be right back." Johann said, realizing there was no point in trying to argue with Marcus about something as arbitrary as getting a drink.

Johann sat up and stretched his legs for a moment just to get the lingering stiffness out of his aching joints. He then turned the safety on and set his gun aside. Johann slowly entered the kitchen alone and rummaged through the fridge to find that there were actually cans of Coca-Cola just sitting there.

"No way. Hmm. The fridge works. I wonder if these would still taste fresh." Johann asked aloud, basically talking to himself.

"Did you check the expiration date?" Rei's voice suddenly asked as she wrapped her arms around his neck from behind, completely catching Johann off guard.

"Wha? Rei? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in the shower?" Johann questioned, his face turning bright red.

"Yeah, but everyone else is finished. It's pretty lonely in there. Care to join me?" Rei offered, whispering softly into his ear as her body began to heat up. Dressed in only a loosely fitting bath towel, she gently pressed her whole body up against his back, making sure he could feel every inch of her against him.

The two of them hadn't made love since two nights before they were forced to leave Hamburg, exactly twenty days ago. Now that they were finally in peaceful, comfortable settings, Rei could feel herself going into heat like they were about to make up for lost time.

Johann could hear her breathing heavily as her soft pink lips gently brushed against his thick-stubble-covered cheek. Every time he felt the touch of her breathing against his neck, he could feel a jolt of electricity run up his spine. Her fingertips slowly ran from his neck down to his chest, and even further down as she started gently sucking on the side of his neck, earning a barely restrained moan out of him. She couldn't help but smile at his reaction. They both had the same weak spot, among many others.

Johann could feel his vision going blurry, his body heat skyrocketing at her every touch. His whole face was going red underneath his thick dark brown beard that now covered almost half his face. His fingers twitched, beads of sweat starting to form on his brow, he could feel all the blood in his body start moving to one particular place.

He swallowed the dry lump in his throat as he tried to get his senses back. He was now on the verge of going insane with desire, but the last thing he wanted was for someone to come looking for him and seeing he and Rei in a position like this.

"I'd love to, Rei, but I really need to get these drinks to the guys." Johann replied, trying desperately to change the subject despite just how badly he craved her right now.

"You leave that to me." Rei said with a grin on her face as she reached forward, taking the six-pack out the fridge.

"I wonder where Johann went." Khota commented as he cleaned the gun barrel on his rifle.

"Drinks." Frasier replied, only listening halfway.

"He better hurry, this is no way for the new guy to get a drink." Marcus stated as he leaned back.

Suddenly, the six-pack of Coke went flying through the doorway and hit Marcus in the groin. He kneeled over in response and groaned in slight pain if not shock from the sudden force applied to his crotch.

"Hahahaha! Hey Marcus, you know what? You're right, that is much better!" Frasier laughed, as he couldn't hold it in at the sight.

Moments later, Rei had managed to already tear off most of Johann's clothes before they could even enter the shower room. Johann's body temperature began to rise immensely as he could no longer hold back his desire for Rei. Both began to twist and turn in attempt to wrestle him out of his undergarments. But when they did, all bets were off.

Rei quickly shoved Johann into the tiled wall just under the showerhead. She casually strolled over and pressed her chest against his. One hand grasped firmly around his increasingly aroused member as the other twisted around the shower knob, spraying both lovers with steaming hot water.

Normally they would flinch at the sudden sensation of hot water touching their skin, however both their bodies were already heated up to the point it didn't even phase them.

Their lips smacked close together, tongues soon tangling together as Rei's hand continued to stroke Johann's now fully aroused cock. She then slowly descended and began to massage her breasts together with his member nestled between them.

The intense heat from his manhood almost made her breasts feel like they were going to melt, which only served to make her wetter and hotter with each passing second, her pink nipples slowly hardening as she started grinding her breasts against his cock in opposite directions, adding more friction and more pleasure for both of them.

_'Mmm, I've wanted this for so long! I'm so glad we can finally settle down and make up for lost time.'_ Rei thought as she expected Johann to burst soon just like the first time she tried this position on him.

However, this time Johann managed to maintain a calm, cool composure. Rei then smirked as she realized his body must have developed some resistance; but this was far from over. She noticed his legs and arms would slightly twitch with every move she made, and she couldn't help but smile when she realized he was trying to put on a strong face for her.

It only made her want to pleasure him more, to see just how long he could keep it up before he could no longer hold it back. She started licking at the head of his dick, gliding her tongue in circles around it, as his hand gently stroked the back of her head affectionately.

"Rei…it feels so good…so good…" Johann gasped in pleasure at the feeling of her tongue massaging and tasting his manhood, every movement sending electric jolts rocketing up his spine, his legs beginning to tremble as he started to lose the strength he had originally started with.

He suddenly felt Rei stop licking and massaging his member, and looked down at her confusedly, only to be greeted by her beautiful smiling face as she still sat on her knees, her red eyes looking directly into his as her cheeks turned the slightest shade of red. She looked so amazing with the raining water running down her beautiful naked body and her golden brown hair that ran all the way down her back.

"I'm glad you like it, Johann. It's been so long since we've gotten to have this kind of time together. For being so patient, I'll make you feel even better." She said quietly between her heavy breathing; that smile never leaving her face.

Before Johann could even say anything, she closed her eyes and bowed her head forward, opening her mouth wide as she suddenly slid the head of his member into her mouth, wrapping her lips around it. He nearly gave himself whiplash as he swung his head back in ecstasy, feeling her mouth instantly start sucking on the head of his penis, her wet, hot tongue slowly caressing every inch inside her.

Johann could nearly feel his heart skip a beat every time a pleasured moan would escape Rei's lips as she would slide an inch or two of his member further into her mouth every several seconds, her tongue gliding along the underside of the shaft, sending further jolts of pleasure coursing through his body.

While Rei's mouth sucked on the tip, one hand was fondling both of Johann's balls while the other slowly began to massage her clit. Both let out soft moans, barely managing to keep it low enough so nobody near the shower room entrance could hear them.

Johann's heart was racing a thousand-miles-per-second as Rei continued orally pleasuring him. As he slowly turned his gaze downward, he was stricken by seeing Rei's eyes looking directly into his as she continued bobbing her head back and forth along his cock. He could feel every single thing that went into what she was doing as he looked into her red eyes. The glimmer in her eyes said absolutely everything he needed to hear.

'I love you, Johann. I love you more than you could ever know. This is all for you. All of this, I'll only do it for you. You're the one I love the most in this world, Johann. I love you. I love you.'

The loving light in her eyes as she did something like this for him nearly sent Johann straight into orgasm where he stood. However, something inside him didn't want it to end like this. Rei was the most important person in the world to him, the girl he loved with all his heart, and he wanted to end this the right way.

Before Rei could cause Johann to climax, savoring every taste of him she could get whilst looking at the pleasured expression on his face, he suddenly pulled his member from her mouth and grabbed onto her sides, pulling her up onto her feet. He then quickly held her up against the wall. She grinned and wrapped her legs around his waist, suddenly letting out a deep moan as she felt herself being impaled by his hard cock.

"Ah, mmm! Ohh, Johann!" Rei moaned into his ear before he began to slowly slide deeper and deeper inside of her.

Johann grinned at being able to make his woman moan in pleasure. His hips began to rock back and forth, sliding his member in and out of Rei's womanhood. The pleasure they both felt was immense and passionate. Steam began to form around them as they continued to go on and on with various momentums.

"Johann, I'm going to cum!" Rei cried out, wrapping her arms around his neck as she felt her vaginal muscles beginning to relax all at once.

"Mmm, I can't hold on either, my love." Johann admitted as he felt himself ready to burst.

At the exact moment of release, both lovers moaned out as their sexual juices splashed and collided into one another. Both were breathing heavily after such a rush, and such a blissful experience.

Johann and Rei looked deep into each other's eyes, both of them panting heavily as she continued holding onto him with her arms around his neck, her body still trembling from the incredible climax she had shared with him. As they looked into each other's eyes, slowly leaning their heads forward until their lips met once more, neither of them noticed the single trickle of Johann's semen running down Rei's leg from inside her womanhood.

-

After a few silent moments of just standing around in the same position, Johann slowly let Rei down. Both smiled at one another as they helped wash each other's bodies off, using the shower for its intended purpose.

"That was definitely worth the wait!" Johann said with a smirk as he leaned against the wall with a towel wrapped around his waist.

"It certainly was, but try not to make me wait too long again. A woman has her needs, Johann." Rei lectured as she kissed his fuzzy cheek before wrapping his towel around her own waist as well.

Both looked into each other's eyes smiling. Rei quickly kissed Johann before grabbing her own towel. She then motioned towards the door.

"You better get back to the other boys before they come looking for you." Rei teased.

"I don't think they will be that anxious to find me. Besides, they can wait a little while longer." Johann replied as he carried Rei playfully to the door.

-

The two lovers wasted no time getting into their room, but with so little time having passed since their latest bit of fun together, they were both pretty low on energy at the moment.

Not wanting to risk having anyone come looking for them and finding them both naked, they both thought it best to get themselves into whatever clothes they could find, quickly grabbing a few pieces from the closet opposite their bed.

Ironically, once they had finished redressing, they could both feel their nearly limitless energy when alone together come back in waves. Just as Rei started to bring her arms around Johann's neck, tilting her head to the side for another kiss…

"Johann, a moment of your time?" Frasier asked as he was seen leaning against the doorway.

"Oh Frasier... we were just about to go to bed actually." Rei answered, not wanting Johann to leave her side.

"It's ok Rei, this shouldn't take too long. I'll be back as soon as possible." Johann said, reassuring Rei that she wouldn't sleep alone tonight.

Rei nodded silently and backed away slowly as Johann walked with Frasier outside of the room. The two slowly ventured outside their new home and began to walk to the nearby metro tunnels, making sure not to venture too far away.

"Well here I am. Must be awful important if you dragged me all the way out here." Johann observed as he walked side by side with Frasier.

"I wanted to talk to you about your friend, Vassilli was it? Well we're in France and the Channel Tunnel will be within our reach soon. If you want him to join us you better get in contact with him and tell him to get over here." Frasier instructed.

"Well it's been awhile since we last talked, back before he actually left for Paris. A Russian in France would be a pretty unusual sight these days, however. I'm sure we could ask around with the locals. I wouldn't be surprised if they saw him. I mean people noticed our group pretty well." Johann replied confidently.

"No, they noticed Saeko, Rei, Shizuka, Rika, Alice, and Khota. Everyone else blended in because we're white." Frasier corrected, hating the fact that despite it being the end of the world, people's skin color still had meaning.

"I guess you're right. But still, a Russian military elite would be hard to miss, right?" Johann asked with optimism.

"Hmmm, I suppose. It could be worth a shot. So, do you have anything planned for Brian tomorrow?" Frasier then asked, changing the subject.

"Kinda, I don't really know where to start off. To be honest, I'm surprised he picked me over you." Johann admitted.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Frasier asked out of curiosity.

"You haven't noticed? That kid looks up to you and Marcus all the time. I guess you must have scared him or something." Johann suggested.

"I guess counting down would cause him to panic." Frasier said in agreement.

"So are we done here? I should really be getting back to Rei." Johann asked, not wanting to keep her waiting for long.

"Yeah, of course. Sorry for keeping you." Frasier said in apology.

"Alright, glad we could talk. See you in the morning!" Johann exclaimed before running back inside to reunite with Rei.

Frasier chuckled softly to himself as he leaned against the cold concrete walls of the metro. He knew exactly what was going on between the two, but then again he was no different when left alone with Saeko. It warmed his heart to see Rei, someone whom he could call a friend now, had found someone who truly loved and respected her.

He then looked down at his new gauntlet; he slowly made a fist and out slid three steel blades. Frasier slowly ran the blades along the concrete walls, leaving thin yet deep marks in them. His fist slowly unclenched, causing the metal blades to slowly slide back in their sheath.

After hours of careful calibration, Frasier had finally managed to create an upgraded version of the gauntlet Saya once made back in Kibou City. Despite getting the gear system to work, Frasier still needed to test the blades on Them to make sure it was reliable. However, it was best he waited until the next morning.

**Z-Day+176**

The very next morning came as a surprise to the whole group for the very first time that day. Living in subterranean settings without the light of the sun to serve as a natural sign that dawn had come, it almost felt to some of them like the night had never even ended when people were suddenly saying it was morning.

Whilst most of the group had come to be so comfortable sleeping in real beds for the first time in what felt like months that they almost didn't want to get up, others were able to get themselves up much easier, among them being Johann and Rei, both of them still completely nude and tangled up in their bed sheets after the events of last night.

Their eyes both slowly fluttered open to reveal each other still sleeping in each other's arms. They both greeted each other with a smile and a kiss as they slowly got themselves untangled from their sheets, recollecting themselves as to just where they now were.

With his head still slightly spinning, Johann was the first to head for the closet, and was surprised to see a pleasantly wide selection of clothes was now at their disposal. The clothes the whole group had been wearing for the past three weeks had never gotten the chance to be washed, and he personally didn't want to think about how filthy they must've been by now.

He and Rei both reached in to grab what looked the most appealing and comfortable, and it almost felt like putting on a whole new body after having worn the same things for god-knows-how-long, especially for Rei, who had stuck to wearing her school uniform for all this time.

As they both got dressed, they momentarily looked at each other, and couldn't help but smile at each other, whilst slightly blushing as memories of the things they did last night came swarming back to their minds. Johann soon got himself suited into what looked like a really thick, light gray homemade turtleneck that had only one wooden button at the collar, which whilst unbuttoned caused the rest of the collar to look really big around his skinny neck; along with some black track pants and a worn out pair of leather work boots.

Rei meanwhile got herself dressed into a dark green sweater that looked just a size too big on her, and some tight fitting denim jeans and a pair of light brown snow boots.

Once they were both ready to leave their bedroom, they looked at each other lovingly, both their eyes looking each other up and down. Johann couldn't help but think Rei looked unbelievably cute in such modest clothes, especially with the sweater being a little too big for her. One thing was certain in his mind at that moment: green was definitely her color.

Rei meanwhile couldn't help but think Johann looked even more fitting in such moth-eaten-looking clothes than he ever could have in the outfit he used to have. He almost looked like some kind of stay-at-home hipster or reclusive artist-type, especially with his unkempt facial hair. She couldn't help but think he looked even more handsome than before, which was unimaginable for her to begin with, given how much she had already fallen for him up to this point.

The two of them remained silent for several more seconds before they took a single step towards each other, greeting each other with a loving embrace and another morning kiss, remaining in each other's arms as they embraced the peaceful quiet of the early morning.

"Ich liebe dich." **(I love you.)** They both whispered into each other's ears before they gave each other yet another kiss, and then made their way out of their bedroom.

The rest of the house was surprisingly quiet as they looked down the hall that the four bedrooms lined. It was quite a surprise to actually not be hearing the kids and Zeke playing with each other, or Frasier and Marcus talking with anybody else in the group by this time of day. It didn't really take much for them to consider just how much everyone else was enjoying being able to sleep in real beds right now.

The two of them started to make their way to the living room of the house, and were both quite surprised to see nobody else but Shizuka sitting on one of the stools that lined the bar that bordered the kitchen. She was resting her head on her arms and looked completely out of it.

As the two lovers approached her, the nurse suddenly lifted her head up and spun around on the stool to face the two of them, a pleasantly surprised smile on her face whilst her eyes were partially hidden behind the bangs of her hair. To describe what she looked like right now as "bed head" would've been a gross understatement.

"Oh, good morning you two. You look like you both slept well." The nurse greeted them tiredly.

"Good morning to you too, Shizuka. I wish we could say the same for you. No offense, but you look like you didn't sleep at all." Rei greeted the nurse with a smile as she sat beside her on the neighboring stool whilst Johann reached into the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water.

"Oh, is it that noticeable? Yeah, I didn't really get much sleep last night. But if you don't mind my saying so, there's only two things I'm really surprised about, with myself and with you, Rei." Shizuka replied, earning a confused look from the girl sitting next to her.

"What do you mean?" Rei asked, raising one eyebrow in confusion as the nurse looked like she was trying to avoid giggling to herself.

"After all the noise you two were making last night, I'm amazed I was able to get a wink of sleep at all last night; and judging from just what you two were doing, I'm surprised you're even able to walk normally, Rei." Shizuka suddenly said with a smile, causing Rei to nearly fly out of her seat, and Johann ended up doing a spit take at the exact same time.

Rei nearly had half a mind to gag Shizuka lest everyone in the house heard what the nurse had just said. Meanwhile, Shizuka was just giggling to herself as she observed the two lovers' expressions.

"My god, Shizuka, could you say something like that any louder? What is wrong with you?" Rei asked in an angry, hushed whisper. She just thought of how mortified she would be if someone like the kids had overheard that and would end up asking just what Shizuka meant. What would they have done then?

"I'm sorry, I just couldn't keep it to myself. I could hear the two of you through my bedroom wall, and it just sounded like you were having so much fun together. But don't worry, I don't think anyone else heard you." Shizuka answered nonchalantly, even waving her hand at Rei's embarrassment like it was nothing.

Neither Rei nor Johann could think of anything to say. This was exactly what they wanted to avoid, and now that Shizuka had mentioned that she was listening in on them, the only thing they could feel was sheer embarrassment.

Shizuka meanwhile was steadily switching her gaze from one to the other, smiling to herself. "You don't have to worry. I won't tell anyone. It was probably one of the most entertaining things I've gotten to listen to in quite some time, anyway." The nurse continued, thinking that what she was saying was supposed to be reassuring in some way.

"I must say though, I'm impressed with the two of you. I don't think I lasted as long as you two did during my first time. Plus listening to the way you moan and scream, Rei, it sounds like somebody here has got something REAL special between his legs." Shizuka continued, finishing off her sentence whilst glancing towards the still-frozen Johann in the kitchen, and she couldn't help but smile even more when she saw his face go red as a beet by the time she had finished talking, almost to the point it looked like his facial hair would catch on fire.

"I think maybe I might wanna try a little bit myself if it's really as good as it sounded." The nurse continued, completely ignorant to just how red Rei's face was getting as the blonde was actually flirting with Johann. For the nurse's sake, Rei really hoped she was just hung over right now.

"Or maybe I could join the two of you next time. I could certainly teach the two of you some things." She continued once more, this time completely replacing Rei's jealous anger with utmost shock and horror at what the former school nurse was actually suggesting. Now they both REALLY hoped she was just hammered right now.

Before either of the two lovers could even say anything to respond with the barrage of things the nurse had just said, Shizuka just giggled to herself once more before rising from her seat and making her way back to the hall.

"Don't worry, you two lovebirds. I'm just joking." She called back to them with a laugh, leaving the two of them to themselves to try and recover from what had just occurred. The only thing the two of them failed to notice was that just before Shizuka had left the room, she said in barely a whisper to herself: "…not."

As Shizuka retreated back into her bedroom, everyone else began to file out of their own, gathering into the main room and greeting each other with tired nods or mumbled 'good mornings'.

After a good hour of everyone exchanging idle morning chatter with each other whilst enjoying a simple breakfast of assorted fruits that had been stored in the fridge, everyone was now ready to take on the new day before them. For once, there was actually an atmosphere of optimism to be shared among them, instead of fear or anxiety or dread. They all knew that one way or another; today was going to be a good day.

"Alright, everyone. I can definitely tell that last night has treated us all kindly, which is why I think today should be a day we all try to find something productive to do. Thankfully, after some discussion last night, I think we've all come up with some pretty good ideas, in case anyone would like to share." Frasier announced as everyone seated around the dining table gave him their full attention.

"Well, I was thinking of heading up to the surface with Brian. I have an idea on what I could train him with." Johann announced, not noticing that Brian nearly lit up with excitement as to just what the German had in mind.

"Alright, that's a good idea. However, after the things we saw out there for the last few days, I want to make a rule for everyone to follow, including myself: Nobody goes up to the surface without some kind of battle partner or guard. There's no way of telling what could be out there, and I want us all to be as safe as possible." Frasier announced in a serious tone. Everyone thankfully nodded in understanding. This idea was definitely going to be the best for them.

"I want to spend today teaching Alice something I think we'll all agree is very important. Frasier, in order to do this, I'll have to borrow that city map you've been holding onto." Saya announced, ending her request with an extended hand.

Frasier looked at the pink-haired genius with one raised eyebrow before reaching into the duffle bag that sat right beside his chair and extended the map to her.

Alice looked up at Saya curiously as she couldn't help but notice the excited glimmer in her eyes shining behind her glasses.

"Alright, it sounds like most of us have a pretty good plan. Now, before I tell you all what I intend to do, I just want to ask you all this: do you remember why it is we initially came here?" Frasier asked, looking over everyone to see if they actually did remember.

"Well, because we're that much closer to the English Channel, and therefore we're closer to home than we've ever been yet." Marcus answered, and whilst Frasier almost wanted to give his brother points for remembering their most important goal, he had to shake his head in response.

"It's because of Johann's Russian friend being here, isn't it?" Rei asked, and this time Frasier nodded in approval with the faintest of smiles on his bearded face.

"That's right. One of the main reasons we're here right now is because of Johann's Russian friend, who from my understanding is actually with Spetsnaz. Depending on what may be waiting for us out there in the world, we'll need all the combat-experienced help we can get, and frankly, I can't really think of any help better than a Spetznaz operative right now. So what I intend to do is ask around, see if any of the people here may have seen him, or at least know his current whereabouts. Anyone who's interested in joining me is more than welcome. Besides, if for whatever reason it may be required for me to go out on the surface to look for him, I'll need someone to watch my back." Frasier explained, and he almost couldn't help but laugh to himself when he saw Khota almost skyrocket into his "gun otaku" mode at the mention of them actually meeting a real Spetsnaz operator.

"Alright, then I'll go with you." Saeko immediately responded, rising from her chair and grabbing her katana.

"Sorry, Saeko. You're not coming with me this time." Frasier suddenly replied, and the swordswoman immediately looked back at him like he'd completely lost his mind.

"No offense to everyone else here, but me and Saeko are the best melee fighters the group has to offer. It wouldn't feel right leaving you all without at least one of us to keep watch over everyone, making sure everything will be okay. I'm sorry Saeko, but I want you to stay here and keep watch over everyone until I come back." Frasier instructed, no matter how badly it hurt him to see the pain in Saeko's eyes over the two of them separating from each other.

As much as Saeko wanted to boldly resist his instructions, tell him that she wouldn't leave his side for anything, deep down, she knew there was logic to what he was saying. And even then, she cared deeply for all the others, and despite how much she wanted to stick by Frasier's side, she didn't want to leave them to fend for themselves without her to help in case anything should've happened. Begrudgingly, she nodded her head in understanding.

"Alright then. With all that cleared, anyone who wants to go with me, raise your hands, and then we'll head out. I'd like to get this started earlier rather than later. That way we'll be able to return home that much sooner." Frasier explained as Khota, Marcus and Rika all raised their hands.

With a single nod from Frasier, the four of them rose from their seats and proceeded to grab their weapons. As Frasier began to make his way for the door, Saeko suddenly placed a tight grip on his shoulder, forcing him to look upon her frowning face.

"Make sure you come back to me unharmed, Frasier. I understand you want me to keep the others safe. I get that. Just…dammit, Frasier, do not make me regret not going with you." She explained in a hushed whisper, never once taking her gaze away from him.

Frasier could only muster a single nod of understanding before she let go of him. Before he could reach for the door, she suddenly grabbed him by his collar and pulled his face towards hers, meshing their lips together forcefully. After a few lingering seconds, Saeko let him go, giving him the slightest smirk before walking off to join the others at the dining table.

Looking back at her, Frasier sighed and opened the door, making his way out, closely followed by Marcus, Rika and Khota.

"I don't like the idea of you going up there without me there to at least watch your back, Johann." Rei protested as Johann slid the solitary pistol in his hand into the holster he had fastened around his waist.

"I'm sorry, Rei, but I really want to be able to focus on helping Brian with this. I know you mean well, my love, and I'm grateful for it. Just this time, it'll be better if I'm able to afford all of my attention towards Brian while I'm up there. I promise you that I'll be back before you know it, and I'll be fine." He explained reassuringly to her, placing comforting hands on her shoulders as she slightly bowed her head.

Without a word, Rei nodded her head understandingly before raising her head back up, leaning forward to place a loving kiss on his lips before stepping back from him, the look of worry on her beautiful face replaced with a warm smile.

"I know you'll be safe, Johann. You've survived longer out there than the rest of us combined. I know you'll be safe." She answered reassuringly as Johann made his way out the bedroom door towards Saeko and Brian in the living room; the latter of the two was almost bouncing up and down with excitement.

"Alright guys, let's get going." Johann announced, causing Brian to give an excited shout as he ran for the front door, Saeko immediately following behind the two of them. As she was about to exit the front door, Rei suddenly placed a hand on the swordswoman's shoulder, forcing her to look back at her sister-in-arms confusedly.

"Please make sure they won't be hurt." Rei asked in barely a whisper, a trace of concern in her red eyes as she looked into Saeko's blue ones.

With an understanding smile, Saeko nodded before Rei let go and let her continue on her way out the door.

Once the door clicked shut, Saya and Alice came out from the hall into the living room, Saya carrying a bundle of papers, pencils, and Frasier's map under her arm as they both sat at the dining room table.

"Hey, Rei. What're you doing?" Alice asked from her seat, causing Rei to suddenly return to reality, looking at the little girl confusedly.

"Oh, nothing really. What're the two of you up to?" Rei asked curiously as she approached Saya and Alice, looking curiously at the assortment of maps and papers Saya had spread out across the table.

"Saya wants to teach me how to read maps." Alice replied with a mixture of excitement and concern. She was mainly nervous about messing up and causing the self-proclaimed genius to yell at her.

"Sounds pretty interesting. Mind if I join you two?" Rei asked, pulling up a chair before Saya could even say 'yes' or 'no'.

"Alright, munchkin. Now reading maps, and better yet, understanding them, is a lot less easy than you think it is." Saya began, spreading her arms out to emphasize the maps strewn all around them.

"Why's that?" Alice asked innocently, defeating the intense mood Saya was trying to impose only moments ago.

"Because cities are really big places, with a whole assortment of different kinds of districts, neighborhoods, communes, and streets, making them very easy to get lost in." Saya went on to explain, this time trying to sound a lot less imposing on the little girl so she could actually pay more attention rather then be scared.

"That's right. Remember how a couple days ago, Frasier had to always look at a map while we were walking around outside all the time? That was so he could always have an idea of where we should go next, and so that we could avoid going around in circles, or going in some random direction without any idea of where we should have been going." Rei piped in, earning a look from Alice and Saya at her unexpected involvement in their little training session.

"Exactly. See, the gist of all this, Alice, is to understand the importance of knowing your environment, knowing where you should go, what to look out for, and know how far you are from safety. Say if something was to happen, and you and Brian were to somehow get lost or separated from us. Without any knowledge of the environment, or knowing what places to look out for, there'd be no way for you to get back to us." Saya explained, her last statement visibly frightening the little girl. Saya could already tell a lot of what she was saying was overwhelming poor Alice.

"Before we start going into a scenario like that, we should just start with the basics." As she said this, she grabbed a red marker from her pocket and pulled out a map of the entire city of Paris, and upon unfolding it; she pulled out a smaller map labeled 'Bondy'.

As she unfolded that map, she uncapped the marker with her teeth and drew a red circle around a section of one of the streets on the southern end of the map.

"This spot is where we are right now, the entrance that leads to this whole town. And this is the spot where we were sleeping the day before last." Saya explained as she circled one of the squares representing buildings closer to the center of the district map.

"Now, this line represents the route we all took to get to where we are now after that French man found us yesterday." She went on as she drew a steady red line that connected the circled building to the circled street.

As she did this and went on to clearly describe every step of the journey, both Alice and Rei looked at her, both of them clearly impressed.

"How do you remember all of this, Saya? That whole trip yesterday took a good 8 hours. How do you remember all this?" Rei asked in wonder as she saw Saya start scribbling out different streets on the map, marking them as inaccessible or too dangerous.

"Saya's a genius, Rei. She knows everything!" Alice exclaimed excitedly as she actually was starting to enjoy watching Saya marking the map all over for her.

Saya couldn't believe she was actually blushing just now. This was the very first time Alice had actually given her praise like that. It made her feel all the more proud at that moment.

"Thanks, Alice, but that's not the reason why. I only remember all these details because I pay attention to everything around me, even if it may not seem important at the moment. Paying attention to all the details around you is a very important thing, in many different ways, Alice. By the time we're finished here, not only will you learn to take that lesson to heart, but you will also learn how to develop your own sense to detail. That way you'll always be able to assess a situation in the future and figure out some way to solve it." Saya explained with a smile on her face as she tussled Alice's red hair.

At that moment, that overwhelmed fear appeared on Alice's face again as she looked at all the maps Saya had set in front of her.

"You mean I'll have to memorize all this stuff by the end of today?" Alice asked in a panic, almost looking like she was about to start crying from being given a ton of homework.

"Of course not, Alice. We've got all kinds of time to teach you about this stuff. We can take it at any pace you want." Rei reassured the little girl as she patted her on the head, bringing out a smile from her.

"Okay, can we start at the beginning again?" Alice asked Saya as she carefully pulled the map closer to her so she could look all of it over.

Saya was momentarily taken aback that Alice was actually trying to approach this little project with enthusiasm again, and could only manage a nod. Alice smiled brightly as she started looking closer at the whole display Saya had drawn out, with Rei pointing out a few different marks Saya had made whenever Alice looked the slightest bit confused or nervous.

Saya momentarily glanced at the two of them. It seemed she and Rei had some pretty different ideas on how to get this stuff through to Alice, and in some ways, both their methods worked. In fact, for a split second, an idea sparked in Saya's mind: Why not work as partners in teaching Alice? Saya would serve as the overall educator, emphasizing important points and rules to Alice in whatever subject was deemed fit, and Rei could be there to try and teach Alice in a much gentler way in case Saya's methods proved to be too much for one lesson. She would have to bring this up later with Rei and see what she would think.

In the meantime, she still had so much to teach Alice, and they still had all day to try and teach her as much as they could. Saya mentally went through all the things she wanted to teach Alice today: how to memorize maps, places they would've already been to, and spots that are too dangerous to travel through, and landmarks that would help her recognize where she currently would be, and how far she would be from a known safe spot.

It was a lot of material to cover, she knew that much. It was possibly too much to teach a seven-year-old girl, she was well aware of that possibility. But as she looked at Rei slowly guiding Alice through the district map with her finger, pointing out each detail Saya had drawn out and explaining what they most likely meant, she couldn't help but smile to herself. If the three of them all worked together, it was very much possible that they could be able to make this teaching stuff work out just fine.

While Saya, Rei, and Alice began their session with maps and locations, Frasier, Rika, Khota, and Marcus ventured into the crowds of people gathering in the larger part of Bondy Station. The crowds all swarmed around what appeared to be merchant stands.

Each stand was selling its own unique wares and items to the public. One table would have survival gear that ranged from flashlights all the way to gas masks with respirators. Another would have various divisions of fruits, vegetables, and most importantly meat from the livestock that were in their prime. Last but not least, there were the weapon stands, each one with an armed guard to prevent theft or handle any drunken troublemakers seeking revenge upon someone.

"Man these stands have everything! Think we can do some shopping after we find this mystery Spetznaz guy?" Khota asked, as his head looked back and forth at all the weapons laid out before him, feeling each one calling out to him like a siren would a sailor.

"Only if you're a good boy and behave." Marcus teased as he looked over at a man getting his tattoo worked on, this caused Marcus flinch as he remembered the pain he felt at first when he got his first tattoo.

"What's wrong funny man? Afraid of a little needle?" Rika observed as she stood besides Marcus.

"Shouldn't you be more concerned about you not being a bitch? It will only age you faster, which explains those crows feet." Marcus replied quickly, somewhat already prepared to insult Rika after she punched him the other day.

Khota and Frasier both stopped to see Rika's reaction. Her face began to turn red with rage, both fists clenched tight. However, before she could explode she simply took a deep breath and released a peaceful sight.

"I guess you're right Marcus, I'll try to keep my bitchiness on the down low. Maybe it'll even take a few years off my face." Rika replied; speaking in a calm tone the three boys didn't even know she was capable of.

"Oh... Ummm... Yeah, you do that." Marcus said, mumbling at the end, unsure of what to say next.

As Marcus and Khota continued to walk on, Rika shot Frasier a wink to prove to him that she had some control over herself, at least for the time being. Frasier smiled back at her in approval as he then walked in front as most leaders should.

"Keep an eye out for those two French brothers. If anyone knows where Vassilli is, they would know for sure." Frasier instructed as he scanned the crowds for Henri or Luc.

-

Several moments later, the group stumbled upon a booth not too far from the weapon stands. The man inside was protected by a panel of bullet proof glass as the wooden sign above him read 'Booth Bourse Bullet' (**'Bullet Exchange Booth'.**)

"Hey, check it out Frasier. That guy has ammo I'm sure we could use." Marcus pointed out, quickly catching the attention of Rika and Khota as well.

Bonjour! Soin de faire un métier?" **(Hello there! Care to make a trade?)** the man in the booth asked in an approachable tone, clearly having some sort of charismatic trait to him.

"Bien sûr, je vais prendre des clips fours valeur de 7.56mm tours s'il vous plaît."** (Sure, I'll take fours clips worth of 7.56mm rounds please.)** Frasier asked the exchange attendant, mentally thanking himself for bothering to look through the English-to-French books that were available all the way back in Hamburg when given the chance.

"Ah un achat bien, monsieur. Maintenant, ce sera 15 balles."** (Ah a fine purchase sir. Now then, that will be 15 bullets.)** The man replied as he reached underneath the desk to pull out the requested magazines from an ammo box underneath his boots.

"Attends, quoi? Je ne comprends pas; je vous donne 15 balles pour tous ceux que je viens demandés?"** (Wait, what? I don't get it; I give you 15 Bullets for all the ones I just requested?)** Frasier questioned, feeling as though he were missing out on a crucial sum of knowledge.

"Oui. Y at-il un problème avec ça, monsieur?"** (Yes, is there a problem with that sir?)** The merchant questioned as he looked over at the guard standing parallel to him, in case there were to be trouble.

"Eh bien, notre groupe est nouveau à la station de métro toute chose afin que nous ne sommes même pas sûr de ce que les gens utilisent pour le troc avec ici."** (Well, our group is new to the whole metro station thing so we aren't even sure what people use to barter with around here.)** Frasier explained as Marcus continued to translate quietly to Khota and Rika.

"Oh, je vois ... Eh bien, permettez-moi de vous expliquer comment les choses fonctionnent dans notre petit jardin d'Eden!"** (Oh, I see... Well then, allow me to explain to you how things work in our little Garden of Eden!)** the bullet exchange merchant exclaimed as he motioned to the approaching guard that everything was all right after all.

"Vous voyez, quand nous avons créé notre station, nous avons eu la préoccupation croissante des munitions et de la consommation de celui-ci. Nous avons eu les moyens de se défendre, mais c'était pour un temps limité seulement. Au moins jusqu'à ce que certains de nos ouvriers réussi à reproduire une presse munitions, en tournant la ferraille dans des balles de travail!"** (You see, when we first established our station, we had the growing concern of ammunition and the consumption of it. We had the means of defending ourselves, but it was for a limited time only. At least until some of our factory workers managed to replicate an ammo press, turning scrap metal into working bullets!)**

"Cependant, il y avait une faille qui a changé la façon dont les choses fonctionnent ici. Les munitions que nous avons créé dégradation des conditions de nos armes et obligent l'utilisateur à nettoyer leur arme plus souvent. Ce à son tour, a fait monter en flèche le grade militaire de munitions en valeur. Il a été décidé à l'unanimité parmi la plupart des commerçants et des habitants que les munitions de grade militaire serait la monnaie officielle de notre station."** (However, there was one flaw that changed how things worked down here. The ammo we created degraded our weapons conditions and would require the user to clean their weapon more often. This in turn, made the military grade ammunition skyrocket in value. It was unanimously decided amongst most merchants and inhabitants that military grade ammunition would be the official currency of our station.)**

"Ceux qui cherchent la surface utilisée pour être en mesure de simplement trouver des munitions de grade militaire de soldats tombés au combat ou des caches de celui-ci dans des convois accidentés. Mais comme le temps passait, les munitions devenaient de plus en plus rares, et la plupart du temps est tombé dans les mains de notre pire ennemi. Gerard Gans. L'homme qui est maintenant dans le contrôle de notre capital nations glorieux! Maintenant, la seule façon de trouver des munitions militaires à la surface est soit de la chance et trouver une cachette les charognards manqués ... ou d'être assez expérimenté pour survivre à une rencontre avec des forces qui dictateur et vivre pour en parler."** (Those who search the surface used to be able to simply find military-grade ammunition off fallen soldiers or caches of it in crashed convoys. But as time went on, the ammo became more and more scarce, and mostly fell into the hands of our worst enemy. Gerard Gans. The man who's now in control of our nations glorious capital! Now the only way to find military ammo on the surface is to either get lucky and find a stash the scavengers missed... or to be experienced enough to survive an encounter with that dictator's forces and live to tell about it.)** The bullet merchant went on as he explained the economy of the metro.

"Incroyable. At-on jamais réussi à faire la deuxième option?"** (Amazing. Has anyone ever managed to do the second option?)** Frasier asked, trying to contain any signs of excitement.

"Seuls deux groupes que j'ai eu le plaisir de faire des affaires avec. La première consistait à seulement trois personnes! On était simplement une petite fille. Je doute qu'elle avait quelque chose à faire avec elle, mais elle avait un sourire très adorable."** (Only two groups I've had the pleasure of doing business with. The first consisted of only three people! One was simply a small girl. I doubt she had anything to do with it, but she had a very adorable smile.)**

"La seconde, que je suppose que c'était son père, était comme un réservoir de marcher! Son corps couvert d'une armure anti-émeute de la police le long avec des bouts de métal au hasard pour servir d'armure supplémentaire. Il portait un bouclier anti-émeute grand sur son dos avec un spray crâne peint en blanc sur le devant. Je pense même, il y avait des pointes de chemin de fer sur elle. Le plus important de tous est la façon dont il n'a jamais ôta son casque, ni prononcé un seul mot."** (The second one, whom I assume was her father, was like a walking tank! His body covered in police riot armor along with random scraps of metal to serve as extra armor. He carried a big riot shield along his back with a white skull spray painted on the front. I even think there were railroad spikes on it. Most important of all was how he never took off his helmet nor uttered a single word.)**

"Le dernier de tous était leur chef courageux, un homme qui était clairement un vétéran dans l'art du combat. Son visage était rude et dur, ses yeux avaient le collimateur de nombreuses batailles. Son corps n'était pas aussi grand que le second, mais a été clairement bien conditionné. Le long de son dos était un classique Kalachnikov 47, et à ses hanches étaient deux tomahawks sang-enduit. Puis, pour couronner le tout, il était un membre effectif de la force Spetznaz élite russe avant que le monde est allé en enfer."** (Last of all was their brave leader, a man who was clearly a veteran in the art of combat. His face was rugged and tough, his eyes held the sights of many battles. His body was not nearly as big as the second one, but was clearly well conditioned. Along his back was a classic Kalashnikov 47; and at his hips were two blood-coated tomahawks. Then to top it off, he was an actual member of the elite Russian Spetznaz force before the world went to hell.)** the bullet merchant said, causing Frasier to nearly smile to the point that his face ripped in half.

"Son nom serait pas arriver à être Vassilli-ce pas? Si oui, où puis-je le trouver?"** (His name wouldn't happen to be Vassilli would it? If so, where could I find him?)** Frasier asked curiously.

"Eh bien, je dirais qu'il est le plus susceptible d'aider ses compatriotes immigrés russes descendre à la station suivante sur Noisy-le-Sec. Cet endroit est pratiquement rempli avec seulement immigrants russes qui fuient le navire en perdition qui est maintenant la mère patrie. Après leur gouvernement a échoué et leur force militaire s'est effondré, la plupart ont été tués par les morts-vivants, par des militants radicaux, ou même les climats rudes qu'ils ont dû endurer."** (Well I'd say he's most likely helping out his fellow Russian immigrants down at the next station over in Noisy-le-Sec. That place is practically filled with only Russian immigrants whom are fleeing the sinking ship that is now the Motherland. After their government failed and their military force collapsed, most were either killed by the undead, by radical militants, or even the harsh weather climates they've had to endure.)**

"Ceux qui ont survécu ont fleuri partout en Europe aujourd'hui, s'installer dans des camps et zones d'installation à travers le continent. Remarquable, vraiment, si vous me demandez."** (Those that survived have flourished all over Europe now, settling in camps and settlements all across the continent. Remarkable, really, if you ask me.)** The bullet merchant answered, filling the group in on everything.

"Qu'en est-il du second groupe?"** (What about the second group?)** Marcus then inquired, wanting to know more in case they could come in handy later.

"Ah oui, ces gars-là vivent ici à Bondy Nouveau heure où nous parlons. Permettez-moi de commencer par leur chef-"** (Ah yes, those guys are living right here in Nouveau Bondy as we speak. Allow me to begin with their leader-)** "Brandon McAllister." the bullet merchant began before a far younger voice overshadowed his.

The group then turned around to see a young man standing before them along with a few other rugged, rag-tag looking men, all wearing casual clothing, some even had sports armor around their shoulders, forearms, and shins.

Brandon had an average build, not quite athletic as most, even a little scrawny compared to some. It was odd seeing how he was roughly 5'3, even Marcus was taller then him.

His hair was brown and appeared to be naturally spiky without any hair gel. As for his eyes, they were just a simply hazel mixture between green and brown.

Brandon was also wearing a leather brown R.A.F. jacket over a black t-shirt and blue jeans. Along with white tennis shoes, presumably for speed and lightweight travel on the rough terrain and obstacles the surface had to offer him. A rifle was slung along his back with a strap going along his chest as he stood calmly before the fascinated group.

"Heureux de vous rencontrer Brandon! Je suis Frasier. Peut-être que vous pouvez nous aider à trouver Vassilli et son groupe?"** (Pleased to meet you Brandon! I'm Frasier. Perhaps you can help us find Vassilli and his group?)** Frasier said, introducing himself as he could tell that despite the size, Brandon must've been doing something right to survive this long.

"De même. Hmm, je pense que ça peut s'arranger. Nous vous emmènerons avec nous dans un motel nous avons réussi à obtenir il ya quelques jours. Nous n'avons pas entendu parler d'eux de temps en temps donc je pense qu'il est temps où nous sommes arrivés sur le reste de notre groupe."** (Likewise. Hmm, I think that can be arranged. We'll take you with us to a motel we managed to secure a few days ago. We haven't heard from them in awhile so I think it's time we checked up on the rest of our group.)** Brandon said, gladly accepting the request.

"Excellent, je vais vous parler de mon groupe et nous serons là."** (Excellent, let me talk to my group and we'll be right there.)** Frasier explained as he then turned to the other three while Brandon and his team moved further into the metro to hitch a ride to the surface.

He instantly noticed that Khota however was far too distracted by the station teeming with guns. Frasier smiled then looked over to Rika.

"Take care of him and make sure he doesn't buy anything stupid." Frasier ordered.

"What? Why can't I come along with you? You're wife may have accepted it, but I won't." Rika explained, folding her arms in disapproval.

"He'll rub your back for you when he gets back." Marcus bargained.

"Deal!" Rika said with an instant change of heart.

Frasier rolled his eyes but knew things would be simpler now for him and Marcus.

"C'mon little brother. Let's go to the surface." Frasier instructed as he walked the same path Brandon did, leaving Khota and Rika to do the shopping with their newfound currency.

-

Minutes later, both brothers boarded a small metro carrier ready to head out. Brandon and what appeared to be the rest of his group were all inside, gearing up to venture up to the surface.

"So if we're heading up to another station, why are we going up to the surface?" Marcus questioned Frasier in English.

"Because the direct path is blocked off from us. We will take this carrier as far as we can go before we need to get out on foot." Brandon answered in English, surprising the brothers that he could understand them.

"Oh you speak English... Rather well actually. You're not from around here are you Brandon?" Marcus observed, taking a wild guess really.

"I'm afraid not, but judging by your brother's tattoo, neither are you guys." Brandon noticed, pointing to Frasier's S.A.S. tattoo that was apparently visible to anyone paying close enough attention.

"Ah, so you know of England's elite. Would I be far off if I said you were from there as well?" Frasier asked in response.

"That's correct. I'm originally from England, lived there my entire life. My dad was an R.A.F. pilot in a city near London. I used to always look up to him as a young kid, always wanting to be like him one day. This one time I snuck off in the middle of the night to try and use his pistol that he always kept on the mantle. Ever since then, I've somewhat trained myself in basic usage of firearms."

"Right before the outbreaks, my family and I were vacationing out here in Western France, just trying to get some R&R. On the day everything changed, my parents were both bitten. I tried my best to reason with them, but after realizing there was no coming back I did what had to be done."

"Days later, I managed to join a group of survivors. When things seemed to be in our favor, that blasted dictator took over, making everything worse by ten fold. Killing off anyone who wasn't French-born, especially the English after they isolated themselves from the world."

"For months I've been trying to calculate and discover a way back home. But every time I come close, either he or something else would get in my way. It's become next-to-pointless by now. I'm starting to accept my fate here in France, trying to survive for as long as I can out in a foreign land. Well, enough about me for now. What's your lot's story?" Brandon explained, his voice losing hope near the end until he decided to hear what the brothers had been through.

Frasier and Marcus leaned back in their seats for a moment to take in all that information. They then looked at each other then back to Brandon. The carrier began to depart Bondy Station slowly as Marcus decided to tell Brandon about them.

"Well our father was a famous Captain in the S.A.S., and our mother was a spy for the S.I.S. They sent both of us to Japan a few years back to live with our uncle, since we were becoming harder and harder to control at home." Marcus began.

"That's quite a family background. You guys must've been more prepared than any of us combined." Brandon commented.

"No one could prepare for what happened next, Brandon." Frasier noted.

"Quite right, anyways continue on." Brandon said, wanting to hear more about the brothers past.

"Well, just a day before the outbreaks, our youngest brother, Noah, was sent to live with us. When the dead showed up, we all had to fight our way out of our infested high school, and then through the rainy streets, then we took over an abandoned hotel, and even defeated an entire biker gang. We had a temporary rift in the group, and entered an entire city full of survivors."

"We reunited in time to stop a madman who was trying to control an old friend to basically kill the weak off, and then we temporarily led the cities' forces against an army of the undead. Then we had to flee the city afterwards when a new power arose and tried to kill us."

"We sailed towards America and found an American ship that was infested with the dead. Sadly, Noah was bitten and laid to rest at sea. When the U.S. Navy spotted the ship, they blew it back to hell just as we escaped in time. Our raft took us into South America where we discovered... stuff..."

"Oh, then we wound up in Louisiana, and some of us drank some bad swamp water and ended up with a bacterial infection. A group was sent to find medicine only to discover a ruthless bounty hunter was after us. Afterwards, we soon learned that the Americans were in a civil war of all things, and we made a deal with one of the good guys and managed to make it all the way to California and back. We even ended up killing the bounty hunter with enough luck. Then we were flown over to Europe with the intention of landing in France, but we had to crash land in Germany instead."

"With our pilot dead, we had to continue on foot until we reached one of the many walled-off cities that ruled over Germany. We ended up running into a friend of Frasier's there, and when time had come for us to leave, he decided to join up with us. Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself. When things settled down, for whatever reason, one of our members snapped tried to kill me. Frasier went on a brutal rampage killing a ton of local bandits, under the impression that they were the ones that killed me. The traitorous shitheads that tried to kill me then tried to kill him, but it didn't go as planned. Weeks later, the traitor broke out and destroyed part of the wall, attracting the undead from everywhere. With little time to prepare, we fought back with the help of another clan who actually dressed up like Roman Legionnaires of all things, just barely surging the battle. Oh, and get this, after the battle, we ended up having to flee the clan because of a few minor accusations."

"Ever since then, we've been traveling through France. Running from house to house each night until we were discovered and led here. The next morning, we met you and got on a carrier while I explained our story, which I'm sure you've heard enough of by now." Marcus said, taking a deep breath when he finally finished all of that.

Brandon was completely silent; he sat back into his chair speechless. At least until he managed to let that entire story sink in.

"Are you guys for real? You honestly expect me to believe all that?" Brandon asked, unsure if Marcus was just making it all up or not.

"Do you believe in dead people walking around?" Frasier responded as the carrier began to come to a halt.

"Point taken. Maintenant, c'est le temps, les hommes. Passons sur!"** (Now's the time, men. Let's move out!)** Brandon acknowledged before he shouted to his team, ready to head on up to the surface to continue the journey to the next station over.

-

"So what are we going to do Johann? Shoot? Sword training? Martial arts?" Brian asked with anticipation, unable to contain his excitement as the two walked along the pavement of the surface.

"Easy there Brian, lets try to keep the noise to a minimum. You never know what to expect out here. Always be alert and ready to react to whatever may come your way." Johann lectured in a calm tone as Saeko walked not too far behind, a bored expression on her face.

"Oh ok. I'll be as quiet as a mouse." Brian whispered in a much quieter voice.

"That's the spirit, now lets see if we can find what I'm looking for." Johann said, looking back and forth until he found what he was looking for.

On the side of the cobblestone road, a few empty cans of beans and vegetables could be seen in the gutters. Johann walked over and picked up four of them. Brian covered his nose at the rotten, left over smells the cans emitted.

"Any reason we are picking up dirty, old, cans?" Saeko questioned, trying to show interest in his training exercise.

"Well, I figured that he would need target practice. Don't like it?" Johann asked, feeling doubt in his teaching abilities now.

"We'll it's not like They are going to just stand there and let Brian take his time to shoot." Saeko said, explaining her point of view.

"First things first, he needs to learn the basic mechanics of the gun. How to properly hold and use it safely. It wouldn't hurt for you to learn how to use a gun either, Saeko." Johann explained as he set the cans along a nearby brick wall.

"No thanks, all I need is this. Besides my husband has the gun factor covered." Saeko explained as she drew her katana from its sheath, the steel shinning in the sunlight before she placed it back in its sheath.

"Whoa." Brian muttered to himself, wishing he could try Saeko's katana.

He then looked up to see Johann standing over him. Johann offered his pistol to Brian. Without any hesitation the young boy took it, nearly dropping it from the unexpected weight.

"It's even heavier than I thought." Brian admitted as his arms adjusted to the weight of the pistol.

"I know what you mean, Brian. All guns are like that." Johann explained, remembering his first time firing a gun.

Brian then aimed the pistol at the cans and pulled the trigger. To his surprise however, the gun did nothing. He then looked back to Johann.

"It didn't fire!" Brian said aloud with frustration clouding his judgment.

"Easy Brian, you need to learn the basics first. If you're going to be shooting like the rest of us, then you will need to learn how to use a gun properly."

"Guns are dangerous and have no affiliation. It doesn't matter who the gun is being held by, what matters is who is on the receiving end. People used to die all the time because of improper use of these things."

"If you hold a gun up to someone, you better mean it and be ready to fire. Don't have any hesitation or second thoughts Brian. People die when you hesitate, when you let yourself get scared." Johann explained firmly, speaking in a dead serious tone, wanting Brian to know everything he just said had meaning.

"Yes Johann, I understand!" Brian exclaimed, taking in all the information he was receiving.

"Alright, lets begin. See that tiny switch? That's the safety, so go ahead and flip it off. Now that it's off, you can freely fire. If you aren't going to fire anytime soon, then turn the safety on. An accidental discharge is the last thing you want with a gun at your side." Johann explained, showing Brian where the safety was and its intended purpose.

Brian smiled and began to flicker the safety on and off to see how it worked. He then aimed at the cans with both arms extended straight out, locking them both in place. However, Johann lowered the pistol in anticipation and kneeled besides Brian.

"Ugh! It won't work! I don't think I can do it." Brian groaned, disgruntled by the lack of progress.

"Easy Brian, I took the bullets out. Once you learn to aim the gun properly, I'll let you put this clip in and fire at those evil cans." Johann offered with a humorous tone at the end.

Saeko yawned as she looked at her nails; she looked back and forth to make sure they weren't being watched by anyone else. Part of her wished some of Them would show up as expected, wanting to let her exquisite taste for death become fulfilled. She then looked back to see Johann and Brian's progress.

"There you go... now pull back and keep the target in your sights." Johann instructed as he tried to keep Brian's arms up since they were beginning to get tired from holding the pistol up.

*pfft* *ping!*

That was the sound made when Brian fired his first shot. The can he hit went flying off the position Johann had placed it. Brian then turned the safety on and looked up at Johann.

"Hey Johann?" Brian asked.

"Yeah?" Johann replied, unsure why Brian was stopping so soon.

"How come it was quiet when I fired it? When you guys fire the guns, they're much louder." Brian said, showing how he was clearly observing the group as they fought Them over time.

"Well last night, the guys and I managed to create homemade silencers for our pistols. That way we can keep the noise level to a minimum and not attract unwanted attention, undead or otherwise." Johann explained as he pointed to the nozzle like add-on to his pistol.

"That's so cool!" Brian exclaimed as he then flicked off the safety and took aim again, wanting to hear the silent whisper of the pistol again.

*pfft* *ping!* *pfft!*

The first shot hit its target spot on, sending the next can flying over the wall. However, the second shot missed from recoil and bounced off the rooftop of the house before them.

"Whoops." Brian commented as he looked up at roof.

"It's ok; just remember the gun will move up each time you shoot it. So you need to readjust your sights after each shot. Don't worry, you'll get used to it." Johann instructed before having Brian hand the pistol back to him.

"Let's get going. I think it's time for a lunch break. What do you think, Saeko?" Johann called out to the lonesome swordswoman.

"Sure, whatever. When do you think they will be back?" Saeko asked anxiously, clearly having a dependence on her significant other.

"Um, soon I'm sure. You really can't go a minute without him, can you?" Johann commented as he and Brian walked with her back to where the metros were.

Saeko then turned around with a terrifying glare in her eyes, almost as if she had taken some sort of offense to that last comment. Brian immediately backed up and stood behind Johann, intimated by her sheer presence.

"I didn't mean it like that! Uhh, I get the same way when Rei isn't around... I umm... Uhh..." Johan said, slowly beginning to panic at Saeko's cold gaze. Clearly he was also another victim to its intense power.

Saeko then just smirked and continued walking alone. Johann stood there nearly forgetting Brian was behind him.

"She's almost as scary as Frasier." Brian whispered, dreading the thought of seeing either one of them being truly mad at him.

"I don't know. That woman's glare is nothing short of the Bat Glare." Johann commented.

"I love Batman! How come he never kills?" Brian questioned as the two began to walk again, Johann then let out a soft chuckle before he began to explain the concept to Brian.

Meanwhile, the team going to find Vassilli's group stopped when they came across a scene of ten infected corpses in their path. Four were trying to gain access into a newspaper stand that was sealed by a metal linked fence. Their gray fists banging against the surface, trying to pry their way inside for whatever reason they had, while the other six just wandered around the local area.

"I see ten of Them in the open, all seem to be distracted, I say we try sneaking around Them and conserve our ammo. The next road... hey, wait... where's Frasier?" Brandon began to explain before realizing Frasier wasn't in their circle.

All of the exploration team looked over to see Frasier walking up towards the pack of infected alone, his hands opened up in a calm manner.

"Is he insane? He's going to be spotted and get torn apart!" Brandon commented, gripping his rifle tight, unsure why someone would so recklessly throw his or her life away.

"Easy Brandon. He knows what he's doing. You guys just sit back and watch the show." Marcus suggested; his tone of voice seemed unusually confident to the men, almost as if this was normal.

Brandon took a deep breath, calming down as he watched Frasier continuing to walk towards Them.

As Frasier walked down the road, he made sure to look over the environment and the position of the infected. He then noticed a female figure in the newspaper stand. He knew she couldn't get out with the riled up infected trying to get at her.

"No, get back!" the girl called out when she saw Frasier approaching the area.

"Hey, Ugly!" Frasier announced to the infected at the newsstand as he clenched one fist.

*Wa-ching!*

One set of blades slid out from the gauntlet, letting everyone around see his secret weapon.

*Wa-ching!*

The second set came out as his other fist tightened. A dual sets of claws now protruded from Frasier's fists.

"You want to take a bite out of someone? Try me." Frasier suggested as he had a wide grin on his face, feeling extremely confident now that he was at maximum efficiency once more after being fed.

{Accept – Fast as a Shark}

One of the infected corpses stopped and turned around, looking straight at him. It was clearly one of the new breeds of Them. Its eyes were a dead give away, both sockets inflated and pulsating with life. A foul odor could be smelled as the eyes became increasingly red for unknown reasons.

Just as the infected abomination could open its mouth to let out a banshee like wail, Frasier dealt a devastating uppercut to the undead fiend, instantly killing it. The two outer blades wedged the teeth together as the middle one pierced the brain, instantly killing the only threat to him now.

Frasier then slammed his fists into the skulls of two infected corpses still banging on the linked fence the girl was behind. Blood gushed out the back of their torn open skulls as he violently retracted his blades only to sink them both into the other one right beside them.

One set pierced the jaws shut as the other began to rapidly shred the stomach, causing the putrid, rotten, degraded, flesh to tear wide open, letting all the organs that weren't shredded to slowly slide  
>out. Frasier then pulled back and wedged a set of claws between both the eyes and brain.<p>

Everyone watching (excluding Marcus) was either on the verge of or had already vomited from the carnage before them. The pure blood lust in Frasier's eyes as limbs and organs were torn away. Just watching him disembowel the other six was enough to make a grown man faint.

{}

"What are you doing?!" the girl behind the news stand questioned, almost as if angered by what Frasier was doing.

"You're... welcome!" Frasier said, taking a pause as he tossed one of the lifeless corpses on top of another one.

The linked fence suddenly came up and the girl was far easier to identify now.

She stood taller than expected, roughly about 6'2 with a thin build. She had about a C/D-cup sized chest, however the rest of her body was slimmed and trimmed from athletics and having survived the apocalypse along with the possibility of malnourishment. Her body had a distinguishable, brownish, skin tone. Her hair was jet black, shoulder-length cut, with bangs coming over part of her face.

She had a few knife scars on her arms, and a small scar on her right cheek from what appeared to be from a bullet grazing it. Her eyes were a dark brown, borderline black.

The mystery woman even had a tattoo of a pair of skeletal dragon claws on both sides of her neck.

As for clothing, she wore sporty, loose-fitting, tan, cargo pants that hung around her waist, kept on only by her belt. She also had a black, skintight tank top with long sleeves that connect to thin, black gloves. Along the sleeves of the shirt appeared to be Kevlar padding sewed inside of it. Finally, there was a black bandanna over her forehead, but it was kept underneath her bangs.

"No, you don't understand! I wasn't in any real danger. I was studying those creatures to see how they function." the woman explained in frustration.

"Is that so? Well now you know they have a top predator. Him." Marcus replied as the rest of the group walked over.

"So who are you guys anyway?" the woman asked, ignoring Marcus' little side comment.

"The name's Marcus, and you've already met my older brother Frasier. The little guy over there is Brandon, and these fine men are apparently escorting us to go find a friend of a friend." Marcus said bluntly.

"Marcus! You shouldn't be telling every stranger we meet about our plans. For all we know she could be working for  
>them!" Brandon protested.<p>

"'Them?' No human in their right mind would or even could work for the undead." Marcus replied, unsure why Brandon would make such an outrageous assumption.

"Not the biters! I'm talking about the dictators forces, you obnoxious little troll!" Brandon replied sharply, not wanting to risk any compromises to his team or the metro station he could now call home.

"If these are the same forces that are rounding up anyone who isn't French, and killing them, then she isn't with them." Marcus argued as he looked over to her.

"Oh, okay. You want to tell me the lottery numbers next? I hadn't figured you for the psychic type." Brandon said humorously, but with a more prominent anger in his tone as well.

"Well as bad as it may seem, I figured since she isn't... well... white." Marcus admitted, hating to sound like he assumes this theory based off of the woman's skin color.

"Are you two done yet?" the woman asked in an annoyed tone, impatiently tapping her feet as Brandon's team just sat on rubble from a bombed out building, all passing a cigarette around in attempt to reserve their resources.

Both arguing boys looked over at the woman to see her arms crossed, clearly not amused by the constant arguing.

"First off, my name is Alexia, and no, I'm not with those racist pricks you guys are referring to. I refuse to degrade myself by affiliating with such scum. I've been traveling alone, and was just out studying how the new breed of infected work until you guys showed up." the woman explained, clarifying who she was.

"Oh, sorry about all that. Things have just been really hard ever since the undead showed up, and the dictator's forces just make things worse for us." Brandon explained apologetically, hoping he didn't cause any resentment from Alexia.

"It's alright, let's just get moving. We wouldn't want a horde to catch us out in the open like this." Alexia suggested as she began to walk the path the group was planning on using.

"Did she say 'we?'" Brandon asked.

"I guess she's with us now." Marcus assumed as the group began to move onwards.

"I don't know, I think she might be of use. Does anyone else notice something?" Frasier asked as he joined with the three of them.

"She's taller than all of us, including you?" Marcus questioned.

"No. She's studied the new breed, and who knows, she may know some valuable tips. Best we find out what those might be, and tell everyone back at the metro. It could save a few lives in the long run." Frasier explained, Marcus and Brandon nodding in total agreement to what he just said as they walked down the cobblestone road, not too far now from their target.

After roughly an hour more of wandering the empty streets, the brothers along with Alexia soon became impatient.

"How much longer until we get to this little base of yours? You better not be trying anything funny with us." Alexia warned Brandon, her voice having an intimidating undertone behind it.

"Relax lady. If we had any intent of causing you trouble, I think you would've seen some by now." Brandon said, trying to reassure not only Alexia, but both the brothers as well.

"How much further then?" Marcus asked out of boredom, almost as if he just wanted to hear his own voice.

"Just around the corner. Even a blind man couldn't miss it." Brandon replied as he pointed towards a nearby building with a large arrow spray painted on pointing to the right.

Alexia then walked up to Frasier and nudged his sides gently, but just enough to grab his attention.

"If this guy is lying, be ready to drop him. You'd be surprised how many groups will try to lead you into a death trap for your valuables." Alexia whispered into Frasier's ear, bringing up a valid concern.

"We can trust Brandon. Besides, they outnumber us 9 to 3, plus the guys at their little clubhouse up ahead. If they were going to kill us, they already would have." Frasier whispered back, saying nearly the exact same thing Brandon just said, keeping Alexia suspicious of both of them.

Despite the initial doubts, they turned the corner to see Brandon was telling the truth after all.

Before them was a quaint two-story brick inn, like something from the early 1920's if not older. It had a moderately sized brick wall surrounding its property, which they could all tell would make for a pretty decent barrier. Around the original brick wall and iron gate that blocked off the forward entrance were multiple chunks of debris used to fortify the area from gunfire. Multiple bullet holes could be seen, showing that this outpost had seen battle before. Barbed wire was strung up along the top of the wall to prevent any intruders from sneaking over at night.

"Gaële? Evard? Godard? N'importe qui?!"** (Gaële? Evard? Godard? Anyone?!)** Brandon called out, however his only response was a cold silence.

"Doesn't look like anyone is home. I sure hope you guys don't leave your outpost unmanned like this all the time." Frasier noted, unimpressed by the lack of vigilance.

"We don't. Something isn't right here. I left several guys behind while we went into Nouveau Bondy to cash in our military grade ammo." Brandon explained, having a suspicious feeling deep in his gut.

Brandon then walked over towards a blue mailbox and began to reach inside. His men stood around waiting while the others looked at him funny.

"You okay, Brandon?" Frasier asked, momentarily confused by Brandon's unusual course of action.

"Just fine, thanks." Brandon replied; his mind clearly focused on something else right now.

"I'm pretty sure Postman Pat hasn't made his runs today." Marcus joked, keeping the mood lively. Alexia couldn't help but giggle slightly to herself at the joke he made.

"Oh very funny. Just you wait, Marcus. Believe it or not, this is how... we... get inside, there got it!" Brandon said aloud as he pulled on something in the mailbox.

Suddenly the two iron gates opened up, granting the group access to the inn outpost. Brandon was the first inside, quickly followed by his men who all seemed to be on alert now. Frasier, Marcus, and Alexia then casually walked in to see the place was just as empty inside as it was on the outside.

Frasier observed the local environment around them. He noticed a broken down pickup truck sticking out around the corner of the inn, a couple old picnic tables along the front yard, one made of wood, and the other of a now rusty metal; random bits of garbage being blown in the wind, and even a few empty cans could be seen rolling along in the cold breeze that just went by.

It was odd; no signs of forced entry were made. No traces of battle, not even the residue of gunfire could be detected. At least, that was the way it looked on the outside.

"Keep your eyes open, brother. Things aren't as they seem." Fraser muttered to Marcus, scanning the upper and lower windows for any signs of life.

Marcus gave a quick nod and turned the safety off his pistol. Alexia overheard them and kept her hand close to her side, unbeknownst to the rest of the group, she actually had a concealed gun of her own.

Suddenly, a door handle began to rattle. This caught everyone's attention immediately, as well as the attention of their iron sights. Tensions rose amongst the group until they realized the culprit behind it was a man dressed similar to the men in Brandon's group.

"Damien? Est-ce que vous là-bas? Tout va bien?"** (Damien? Is that you over there? Is everything alright?)** one of the men besides Brandon asked, trying to identify the figure.

"Ouais, c'est moi, et je me sens comme une santé de fer. Que signifient ces hostilités? Pourriez-vous baisser les sarbacanes?"** (Yeah, it's me, and I'm feeling as healthy as a horse. What's with the hostilities? Would you mind lowering those peashooters?)** Damien suggested, slowly approaching the group with his hands down at his sides.

"L'homme, ce qui s'est passé ici? Où est tout le monde? Cet endroit semble abandonné."** (Man, what happened here? Where's everyone else? This place looks abandoned.)** Brandon questioned as everyone lowered their weapons, reassured that everything wasn't as bad as they all thought previously.

"Ils ont décidé d'aller le scoutisme pas trop longtemps. Vous venez de les manquer, mon ami."** (They decided to go scouting not too long ago. You just missed them, my friend.)** Damien explained as he drew closer to the group.

"Scoutisme? Hmm, juste assez. Qui sont restés avec vous?"** (Scouting? Hmm, fair enough. Who stayed behind with you?)** Brandon asked as he holstered his weapon along his back.

"Oh ... ainsi, ils sont tous allés sans moi."** (Oh... well, they all went without me.)** Damien replied as he began pacing back and forth between everyone, almost as if he was observing what they had on them.

"Ils vous laissé seul ici tout seul? Vous savez que nous n'avons jamais rien faire sans quelqu'un pour sauvegarder l'un l'autre."** (They just left you here alone all by yourself? You know we never do anything without someone to back the other up.)** one of the men accompanying Brandon stated.

"Oh ... eh bien, je ne me sentais pas très bien, alors ils m'ont laissé ici pour récupérer. Je n'ai pas aimé non plus, mais vous savez comment Evard peut être têtu, non?"** (Oh... well, I wasn't feeling so well, so they left me here to recover. I didn't like it either, but you know how stubborn Evard can be, right?)** Damien said with a slight chuckle as he then stood before Brandon.

"Je croyais que vous étiez en bonne santé comme un cheval."** (I thought you said you were as healthy as a horse.)** Marcus commented, looking up at the window almost as if someone else was here besides Damien after all.

"Qui sont ces gens? Les nouvelles recrues pour notre bande de sauvages?"** (Who are these people? New recruits for our wild bunch?)** Damien asked, avoiding the question by asking another.

"Ce sont nos nouveaux amis de Bondy Nouveau. Nous sommes juste ici pour vous enregistrer sur les choses, puis nous nous dirigerons vers-"** (They're our new friends from Nouveau Bondy. We're just here to check in on things, then we'll head over to-)** "Ah, ils sont là maintenant!"** (Ah, there they are now!)** Brandon began to explain before Damien interrupted him, pointing towards the front gates left open.

While Brandon and his team turned around to look at the still empty road behind them, Damien reached into his back pocket and drew concealed pistol out. He slowly raised it up, pointing at the back of Brandon's head.

As the trigger pulled Alexia tackled Brandon out of the way.

*BLAM*

She let out a cry of pain as they both landed behind the pickup truck.

*Wa-ching*

"AAARRRGGGHHH!" Damien shouted out as Frasier wedged three blades between the triceps, forearm, and elbow joint in his right arm. Damien dropped his gun as his arm was now locked into place, unable to pull away without tearing his arm apart.

Suddenly windows on the second floor of the inn began to fly wide open. The figures Marcus thought he saw were really there after all, all of them armed with assault rifles. A hellfire of bullets rang out, and five of Brandon's men were killed instantly before the rest could take what little cover was offered to them.

"Ambush! Frasier, get to cover!" Marcus shouted as he rolled into cover with Alexia and another one of the men whom survived the initial burst of automatic fire.

*Wa-ching*

Frasier wedged his other set of blades into Damien's left lung as he began to walk sideways, using the traitor as a human meat shield, blocking the bullets that tore into Damien's torso, killing him in a matter of seconds. After taking cover behind a pile of rubble, Frasier tossed Damien's lifeless corpse aside.

"Tuez ces enculés!"** (Kill those fuckers!)** Brandon ordered, even though his men were already firing back at the figures lurking in the windows.

"Are you okay, Alexia? Were you hit?" Brandon the asked, making sure she wasn't going to bleed out.

"I'm... fine! That bastard just grazed my shoulder." Alexia replied, trying her best to toughen out the stinging sensation on the top of her shoulder.

"Stay down, we'll handle this, Alexia. Brandon, try to stop the bleeding and cover that wound up, it might get infected if we don't." Marcus instructed, tossing him a plaster from his satchel.

Marcus then leaned out of cover; he began to take aim firing back at the closest figure above them. He fired three rounds off, causing the shooter in the window above him to duck down.

"Cover me! I'm reloading!" Marcus shouted aloud for everyone to hear, however he kept his aim just where the figure would be.

The second the figure stood back up, Marcus fired a single round, watching blood burst from out of his target's head, dropping lifelessly to the ground and no longer a threat. Marcus then ducked down in time to avoid being pelted by the hailstorm of bullets from two other shooters.

"Frasier, what are you waiting for? Do your thing!" Marcus shouted as the man standing beside him fell over dead from a bullet wound to the eye.

Frasier peeked around the corner but immediately had to remain in cover. The shooters in the windows were smart enough to keep him suppressed, there was no way in hell they would let Frasier come anywhere near them after what he did to Damien.

"I'm pinned down! Slide me a pistol, Marcus!" Frasier shouted in English so the shooters would probably not be able to understand his intentions.

"I'm out of ammo! I'll try to draw their fire!" Marcus offered.

Before he could make the bold sacrifice, Alexia pulled him down and placed her pistol in his hands. She smiled and gave him the nod to use it as Brandon tended to her wound.

Marcus then placed Alexia's pistol on the pavement and slid it across the small battlefield. Frasier knelt down and caught it in his hand. He was nearly shocked to see what it really was. Only once in his life had he seen it anywhere else, it was none other than a bona fide Patriot.

The Patriot is a modified version of a Colt XM-16E1, with a shortened barrel and the stock removed. It was designed in order to create a carbine that combined the feel and quick handling of a handgun with the force of a rifle. The relatively lightweight meant that the Patriot had strong recoil, and was notoriously difficult to aim.

However, Alexia probably had used it to the point that she can fire it single-handedly; a testament to her skill if that was the case. It used 5.56x45mm ammunition and was fitted with a hundred-round drum magazine, with the internal feed mechanism shaped like an infinity symbol. The blast of the muzzle was said to resemble the sound of a threatened rattlesnake, and that no one who heard the sound would live to tell the tale.

The bullets even had a tumbling effect upon exiting the muzzle, meaning instead of leaving the gun straight; they flip and twist upon leaving the gun.

_'Who the fuck is this lady?'_ Frasier thought to himself before realizing it was best he stayed focused on the task at hand.

"Couvrant le feu!"** (Covering fire!)** shouted one of Brandon's comrades as they fired at the men pinning down Frasier, causing the figures to take momentary cover.

Frasier then stepped out of cover and began to fire at two figures taking aim at the two men firing from behind one of the turned over picnic tables. He held the Patriot in both hands for better accuracy, killing his targets in a series of bursts. His accuracy was spot on due to all his experience from over the years.

"Only two left!" Frasier announced.

"Leave these bastards to me!" Brandon ordered as he then stood out in the open with his rifle.

As both figures stood back up to continue their assault, Brandon switched to the under barrel grenade launcher and pulled on the trigger. A single 40mm grenade flew through the air and into the bedroom. The resulting blast blew out several of the windows, killing one man in the initial blast as the force knocked the other one out the window and over the balcony.

Before he could even stand up, Brandon switched his rifle to automatic mode. He then held down the trigger, unleashing everything he had on the poor soul. Bullets ripped and tore through the man's body, blood spilling everywhere until the rifle ran out of ammo.

Smoke could be seen emitting from the barrel of Brandon's rifle as he kept pressing the trigger, wanting to fire more bullets then he had.

"Damn! Why did you kill him? We could've interrogated him and found out who he was with!" Marcus protested as he walked over to look at the bloody mess.

"I just lost everything, funny man! Don't you dare fucking tell me how to do things!" Brandon shouted as he tossed his rifle aside and looked at the remains of his ruined outpost.

"Hey, it's okay, Brandon. What's important is that we managed to avenge your friends. You did all you could." Alexia explained, placing her hand over Brandon's shoulder to reassure him.

"They work for him." Brandon said after taking a deep sigh.

"What?" Frasier asked, unsure whom Brandon was referring to as he walked over with the other two survivors of the battle.

"These men were working for that bastard who runs the inner-city, Gerard Gans." Brandon explained, his voice teeming with hatred after uttering that name.

"So that's the name of the bugger, huh?" Marcus asked as he sat in the old wooden chair planted against the wall of the inn.

"Yeah, no one has ever even seen the man from what I understand. He seems like the type who will let his cronies do all the dirty work." Alexia commented as Frasier handed the Patriot back to her.

"I don't understand, though. Why did they attack them? Aren't you all French other than Brandon?" Marcus questioned.

"Remember how that bullet merchant mentioned only two groups were known to take down the inner-city patrols and raids? Perhaps this Gerard has decided to eliminate those openly opposing him and killing his men." Frasier suggested as he sprayed antiseptic on Alexia's wound then placed a strip of medical tape over it.

"I still can't believe Damien would betray us like this. Maybe he was with them all along or something." Brandon muttered softly. He was still unable to accept the betrayal of his friend.

"Let's go check his room. Maybe we can find a clue or something to explain his actions." Frasier said to Marcus and Alexia as Brandon and his two remaining men just sat against the brick wall of the main hall, unsure what would become of them now.

The three slowly turned the handle to the only door in the second floor hall that was still open, whilst all the others were still locked. It was natural to assume this room must've been where Damien had been staying while waiting for them. Nothing special could be made of the place, just the standard modest sleeping quarters an inn like this would offer with nothing crucial to it. At least it was until Marcus noticed a briefcase underneath the bed and pulled it out.

"It looks like we need a key. I'll go see if Damien has one on him." Alexia offered as she left the two brothers alone and walked back outside.

When she stood over the ravaged corpse of Damien, she tried to avert her eyes from the claw marks Frasier left, as well as the bullet wounds. Alexia was tough and had seen plenty of more-than-unpleasant things in her life, but looking at a fresh corpse never got any easier for her.

She quickly reached into Damien's left pocket and smiled when she found what felt like a key. It was reassuring to her that she found it on her first try, not having to feel up a dead man for his keys. As Alexia walked back towards the door, she looked over to see Brandon trying to cope with Damien's betrayal. A part of her felt bad for him as she continued to move back upstairs.

"I found the key. Now let's just hope this stupid briefcase has the answer." Alexia said in a somewhat doubtful tone as she tossed the key to Marcus.

Marcus inserted the key into place and twisted it around until the locks made a clicking noise. He pulled the upper lid open and took a step back to reveal piles of paper bills neatly stacked up. A note was set on top of it all. Alexia quickly grasped it and quickly looked over it before tossing it at Frasier.

"Figures, even in the apocalypse men are still corrupted by the simplest of things." Alexia commented as she picked up a stack of money, walking outside to show Brandon. When she left, Frasier and Marcus both looked over the note.

"Huh, No wonder this guy betrayed Brandon. All of this money, the promise of getting a pardon for killing Gerard's men, and being allowed to not only enter Nouveau Paris, but to be accepted amongst the upper-class with the big man himself. Sorta makes me question whether or not dad was right about how all Frenchmen are backstabbing weasels with the right incentive." Marcus commented, remembering their father's hatred of an old foe of the English nation.

"We can't let Damien represent the rest of the French people, Marcus. Don't forget, any man can fold when things are looking down on him. Bare in mind, it was also Frenchmen like Luc and Henri that took us in. I used to hate the French, Marcus. Believe me, I never expected to have any trust or positive feelings for any of them, but I think it's about time we burry the hatchet between old rivalries, don't you? Besides, it was Italians whom father didn't trust. He did however ramble on about how the French are only good at retreating and surrendering." Frasier explained before correcting his younger brother.

Meanwhile, Alexia stood above Brandon and tossed the single stack of paper bills into his lap. He slowly picked them up and then looked up at Alexia, unsure of what they even were at this point.

"What the hell is this?" Brandon questioned as he slowly stood up, still several inches below Alexia.

"Your friend Damien was bribed with Gerard's new paper currency and the promise of being part of the upper class in Nouveau Paris. I'm sorry, Brandon. I wish there was a better way to explain things, but that's just how things are." Alexia explained as she leaned against the wall, looking down at him with sympathy in her tone.

"Hmph. Damien always did have an unusual interest in the inner city. I just never expected him to betray us like this. Did you guys find out what happened to the other people stationed here?" Brandon asked, showing concern if not hope for survivors.

"Not yet I-" "Hé Brandon! Je pense que vous devriez venir voir ça!"** (Hey Brandon! I think you should come look at this!)** Alexia began to say before one of Brandon's men shouted over her.

Everyone quickly ran over into the room to see what was going on. They all looked over the shoulder of the man to see multiple bodies piled up in the bathroom. All of them with their necks slit wide open.

"Damien must've killed them in their sleep last night after we departed for Nouveau Bondy. When it was all done, all he had to do was just open the gates and wait for us to come back. He would've gotten away with it too if you guys weren't here with us. Thank you for the assistance." Brandon concluded, no longer sure of what to do with himself now.

"So what will you do now, Brandon?" Frasier asked as he looked over to the broken leader of this inn.

"I guess I'll just have to take Henri up on his offer to settle down in Nouveau Bondy. I want you two take our remaining ammunition and weapons back to Nouveau Bondy, and I'll fulfill my agreement with the Markle brothers and take them to the Noisy-le-Sec station. That's the station I remember your Russian friend said he was going to go. They recently accepted a whole bunch of Russian immigrants, so it's the most likely place he'll be. It will only take us a half-hour tops to reach it. Alexia, you're free to join us if you want." Brandon ordered his two men before looking over to the other three.

"Sure, why not? I was getting tired of wandering the ruins anyways." Alexia said in a somewhat cheerful tone.

"You two should grab an automatic rifle and spare ammo. We won't last long against Gerard's men with just pistols and Wolverine claws." Brandon suggested to his three new friends as his men began to collect all the weapons they could find.

"Thanks, but I prefer the Patriot. This pistol has grown on me over the last six months, so ditching it for a bigger one would be unfair." Alexia replied as she had an odd connection to the weapon.

"Suit yourself, Alexia. Nothing says 'fear me' like a fully automatic weapon." Marcus commented as he picked up a Famas assault rifle.

Frasier then walked over and spotted the weapon of choice for him. An L8A2 rifle perfectly set against the wall. Marcus looked over and had a concerned look on his face.

"What's wrong? Everything ok Marcus?" Alexia asked as she noticed the expression on his face.

"I'm fine, but it's the rest of the world I'm worried about, Alexia. It's one thing to give my bro a gun, but it's quite another to give him a British weapon. He's been trained with every modern British weapon know to man by our father." Marcus admitted.

"Will he be a problem?" Alexia questioned as she looked over at Frasier pretending to fire his new rifle.

"Bang, bang, pew, pew." Frasier said to himself, imagining the infected and any enemy imaginable in his sights.

"Not at all. Just so long as you're on his side, you're fine." Marcus answered, chuckling at the childish behavior his elder brother was displaying.

"Then what's the problem?" Alexia questioned, unsure of the initial concern Marcus had.

"Let's just say that the Old Testament God has a rival to his kill count now." Marcus joked as he slung his new assault rifle along his back, ready to head out for the next station.

-

Hours after the ambush at Brandon's inn outpost, the group slowly approached the entrance to the metro station they'd been trying to get to all day. Down the steps they descended into the dark tunnels in search of the inhabitants of Noisy-le-Sec Station.

"So does anyone know Russian?" Marcus asked as he turned on the flashlight taped on his shoulder.

"Oh yeah, this is a Russian immigrant station. Hmm, I'm sure one of them is bound to know a little French. How else would they be able to trade and communicate with other stations?" Brandon brought up, making an excellent point.

"I learned a little bit of Russian while traveling to Europe on a Russian vessel." Alexia explained.

"Since when were you on a Russian ship?" Marcus asked, curious about Alexia's past.

"One was passing by South America where I'm originally from. Turns out a lot of Russian refugees have been living on ships after the outbreaks if they weren't somewhere in Europe. I picked up basic words, so hopefully I can communicate with the guards." Alexia said with optimism.

"Why would they be on boats?" Brandon questioned, wondering about the reason behind it.

"I have no idea. Maybe this Russian you're looking for will know what's up." Alexia replied, wanting to concentrate on what they might find in the tunnels.

After passing a ticket terminal, the group noticed three men standing outside the already opened gates to Noisy-le-Sec Station. The three figures all wore balaclavas over their faces as one was smoking a cigarette. All were whispering something to each other before the group approached the scene.

Alexia walked in front of the three boys and waved casually to the three men.

"Привет."**[Privet]**** (Hello there.)** Alexia announced in Russian.

The three men nearly jumped out of their skin as they heard her calling out to them. However when they realized it was only three young adults and a teenager they were far less jumpy.

"Vous ne devriez pas se faufiler sur un homme comme ça. Il pourrait être assez peur de tirer quoi que ce soit se déplace."** (You shouldn't sneak up on a man like that. He could be scared enough to shoot whatever moves.)** One of the men warned, speaking in French for some strange reason, even though Alexia was speaking Russian.

"Oh, si vous parlez français? Étrange, je pensais que c'était une station russe."** (Oh, so you speak French? Strange, I thought this was a Russian station.)** Frasier noted in French, unsure of things.

"Eh bien, il est beaucoup plus facile de parler français car la plupart des gens de cette station de s'exprimer en français."** (Well it's much easier to speak French since most people of this station speak French.)** the same man explained under his wool mask.

"Très bien."** (Fair enough.)** Frasier replied, but with the slightest tone of suspicion in his voice.

Suddenly a series of gunshots could be heard within the station. The group quickly reached for their weapons.

"Qu'est-ce que c'était?"** (What the hell was that?)** Marcus questioned.

"Probablement juste un exercice d'entraînement. Rien à craindre."** (Probably just another training exercise. Nothing to worry about.)** one of the men replied quickly.

"De cette façon, nous allons prendre les gars à l'arrivée sans frais."** (This way, we will take you guys to the check-in toll.)** one of the gate guards instructed, his tone of voice arousing suspicion between Frasier and Marcus.

As they all walked through the front gates, Frasier and Marcus walked close to Brandon.

"Psst, I'm sure you've been to plenty of stations before. How many of them leave their guards on the outside of the gate?" Marcus whispered.

"None. It's strange now that you mention it, but this is a Russian station, so I assumed they did things differently around here. Why do you ask?" Brandon replied in a soft hush before asking.

"Just curious." Marcus answered as he turned the safety off on his pistol.

"Donc, avez-vous entendu parler de gars du groupe de Vassilli? Il doit être vraiment bien d'avoir un homme de Spetsnaz un coup de main ici."** (So have you guys heard about Vassilli's group? It must be real nice having a man of the Spetsnaz helping out around here.)** Frasier brought up.

"Spetsnaz gars, hein? Hmm, intéressant ..."** (Spetsnaz guy, huh? Hmm, interesting...)** the one standing in front of Marcus said, drifting off at the end.

"Vous avez sûrement entendu parler de lui et son équipe de trente hommes."** (Surely you've heard of him and his team of thirty men.)** Marcus added with his eyebrow raised to the lack of response to a revered hero in this station.

"Bien sûr que nous avons! N'avons-nous pas les garçons?"** (Of course we have! Haven't we boys?)** the man in front of Marcus announced, the other two nodding in agreement.

Marcus and Frasier glanced over at each other, and then just gave a simple nod. Marcus quickly held up his silenced pistol and fired a single shot into the back of the man in front of him as Frasier made two fists behind the back of the other two men in front of him.

*Wa-ching* *Wa-ching*

Both men dropped dead with three gashes in the back of their skulls. Alexia and Brandon jumped back at the unexpected action, shocked at the sudden attack.

"Jesus Christ, what the fuck is wrong with you two?!" Brandon shouted, holding his rifle up in case the brothers had finally snapped.

"Seriously! They were on our side!" Alexia protested as she aimed her Patriot, following Brandon's lead.

"Were they?" Frasier asked as he pulled off the coat from the man Marcus shot to reveal another layer of clothing underneath. It was the same clothes that were worn by the people who had attacked them at the inn. It was one of the uniforms worn by those that fought for Gerard Gans.

"Oh shit..." Alexia and Brandon muttered softly, realizing they could've been walking into a trap.

"You don't put gate guards outside your gates, these men were look outs. Not to mention they didn't know shit about Vassilli's group of three!" Marcus explained to them.

"That was no training exercise, either. The station is under attack!" Frasier concluded as he grabbed his L8A2 rifle.

"Oh man...we better get moving and see if there's anyone left. They could use our help." Brandon stated as the group began to run further into the station, unsure of who they would run into next.

-

Moments later, the four ran through the ticket booths to see the station in ruins. Corpses could be seen spread out along the area, ranging between civilians/guards and Gerard's men. The tipped over candles that once illuminated the station now burned the papers and garbage they touched. Tiny embers littered the air as the group took a moment to take in the mortifying scene.

Alexia nearly burst into tears when she saw the bodies of a mother huddled over her children. Bullet holes filled her back, showing just how ruthless Gerard's men were, even on defenseless civilians. She then gripped her fists and knew there was no point in crying. Instead she harnessed her anger and intended to unleash it upon those responsible.

A series of gunshots echoed throughout the station, causing the group to drop back into reality. Then an electric ringing could be heard sounding from the distance.

"We should keep moving. We can't stay out in an area this open." Frasier ordered as he began to motion the group forward.

Suddenly a rustling noise could be heard from behind some wreckage. Everyone turned around and approached the sound cautiously.

"Behind that flipped over bench." Marcus whispered to Frasier.

Frasier kept his rifle up; ready to fire at anything that so much as resembled one of Gerard's cronies. Sweat trickled down his brow, having to keeping his finger close to the trigger but not too close in case it was a friendly.

Frasier slowly stood over the bench with his rifle aimed downwards. He quickly holstered it and motioned everyone else to check it out. Marcus, Brandon, and Alexia headed over and lowered their weapons once they saw Frasier holster his, giving them a sense of security.

When they caught up they all looked down to see a little girl cowering before them.

She had fearful, golden eyes. Her hair was a dark brown and in a small ponytail. Judging by her small size, she was no older than Alice and Brian.

Before the boys could utter another word, Alexia took immediate action.

"Это хорошо, что мы не собираемся причинять тебе боль."**[Eto khorosho , chto my ne sobirayemsya prichinyatʹ tebe bolʹ.] ****(It's okay; we're not going to hurt you.)** Alexia said in Russian, whispering in a reassuring hush.

"Где все? Кто вы такие? Где мой папа?"**[Gde vse? Kto vy takiye? Gde moy papa?]**** (Where is everybody? Who are you people? Where is my papa?)** The little girl asked, barraging Alexia with questions so fast she could hardly translate.

"Woah, easy there kid. I barely speak Russian. Maybe you speak French? English?" Alexia explained; sitting down beside the child, yet keeping her distance so she wouldn't frighten her.

"English... I speak... English too." the little girl replied in English with a Slavic accent, wiping the dust off of her yellow dress.

"What's your name, sweetie? I'm Alexia, that's Brandon, over there is Marcus, and you've already met Frasier." Alexia said, introducing their group.

"Yulia…my name is Yulia." the little girl softly replied, slowly getting up off the dirty floor.

"Okay, Yulia. Can you tell us what happened here?" Alexia inquired.

"A bunch of bad men attacked all of us while my papa and his friend were searching for something outside. I was hiding while the bad men and guards fought each other. You're not with the bad men, are you?" the terrified child asked, looking up at the four before her.

"No we aren't. Do you want to come with us? I'm sure we can find your dad along the way." Alexia offered, not wanting to force the child into anything she was uncomfortable with.

"Okay... So will you be able to stop any of the bad men if we find some?" Yulia asked curiously.

"Trust me, if anyone can stop them, it's us, kid." Marcus chimed in, reassuring Yulia's confidence in them.

"Can I sit on your back?" Yulia asked, looking up at Frasier.

"Why, do your legs hurt?" Frasier questioned as he kneeled before Yulia.

"No. It's just how papa would carry me whenever we traveled somewhere with bad things around." Yulia explained as she climbed onto Frasier's back, wrapping her tiny arms around his neck.

"Fair enough. Just don't get too comfy, all right? If we run into any of the bad men, then I'll need to be able to have my space, okay?" Frasier explained as the group began to walk through the ruined station in hopes of finding more survivors.

-

The group quickly, yet cautiously, exited the slaughter zone at the check in terminals and soon wandered upon what appeared to be a boarding zone devoid of any life. A train was docked but no one appeared to be inside.

"Empty, just like the last-" "Hold it right there!" Brandon began before an older, Slavic, male voice shouted over his in thickly accented English.

Suddenly multiple figures stood up from behind the windows of the train, all of them armed with what appeared to be Kalashnikov based weapons.

"Easy there, boys. We're not your enemies. Let's just lower those guns and talk this out." Alexia suggested.

Suddenly the train in front of the group lit up to reveal that the train was far from abandoned. To their relief however it was remnants of the station guards and not Gerard's men. Despite Alexia's words though, the guards kept their weapons up.

"Who are you kids? Do you have any idea what the fuck is going on around here?" questioned the same man, clearly in no mood for any interruptions.

"We came here looking for some friends, but it appears you guys already have guests. Do you need a hand?" Alexia offered.

Before the man (who was clearly in charge at this point) could even begin to object, a fresh series of gunshots could be heard not too far away from them.

"Hmm. Our remaining engineers are trying to start up this defective train. We have survivors from the attack that need to be evacuated before the rest of those bastards figure out what we're up to. We'd recently completed a makeshift tunnel that connects us to a station northeast of here, so that's where we're going. We're outnumbered and outgunned. If you can buy us some time, I think we can make it out in one piece." the station guard explained as he pointed towards the only entrance into the boarding area.

As the man explained their plan, Frasier almost couldn't believe it. Remembering the maps he had looked at earlier over the last couple days, the only station that was northeast of this one was the station in Bondy. For once, it seemed like things were actually working in their favor.

"I see. We'll be happy to help." Alexia replied as she turned back to the group to explain.

Once all had been made clear just what was going on, they each grabbed their weapons and began loading the ammo they had into their respective feeds and chambers as they, along with a few other station guards, moved into the main district of the station to meet Gerard's men head on.

"How many bad men were there again, Yulia?" Frasier asked as he set the little girl down and got down on one knee to aim his L8A2 rifle towards one of the only entrances Gerard's men could enter from.

"A lot. More than the guards could handle." Yulia replied as she hid behind a concrete barrier.

"Just stay down kid. Let us handle this, okay?" Brandon ordered as the sound of multiple footsteps could be heard.

Numerous shadows became visible from the entrances; the group and station guards all remained in the shadows in attempt to ambush the invaders. The sound of footsteps grew louder and louder with each passing second, the tension rising slowly.

"Wait until they all show themselves. We want to catch as many of them in the crossfire as we can." Frasier whispered to his group as the first of Gerard's men began to enter the main hall of the station.

"Открыть огонь!"**[Otkryt' ogon'!] ****(Open fire!)** shouted one of the station guards, already firing his weapon off like a mad man; the other guards quickly followed his lead.

"Or not…" Frasier grumbled to himself as the first wave of Gerard's men were shot to pieces in the hell fire. The ones that did survive quickly dashed for the nearest cover available to them, returning fire whenever they could.

Marcus slightly leaned out of cover to take a few pot shots. He remembered exactly everything his father taught him in the small time they spent together. His breath was held back, both elbows bent as he fired in short, controlled, bursts. Only firing twelve shots, he managed to pick off three men hiding behind a rusty, green, bench. Marcus then ducked back down before anyone could get a shot on him. He then looked over to see Alexia and Brandon unable to take any shots, bullets grazing and bouncing over the top of their cover.

"Frasier! They can't get any shots off! Help them out!" Marcus called out as more of Gerard's men began to storm the large hall, their numbers growing as the station's guards began to slowly decrease.

Frasier nodded then leapt forward, rolling from cover to cover to catch the attention of the men shooting at his group. Bullets barely missed him as he took cover against a support pillar. His finger switched the firing mode to semi-auto; a wide grin spread across his lips. Frasier leaned to one side, immediately firing three shots, hitting three men square between the eyes. He then leaned to the other side firing another burst. The attackers who noticed this quickly began to fire off at Frasier; their bullets now suppressed him just enough to lessen their casualties.

However, Brandon and Alexia were now free to return fire. They quickly popped up and fired everything they had, totaling up to seven kills before needing to take cover to reload their guns. Suddenly a grenade bounced off the wall and landed beside Marcus.

"Oh shit!" Marcus shouted before he braced for the worst outcome.

To his surprise though, Yulia came running out of nowhere and kicked the grenade over his head and into the middle of the battlefield like it was a soccer ball. The frag grenade went off in mid-air, sending shrapnel all over the tiled floor. Yulia then ran up to Marcus and kneeled next to him.

"If anyone asks, I'm the one that saved you." Marcus commented as he patted Yulia on the head.

Suddenly an electric ringing could be heard sounding from the train. Frasier's group had no idea what it meant, but the station guards did. In the midst of battle, they suddenly made a break for the train. Some were shot in the back, but most of them made it to the train.

"What the fuck are they doing?" Alexia shouted as they began to work their way back to the train.

"Those assholes are leaving us for dead!" Brandon replied as he loaded his last clip into his rifle.

"The hell they are!" Frasier shouted as he ran for the train, tossing three frag grenades at the advancing men to stall them while he was absent.

Just as he got to the train, the doors slowly closed on him. The station guard they spoke to was just standing behind the glass and watching as Frasier's face filled with anger and betrayal. The men they just fought alongside had just abandoned them to Gerard's men. Frasier wanted to shoot every last shot he had at the train, but he didn't want to kill any of the civilians onboard. He also didn't want to waste precious ammo that he needed to save for Gerard's men. Frasier grunted and quickly sprinted back in time to join his group in their last stand against the continuous onslaught.

"So this is it, huh? We all die in a filthy metro station?" Alexia questioned angrily as she continued to fire her Patriot.

"Just shut up and fight. No one lives forever!" Frasier shouted with adrenaline in his veins, switching to full auto fire mode, holding down the trigger as the barrel began to turn red from the heat, smoke rising from the overuse with no rest.

"Down to the last clip!" Marcus announced as he reloaded his Famas.

Despite the amount of men they killed, Gerard's men continued to advance. They pressed closer and closer to the group, no signs of pulling back any time soon. Brandon ran out of ammo for his rifle then switched over to his side arm, savoring every shot he made as the group soon realized this would be their final battle.

It soon got to the point the group could no longer return fire without risk of being hit as well. Yulia curled up into a fetal position as she felt tears running down her cheeks, realizing she would never get to see her father again.

"Marcus, take everyone out of here. Just run down the tracks and don't look back." Frasier ordered as he managed to fire out another round of suppressing fire.

"You're joking, right? I can't leave you behind! You're our leader! You're my brother." Marcus protested, hating the thought of leaving his only blood behind to die.

"You're the leader now, Marcus. Get Saeko to London and keep her safe. Tell her I'm sorry, Marcus." Frasier said, ignoring the lack of acceptance in Marcus' voice.

"Are you two done talking? We're going to be overrun any second now!" Alexia cut in.

"I suggest we share every last bullet we have with these assholes! Sounds like a decent way to go out." Brandon added in, as he looked at his new friends, unable to see a way out.

Suddenly a loud eruption rang out as a wall on the upper level of the station blew wide-open, sending bricks flying through the air. Gerard's men turned to see who was behind it. Amongst the smoke and debris arose what appeared to be a miracle.

"Papa!" Yulia cried out as she watched a massive figure appear from the smoke, followed by multiple station guards behind him who already began firing down at Gerard's men from behind the metal railing on the second floor of the hall.

**{Call of Duty: World at War OST – Red Army Theme}**

A hulking man wearing OMON riot armor (along with heavy personal modifications) pulled out a riot shield over his head, shielding his comrades from most of the bullets being thrown their way. The shells and pellets just deflected and bounced off as if they were nothing to the ultra-resistant material. When some of Gerard's men attempted to get around the shield, the man rammed them into the wall and reached back to draw what appeared to be a Raging Bull Magnum from its holster. Three loud shots could be heard as the Magnum was aimed around the shield.

Gerard's men completely forgot about Frasier's group, as they were too busy trying to survive against this new force. The group slowly stood up to watch the battle before them, witnessing first-hand the fear and sheer destruction this new force had to offer.

"Which one do you think is our guy?" Marcus asked Frasier.

"Probably that one over there." Frasier pointed out, his finger leading his group's eyes to a man armed with an AK-47 rolling from cover to cover, mowing down entire bundles with ease.

Despite never meeting the man before, they were right. Vassilli led the valiant charge against Gerard's forces, fighting his way downstairs, bullet-by-bullet. Any of the men foolish enough to pop their heads out of cover soon met their end with a single round to the skull. When his AK-47 was empty, Vassilli tossed it at a nearby hostile for a quick distraction as he reached for the tomahawk at his side.

One man rushed at him with a knife. He jabbed his arm forward only to miss entirely. Vassilli dodged then twisted the man's arm around until the elbow snapped out of place from the rest of the arm; he then quickly sliced across his opponent's neck with no room for mercy. Vassilli then pulled his arm back and quickly launched his arm forward, throwing the tomahawk between his original target's eyes.

With no weapons in hand, the nearest henchmen near Vassilli figured he was no threat now. He charged the lone Spetsnaz operative with the intention to rifle butt him. However, Vassilli just grinned as he caught the butt of the rifle with one hand and forcefully drove his knee into the henchman's stomach. The overconfident hostile bent over in pain, completely defenseless now as he dropped his gun. Vassilli then wrapped one arm around the neck giving it a quick jerk.

*snap*

In an instant, Vassilli managed to snap the man's neck with little effort. He reached down, picking up the fallen gun and already began firing with it. His training taught him many things, including how to use any weapon that came into his possession. Vassilli then continued to fire his acquired gun, picking off Gerard's men left and right. The battle was now sealed as the dictator's men were in full retreat.

**{}**

Yulia's father leapt from the railing, landing on the injured body of one of Gerard's men, crushing any hope he may have had of survival now. The powerhouse smashed and bashed his way through the opposition until every last hostile was either driven out or dead. The station guards continued on as Vassilli and his armored companion noticed others at the entrance to the boarding platforms.

"Sortez maintenant et meurent comme les vrais hommes!"** (Come out now and die like real men!)** Vassilli ordered in French, expecting it to be more of Gerard's men, too cowardly to fight back against an equal opponent.

"We're not with them!" Marcus replied only for a burst of bullets to graze above his head.

"Папа! Это я!"**[Papa! Eto ya!]**** (Papa! It's me!)** Yulia shouted, recklessly running out of cover and towards the two suspicious Russians.

"Yulia!" shouted her father as he slapped Vassilli's gun down, then he kneeled down with open arms, wrapping them tight around his little girl as she ran into them, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Vassilli couldn't help but smile at the father and daughter union, but at the same time, he kept his weapon aimed at the group of strangers, his pistol now held at hip level.

"Come out of there. The battle is over." Vassilli called out, keeping a close eye on who would spring up before him.

With slight hesitation, Frasier stood up with Marcus. Brandon and Alexia soon followed when they noticed the two brothers weren't shot on the spot. They all slowly approached Vassilli's group, unsure of what would happen next.

"Qui êtes-vous des enfants? Pourquoi voudriez-vous venir ici de tous les lieux?"** (Who are you kids? Why would you come here of all places?)** Vassilli questioned with distrust in his voice, still unsure of them or their intentions.

"Это нормально Val-Val. Они держали меня в безопасности, пока вы и папа ушли."**[Eto normal' no Val-Val. Oni derzhali menya v bezopasnosti, poka vy i papa ushli.]**** (It's ok Val-Val. They kept me safe while you and Papa were gone.)** Yulia explained in Russian, vouching for her new friends.

Her father then walked up to Frasier, towering over him as he looked down at the fierce leader's eyes; observing him and studying his body language, as well as any weapons on him.

"Правда ли это? Знаете ли вы защитить свою Юлия?"**[Pravda li eto? Znayete li vy zashchitit' svoyu Yulia?] ****(Is this true? Did you protect my Yulia?)** her father questioned in Russian, his voice slightly altered from the helmet that distorted his voice.

"Они только говорят на английском, французском и немного русский, папа."**[Oni tol'ko govoryat na angliyskom , frantsuzskom I nemnogo russkiy, papa.]**** (They only speak English, French, and a little bit Russian, Papa.)** Yulia explained, trying to speak up for her friends.

"Who are you guys?" Vassilli questioned one more time, this time in English.

"A friend of a friend." Frasier replied with a slight grin on his lips, as he knew these two men would make a perfect addition to the group.

**[Now that Vassilli and his group have been found what will happen next? What will become of Brandon and Alexia? Will Vassilli come with Frasier? Find out next time on HoTD Re-Amped! **

**On a separate note though, this chapter was written 50/50 between me and my co-writer so the credit is equal between us. I thank him for his help and assistance to help me finish this chapter sooner. Be sure to tell us how we did!] **


	62. Act 25 Revolution of Life & Death Part 4

Act 25 Révolution de la Vie et de la Mort (Revolution of Life and Death) Part 4

**Noisy-le-Sec Station, Paris, Île-de-France, France**

**Z-Day+176**

As everyone recouped from the unbelievably close call they'd had during the firefight, the distant sound of an approaching train engine started to sound out from the tunnels. Alexia and Brandon visibly tensed up, completely on edge after all that had just happened, but Vassilli and his armored compatriot were shockingly calm to them.

Within seconds, a familiar train came to a stop on the tracks in front of them. The doors slid open, and a somewhat familiar face greeted them. It was the same Russian soldier who had greeted them so kindly on the platform only a short while ago. However, Frasier only recognized him for a totally different reason. Before the man could even give a greeting, Frasier stomped over to him and landed one well-placed kick right to his chest, sending him sprawling back into the train.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH, YOU JUST LEFT US TO DIE HERE!" Frasier roared as he grabbed the stunned man by his collar and raised his fist back to hit him again.

This time however, the armored behemoth had grabbed Frasier by his wrist and threw him backwards onto the platform whilst Vassilli quickly had his knee planted against Frasier's throat, effectively pinning him to the floor.

"Calm down, kid. Throwing punches isn't going to help anyone." Vassilli calmly said in English as Marcus came running up to him from behind with his rifle raised to hit him in the back of the head.

However, as if he could sense Marcus coming a mile away, Vassilli flung his hands backwards and caught the barrel of the Famas rifle in his hands and quickly twisted the whole gun out of Marcus' hands, tossing it aside and grabbing Marcus by his shirt, flipping him over onto the ground beside Frasier, knocking the wind out of his out of his younger brother.

"You know, you two really need to learn how to control your temper. If this is how you greet people, it's a wonder the two of you survived this long." He replied calmly, looking both of them right in the eye, as if daring them to try and attack him.

"You don't understand. That man left the lot of us here to die while we were fighting. How the hell would you expect us to react when he shows his face again after all the fighting is done?" Marcus replied angrily, but clearly not willing to actually fight back.

"I only left you lot because I had a train full of innocent civilians to get to safety, and if we had stayed any longer, those bastards would've killed some, you impudent punk! That's why!" The officer suddenly yelled out angrily from the train as he felt at the large bruise on his chest.

Once he'd said those words, all the anger Frasier and Marcus felt at that moment died almost instantly. They realized they'd been so consumed with rage during all the fighting; they hadn't even taken the safety of defenseless people into consideration. Once Vassilli had seen they had clearly calmed down, he lessened the pressure his leg was putting on Frasier's throat and got back onto his feet.

With a smirk, he extended his hand to the two of them to pull them back up. Frasier grabbed his hand as he was pulled back onto his feet, lightly gasping for breath after having almost had his throat crushed by the Russian.

"Now, you two aren't going to be attacking people anytime soon, right?" he asked in a semi-joking manner, earning a hesitant nod from the two brothers.

"Okay, so you got all those people to somewhere safe, then?" Brandon asked as Alexia kneeled down to Yulia to see if the little girl was alright.

"Да. [Da.] **(Yes) **Thank goodness we got that tunnel to the next station completed when we did, otherwise I fear to think what would've happened otherwise."The officer explained, earning an understanding nod from Brandon.

"Yes, I remember the people back at Nouveau Bondy were working for weeks on that tunnel. I hadn't even realized it was completed." He remarked, clearly impressed at the fortunate, yet unexpected news.

"If the tunnel to Bondy is finished, then what are we waiting here for? If Gerard's people found this station, then there's no question they'll be sending reinforcements. Now let's get out of here before they show up." Vassilli ordered as Yulia nervously translated for her father, clearly intimidated by Vassilli's soldier side.

Without wasting any time, everyone filed into the train as the officer yelled in Russian for the engineer to get moving. Before the engineer kicked the train into gear, Frasier could barely hear the engineer asking something to Vassilli, to which he only shook his head before approaching the rest of the group and sitting himself tiredly in an empty seat. The doors slid shut, and within seconds the train started to move forward, gradually picking up speed.

As the train continued to move through the tunnels, a moment that Frasier took to look out the window revealed what looked to be a couple men huddled over on the sides of the tunnels with their backs to the train.

"What the hell? There are still people out there!" Frasier exclaimed, fearing they could've either been more of Gerard's men, or civilians that didn't make it to the train.

"Don't worry, son. Those are just a few of our security detail. They're gonna make sure we aren't followed by unwanted guests." Vassilli explained calmly as stretched out and laid down on one of the seats, looking up at the ceiling of the subway train as if he were in his own bedroom.

As momentarily confused as Frasier was, he still remembered that there were some important questions that came to mind that he really wanted to ask the Russian.

"So…I hope you don't think I'm ungrateful for the help you gave us, because believe me, I'm glad you showed up when you did. It's just that, you guys seemed to show up right on the moment when we needed help the most. So, how did you know where to find us?" Frasier asked curiously as Vassilli only gave him a sideways glance to let him know that he was listening.

"You over think things, kid. Just because we showed up in time to save your hides doesn't mean we actually knew you were around. We heard all the gunshots echoing out from the station while we were on the surface, we headed for the basement level of the building we were searching through at the time, and we knew the other side of the wall was going to lead out to the metro tunnel, so we blew it open and just happened to save you lot in the process." Vassilli explained nonchalantly as he rested his head in his hands, almost as if he were bored.

Frasier and Marcus were momentarily taken aback by his anti-social attitude. Vassilli decided to take the momentary silence to ask the only question he had on his mind.

"So, you said that you are "the friend of a friend," correct? I hate to break it to you boys, but I don't know any British folks. At least, none that are alive anymore. So who else could you possibly know who's a friend of mine?" he asked suspiciously.

"A German by the name of: Johann Kessler." Frasier replied confidently.

At the mention of his young German friend's name, the Russian visibly looked surprised and rose up from his chair, looking at the two brothers in surprise.

"Johann? How the hell could you two possibly know him? The last time I looked, there weren't any Englishmen back at that walled off city in Hamburg. But then again, it has been three months. So what are the two of you new members they sent to bring me back? Is everyone back there alright?" Vassilli asked, still carrying on his nonchalant tone, but at the same time, clearly expressing that the two brothers now had his full attention.

Frasier and Marcus both looked at each other, and they both realized there was no point in trying to keep the details of what happened a secret. Besides, they could tell their Russian friend would know if they were lying.

For the next several minutes, Frasier went on to explain to Vassilli all the events of what had happened since his departure: the city took them in, how the city was attacked by a massive horde of undead, Kurt being bitten and having one of his arms cut off, Toreston becoming the new leader, and Johann and the others virtually being forced out of the city by an increasingly angry mob.

The strangest thing whilst Frasier told this story was that not even once did Vassilli actually look shocked, even in the slightest.

"I see. Well, as regrettable as it is, deep down I knew it was inevitable. Those people sealing themselves behind a wall, every single day wondering who was going to be the next to die, or who or what would try to attack, I can only imagine all those people letting all that fear and frustration out at once would've been pretty overwhelming. Oh well. At least Johann found some friends kind enough to actually take him with them, instead of just leaving him to the wolves. Generosity like that is pretty hard to come by these days." Vassilli replied understandingly as he never took his gaze from Frasier and Marcus.

"So, now that you've answered my first question, I'll now ask you my last. Clearly, the lot of you didn't come all this way just to say 'hello.' You came here, looking for me specifically, for a reason. Mind sharing what it is?" Vassilli suddenly asked before Frasier or Marcus could even get their next question in edgewise.

"Well, see, we're trying to get back to our home in England, and we want to bring everyone in our group with us. Now, last time we heard, the English weren't accepting anyone but natural born citizens into their borders, but we're hoping that if we were to present ourselves as English citizens, we could allow some kind of amnesty so that they can be allowed into the country with us. If not, well…I just figure if the worst case scenario comes into play, we could use all the combat expertise we can get, and when Johann mentioned you by name, I figured what could be better than a genuine Spetsnaz operative." Frasier went on to explain, at first expressing optimism at the thought of them all being allowed into England without any confrontation; but then his voice lowered once he brought up the possibility of his own countrymen slamming the door in their faces.

"I see. Well, good luck with getting them to accept anyone who isn't British on the inside of their little iron curtain. If there's one thing I've never known the British to be, it's lenient. No offense." Vassilli replied with a dry chuckle, unknowingly putting a serious damper on both Frasier and Marcus' spirits.

As the three of them sat silently, Alexia was sitting by herself, intently watching Yulia sleeping in her father's arms as she could barely hear him very quietly singing what sounded like a Russian lullaby to her. Alexia couldn't help but smile to herself as she watched this heartwarming scene. The only thing that seemed off about it was the fact that he was still wearing his mask and helmet, even though they were no longer in the middle of a firefight.

"Это действительно милая девушка у вас есть." **[Eto deystvitel'no milaya devushka u vas yest'.] (That's a really sweet girl you have.) **She said warmly once she couldn't hear the man singing to the little girl anymore. He only glanced up in her direction and immediately returned his attention back to Yulia without a word.

"You're wasting your time there, miss. Riot never speaks to anyone he's just met. Hell, I've known the man for three months and he barely even speaks to me." Vassilli suddenly called out once he noticed Alexia looking insulted at the armored giant's ignoring her.

"'Riot'? Is that what he's called?" Alexia asked curiously as she kept nervously looking back at the armored man.

"It might as well be. He wouldn't tell anybody his real name, so because he wears the Russian riot police armor, that's what we all started calling him." Vassilli explained as he glanced towards his war partner, giving a slight smirk without Riot even looking at him.

"So what's the story with the two of them? A single man in riot armor and a little girl seems like a pretty unlikely pair of people to have survived something like this for so long." Marcus asked curiously as he kept switching his gaze between Riot and Yulia.

"Hell if I know. I already said the man barely speaks to me even after so long, so what makes you think he would've told me his life story? As far as I know, they've probably been on the road since Moscow, and were lucky enough to get here alive and find some fellow Russians before Gerard's people found them." Vassilli shrugged off the question. He quickly noticed the agitated look in both Frasier and Marcus' eyes at his less than polite answer, and he immediately realized the mistake of his attitude towards them.

"I'm sorry, guys. Really, I don't mean to sound rude, I mean I appreciate getting to see some new faces that are taking me to an old friend and a new safe haven, so don't you worry about that. It's just the less than sociable behavior kind of comes naturally when you've spent years fighting one war after another, from Chechnya to Georgia to Bosnia. It kinda strips you of a pleasant demeanor." Vassilli went on to explain, causing Frasier and Marcus' less-than-pleased expressions to gradually soften as their own perceived ideas of the things Vassilli must've experienced in all those places began to appear.

Just with the limited knowledge of the many wars the Russians fought in those countries, the two of them knew that it was a miracle Vassilli came out of it all with as pleasant an attitude as he had right now.

Before anybody could say anything else, the train suddenly began to rumble violently as a large boom sounded from behind it, down the way they came. The lights started to flicker on and off, but just as soon as the whole thing had started, the train had started to run smoothly again, and the lights remained on, and Yulia hadn't even been shaken from her sleep, miraculously enough. However, Frasier, Marcus, Alexia and Brandon were visibly on edge.

"Just relax, kids. That was just us making sure Gerard's cronies don't follow us here." Vassilli reassured them with a wave of his hand, only none of them calmed down any.

"What the hell did they do? Blow up the tunnel so it could collapse behind us?" Brandon asked nervously.

"As you Westerners say: 'Bingo.'" Vassilli replied jokingly, chuckling to himself.

"Are you people crazy? What's to stop the entire underground system from collapsing on top of us with that kind of violent tremor?" Alexia shot angrily.

"Honestly, you people. Did you really think we didn't stop to take that matter into consideration? We Russians may have been living behind the Berlin Wall for fifty years, but we're not stupid. At least give us some credit." Vassilli replied, rolling his eyes in agitation at just how jumpy these new people were.

Once they had visibly calmed down some, a light suddenly began to shine in front of the train, and the sound of the brakes squealing soon sounded throughout the train, grabbing everyone's attention and shaking Yulia from her sleep.

"So where are you going to live now, Brandon?" Alexia questioned Brandon.

"I'll just live in my home here. I rarely ever needed to but without the outpost I really have no choice." Brandon sadly explained as he looked down at his feet

"Mind if I tag along?" Alexia followed up.

"Sure. Plenty of room now." Brandon explained, taking in a deep sigh.

Once the train had come to a complete stop, the doors slid open as they were soon greeted by the now familiar site of the gigantic bustling underground town of Nouveau Bondy, this time with a large huddled mass of Russians being greeted by a crowd of local French, each of them taking a family of Russians around the entire community, just as Henri had done for Frasier and his group only yesterday.

"Well, I guess 'welcome to your new home' is most appropriate right now." Frasier finally said when nobody else said anything at the view from up high on the makeshift train platform.

Élysée Palace, Nouveau Paris, Île-de-France, France

The entire expanse of the city of Paris was painted a luminescent orange by the setting sun as he looked upon as much of the city as he could see through the windows of his office.

The 67-year-old man dressed in white smiled warmly to himself as he partook in this beautiful scenery. No matter how dark or wretched it was out there during the day, whenever sunset came, he couldn't help but feel all the resentment and bitterness wash away whenever he saw beauty like this.

Gerard Gans always loved his country, and he always loved Paris. It was a true city of culture, life and love. During times like these, that was when that classic aura of Parisian life really shined. He always knew that no matter what obstacles may present themselves to the community he had created, he could always have moments like these to himself where he could just sit alone and bask in splendid memories of the past.

Suddenly, there came the sound of a light rapping against the door to his office, effectively breaking the silent calm. Gerard tiredly groaned to himself in agitation as he barely turned his head towards the door.

"Entrée." **(Enter) **he called out, causing the door to slowly open. A single man dressed in the standard military uniforms Gerard's people were meant to wear came in, looking around nervously.

"Pardonnez mon intrusion, monsieur. Je pensais juste que vous devriez connaître notre équipe de recherche et de destruction est de retour." **(Forgive my intrusion, sir. I just thought you should know our search and destroy crew has returned.) **The man informed as he slowly approached Gerard, who still had his back to him, looking out the large window.

"Je vois. Ainsi, la menace a été traitée, alors? Ces rats étrangers ne sont plus un problème?" **(I see. So the threat has been dealt with, then? Those foreign rats are no longer a problem?) **Gerard asked, clearly pleased by the supposed news this man would have come this way to give him.

"Eh bien, nous avons été en mesure de trouver leur cachette, et nous avons réussi à éliminer un bon nombre de leurs rangs ..." **(Well, we were able to find their hideaway, and we were able to eliminate a good number of their ranks...) **The man proceeded to explain, a very clear hesitation to be found in his voice.

"Mais? Y at-il une sorte de problème?" **(But? Was there some kind of a problem?) **Gerard asked impatiently, a very fine tone of venom lacing his words as the officer was trying to skirt around what was clearly a very important subject.

"Eh bien ... il y avait un peu de résistance inattendue." **(Well...there was a bit of unexpected resistance.) **The man went on, clearly regretting what he was about to have to tell his leader.

Gerard remained completely silent and only extended an arm out to an intercom device on his desk, the kind that company higher ups had to contact their secretaries.

"Michel, serait bien vouloir venir à mon bureau en ce moment?" **(Michel, would you kindly come up to my office right now?) **Gerard spoke into the device once he'd pushed the only button on it.

Within moments, the man was suddenly looking behind him to reveal a giant of a man standing in the doorway behind him, dressed in a standard three-piece suit, wearing the blackest sunglasses, and with a head of freshly smoothed back semi-long blonde hair, looking straight ahead at Gerard as if the man in front of him didn't even exist.

"Maintenant, s'il vous plaît continuer ce que vous disiez. Vous dites que vous avez rencontré une certaine résistance lorsque vous prenez soin de ceux des Russes. S'il vous plaît, m'expliquer cela." **(Now then, please continue what you were saying. You say you came across some resistance when taking care of those Russians. Please, explain that to me.) **Gerard suddenly asked the clearly frightened man, putting on as pleasant a ring to his tone as he could, despite the unfortunate news the man was bound to give him.

"Eh bien ... ces quatre adolescents a montré quand nous étions au milieu du nettoyage. Je n'avais jamais vu aucun d'entre eux avant de tout mon temps à prospecter cette station russe. Ils ont combattu au large de nos hommes, l'un d'entre eux les couper à part avec un gantelet les goûts dont je n'avais jamais vu auparavant. Ils ont massacré nos hommes, et a contribué à plusieurs dizaines de ces Russes s'enfuir vers le bas l'un des tunnels de métro avant que nous puissions avoir une chance d'envoyer des renforts." **(Well...these four teenagers showed up when we were in the middle of cleaning up. I'd never seen any of them before in all my time scouting that Russian station. They fought off our men, one of them slicing them apart with a gauntlet the likes of which I'd never seen before. They slaughtered our men, and helped several dozen of those Russians escape down one of the metro tunnels before we could get a chance to send in reinforcements.) **The man went on to explain, his voice shaking the further he went on, clearly intimidated by the looming Michel right behind him, standing as stiff as a statue.

"Avez-vous au moins essayer de les suivre après avoir échappé?"**(Did you at least try following them after they had escaped?) **Gerard asked patiently as he slowly stood up from his chair, a walking cane clutched in his hand as he slowly approached the man, looking him right in the eyes.

"Nous ne pouvions pas monsieur. Les Russes ont fait sauter le tunnel et il s'est effondré en jeu. Nous ne pouvions espérer de creuser à travers tout cela, et les suivent. Je suis désolé, monsieur. Je crains qu'ils ne sont plus là. Ils pourraient être n'importe où dans la ville maintenant." **(We couldn't sir. Those Russians blew up the tunnel and it caved in. We couldn't hope to dig through it all and follow after them. I'm terribly sorry, sir. I'm afraid they're gone. They could be anywhere in the city by now.) **The man confessed, trying his best to maintain eye contact with the elderly leader before him, but he felt thoroughly intimidated by the cold icy blue in Gerard's eyes as he stared straight into the man's soul.

"Maintenant, ne vous inquiétez pas. Tout n'est pas perdu." **(Now don't fret. All is not lost.) **Gerard suddenly reassured the man, placing an understanding hand on the man's shoulder. The man couldn't even muster the words to respond to Gerard's unexpectedly pleasant response as the old man returned to his desk at the head of the office.

"Passons sur ce que nous savons avec certitude. Lorsque vous avez initialement constaté que la station russe, il était à Noisy-le-Sec, correct?" **(Let us go over what we know for certain. When you originally found that Russian station, it was in Noisy-le-Sec, correct?) **Gerard asked as he sat back in his chair, folding his hands across his desk. The man could only feebly nod in response.

"Maintenant, y at-il communes dernières Noisy-le-Sec qui sont encore dans Paris, que nous n'avons pas dans nos frontières des communautés?" **(Now, are there any communes past Noisy-le-Sec that are further into Paris, that we do not have within our communities borders?) **Gerard continued, speaking to the man as if he were a little child, and Gerard was helping him put together an incredibly easy puzzle. The man only shook his head.

"Donc, avec cela à l'esprit, si Noisy-le-Sec était à la frontière de notre communauté, et les Russes échappé par le métro, ce qui est la seule station à proximité d'autres ils seraient capables d'aller?" **(So with that in mind, if Noisy-le-Sec was on the border of our community, and those Russians escaped through the metro, what's the only other station nearby they would be able to go?) **Gerard continued, his voice beginning to raise as he could tell the man was now getting the point.

"Bondy." The man replied with a faint smile, and Gerard immediately clapped his hands in mock applause as he rose from his chair once more.

"Exactement. Donc, nous savons maintenant que le seul endroit où la Russie aurait pu fuir à si court préavis serait Bondy. Maintenant, il ya une seule chose que je dois vous demander. Vous souvenez-vous de ces quatre adolescents gênants ressemblait?" **(Exactly. So we now know that the only place the Russian would've been able to flee to on such short notice would be Bondy. Now, there's only one more thing I must ask you. Do you remember what these four troublesome teenagers looked like?) **Gerard asked quietly as he placed his hand upon the officer's shoulder once more.

"Je ne me souviens distinctement deux d'entre eux, monsieur. L'un d'eux était un garçon plutôt maigre, peut-être autour de 16 ou 17 ans, et il avait mi-longs cheveux noirs. Il a toujours coincé autour de l'un avec les griffes. Celle-ci était de loin le plus grand de tous. Il avait mi-longs cheveux blonds, barbu, l'air d'être pas plus de 18 ans. Vraiment bien bâti pour quelqu'un d'aussi jeune. Cependant, il ya une chose que j'ai remarqué quand ils parlaient entre eux. Ils étaient anglais. Je reconnaîtrais n'importe où leur son." **(I only distinctly remember two of them, sir. One of them was a rather skinny boy, possibly around 16 or 17, and he had semi-long dark hair. He always stuck around the one with the claws. That one was easily the biggest out of all of them. He had semi-long blonde hair, bearded, looked to be no older than 18. Really strongly built for one so young. However, there was one thing I noticed when they spoke to each other. They were English. I'd recognize their sound anywhere.) **The man explained, his confidence restored now that he knew where the rest of their armed forces would now have to look to wipe out the rest of the Russians.

Gerard bowed his head and sighed as he slowly approached the window overlooking the city once more. He then tapped his walking cane against the floor.

Before the man could even think, Michael had suddenly wrapped his massive hands around the man's throat, and before he could even try to pry his grip, Michael pulled his head back and snapped his neck like a toothpick. The man's lifeless body collapsed to the floor as Gerard looked back to his massive suited right-hand man.

"Michel, je veux que vous envoyez un message au reste de notre armée. Dites-leur qu'ils doivent se déplacer en force à Bondy, en particulier autour de l'entrée de leur station de métro. Je veux que tous les yeux ouverts pour les garçons britanniques il m'a juste parlé. Une fois qu'ils montrent leur visage, je veux qu'ils et toute personne qui est avec eux m'a apporté vivant." **(Michel, I want you to send a message to the rest of our army. Tell them they are to move out in full force to Bondy, especially around the entrance to their metro station. I want all their eyes open for those British boys he just told me about. Once they show their faces, I want them and anyone who is with them brought to me alive.) **Gerard instructed the giant man as he looked anxiously out at the cityscape as the sun disappeared behind the horizon, leaving the city of Paris cast in the shadows of night.

**Nouveau Bondy, Paris, Île-de-France, France**

"They're back! They're back!" Alice and Brian both announced like watchdogs as they saw Frasier and Marcus heading towards the house, new guns strapped to their backs as three other figures walked behind them.

The rest of the group moved out of the living room to greet the return of their leader, as well as meet the renowned Spetsnaz officer. Saeko ran ahead most of them, practically throwing herself into Frasier.

He smiled at the warm affection and held her close. Feeling her lips pressing into his the moment she made contact with him. Despite him enjoying every second of it he pulled back to continue with the debriefing.

"How was everything? Anything happen while I was away?" Frasier asked as he gazed into her beautiful, blue, eyes.

"Everything is fine. I kept everything under control and maintained order. Dinner will be ready shortly." Saeko replied with confidence as she stood proud before him.

"Well done my love. I knew my faith was placed well in you." Frasier said in a warm tone, Saeko's cheeks turning red from the positive feedback her husband gave her.

"Ahem." Vassilli grumbled as the rest of the group caught up by now.

"Ah right. This is my second in command, Saeko Busujima." Frasier explained, introducing her to the Russian group.

"So I see." Vassilli replied shortly before turning to see Johann was indeed amongst the group.

"Ah, Johann! Glad to see you're still alive. Guess the Brit is trustworthy after all." Vassilli announced as he shook Johann's hand.

"It wouldn't be that way if it weren't for my new group here. Think you could tell us why you're here now?" Johann asked a warm smile on his face now that he was reunited with his Russian friend.

"Of course... but let's discus that inside. Wouldn't want anyone to overhear what I'm about to reveal to you." Vassilli explained as they walked through the doorway.

"Hey kids, why don't you go show Yulia where she can put her stuff?" Frasier suggested as he loomed over Alice and Brian.

"Okay. C'mon Yulia! Let's go set your stuff up." Alice said, tugging at Yulia's hand.

Yulia finished translating to her father and watched as he gave her a slight nod of approval. The young girl then gladly ran with Brian and Alice up the stairs to explore the temporary new home.

"Now, let's get down to business." Frasier announced, clapping his hands together.

Everyone either pulled up a chair or leaned against the wall to discus the matter at hand. Frasier sat face to face with Vassilli, wanting to hear every word he had to say.

"So what brings you to Paris?" Johann asked as he handed Vassilli and Riot a bottle of water.

"Back in Hamburg I received a message from an unknown source, one that spoke of a compromise to the security of Russia. A rogue K.G.B. agent." Vassilli explained, taking a moment to allow the news to settle within his new group.

"A what?" Shizuka asked; completely unsure of what that was.

"K.G.B. t-" Saya began to say before interrupted by Frasier.

"The equivalence of the C.I.A., the S.I.S., the P.S.I.A. In short a spy." Frasier explained confidently. Almost as if wanting to show Vassilli his knowledge of those organizations.

"Correct. Not bad, English." Vassilli pondered as he stroked his scruffy chin.

"Vassilli is it? What exactly did you do after you got that message?" Rei asked out of curiosity.

"At first I had figured it had to be a bad joke or something. However, I had to take it serious in case it wasn't. Something like this is no laughing matter. After my departure, my anonymous source told me where they were heading."

"By the time I had gotten there I'd found only their tracks. I asked some nearby survivors only to be told that there was in fact a small group armed with Russian made weapons traveling through France. I decided to plot where they would end up and had discovered that Paris was their final destination." Vassilli explained, tapping his fingers around the plastic water bottle.

"I don't understand. What could one man do that could cause so much trouble?" Rei questioned, finishing it hard to believe in such a thing.

"Think about it. Spies not only steal great secrets from other countries, but they also protect them as well. This agent could contain done very dangerous knowledge that could hurt Russia." Saya brought up, correcting anyone as usual.

"But last I heard... Russia was one of the many countries to go dark during the outbreaks. I don't think they could do any worse then they are doing now." Johann added, trying to defend Rei's claim.

He then looked over to see Frasier, Khota, and Saya all had horrified looks of realizations on their faces. As if they had just heard about the undead for the first time.

"Vassilli... what does this agent know?!" Frasier demanded as he began to grip the arms of the chair he was in.

"This agent... has nuclear codes." Vassilli answered hesitantly.

Everyone now looked at him in complete shock. The very thought of that kind of knowledge running amuck was nerve wrecking.

"My God... It's not just Russia that's at risk... but the entire world now." Rika muttered to herself softly, showing something that nobody ever hoped to see from her, fear.

"Nuclear? You mean to tell me this man has access to the same weapons the Americans used on us during World War Two?" Rei asked, her legs beginning to tremble.

"Worse... the United States used the A-bomb. When the Soviet Union and the United States went into an arms race for several decades, the Russians created nuclear weapons that used A-bombs as a mere requirement to activate the even deadlier H-bombs."

"Not only is there tactical warheads, but also various types. Such as the R-36 missiles, RSM-56 Bulavas, cruise missiles that can break the sound barrier-" Khota timidly explained, sending chills down everyone's spines until Frasier slammed his fist down on the table to cease the panic that was becoming inevitable at this point.

"Enough of the what, now for the why! Vassilli, why would he do this?" Frasier asked, his mind wanting to find answers and solutions to this new threat.

"She... and I have no idea why. All I know is that I need to stop her before it's too late." Vassilli responded, unsure how someone could betray their own nation at times like these.

"I know why." Saeko announced, all eyes on the room now focused on her.

"This agent is a coward. Merely trying to flee the dying world by hiding in Gans' so called sanctuary. Offering something as valuable as nuclear weapons is more than enough to catch the attention of someone as power mad as this dictator we've been hearing about." Saeko began to explain; knowing exactly the type of person this rogue agent was deep down.

"Agreed, I'll admit, English. Your second in command is quite the people person." Vassilli complimented, looking over to Frasier who leaned back in his chair, trying to plan out his next move.

"Whoa, hold up. I know for a fact that the U.S.A. and Russia aren't the only ones packing heat. France and England have their own nuclear weapons... so why would the dictator want to use Russia's nuclear arsenal when France has its own?" Marcus asked, brining up an intriguing question.

"Simple, this dictator is no military official or government higher up. He just took power when France was still being looted and didn't have the dead to worry about just yet on the first few days of the outbreaks. If he had France's nuclear codes he would've used them for certain. Maybe he's tried but England kept the world safe by shooting them down or hacking into their systems." Frasier responded, being tactical and confident his glorious nation had something to do with this if it were true.

"So in a nut-shell... France has no nuclear capabilities. What about the other big nations that have them? We know Russia and England does, how about China or the United States?" Johann asked, pondering aloud at the state of the world now.

"China... uncertain... most likely although Beijing was in flames on the first day... the Americans have none left surprisingly enough." Frasier answered; somewhat glad the Yanks didn't wield such a threat anymore.

"What? How do you know this?" Vassilli and Johann both questioned, astonished Frasier could know such a thing.

"On our travels we crossed through America. They're in a civil war at the moment, luckily the Alliance of a New Age managed to disable all nuclear-based weapons with a virus they created to prevent the Brotherhood of Patriots from unleashing it upon every other nation. So as far as we know, America has no nuclear arsenal." Frasier answered honestly.

"But that would mean the Alliance has disabled their ultimate weapons as well?" Johann questioned.

"After what the Brotherhood did on the third day of the outbreaks in the Pacific Sea... I think they knew what had to be done. " Saya responded, remembering that bright light when she stood outside her house, all the power in the town going out because of that EMP attack.

"But that was an EMP attack... Not like the zombies could use electronics or anything." Saeko brought up.

"Wasn't meant for the undead. It was their means to prevent any threat to themselves as well as a way to contain the spread of the infection. Bear in mind that if trains, buses, planes, and other means of transportation are cut off, then so are the amount of people who could be spreading the disease city to city. Almost commendable if it wasn't so fucked up." Rika said as she flickered her lighter on and off, watching the flame brighten before her. 

"Well put, Rika." Frasier commented as he then turned his attention back to Vassilli.

"If this K.G.B. agent is as dangerous as you say she is. I think we should stick around and help out." Frasier then announced for all to hear.

"But what of England? All the effort and blood spilled to make it there, and now you want to wait?" Shizuka asked, confused over her leader's judgment.

"No point if this dictator does in fact obtain Russia's nuclear arsenal. If he decides to use those nukes against any old rivals of France, England is going to be pretty high up on the list." Khota commented, explaining the situation to the confused nurse.

"You've got a good group Johann. Glad to see that they're able to see the big picture here rather than focus on the little things that only affect them." Vassilli complimented as Frasier stood up.

"So what's the plan?" Frasier asked as he stood up to shake Vassilli's hand.

"Simple. We await the arrival of the K.G.B. agent and her group. The only way they can reach Gans' now is by going through here. So I recommend getting some rest, especially you two after surviving an intense battle like the one you did today." Vassilli explained before he personal addresses Marcus as Frasier.

"Battle? What battle?" Saeko suddenly questioned as she looked at Frasier with worried eyes, shocked at how he didn't mention it before.

"I'll explain later, everyone take the day off. God knows we could all use a day off." Frasier said dismissively as he began to walk to his room.

-

Moments later, Frasier began to open the door to his room only for an arm to slam it shut. He looked over to see Saeko standing before him, a glare if disapproval in her eyes.

"You were in a battle? With who?" Saeko questioned, her voice showing no humor in it.

"Some of Gerard's goons loads of them too. I made it back though didn't I?" Frasier answered, trying to dismiss the conversation with that last question.

"It's not that... It's just every time you go off and leave the rest of us on the sidelines, you always nearly die or barely come back at all. I worry about you and could never forgive myself if something happened to you out there. That if you were to die and I couldn't be there to say goodbye.." Saeko explained, gripping his collar tight as she tried to resist the urge to tear up.

"Shhh its ok, Saeko. I still intend to keep my promise to you. I'll be around to see our children's children grow up in a better world." Frasier explained in a soothing voice, his British accent starting to show again.

"Y-your voice. Your accent is coming back?" Saeko asked with a blush, finding it very soothing and attractive at the same time.

"It makes sense. When in other countries, a voice will adapt to the local tongue in order to blend in and assimilate. I guess seeing how I'm so close to home my voice is just reverting to something much more familiar." Frasier explained, suddenly caught off guard when Saeko kisses him.

"Well I like it. Come in here, you really should get some rest." Saeko instructed as she dragged him to their room, locking the door behind them.

"That's not very restful." Frasier commented seconds later from behind the privacy of their room.

-

Meanwhile, Marcus entered the room he shared with the kids seeing how he was one of the younger survivors of the group. He set his rifle against the wall and dropped his backpack at the foot of his bed. Not even noticing the three kids were watching him to see what he was up to.

"Hey, Marcus!" Brian greeted warmly.

"Sup?" Marcus replied, slumping over into bed, clearly exhausted from the two battles against Gerard's men.

"Can you tell us a story?" Alice asked as she sat on top of his back.

"Not now, little tired actually." Marcus replied, pulling a pillow over his head.

"Please?" Alice questioned.

"No." Marcus replied softly as he closed his eyes trying to drift into slumber.

"Please?" Brian questioned, tugging at his foot.

"No." Marcus repeated in a groan.

"Please?" Yulia then asked, adding on to the pleas for a story.

"Ok." Marcus said in a somewhat cheery tone.

"Really?" all three kids asked at once, exited that he was going to entertain them with a tale.

"No." Marcus replied, chuckling to himself as he buried his face into his pillow.

"Okay... c'mon guys lets go find Saya. She will play with us and it will be fun!" Alice announced to the other two kids in the group.

"What?" Marcus questioned as he sat up to look at the kids, never expecting to hear the words "Saya" and "fun" in the same sentence. Unless the phrase "is not" was in between them.

Brian and Alice then looked at each other. Both noticed Marcus was suddenly becoming defensive at the mention of Saya being more fun than he was. They both then formed a small, mutual, grin on their faces.

"Yeah, Saya is the best! She has all kinds of games and stories to tell us." Brian explained, Yulia and Alice tried to not giggle at their devious little plot beginning to take effect.

"What?! No she doesn't. Saya's definition of fun would require you to sit through an hour long PowerPoint presentation! She's as much fun as watching the paint dry on the wall." Marcus replied sharply, trying to defend his title of being the fun one of the group.

"At least watching the paint dry has a story to it!" Brian replied with a sassy tone, causing both girls to laugh and giggle.

"Oh I'll give you a story." Marcus replied belligerently. The three kids all sat on the floor and watched as he pushed his bed back so he could sit behind it.

"What are you doing, Marcus?" Brian questioned as they could hear Marcus ruffling around behind the bed.

Suddenly a sock popped up. Marcus' hand snugly fit into it. He then began to make it look around the room before focusing it on the kids who stared at his sock.

"Hello, kids! I'm Socko the... sock." Marcus announced in a goofy voice, instantly followed by a wave of laughter from the kids.

"And this is... wait... hold on." Socko said as Marcus pulled his hand back. He made it sound like there was a struggle going on or something.

"You said you'd do it! Oh yes you did!" Socko said from behind the bed. Suddenly another sock puppet was pulled out.

"Who is that one?" Yulia questioned.

"Hello, everyone! I'm Footsie the sock puppet, I'm content to eat taffy, collect stamps, and stare at my aquarium all day long." Marcus announced in an entirely different (yet equally funny) voice.

Alice, Brian, and Yulia all let out a few rounds of laughter as they watched the two sock puppets dancing around and flailing about.

Rika and Saya wandered into the room to see what all the commotion was about. They both chuckled at Marcus and loomed over his turned over bed.

"My how the mighty have fallen." Rika teased as she fussed with "Footsie"

"I find it to be an improvement really." Saya added in as the kids watched both puppets jaws drop at the insults.

"Hey Socko. Yeah Footsie? What's the difference between arguing with a women and a knife? I don't know what is it? A knife has a point. Ahahaha." Marcus said managing to switch between voices as he keep the puppets mouths moving in sync with the words.

"Why you little!" Saya growled as Rika had to restrain her from jumping over and wailing on Marcus.

"Let me at him! Let me at him!" Saya said with rage in her voice. Her arms trying to reach out as she wanted to tear those socks off of Marcus' hands and beat him with them.

The kids giggled and found it all to be far more amusing than expected. The puppets were one thing, but Saya and Marcus going back and forth was quite another.

"Easy, kid. He's just an annoying little cretin. Boy couldn't even handle being a man for a day." Rika said to Saya as she turned her back to everyone in the room.

Suddenly a shoe lightly hit Rika in the back. She immediately stopped dead in her tracks and turned her black flak jacket around to see it had a mud print left on it from the impact.

Rika then gave her signature death glare amongst those within in the room. The eyes on the kids were wide as they all pointed towards Marcus. Even though it was obvious he did it.

"Hold this for me." Rika instructed to Saya as she cracked her knuckles.

"Quick! Back to the aquarium!" Footsie announced as both puppets moved behind the bed.

Suddenly Rika leapt over the bed and tackled Marcus. His playful screams quickly changed as Rika began to turn him into a human pretzel. Yulia, Alice, and Brian were all dying of laughter as they held their sides. Their chests beginning to hurt from the excessive laughter.

"C'mon, kids. It's time for another lesson." Saya said with a grin as she led the kids out of the room. Locking the door behind them as Rika continued to pound on Marcus.

-

"So you're in our group now?" Johann asked as he walked with Vassilli and Rei down the empty tracks of the metro station.

"For the time being. My priority right now is to bring who know who down." Vassilli replied, mentally trying to plan things out.

"I see. What about your friend... Riot was it? What's his story?" Johann then questioned, curious about Vassilli's silent companion whom never seemed to remove his helmet.

"He's a riot officer from Moscow. Found him a few weeks later after I left for Paris. He intended to seek shelter in England but that changed after the news of the Royal Navy firing at any ships and aircraft that traveled within their territory." Vassilli began to explain.

"His daughter is very sweet. It's a miracle that she's survived through all of this." Rei commented, thinking of Yulia.

"Yulia isn't his spawn. He's... her uncle. Yulia's father was also in the police riot squad. Unfortunately him along with Yulia's mother both perished on the first day of the outbreaks. Riot found Yulia hiding in her classroom; to this day she thinks that Riot is her father. He couldn't bear to explain to Yulia that both parents were dead; so he assumed the role of his brother and kept her safe ever since. Thus the reason he never removes that helmet in case he knows that Yulia isn't awake to see it." Vassilli replied, giving some background info on the quiet golem.

"That's so tragic. Poor things. Hopefully we can find our place in England." Rei said with hopeful optimism.

"After hearing what they've done to outsiders... I'm beginning to have second thoughts. Sure, I could blend in with them but I can't see how you or the other Japanese descendants in our group could. I'm not going anywhere without you." Johann finely expressed, feeling Rei's hand gently wrap along his.

"The feeling is mutual." Rei spoke softly as she looked down at her feet. Trying to hide her red cheeks.

"Speaking of English... What do you think of your leader?" Vassilli then brought up, curious about the full capabilities of Frasier.

"Honestly... I'm not sure whether he's stable most of the time or not. Him and Saeko give off this chilling vibe when they kill... undead or otherwise. Almost as if they enjoy it." Rei admitted.

"It's okay, Rei. They're on our side remember? His leadership has proven time and again that we can trust him. Why do you ask us this, Vassilli?" Johann said reassuringly as he then questioned Vassilli.

"I'm just pondering as to why someone so young and inexperienced is in command. That Rika seems to be a better fit for the job." Vassilli replied.

"Don't get me wrong. Rika's good, but Frasier's better. Remember those bandits we fought so hard to drive out of Hamburg for so long? He killed all of them within a week, burning and destroying their compound." Johann explained, leaving Vassilli perplexed if not shocked.

"Hmm. Most interesting. Well, enough of that. What can you tell me about you two?" Vassilli then asked, intrigued by the interaction between Johann and Rei.

"Just your typical couple. Not much to say about us really. I think we have a real future together." Johann replied sheepishly, yet earning a warm smile from Rei.

"Well good for you. I'm glad you've found your match, comrade. Hopefully the world can go back to the way it once was and you can start a family." Vassilli said in high hopes of there even being a future.

"I'm sure you'll be able to find your significant other too." Johann replied as Rei began to hold her stomach.

"You alright?" Johann asked as Rei began to groan softly.

"I think I'm gonna be sick." Rei announced as she ran off a few meters away only to vomit onto the side of the tracks.

"Rei?! Are you sick?" Johann asked, rubbing Rei's back softly as she braced herself by holding her knees.

"Not sure, one moment I'm ok, the next I feel like my esophagus is on fire." Rei explained, trying to spit out the acidic taste in her mouth.

"We should get her back home. Hopefully it was just a random occurrence." Vassilli suggested as they began to backtrack their way home.

- 

**Élysée Palace, Nouveau Paris, Île-de-France, France**

Meanwhile up in the massive hotel like building that had a viewpoint across all of the inner city. Gerard sat before the fireplace built into his office/suite. He took a small sip of his water as he let out a relaxed sigh, ever so enjoying the calming sound of Beethoven's first piano sonata.

In his hands was a picture of him and what appeared to be an elderly woman near his age. A small look of sadness enveloped across his face as he ran a finger along the picture. He let out a soft sigh of regret and sorrow before a powerful knock at the door could be heard over the sound of the sonata.

"Come in." Gerard sighed softly as he turned the music off and walked over to his desk, placing his photo frame back where it belonged.

He sat down in his black, leather chair, waiting to see what important news his visitor had for him.

A man wearing a black suit walked into the office. He held a gray briefcase that was cuffed to his wrist. He even had black shades on despite it being nighttime.

"And you are?" Gerard questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm a representative sent down to discuss the business you have with my employers, Mr. Gans." the man replied in a calm tone, looking around the room to see his surroundings.

"I see. You seem to have my name but I have yet to learn yours." Gerard replied, his fingers tapping against his desk in rhythm; his mind still playing the sonata despite it being turned off in reality.

"Dave Baxton. Vice President of the United States of America." the man answered as he sat adjusted his shades.

"Vice President hmm? You're very far from home aren't you? Well take a seat and lets be done with it." Gerard replied nonchalantly. Not even remotely amused by the man's high title.

"Thank you. I was growing weary of having to stand around with this heavy thing." Dave replied as he took a seat. Resting the briefcase on his lap as he observed Gerard's body language.

"So what does your government need from me now? I was in the middle of something very important a moment ago." Gerard asked, wanting to get back to his sonata.

"Let's beat around the bush. How much longer until your research team finishes their work? The war back home isn't looking to well for us and we need your breakthrough now." Dave said upfront, making it clear he wanted Gerard to show him the current progress made lately.

"Hmm. Very well, you want a demonstration? I'll give you a demonstration." Gerard replied with a grin on his old face.

"Diane? Would you kindly send Michel up to my office?" Gerard requested as his bony finger pressed against the button to his intercom.

"Right away, Mr. Gans!" Diane replied, her voice sounding no older than twenty-two.

Suddenly four more men in suits entered through the doorway unannounced. Gans' displayed a frown of annoyance, clearly having a problem with people just dropping in unannounced.

"What is it, Harry?" Dave questioned. Not even needing to turn around to know his Secret Service bodyguards were now in the room.

"Mr. Vice President, sir. As our duty it is highly recommended that we stay within your vacuity to keep you safe from all harm." Harry explained as he tried to explain his defiance.

"I told you to wait in the lobby." Dave said in a stern tone, confident that Gerard posed no threat to him. After all he was only an elderly man, how much harm could he do was hardly a trivial question.

"No, let them stay! Wouldn't want them to miss out on the demonstration now would we?" Gerard questioned in a chilling tone of amusement.

Michel then entered the room, towering behind the four Secret Service men. Dave turned around in his chair to see the figure before them.

"Who is this? Your butler?" Dave questioned, unsure what Gerard was doing now.

"Not exactly. Michel, you see the man sitting in that chair?" Gerard asked, motioning towards Dave.

The tall figure turned its gaze towards the man holding the gray briefcase. He then gave a slight nod if acknowledgement to Gerard's question.

"Kill him." Gerard then instructed in a cold, relentless, tone.

All four Secret Service men instantly went for their concealed guns the moment Gerard finished his sentence. Michel however had already began to carry out his orders. He quickly grabbed the first man in front of him and twisted his neck in a 180 degree spin. A dreaded snapping noise could be heard.

Michel then tossed the lifeless corpse against the other two men before reaching out and snatching the pistol out of the third one's hands with ease. He fired a single round between the defenseless man's eyes with the surgical precision of a machine.

Before the last two could even get up to fight back, Michel was already standing over them with the pistol aimed for them. He fired the remainder of the clip into them. His face remained emotionless the entire time.

He then rushed towards Dave with his fist pulled back. Ready to kill without any hesitation. At least he was until Gerard snapped his fibers together.

"Stop." Gerard ordered calmly as he leaned back into his chair.

"Well?" Gerard asked Dave, clearly wanting a review on how Michel had performed.

"You slaughtered my bodyguards, threatened to assassinate the second most powerful man in the United States of America, and you want a review?" Dave questioned in a somewhat angered tone.

"Very much so." Gerard replied with a smirk on his face.

"It's perfect; the speed, the power, and the brutality. Not to mention the lack of free will. I love it, you're scientist sure have done well, Gerard." Dave suddenly replied in an ecstatic tone of voice.

"I'm so glad you enjoyed it. However, Michel is of my own design." Gerard replied, motioned him to stand aside to the room.

"How many more like him of your own design?" Dave asked as he stood up to observe Michel.

"Three now. They do take an extraordinary amount of time to perfect." Gerard answered.

"Only three?" Dave then said, his voice carrying heavy disappointment with it.

"Bare in mind that Michel was not originally meant for combat. I have to manually program each one. But once I get what I need, I'll be able to produce them by the thousands. Just like him." Gerard replied as Dave's smile returned once more.

"Ah, I see. Well be sure to hurry things up. I'll be back within a few weeks to check up on you. Enjoy the rest of your evening." Dave announced before leaving Gerard and Michel alone to themselves.

Once the door closed Gerard smiled and stood before Michel. He smiled and gave him an accepting nod.

"We'll done, Michel. For an android you sure do know how to entertain our guests." Gerard announced before he strolled back over to his intercom.

"Diane, please send up a clean up crew for my office. Michel made a mess again." Gerard instructed before he sat back in his chair, taking sip of water.

"Yes, Mr. Gans." Diane replied before the intercom went quite again.

Gerard then smiled to himself and pressed one of the many buttons underneath his desk. Within seconds later, the sound of Beethoven's first piano sonata began to start up once more.

The dictator then turned his chair around to look out at the many lights in the city that kept his little paradise illuminated in even the darkest of times.

**Nouveau Bondy, Paris, Île-de-France, France**

**Z-Day+181 (5 Days Later)**

"Are you absolutely sure you want to go with me on this?" Vassilli asked questioningly as he got onto the subway car that would take the whole group back to the surface. The Russian was joined by nearly Frasier's entire group, the only exceptions to their party being Shizuka, Yulia, and Riot, since he refused to leave Yulia by herself for even a second, especially after what had happened back in Noisy-le-Sec.

"Of course we're sure. Paris is a really big city, and depending on wherever you've already looked, those KGB people could be anywhere. If it comes down to it, maybe we could split into search parties and cover more ground." Frasier explained as they all got into their seats, just as the train began to move down into the tunnel.

Vassilli couldn't help but smile at Frasier's optimism. The Russian was still a little surprised by Frasier's unexpected offer to help him find the group of rogue KGB, but deep down he knew there was a real fire in the young British man, and that he wouldn't have accepted the answer of 'no' from the Russian anyway.

"Well, still, I don't have much experience with your people's fortitude, except for Johann of course. You all may have been tough enough to survive out there so far against the living and the dead, but I just want to remind you all, these are highly trained professionals we're looking for. If it ever seems like it's getting too dangerous, you lot are going back home without any questions asked, understood?" Vassilli instructed as he looked each member of the group straight in the eye, dead seriousness deep in his golden eyes as he emphasized the seriousness of their newfound mission.

"What's the matter, old man? You worried one of the kids is gonna trip and cry over a scraped knee? We've dealt with all kinds of shit before we got here. You don't have to worry about us." Rika replied with a smirk as she lightly punched Vassilli in the shoulder, earning an amused grin out of the grizzled Russian.

Everyone looked at the little exchange between the sniper and the Russian, and they all couldn't help but smile to themselves. It was actually rather surprising how quickly Rika and Vassilli were managing to get along. Perhaps it was some sort of a brothers-in-arms kind of mindset going on between the two, but it still was a rather pleasant sight. Frasier couldn't help but think back on how Rika had mentioned to him several days back how lonely she was. For some reason, looking at her now, he almost couldn't help but feel that maybe she had come to meet Vassilli at just the right time. Of course, even he knew he was thinking way too far ahead about it.

As the train continued on its way, everyone speaking amongst themselves about any such kind of topic, Frasier slowly looked upon each member of the group before him.

Marcus was joking around with Khota and Saya as had come to be the norm over the last couple days. Frasier had to admit to himself that after the firefight they had come across five days ago, he was more than a little concerned about bringing his little brother back to the surface. But even then, he knew it was just his fraternal instincts coming into play, and that they were both past the point of treating Marcus like a little kid. He knew that over the time that had passed since Germany, Marcus had definitely shown some improvement in terms of being able to take care of himself.

Saeko was sitting beside Frasier with her head bowed down as she held her katana within her hands, her frosty blue eyes looking over every inch of it as if looking for some kind of sign of damage that only she could see. Frasier of course had come to expect this. She had taken up this little habit of making sure her sword was in perfect combat condition before heading out into the field ever since he had returned with the Russians. It went to show that the news of him almost getting killed on the one time she wasn't around definitely stuck with her. She clearly meant it when she said he was never going to leave her side from that day on, and looking at her now, he realized just how right he was not to have argued with her about it.

Johann and Rei were mainly keeping to themselves, holding hands with each other whilst momentarily looking over their weapons, making sure they wouldn't break in the middle of a fight. The two of them had decided the necessity of sticking to melee weapons was a much better alternative to firearms, especially while they were in the middle of one of the world's biggest cities. Rei had at one point expressed her desire to start practicing her spear fighting once more, so once Frasier and Johann had managed to build a practice dummy out of some scrap from the surface, she was finally able to start working herself back up to peak performance. Perhaps the concern had come from her lack of overall gun experience, or it might have come from that day Johann got grabbed by one of Them on the fire escape. It didn't matter now. All that mattered was that the group's next best melee fighter after Saeko was back to top fighting performance.

Whenever they weren't mildly chatting with Marcus, Saya and Khota were mainly looking over their guns. Khota of course seemed to know exactly what to check over, whilst poor Saya still seemed to be pretty lost, especially after Khota had actually gone and bought an AR-15 assault rifle for her off of the market. Just when the self-proclaimed genius had finally managed to get so much better with her pistol, she had immediately been graduated to machineguns. Thankfully Frasier could see that Khota was still taking every opportunity to help her adjust and check over her new weapon. Looking at the two of them interact, Frasier couldn't help but smirk. Where Saya would've been right now if Khota were never around, even he had no idea. All that mattered right now was that they had an extra gun hand, and even as inexperienced as she may have been, every little bit was going to be a great help while out on the surface.

Now the two people Frasier had to be the most concerned about were actually Alice and Brian. When it was decided the group would go out to help Vassilli in his search, the two kids shockingly asked to go with them. Of course almost nobody wanted to hear a word of it, since there was no telling just how dangerous it could be out there, but damn if the two kids weren't persistent as all hell about it. By the time they were ready to go, it was Frasier who decided it would be alright for the kids to join, but mainly because Alice and Brian's insistence made him realize that the two were done being treated like children, and if they were to be denied the opportunity to help, then would that have made all the training being put towards the two a complete waste of time?

However he would've wanted to look at it, Frasier knew one thing for certain when he looked at those two kids as the train began to come to a stop. This isn't a world for children, and if anything were to happen that would cause these children to be alone, then their only hope of surviving would be to stop acting like children. That's what all that training was for, and today would be a good opportunity for them to put their teachings to the test.

As the doors slid open, everyone filed out onto the platform, but as they started to make their way for the stairs leading up to the surface, Frasier suddenly gave a light whistle to catch everyone's attention.

"Everyone, before we head back up there to begin our search, there's something I want to bring to your attention. I know that most of you have reasonable objections to Alice and Brian joining us today." He began, taking note of the rather angry glare Saya had behind her glasses once he mentioned the kids.

"But I think at the same time we all realize that this is no longer a world for children, and that if it should ever come down to it, they deserve to be able to defend themselves. That's what all the training we've been putting towards them has been for. So that's why I want you all to know that before we set foot on the surface, I'm going to assign them their own guns that they are to have on them at all times they are in hostile territory, just like the rest of us do." Frasier continued as he reached into the small duffle bag slung over his shoulder and pulled out two standard 9mm Glocks in one hand, and a single magazine for each one.

"No way, Frasier, forget it! Survival or not, they're still too young to be carrying guns with them all the time! What if one of them were to accidentally shoot themselves, or god forbid shoot each other by accident?" Saya suddenly protested, her angry tone echoing through the platform.

"It's okay, Saya. Khota and I have been taking the opportunity to help teach them how to use them safely. You don't have to worry." Johann attempted to reassure her as he knelt between Alice and Brian, taking the two Glocks out of Frasier's grip and holding them out for the kids to grab.

"The two of them won't be having any accidents, especially while we're around. Isn't that right guys?" he continued as he tussled the two children's hair, earning an amused giggle from Alice. Needless to say, Saya didn't look convinced.

"I know you're meaning well by doing this, Frasier, but I still don't feel comfortable with this." Saya argued, as she looked towards Frasier, this time her eyes showing less anger and more general concern.

"Don't worry, Saya." Alice suddenly said, getting everyone's attention as the children grabbed the two respective magazines from Frasier's hand, carefully sliding them into their respective pistols.

"Khota and Johann have been real good teachers. They always make sure we're holding it safely and never point it at anybody else. They even taught us to make sure the safety is always on. We'll be safe, I promise." Alice continued, her eyes watering that Saya was mad. The pink-haired genius couldn't help but look at the little girl with the widest eyes she possibly could. This didn't seem at all like the poor little girl the group had rescued all those months ago back in Japan. This seemed like a much different person.

"We don't want to spend all our time playing. We wanna help you guys, just like you've helped all of us. We want to be useful." Brian pleaded as everyone felt their heartstrings starting to get pulled as the children continued. It was more than clear that these children really wanted to provide as much assistance as they could, and everyone knew they had no place to deny these kids that chance.

Saya took a deep breath and sighed as she bowed her head. Then she got down on one knee and suddenly brought her arms around both Alice and Brian, holding the two children as close to her as she possibly could.

"I'm trusting you two munchkins with this, alright? Please don't make me regret this." Saya whispered into their ears as the two kids carefully tucked their pistols into the pockets of their jackets, making sure to look that the safety switches were both on.

"We promise, Saya." Alice replied as she hugged Saya back, prompting the genius to let the two children go. Everyone couldn't help but smile at this heartwarming little moment. Saya had been like a mother bird to the two children more than the rest of the group combined, and this was like she was finally acknowledging the two kids were growing up at last.

"Hey, I hate to interrupt this lovely moment, but daylight is burning, and we've got a little traveling to do before we can get to a good vantage point of the city." Vassilli announced as he and Rika started to make their way up the platform stairs to the surface. The rest of the group made sure to keep up as the light of the sun momentarily blinded them after five days living underground.

As the group's collective sight slowly returned to normal, they all immediately steeled themselves in case any of the infected was around, especially the ones that were somehow able to see.

Luckily and surprisingly, there wasn't a single sign of life to be seen anywhere around them, undead or otherwise. The still silence of the afternoon air was actually rather relaxing, rather than unsettling as it had usually been.

Alright, so where exactly is it that we're going?" Marcus asked, as he wasn't quite ready to let his guard down just yet.

"There's a large shopping center combined with some kind of apartment block just a little ways north of here. It provides a pretty good vantage point over a good portion of the city. Once we get there, I can show you the places I've already looked, and then we can decide where to go next, and which places we can split up into and search." Vassilli explained as he was already hustling down the road, forcing everyone to quickly pick up the pace and follow after him.

"So you're saying we would have to go through some huge building that may have who-knows-how many infected crowding it, just to get to the roof and talk about places we aren't even going to go?" Frasier asked, more than a little disapproving of such a half-assed plan.

"Kid, you really need to learn to tone down the anxiety, okay? You really think I'd make some place my vantage point, and not take the effort to make it safe? Whatever dead I didn't kill, I was able to lock away in a bunch of different rooms throughout. Trust me, we'll be okay there." Vassilli explained as he rounded a turn in the street, and extended both his arms forward. The rest of the group looked to see what was indeed a large building at the end of the street. The top half of it indeed looked like an apartment complex, whilst the bottom had a bunch of display windows across it with overturned mannequins and shopping displays.

"Shall we?" Vassilli offered as the group immediately began to make their way forward, Frasier and Saya both making sure that Alice and Brian were close to their sides.

What none of them noticed was that hidden within several windows of another apartment block, several sets of eyes were watching their every movement through either binoculars or assault riflescopes.

"Alpha, j'ai les yeux sur l'activité dans la rue. J'ai visuel sur un groupe de onze ans. Je le répète, un groupe de onze mobiles dans la rue en avant, vous me recevez?" **(Alpha, I've got eyes on activity on the street. I have visual on a group of eleven. I repeat, a group of eleven moving down the street ahead, do you copy?) **One of the men dressed in urban camouflage spoke into a headset as he slowly zoomed the scope on his rifle to get a closer look at the group below.

"Bien reçu. Ils sont tous lourdement armés, se déplaçant dans bien une formation défensive. Acier, vous les garçons. Ces personnes s'attendent à un combat." **(Roger that. They are all heavily armed, clearly moving in a defensive formation. Steel yourselves, boys. These people are expecting a fight.) **A second man replied, speaking into a similar headset as he looked anxiously through a telescope he had mounted behind the dark curtains covering the window, watching them through a crack in the curtains.

"Ils font leur chemin vers le complexe commercial à la fin de la route. Avons-nous les poursuivre?" **(They're making their way towards the shopping complex at the end of the road. Do we pursue them?) **A third man asked as he took his eye away from his riflescope, taking a deep breath as he awaited the command to go after them.

"Négative. Nous ne savons pas si ce sont les mêmes personnes Michel et M. Gans nous a informés. Nous savons seulement que deux d'entre eux, les deux hommes, étaient d'origine anglaise, et nous ne pouvons être sûrs de ces gens-là pour l'instant." **(Negative. We don't know if these are the same people Michel and Mr. Gans informed us about. We only know that two of them, both males, were of English origin, and we can't be sure of these people here just yet.) **A fourth man responded from the top floor as he had his crosshairs focused on the man in black at the front of the whole group.

"Pas besoin d'hésiter sur ce point, monsieur. J'ai eu la confirmation. Un des hommes du groupe qui parle anglais, et avec un accent britannique. Et il correspond à une des descriptions, comme le fait l'un des autres hommes avec lui. Nous avons nos gens ici en face de nous." **(No need to hesitate on that matter, sir. I've got confirmation. One of the males in the group is speaking English, and with a British accent. And he matches one of the descriptions, as does one of the other males with him. We've got our people right here in front of us.) **A fifth man suddenly replied as he had an audio recording dish device gripped in one hand, pointed out the window and towards the wandering group, whilst he had a pair of headphones connected to the stereo system the recorder was hooked up to.

With that confirmation announced through all their headsets, all twelve men immediately got up from their positions and began to assemble all their gear, mainly an individual assault rifle and sidearm for each man.

"Les hommes Alright, rassembler dans le hall. Ces gens nous dirigeons vers le centre commercial comme nous le savons. Delta, informer notre secours dont ils ont besoin pour obtenir les camions prêts à se déplacer. On va aller là-bas et attraper avant qu'ils ne savent même pas ce qui leur arrive. Rappelez-vous, M. Gans veut les lui amenèrent en vie." **(Alright men, assemble in the lobby. Those people are heading into the shopping complex as we know. Delta, inform our backup that they need to get the trucks ready to move. We're gonna go in there and nab them before they even know what hit them. Remember, Mr. Gans wants them brought to him alive.) **The man who was clearly the leader of this ragtag group commanded through the headset as everyone began filing down into the lobby. Within minutes, everyone was in formation, just awaiting the word to go out there and bring the people who killed their brethren to justice.

"Capitaine, que faisons-nous si elles se battre?" **(Captain, what do we do if they fight back?) **One of the soldiers asked, causing the captain to stop in his tracks and let out a heavy sigh.

"Si elles sont de se battre, alors nous exerçons nos droits en tant que soldats. Personne n'a jamais dit que cela allait être facile. S'ils se battre, alors ils ont apporté les conséquences sur eux-mêmes." **(If they are to fight back, then we exercise our rights as soldiers. No one ever said this was going to be easy. If they fight back, then they will have brought the consequences upon themselves.) **The captain replied, and as the ice cold seriousness to his words echoed in the minds of his men, a few of them couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy.

"Monsieur ... il y avait deux enfants avec eux. Si ces gens se battre ... vous nous suggérer ...?" **(Sir...there were two children with them. If those people fight back...are you suggesting we...?) **One of the younger soldiers asked, causing the captain to march up to him and get right in his face, his eyes burning deep.

"Avez-vous oublié, soldat? Deux de ces personnes massacré nos frères d'armes comme du bétail. Tous ces gens avec eux là-bas en ce moment sont complices de leurs crimes, et qui comprend ces deux enfants. Ils sont tous racaille étrangère ici pour faire notre pays pour eux-mêmes, et leur insubordination ne sera pas toléré. Est-ce clair?" **(Did you forget, soldier? Two of those people slaughtered our brothers-in-arms like cattle. All those people with them out there right now are accomplices in their crimes, and that includes those two children. They are all foreign scum here to take our country for themselves, and their insubordination will not be tolerated. Is that understood?) **The captain spat, pure venom hanging on every word, forcing the young soldier to shrink under his commanding officer's blood thirst-driven glare.

"Oui, monsieur. Compris." **(Yes, sir. Understood.) **The soldier muttered weakly as he tried to stand up straight before his commander, clearly to afraid to look him in the eye. However, the captain clearly had no time to smack some courage into him as he immediately made his way for the entrance to the building they were now in.

"Bon, les hommes. Mettons-nous au travail." **(Alright, men. Let's get to work.) **The captain finished as everyone behind him raised their rifles, ready for the possible fight that was awaiting them in that shopping complex.

"The glass is completely shatterproof, which makes for a real comfort whenever I've been forced to wait out the night in here, but unfortunately these doors swing open inwards, so I've always made sure to keep this padlock handy to keep the doors shut whenever I'm here." Vassilli explained as he finally finished picking the lock. The heavy chains fell to the floor as he pushed the glass doors for everyone to file in.

Once everybody was inside, Vassilli scooped up the chains, stuffed them into the small backpack slung over his shoulder and quickly moved after them.

"So why did you have the chains on the outside of the door then? I thought you would've wanted to avoid locking yourself indoors if the shit hit the fan." Marcus joked before Saya slapped him upside the head, motioning towards Alice and Brian, glaring at him for his use of foul language in front of them.

"That's usually what I do when I'm indoors for the night. I have them set outdoors when I'm not around to prevent some people from sneaking in and making a stronghold out of it. We're not gonna be here for very long, so there's no need to chain it shut this time." Vassilli explained as he quickly got back to the head of the group.

"Now, there's a service elevator that goes all the way to the roof. Luckily there are some backup oil cans in the basement that help keep the generator running, so we don't have to use the stairs the whole way." The Russian continued to explain as everyone started slowly looking at the vast expanse of fancy clothing shops, jewelry shops, restaurants and other such places that made up the shopping center.

"You really believe in long-term preparation wherever you go, don't you?" Rika asked Vassilli teasingly, earning an amused smirk from the Russian.

"Oh please, anybody who bothers to think ahead can say they believe in long-term preparation. I'm just one of the few people that actually takes it that seriously." Vassilli replied with the slightest chuckle, the sound almost echoing through the vast empty indoor space.

"Man, if she had come with us, Shizuka would probably die of joy if she could see all these shops." Rika commented as her eyes scanned across all the abandoned clothing shops, which surprisingly still had a good amount of their stocks intact.

"She certainly seems the type to waste money on clothes that do nothing more than make you look good. Have you known that woman for a long time?" Vassilli asked curiously as his eyes settled on a single door in the corner that was clearly meant for employees only.

"Yeah, she and I have been friends since middle school, and best friends since high school. I kinda look at her like the air-headed little sister I never had to be honest." Rika admitted with an amused little laugh as Vassilli pushed the door open.

"The elevator is at the end of this hallway. Let's go." Vassilli ordered as the rest of the group started to file in before Johann stopped in his tracks.

"Hey, Vassilli, there's something I want to check really quick. Would it be alright if you guys go on ahead and I'll just catch up?" he asked the tall Russian, causing everyone to look back at him curiously, Rei looking visibly worried that he was going to be separated from her.

"Someone should stay with you, Johann. We don't do things like this without someone watching our backs, understand?" Vassilli proclaimed, this time his voice was dead serious as Johann nodded in understanding.

"After the things I'd gone through to get to Germany, believe me, I understand that more than ever. Besides, when have you ever known me not to be careful?" Johann asked with a semi-joking tone as he could see everyone was looking at him with all seriousness.

"We can stay and watch him." Alice suddenly offered, causing everyone to look at Alice and Brian like they were both insane.

"No, Alice. You and Brian are still too young to do stuff like this yourselves. Let one of us stay with him, and you all stay with the rest of the group." Saya reprimanded Alice and Brian, one hand on each of their shoulders as they both looked up at her with neither sadness nor fear.

"But Saya, Frasier and Johann both said earlier that we can both shoot really good. We'll be careful. We can run and hide, and we can keep each other safe." Brian pleaded as Alice slowly lowered her head as if she was deep in thought.

Saya was about to open her mouth to argue with the young boy when Alice suddenly raised her head, catching the pink-haired genius' attention as there was nothing but serious determination seen in Alice's eyes.

"Please stop treating us like kids, Saya. We want to be useful; we already said that earlier. Johann worked really hard teaching us how to shoot and be safe with them. Frasier, we've been really good with our lessons, haven't we?" Alice protested to Saya before looking back at Frasier as if begging him to give the okay.

"Well…I can't lie, you both have been improving very much over the last several days, especially with the guns. Saya, I understand your concerns, but I think the kids will be fine just this once. I think Alice might even be developing quite the dead eye with a pistol from what I've witnessed. Besides, we all know Johann is more than capable of protecting himself and others, so there shouldn't be any reason why the kids can't stay behind." Frasier explained, at first not very sure about whether or not he was making the right call right now. However, as he went on, thinking back on the progress he'd seen the kids make, he began to grow more confident that the kids were now more than capable.

Saya visibly wasn't entirely convinced by this, but when she saw the sheer determination and confidence both children were exhibiting, she knew that this was most likely the right call, if just for this once.

"Okay, the two of you can stay and watch Johann's back. But promise me you'll both be extremely careful." Saya instructed the kids as their expressions visibly brightened.

"We promise!" the kids both exclaimed excitedly as Saya let them go. The two quickly ran to Johann's side, and Rei began to follow after them to join him as well before Johann suddenly held his hand up to stop her.

"Sorry, Rei, this is something I need to do by myself. I want you to stay with the others. If there's any trouble you run into indoors, melee is the better option, and you, Frasier and Saeko are the best fighters the group has. Don't worry; I'll be back with the kids to rejoin you guys before you even know that I'm gone." Johann reassured her when he saw the clear worry in her eyes. Rei hesitantly nodded in understanding before stepping back to join the rest of the group.

"Alright, don't be too long, Johann." Frasier finished as everyone else began to file down the hall towards the elevator door at the end.

Johann pulled the door shut as he took a deep breath and sighed, his body visibly tense as he looked around the vast expanse of the shopping center. Alice and Brian both looked around curiously, unsure just what it was they were going to do now.

Without a word, Johann started to make his way through the empty pathways of the whole building, their three sets of footsteps echoing through the silence as Alice and Brian both looked around curiously. Luckily, the whole building was still illuminated by the electric lights that were no doubt being powered by the backup generators.

After a few minutes, Johann stopped walking and laid his eyes on exactly what he was looking for: a single jewelry shop that sat in the corner of one of the ends of the whole building. Alice and Brian both followed him closely as he made his way inside. Thankfully the door wasn't locked.

As the three of them slowly scanned the interior of the store, Johann's eyes lit up when he suddenly spied something on the end of a display case. He quickly made his way forward, momentarily catching the kids off guard as they quickly followed after him.

Johann made his way behind the display case to the spot where employees would stand behind the register and knelt down to see the small lock that kept the display closed.

Wasting no time, he started sifting through the two cupboards that stood in the corner. Tossing aside a bunch of envelopes, loose papers and other assorted knick-knacks, he suddenly stopped when he spotted a single silver key sitting in the back of the drawer. He quickly inserted it into the lock, and with a single turn he had the display open and was reaching his hand inside.

"Johann, what are you doing?" Alice asked curiously as she couldn't help but watch Johann as he was pulling out multiple pieces of assorted jewelry before tossing them aside one-by-one.

He soon stopped when he laid his eyes on the only thing left in his hand: a single silver ring with a single tiny Irish-green diamond embedded in the center.

"It's perfect." He said quietly to himself as he slowly got back onto his feet, a smile slowly creeping across his face.

"What's perfect? What's in your hand?" Alice asked curiously as she tried to see just what he was holding onto, but since he was so tall and she was so short, it was next-to-impossible.

"Something very special for Rei." He said immediately and with a slight air of confidence as he tucked the ring into the pocket of his jacket and started to make his way out the door, Alice and Brian following close after him.

As the trio wasted no time making their way back towards where the rest of the group had been headed, Johann's ears suddenly picked up on something that forced him to stop dead in his tracks, even bringing his arms out to stop the kids.

"What's going on, Johann?" Brian asked curiously, causing Johann to quickly place his hand over the boys' mouth to keep him quiet.

"Listen…" Johann whispered almost completely silently. All was completely silent inside for several seconds before the faintest sound began to echo through the air, and gradually grow louder bit-by-bit. Footsteps.

"Do you think it's the others?" Alice asked curiously as Johann slowly brought his free arm around the young girls' side, bringing her closer to him and Brian.

"No…it's not. It's coming from the way we came in." he whispered in response, causing both kids to immediately tense up with fear.

"It sounds like there's more than one. Alright, kids, follow me, stay real close, and don't make a sound." Johann quietly instructed the kids as he quickly made his way towards a nearby clothing store, the kids following right on his heels. Once they were inside, Johann motioned for them to get down to the ground, keeping themselves below the windows, just as a couple men in what looked to be urban camouflage revealed themselves by walking around a corner from the entryway of the building. All of them were armed with what looked to be military-grade assault rifles.

"Bon, les hommes. Etalez. Ces salauds pourrait se cacher n'importe quel nombre de places ici." **(Alright, men. Spread out. Those bastards could be hiding any number of places here.) **The man at the forefront of the group quietly ordered to his men once they'd stopped marching into the center of the whole shopping district, his voice barely echoing through the still silence.

"Monsieur, nous avons seulement donné la description de deux cibles. Avons-nous vraiment besoin de passer par l'effort de détention de l'un de leurs complices?" **(Sir, we were only given the description of two targets. Do we really need to go through the effort of detaining any of their accomplices?)** One of the men behind the apparent leader asked as the others scanned their surroundings, some of them visibly shaking with fear.

"Oui. Dans le cas où quelque chose va mal et nos deux objectifs décrits ne sont pas saisis, si nous étions en quelque sorte à capturer l'un de leurs complices, il n'est pas impossible qu'ils puissent être utilisés comme monnaie d'échange. M. Gans a dit qu'il veut que ces deux garçons anglais amené à lui personnellement, et nous allons atteindre cet objectif par tous les moyens nécessaires." **(Yes. In case anything goes wrong and our two described targets are not captured, if we were to somehow capture any of their accomplices, it is not impossible that they could be used as a bargaining chip. Mr. Gans said he wants those two English boys brought to him personally, and we will accomplish that objective by whatever means necessary.) **The leader spat back, the chill in his no-nonsense tone even sending a shiver down Johann's spine from what little he could actually hear from his distance.

In that split second of distraction, a sudden noise erupted from right beside Johann, and given the previous silence, it was almost the exact equivalent of a gunshot going off right next to his ear. It echoed through the interior of the building, and visibly caused several of the armed men to look right in their direction. Johann couldn't help but look at the source of the noise like he wanted to kill it: Brian had just sneezed from all the dust inside, and had given their position away completely.

The freight elevator trip to the roof felt like it had been taking forever, but given that the entire building had to be a good four stories tall not counting the shopping center below, that was to be expected.

Once the elevator lurched to a stop, the doors slowly slid open, temporarily blinding the group with the intrusion of the bright afternoon sun. Once all their vision had returned to normal, they wasted no time following Vassilli as he paced over to the edge of the vast roof of the building.

"Alright, now the real way to navigate a place as big as this is to find landmarks, something you can easily recognize from any distance. It's helped me keep track of the places I've already looked and the places that are still left." Vassilli explained as he reached into his backpack and pulled out a large map of the entire city of Paris. As he unfolded it, everyone could see there was a series of either red circles or red crosses drawn all over the map.

"Now when I first got here, I came into the city from the northeastern border, much like I'm sure you guys did. Unfortunately I've looked along almost the entire eastern border of Paris from Tremblay-en-France to Noisy-le-Grand; and I haven't had much luck there. I've only managed to explore two communes to the north and west of here, Le-Blanc Mesnil and Drancy. I'm starting to get the idea they might have come into this city from the Northwestern border of Seine-Saint-Denis, so I figure the next destination to scout through would be Le Bourget." Vassilli explained thoroughly as everyone looked over his shoulders at the map he was examining, his finger motioning to all the different communes that made up this entire section of Paris.

Looking at just how expansive the entire map was, and just how little of the city itself had really been marked on Vassilli's map, it really helped put the sheer size of the city into a whole new perspective.

"What makes you think they even came into this department of the city? What makes you so sure they aren't anywhere in, er…Hauts-de-Seine, or Val-de-Marne, or Paris itself?" Saya asked impatiently, clearly having lost a lot of faith in this previous plan of theirs, given just how much room was left to cover.

"Well mainly because everything in this city that's west or South of Paris has been completely decimated by the outbreak. Those are quite literally no man's land now. Paris and Seine-Saint-Denis are the only parts of this city that are still salvageable, hence why Gans would want to take it so badly." Vassilli explained, clearly not deterred in the slightest. To be honest, he relished challenges like this.

As Vassilli explained further, Marcus slowly drifted away from the rest of the group, stretching his arms and yawning tiredly as he walked to the edge of the roof, looking out at the vast expanse of Northeastern Paris. The bright summer atmosphere actually made the dead city quite beautiful to look at since there was no outside noise to be heard. As his gaze slowly shifted to the streets below, his peripheral vision suddenly caught something he nearly would've missed, and when he looked down upon the multitude of objects in the nearby distance, he couldn't help but feel a tiny bit tense.

"Well, you've covered all these areas along the eastern border of this department, but what's stopping these people from just sneaking around you and hiding out in places you've already looked?" Saeko asked curiously.

"Psychological warfare, that's what. Every commune that I check that I can't find them in, I spray paint a large red mark at the metro platforms for those communes and the respective metro entrances. I can't have eyes on both the underground and the surface in every single commune in this area, so I figure I might as well make them think I'm watching them when they see my old Spetsnaz company insignia waiting for them. I'm confident it will convince them to head for any other communes I may not have investigated just yet, and since my search radius gets smaller and smaller with each commune I investigate, if those people are constantly on the move, and come across more and more insignias, the amount of ground they'll be able to flee to will reduce. Think of it as corralling a small group of stampeding livestock. I'm using their own paranoia to my advantage." Vassilli explained carefully and thoroughly as he drew a small version of said insignia in the dirt on the roof. Everyone could tell he was clearly enjoying explaining this plan of his, given the amused grin he was slowly getting as he explained it.

"How will those people even know what that insignia even means?" Khota asked curiously. Vassilli looked at the gun-otaku and gave him a reassuring wink and a thumbs-up.

"Trust me, they'll know it. Let's just say I've got a little…**history **with a couple of their higher-ups." Vassilli replied as he grabbed the map and folded it back up into his pack.

"So anyway, we've got our destination, so I suggest we get moving. The infected and the wreckage make street travel a little more time consuming than you'd hope, as I'm sure you all realize by now." Vassilli started as he began to make his way back towards the elevator.

"Hey Vassilli, what are those trucks for down there?" Marcus suddenly asked, causing everyone to stop dead in their tracks when Vassilli did.

"Trucks? What are you talking about?" Vassilli asked nervously as he started slowly proceeding towards Marcus who was still looking downwards into the distance.

"Down in that parking lot at the other end of the block. There are three black trucks just sitting there. They look like they've still got tires attached, which is weird, because Henri mentioned that they stripped every single vehicle up here of gas, car batteries and tires." Marcus explained as the rest of the group gathered around him, looking around for whatever he was talking about.

Vassilli pulled out a pair of binoculars while Rika leveled her sniper rifle and looked through her scope.

"I don't see anything like that, Marcus. Where exactly was it?" Rika asked impatiently before Vassilli suddenly whistled briefly to get everyone's attention.

"I've got them. On the other end of the block at the little petrol station. Three black standard military personnel carriers in the parking lot. I can't really tell, but I think their might actually be drivers inside…oh no…" Vassilli explained before his voice suddenly dropped and his grip on his binoculars noticeably intensified.

"What's going on? Is it more of those inner city men?" Saeko asked as Vassilli quickly stuffed his binoculars back into his pack.

"Bingo. I recognize that red 'G' insignia on the sides of those cars anywhere; and I doubt they came this far from central Paris to do a little scavenging." Vassilli explained as he suddenly pulled out a Makarov from his side holster, sliding a magazine into its stock, switching off the safety and pulling the slide back so the first bullet could go into the chamber.

Suddenly, the roof of the building began to rumble slightly, and a muffled boom could be heard emanating from below them.

"What the hell was that?" Saya asked in a panic as Marcus could suddenly hear a distant rumbling coming from the direction of the trucks.

"Hey guys, those trucks are moving now. They're coming this way!" Marcus shouted as he got off the edge of the roof and ran back to the rest of the group.

Suddenly, the familiar sound of automatic gunfire began to pop out from below the group, breaking the unbearable silence.

"Oh God, Johann and the kids!" Rei suddenly cried out as the entire group immediately took off for the elevator. Vassilli immediately started rapidly hitting the ground floor button, but nevertheless the damn thing wasn't able to go any faster.

The entire way down was an unbearable experience as the gunfire eventually stopped, and the only sound that could be heard was the grinding of the gears for the elevator's downward trip.

Eventually the doors slid open and everyone was instantly hauling ass out into the shopping center, looking all around for some kind of clue as to what the hell was happening. Frasier soon spotted a plume of smoke billowing out from a single shop on the other side of the building.

"This way!" he ordered as everyone hustled over to the clothing store. There was shattered glass all over the floor, no doubt from the explosion that had occurred only minutes ago.

Everyone quickly filed into the store, Saya soon hacking uncontrollably from the thick smoke that was filling the entire room. The entire interior of the store was in ruins. Mannequins were in pieces, clothing displays were riddled with bullets and reduced to shreds, and there were three dead bodies splayed on the floor.

"Oh no, no, no…" Rei started saying to herself as she ran to the bodies, followed closely by Frasier, Marcus and Saeko.

Fortunately, upon the smoke starting to thin out, they could all see that none of the bodies were any of their group. They were all men in their early-to-late thirties, dressed in what looked like urban camouflage. One of them had a deep cut across his throat, coloring his entire uniform red with blood, and the second one had what was easily recognized as Johann's machete embedded halfway into his skull. The third one had a small bullet hole right under his left eye, a small rivulet of blood running down the side of his face while the rest pooled around the back of his head.

"Are there any other bodies you can see?" Frasier called out to the rest of the group as they spread out and searched the rest of the ruined store.

"Nobody. But we did find this behind the register." Rika answered as she tossed a pistol to Frasier. He caught it in one hand, and he could feel himself go cold when he realized it was one of the Glocks he had given Alice and Brian.

"I recognize those uniforms. These were some of Gans' cronies." Vassilli explained once he'd gotten a good look at the three bodies.

"You think they came looking for us?" Marcus asked, clearly worried sick since there was no sign of Johann or the kids to be found anywhere.

"Who cares about any of that?! Where are Johann and the kids?!" Saya and Rei asked, clearly terrified beyond comprehension.

That one questions is what made a spark suddenly shine in Frasier's head. Those trucks outside.

Without a word, he quickly tucked the Glock Rika had found into the back pocket of his pants and took off running for the entrance they had originally come in through.

"Frasier, what the hell are doing?!" Saeko called out as the rest of the group started to run after him, but he was already proving to be too fast for them. He was being driven by nothing but sheer adrenaline.

"I have to get them back! Get everyone back to the metro, Saeko!" Frasier shouted back before he disappeared around the corner. However, Saeko wasn't letting up. She soon came crashing through the glass doors lining the entrance, just in time to see that very same convoy of three black trucks pulling out of the entrance.

What she also saw was Frasier just as he ran up to the side of the last truck in the convoy, leaping forward in time to grab the side of the vehicle's bed with one hand, taking him right off his feet and hanging on by one hand. Saeko could only watch as the convoy quickly disappeared with no hope of her being able to catch up on foot.

"Goddammit, Frasier…" she muttered angrily to herself as her eyes stung with tears. She always couldn't help but admire her husband's courage and loyalty to his friends and family, but deep down, the one thing she didn't like about him was just how reckless he was when a situation arose. It only made her worry about the likelihood that he'd be getting himself killed. Of course he'd always come back, but it was the pain of not knowing beforehand that ate away at her. The only thing she could do now was to do what Frasier asked and get her friends, her family back to safety. She could only hope for the best.

**{Assassin's Creed: Revelations OST – Hard Ride}**

Frasier could feel his grip on the side of the truck starting to slip. Gritting his teeth, he looked down to see the ground below moving past at top speed. Even he was smart enough to know that hitting the ground at the speed the trucks were going would hurt something awful, and there was no way he was going to let these bastards escape.

Getting his free hand onto the side of the truck, he began to slowly lower himself down so that he could climb onto the underside of the truck. Thankfully he wasn't anywhere near the wheel wells or axle's of the truck, otherwise he would've had to kiss his fingers goodbye.

He hugged the bottom of the truck and tried to take in his surroundings. The very first idea that popped into his head was perhaps hijacking this truck so he could then give chase. With that thought in mind, he began to slowly climb backwards towards the back end of the truck. His arms were beginning to get tired from holding up his whole body weight for so long, and there was no way he'd be able to keep his legs from touching the ground so he could get his hands onto the back.

Taking a deep breath, he lowered his legs and the rough, rubble strewn ground immediately began to grind at his legs as he brought one hand up to grab onto the rear door to the truck. Adjusting his body so that he was now facing the back of the vehicle instead of looking behind it, he gripped the door with both hands and lifted his legs up so his feet were firmly on the rear bumper.

Frasier looked at the blade gauntlet on his right hand. He couldn't bring himself to lie to himself: he was nervous as hell right now. He had no idea just how many people were inside this truck, and judging from the gunfire that he had heard earlier, it was safe to say these guys were all carrying automatic rifles, and the only thing he had on himself was that gauntlet, that one pistol, and his own bare hands. But damned if he was going to let something like that stop him.

Taking a deep breath, he could feel the adrenaline pumping through his veins, and as if like magic, he could almost feel the entire world around him coming to a crawl, almost like something straight out of _'The Matrix'_.

With his senses suddenly going berserk, Frasier quickly forced the doors open to be greeted by four soldiers looking in his direction in shock, and Johann seated against the corner at the other end of the cabin with a small rope tied around his head, gagging him, and his hands tied together with those size-adjustable plastic handcuffs riot police were known to use.

Before the soldiers at the forefront could even think of reacting, Frasier launched his gauntlet fist right at the face of the one to his right, the blades extending and exiting out the back of his skull through his eye sockets.

The left soldier started to raise his rifle, but Frasier launched one leg right into one of the soldier's kneecaps, shattering his knee as his leg now bent backwards at a 45-degree angle. Before the soldier could start screaming in agony, Frasier grabbed him by the collar and tossed him and the dead soldier on his gauntlet out the open doors onto the speeding street behind him. Even if the fall didn't kill the other one, the infected that would no doubt hear his screams certainly would.

Just as he was about to charge the terrified two soldiers in the back, Johann suddenly jumped up and flung his cuffed hands over the left soldiers' neck, pulling back with all his strength in an attempt to strangle him to death. The other soldier, in a moment of panic, aimed his rifle at Johann, but the German quickly hid himself behind his hostage as the soldier only managed to fire a burst of ammunition, the bullets tearing into the torso of his comrade, before Frasier landed a curb stomp-like kick to the side of his skull, smashing it against the wall, as his body slumped lifelessly to the floor.

Acting with all haste, Frasier extended one of the blades to his gauntlet and quickly cut the handcuffs off of Johann's wrists as he quickly pulled the rope gag from his mouth.

Before the two of them could hope to start talking, they could hear the squeal of the brakes to the truck they were on as it was quickly coming to a stop. Both of them knew this couldn't mean anything good, and Frasier knew they couldn't afford to lose the other two trucks up ahead.

The two of them quickly jumped from the back of the truck and ran for the driver and passenger side doors as the truck continued to slow down. Frasier quickly yanked the driver side door open and stabbed his gauntlet into the throat of the driver before he could even look in his direction. At the same time, Johann flung the passenger door open and grabbed the passenger by his collar, yanking him out of his seat, and tossing him aside, underneath the truck. There was a brief _thump _seconds later as the rear tires crushed the passenger's skull like an overripe fruit.

Climbing inside, Frasier quickly hit the gas and the truck thankfully started to speed up before the two trucks ahead could round the corner and leave their field of vision.

"Do you know which one has Alice and Brian?" Frasier asked as he quickly started to gain on the next truck up ahead.

"It's the one right in front of us, I saw them toss the kids in there before they threw me in this one." Johann quickly explained, now just as pumped and ready to kill as Frasier was.

With Johann's confirmation, Frasier quickly put the pedal to the metal, and they were soon coming right up on the next truck's rear.

"Take the wheel. Those fuckers up ahead are mine." Frasier growled as he opened the driver side door and started to climb out onto the roof of the cabin. Johann quickly got behind the wheel, managing to maintain close proximity to the truck ahead.

After a few seconds, Johann saw Frasier leap forward from the cabin, and landed on all fours on the roof of the truck ahead. Suddenly gunfire began to erupt from inside the rear cabin, as bullets tore through the roof like tissue paper. Thankfully Frasier's shocked reaction allowed him to accidentally roll off the roof and grab onto the side of the truck much like last time, while the soldiers inside were focused on the roof.

Frasier quickly climbed sideways to the rear doors, and with a wave of his hand, motioned for Johann to drive to the side so he wasn't directly behind the truck. Once Johann drifted to the side, Frasier grinned and grabbed the handle of one of the doors, summoning all the strength he could muster with one arm, and managed to actually tear the door from its hinges. The soldiers instantly opened fire in that direction, their bullets managing to blow the second door away, all of them blinded by panic.

Once the gunfire had stopped, the four men all looked at each other in confusion. With that momentary distraction, Frasier suddenly flung himself into the open back from the side of the truck, and quickly slashed the throat of one soldier before decapitating a second one with his gauntlet.

However, one of the two remaining soldiers had actually been expecting something like this, and instantly had his pistol raised, trained right on Frasier.

Before Frasier could react, the soldier fired a shot right at his head. The entire world seemed to slow to a crawl in that instant. Acting on pure reflex, Frasier leaped backwards in an attempt to dodge. He didn't realize he'd just flung himself out of the truck until he could see he was already halfway out the back of the truck. Everything started to return to normal speed once again as he quickly flung his arms forward, the claws of his gauntlet embedding into the floor of the cabin, becoming the only grip he had on the truck.

Seeing Frasier hanging on for dear life from the truck, Johann started to turn the truck closer so that Frasier could perhaps grab onto the passenger side door.

While Johann was doing that, Frasier was having to fling himself side-to-side to avoid each shot the pistol-wielding soldier fired at him. It was a miracle none of the bullets hit the claws to his gauntlet, otherwise he'd be rolling on the asphalt and losing them right now.

All the while, the second soldier was wrestling with a tied and gagged Brian and Alice as they were trying to keep him from helping get Frasier thrown off. Brian would feverishly kick at the soldier's stomach while Alice would try to jump onto his back and pull his head back as a distraction.

Unfortunately, the soldier managed to get a grip on Alice's arms, and with a furious shout, he threw the little girl towards the open back doors, not even noticing that he threw her right at his fellow soldier who now had his feet planted firmly on Frasier's hands, preventing him from being able to fight back.

Just as the soldier was about to plant one bullet between Frasier's eyes, the flung Alice suddenly slammed into his back, just hard enough to throw him off his feet, and tumbling out the back of the truck.

Once again, everything nearly went completely still as Frasier's very first instinct was to let go of the truck and reach for Alice. Miraculously, he grabbed the little girl's airborne form and immediately hugged her as close to his body as he could as the painful impact of rolling against the rough, rubble-strewn street started to sting all over his body.

As Frasier rolled down the road, the unlucky soldier ended up face planting on the street, only to instantly get splattered under the wheels of Johann's truck as he saw Frasier tumbling down the road in front of him.

Slamming on the brakes, the truck quickly came to an abrupt stop. Johann jumped from the drivers seat and ran towards the motionless form of Frasier in the middle of the road.

**{}**

"Frasier, come on man, talk to me!" Johann urged as he rolled Frasier onto his back. He could feel a breath long held escape when he saw Alice being held tight in Frasier's arms. The terrified little girl slowly opened her eyes and brightened up to see Johann standing over her. The little girl immediately wrapped her little arms around him as Frasier slowly opened his eyes, groaning in pain.

His arms were covered in some pretty bad scratches and his clothes were torn to shit from his rough landing.

"Man, when I saw you fall from that truck, that scared the hell out of me." Johann exclaimed as Frasier slowly got back onto his feet.

"Yeah, me too. Aah, son of a bitch…" Frasier replied before hissing in pain. There was a nasty burning pain he could feel on the side of his head, and putting his hand to it only made it hurt that much worse.

"You okay?" Johann asked concernedly as he moved Frasier's hand away.

"I've been better. My whole body stings like hell, and it feels like somebody shot me somewhere on my head." Frasier muttered, gritting his teeth to numb the stinging pain all over his body.

"That's because somebody DID shoot you, in your left ear specifically." Johann explained once he saw Frasier's left ear. Thankfully the most important parts of it were unharmed. It really looked like a bullet had grazed the top of his ear, since the top edge of his ear was now missing and bleeding a bit.

"Lucky for you its no serious damage, just blew off a little bit of the edge. It should stop bleeding in no time if it hasn't already." Johann explained, which visibly relieved Frasier. For a minute he had actually been worried it was something fatal. It still hurt like hell, but he could handle it no problem.

"Brian is still in that truck. We have to go after them!" Frasier suddenly exclaimed as he started to run for the truck.

"Frasier let me help!" Alice suddenly exclaimed as Johann picked the little girl up and sat her on his shoulders as he ran alongside Frasier.

"Of course Alice. Here." Frasier called back as he reached into his back pocket and pulled out the Glock Rika tossed him earlier. Stopping in his tracks, he handed the gun to the little girl. She looked upon the weapon this time with a hint of hesitance, but soon shook her head as if to shake away the negative thoughts and took it from his grasp. Frasier couldn't mistake it now: Alice was more than ready for a gun now. It was in her eyes: raw determination, this time not to prove herself, but to protect others.

With that, the trio quickly filed back into the truck, and with the sputter of the engine, it was rolling down the streets once more, steadily picking up speed.

Within a minute, Frasier could see the back of the truck that still had Brian on it. As he started to pick up the speed, the truck suddenly broke away from following the one in the lead and took off down a different street. Frasier quickly turned as hard as he could in order to avoid crashing into the building that split the street, but thankfully he managed to avoid a wreck, and they were once again hot on its trail.

"I guess the driver must've heard all the gunfire and panicked when he saw us coming." Johann guessed due to how recklessly the truck ahead of them was suddenly moving.

As Frasier tried his hardest to keep up whilst avoiding the occasional wreck that stood in the road, he suddenly started to notice something: more and more infected were starting to wander the streets, and consequentially getting plowed through by both trucks.

"Oh no…all this noise is drawing Them out!" Johann exclaimed in fear as more and more infected started to fill the streets ahead. Once the street opened out into some kind of town square, filled with several dozen infected, a piercing sound of screeching rang through the air as more and more infected were sent splattered or sent flying through the air by both trucks. The truck ahead suddenly started to skid and suddenly flipped over, crashing loudly into the rusted statue that stood in the center of the square.

"Oh no, it's all this zombie muck! It's locking the wheels!" Frasier shouted as he instantly let off the gas, wrestling with the steering wheel to keep their truck from flipping over as well. The truck continued to skid before the sudden impact against the wreck of a city bus. The three of them were nearly sent flying through the windshield, but for once, the seatbelts managed to actually save their lives. The impact sent Frasier and Johann slamming face first into the steering wheel and dashboard respectively, causing them to black out.

"Frasier! Johann! Get up! Please, you gotta get up!" the distant sound of Alice's voice cried out as Frasier slowly opened his eyes, his head throbbing in pain as he raised his head from the steering wheel. Johann was getting up at the same time, gritting his teeth when feeling at the bleeding cut on his forehead. Alice was looking from one of them to the other, nothing but stone cold terror written on her face.

As Frasier recollected himself, he suddenly heard the multiple sounds of hands pawing and clawing at the doors. Looking to the driver side window, he was greeted by the up close sight of several of the dead clawing at the glass of the driver side window, even trying to gnaw at it with their necrotic teeth, their gray, rotting faces smashed against the glass.

"What happened?" Johann asked, clearly still in a daze from the crash. Frasier started to look around, for once actually feeling a semblance of panic. They had no guns other than Alice's Glock, and even Frasier knew that he was in way too banged up a state to fight an entire mob of Them like what he'd seen filling the square just minutes ago.

"Oh god…what the hell do we do?" Johann asked in fear as the door windows started to crack under the combined weight of the dead clawing at them.

Looking around for a solution, Frasier suddenly noticed the glove compartment in front of Johann.

"Check to see if there are any emergency flares inside, or maybe an emergency kit under your seat." Frasier instructed as he started searching under his own.

"Could we get out through the windshield?" Alice asked, drawing Frasier's attention to the large window, and for a second, he felt a spark of relief. The glass was nearly about to shatter. A well placed kick or two would bust that thing out and they could climb onto the wreckage of the bus. At least then the infected wouldn't be able to reach them.

"There's no flares or emergency box anywhere in here!" Johann exclaimed, causing Frasier to momentarily curse under his breath in frustration.

"Alright then. Alice, cover your eyes. Johann, help me kick the windshield out!" Frasier instructed as Alice cupped her face behind her tiny hands.

The two of them immediately began to kick their feet out at the glass repeatedly, the windshield cracking more and more, bending under their combined force, before finally with a combined kick and war shout, the windshield shattered into thousands of tiny fragments, creating their exit.

"COME ON!" Frasier shouted as he immediately began to climb out through the empty window. Johann immediately grabbed Alice from under her arms and held her out to Frasier as he held his hands out to grab her. Once she was out, Johann immediately proceeded to climb his way through behind them.

The infected surrounding the truck all immediately started to claw at the air for them, the familiar screeches of the sight-worthy ones mixed in with the ghastly chorus of groans and hungry growls.

"Onto the bus." Frasier said as he realized the surface facing up towards the sky was luckily high enough that the dead couldn't climb up after them.

The three of them climbed up onto the bus, Johann making sure Alice didn't accidentally trip into one of the busted in windows lining the side.

The distant sounds of screams turning into mutilated gargles as the dead feasted could be heard from across the square. Looking to the source, it was easy to tell that the dead had gotten into the other truck, and whoever was in the driver's cabin, and that last soldier in the back were now becoming lunch. However, the fact that it was coming from that truck gave Frasier and Johann an ice-cold chill in the pits of their stomachs.

"Come on guys, we gotta save Brian!" Alice exclaimed, clearly worried sick about her friend. Frasier and Johann just looked at each other, and neither of them could think of a way to say what was going through their minds right now.

Before either of them could start to open their mouths, the distant sound of gunshots suddenly started to ring out from across the square. It wasn't automatic gunfire like what those soldiers had come with, but that of a handgun. And a handgun the three of them had grown very accustomed to hearing.

"That's Brian's gun!" Frasier exclaimed upon hearing the sound.

"It sounds like it's coming from that building over there!" Johann announced when he pointed to a large hotel building directly across from them.

"Okay, then that's where we need to go. The only question is how we get past these guys." Frasier explained as he started to pace up and down the length of the bus.

"What about these?" Alice suddenly chimed in as she dug into the pockets of her sweatshirt and held out a handful of tiny firecrackers.

Frasier and Johann both went wide-eyed as Frasier picked up the little fireworks string from the little girl's hands.

"Alice, where did you get this?" Frasier asked, clearly impressed with the unexpected stroke of luck they now had been given.

"That nice man Henri gave it to me a couple days ago. He said that children need to be able to entertain themselves, and he thought we could use it." Alice explained as Frasier dug into his pockets in an attempt to find something to light the fuse.

"Here, this was in the glove compartment. See if it works." Johann suggested as he pulled out a small plastic lighter from his pocket.

Frasier sighed in relief as he started pushing the button for sparking the flint on the lighter. One push; nothing. Second push; only a faint spark. Third push, a small flame flickered to life. Wasting no time, Frasier quickly brought the flame to the fuse, and it immediately started to burn away, multiple tiny sparks raining down onto the ground.

"Let's hope this works." Frasier commented as he brought his arm back and threw the fireworks as far away from their position as he could. The smoking string of firecrackers landed amidst the packed mob of undead, and within seconds, the expected cacophony of pops and whistles began to sound.

In an instant, the multiple zombies nearly deafening wall of moans, shrieks and growls suddenly came to a dead silence, and almost all at once, they turned to the source of all the noise. Their ravenous moans reduced to the standard empty groans from the depths of their throats as they all began to shamble as one towards the igniting fireworks. Within a few minutes, a safe path revealed itself straight to the hotel as the mob thinned out.

"Alright, now's our chance. Come on." Frasier whispered in case any of Them were to hear him. With a unanimous nod, the three carefully climbed down from the bus onto the pavement and quickly began to run as quietly as they could whilst weaving between a few straggling infected. Thankfully none of them were the ones that could see.

Once the three of them had gotten into the hotel lobby, Frasier made sure to shut the door as quietly as he could, lest any wandering undead were to wander into the lobby and make their escape that much more difficult.

"Alright, now all we gotta do is find Brian and then get the hell out of here and back to the others." Frasier instructed, clearly confident in his plan.

"Frasier, it's been a few minutes since we last heard those gunshots. You don't think it's possible that…" Johann began to question when the sound of three more gunshots rang out from above them.

"It's Brian! Come on, we gotta help him!" Alice exclaimed, taking off running for the nearest stairs excitedly, forcing Frasier and Johann to chase after her.

"Alice, wait! We don't know how many of Them could still be in here!" Frasier called after her as she entered a stairwell, running up the stairs two or three steps at a time.

As Frasier and Johann continued to pursue Alice up flight after flight of stairs, another two gunshots suddenly rang out, this time much louder than before. The three of them all knew this meant Brian was that much closer.

"This way, guys! Brian's gotta be in here!" Alice announced as she pushed the steel door to the fifth floor open, immediately running down the hall as Frasier and Johann hurried after her. With a burst of adrenaline, Frasier reached out and grabbed Alice by the back of her collar, pulling the little girl back to him as hard as he could.

"Dammit Alice, don't run off like that! We don't know how many of Them could still be in here! What would you have done if you had run into a whole group of them blocking this hallway, huh?!" Frasier scolded her.

As was to be expected, Alice's previously ecstatic demeanor quickly sank into one of fear and sadness as Frasier yelled at her.

"I'm s-sorry, Frasier…b-but Brian needs us. I-I just wanted to help." Alice stuttered in between tears. Frasier's anger quickly dissolved into an understanding calm as he lightly tussled her red hair with his fingers.

"I understand, Alice. I'm sorry I yelled at you. I just get worried when you run off. I understand what you were trying to do." Frasier replied in a much more soothing tone as he and Alice got back onto their feet.

"So how do we know if Brian is here?" Johann asked curiously as he and Frasier looked down both ends of the hall they now stood in. The whole hallway was deathly silent, and even more empty.

"I guess there's only one way we can find out. HEY! BRIAN, IT'S FRASIER, JOHANN AND ALICE! IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, SHOUT BACK AND TELL US WHERE YOU ARE!" Frasier called out into the length of the empty hall, hoping deep down he'd get an answer right away. He really did not like advertising their presence in a place that was no doubt crawling with Them.

"Frasier…I'm over here!" Brian's voice suddenly called out, echoing down the length of the hallway.

"BRIAN!" Alice exclaimed as she immediately took off running in the direction Brian's voice had come from.

"Just keep talking, Brian. We'll find you!" Frasier called out as he and Johann quickly followed after Alice.

"Alright…is Alice okay?" Brian asked as Frasier could tell they were getting closer.

"I'm okay, Brian. Frasier and Johann rescued me." Alice replied as she stopped at an open door that had a dead infected lying in the doorway with a bullet hole between its eyes.

As Frasier and Johann caught up with Alice, they looked inside to see a remarkable sight. At the other end of this hotel room, there was Brian tangled in the sheets of what must've been some collapsed curtains. There were eight or nine dead infected crumpled all over the floor between them and Brian, all of them with either bullet holes in their foreheads, or huge exit wounds out the backs of their skulls. Frasier could see that Brian was carrying his Glock in both his hands, and the slide was pulled back, which meant he was out of ammo.

"Brian! You're okay!" Alice cheered as she started carefully stepping past all the bodies towards Brian.

"Hey, Alice. I'm glad you're not hurt." Brian replied as he smiled at the young girl coming towards him while Frasier and Johann smiled at their little reunion.

"Did you kill all these things by yourself?" Johann asked, clearly amazed at what the young boy had managed to accomplish on his own.

"Yeah. I just did like you said. I just aimed for the head." Brian replied, clearly more than a little proud of himself, especially with the praise his shooting teacher had inadvertently given him.

"Well, the important thing is that you're safe. Now we gotta get going before the infected start congesting the square outside again." Frasier explained just as Alice finally reached Brian, flinging her arms around him tight.

The instant Alice hugged him though, Brian suddenly let out a horrible scream of pain, causing the little girl to reel back from the unexpected reaction.

"Brian, what's wrong?" Alice asked confusedly. The sound of Brian's scream had spurred Frasier and Johann to practically jump over the bodies on the floor to get to him.

Once Frasier and Johann reached the two kids, Frasier wasted no time to get the curtain sheets off of Brian so he could see what was wrong. Once he'd thrown the sheets aside, he looked to see that suddenly his hands were red with blood. It wasn't thick and oily like the blood of the infected. It was still a brilliant red, and it was still warm.

"I'm sorry, Frasier." Brian suddenly said, causing Frasier to snap his attention towards the young boy.

"Brian, what the hell happened? Did one of those bastards from earlier shoot you?!" Frasier asked, his voice slowly starting to rise in volume and panic. Johann could see Alice was already starting to tremble at what was suddenly happening.

"Brian…?" Alice asked, her voice shaking as her eyes started to well up with tears.

Frasier noticed Brian's clothes were already completely red with blood. Gritting his teeth in frustration, he quickly extended one blade from his gauntlet and used it to slice Brian's shirt so that he could get a better look. What he saw made his entire body go completely numb.

There was a set of teeth marks on Brian's side, bleeding profusely all over him.

**{****Sigur Rós** **– ****Dauðalogn} [A/N: I SERIOUSLY recommend you listen to this song over the following scene.]**

"Oh no…" Frasier muttered quietly to himself as he felt himself lose all the strength in his legs, his whole body nearly having the life sucked out of him from the sight he'd just seen.

When he saw Frasier's reaction, Johann couldn't help but kneel down to get a look for himself. When he saw the bite, he felt his whole body go cold. This couldn't be happening. There's no way it could've been happening, not to someone like Brian.

"W-what's wrong? What's wrong with Brian?" Alice asked, clearly frightened by Frasier and Johann's reactions. Why wasn't Brian saying anything? Why was he apologizing?

"I'm sorry, you guys. You told me to be careful…and I guess I wasn't." Brian apologized before suddenly hacking up, covering his mouth as he started coughing violently. Once he brought his hand from his mouth, he saw there were spots of blood on his hand. Unfortunately, Alice saw this too.

"W-why is there blood? Brian, why…why is there so much blood?" Alice asked, tears beginning to run down her face as he kneeled down to Brian so she could look him in the eyes.

"Alice…I-I'm sorry…" Brian replied, his voice growing steadily weaker as he started another violent coughing fit, groaning in pain as a trickle of blood began to run down his mouth.

"Brian, stop saying that! Why are you apologizing? Why is there blood? What happened?" Alice asked, this time nearly in hysterics. Brian was acting just like her papa did on that night when he died. She could even see the dying image of her father as she looked upon Brian, and it only made her concern and her fear that much worse.

"Frasier, Johann, w-what's wrong with him? Why is Brian so sick?" Alice asked the two older boys as they both switched from looking to Brian as he grew steadily more pale to the floor, both of them clearly at a loss of just what to do now.

"Oh Alice…I-I'm so sorry…B-Brian is…" Johann began, tears stinging as he tried to bring his arms around the little girl in a failed attempt to comfort her, but no matter how hard he tried to say it, he couldn't. All he could do was just collapse to the floor, trying his best to not break down.

"Brian's bitten, Alice." Frasier muttered, causing the little girl to look at him like he'd just said the most terrible thing you could ever say to someone else.

"What? No…no…please, no…Frasier, t-that's not true!" Alice pleaded, her eyes growing wider as she spoke, as the cruel weight of what Frasier had said became apparent to her.

"It is true, Alice…one of them got me when I was trying to run away." Brian confirmed, groaning in further pain as he slumped himself against the wall, clearly too weak to even try standing up.

"But…but that can't be, Brian! You're brave, you're smart, and you're strong! They can't have gotten you!" Alice cried as she collapsed on her knees, her face wet with tears, causing Brian to start crying himself with what strength he had left.

"I'm so sorry Alice…I wish it didn't happen…but it did…and we all know what's gonna happen next." Brian sobbed, forcing the three of them to slowly look up at him in momentary confusion.

"I know what happens…it happened when my mom got bitten. You get sick…then you die…and then you come back." Brian went on as Alice's expression slowly changed from sadness to terror.

"No…no, Brian, that's not gonna happen…y-you're different. You can't!" Alice pleaded, not even being able to will herself to try and reach out and comfort him.

"No…he's right, Alice." Frasier muttered with his face buried in his hands. He didn't want to accept this, he knew he would rather die than accept something like this happening, but the toughened leader inside him couldn't allow him to think that way.

"No…no, Frasier, no!" Alice begged, tugging on his sleeve in desperation for some kind of an answer that didn't involve what she feared was going to happen.

"Alice, there is no other way. We've all seen what happens." Johann explained as he crawled over and held the sobbing little girl close while Frasier slowly got back onto his feet.

"F-first…first my parents….and now, and now B-Brian?" Alice sobbed as she pulled away from Johann's grip and grabbed onto Brian, weakly shaking his shoulders to get him to say something.

"Brian, please…please don't be one of Them. Please don't become one of Them!" Alice cried out as Brian slowly shifted his paling eyes towards her.

"I'm trying, Alice. I really am, but it just hurts so much. I don't know if I can." Brian muttered weakly. Alice could only hang her head and continue sobbing, her shoulders shaking as Johann and Frasier looked down upon the horrible scene playing out before them.

"I…I don't want to be one." Brian sighed as Alice looked up at the young boy confusedly.

"W-what?" Alice asked, momentarily confused. Honestly, her mind was an absolute mess of thousands of emotions right now.

"I don't want…to become one of Them, Alice. Please…please don't let me…don't let me turn." Brian pleaded, tears running down his deathly pale face, sparking a whole new set of tears to start running down the face of the poor girl in front of him.

"No…d-don't talk like that, Brian! You'll be okay! You can come with us, a-and Miss Shizuka can help make you all better! Please, j-just get up…and we can take you back home with us!" Alice sobbed miserably.

"Alice…I'm sorry, but…there's nothing any of us can do." Frasier whispered with his head bowed down, causing the little girl to look back at him over her shoulder.

"How could you say that, Frasier? Brian's our friend, we can't just…kill him!" Alice protested, her eyes burning with sadness and anger towards him.

"Look at how weak he is, Alice? He wouldn't even be able to stand up, I don't even know if he would be able to make the trip back." Johann explained in a desperate attempt to reason with her. When he tried to reach for her, Alice shut her eyes tight and angrily slapped his hands away, clinging onto Brian, crying out into his shoulder.

"Brian, I don't want you to die. I don't want you to go! You're my friend! I'll be all alone again without you! Please, Brian…please don't go…" Alice continued to sob as Brian barely managed to bring one arm up around her back, lazily lowering his head into her shoulder.

"You're my friend too, Alice. I don't want to go, but…I just feel so tired right now…I don't even hurt anymore…I-I just feel cold now." Brian whispered, causing Alice to raise her head from his shoulder and feebly put her hand to his forehead. His skin was nearly burning hot to the touch. It was like the worst fever anyone could've had. His skin was nearly white as a sheet now, his eyes were pale, and the areas around his eyes were growing dark.

Brian slowly raised his head up to look Alice in the eyes once more, and with the last of his strength, he managed to crack the tiniest of smiles.

"…I'm…so tired, Alice…p-promise me…promise me you won't let me…come back…" Brian muttered as Alice slowly got back onto her feet, never once breaking eye contact with him as she tried sniffing her tears away.

"…No, Brian, I…I…I-I promise…I promise, Brian." Alice stuttered between her rapid breaths, trying so hard to keep from falling apart in front of him again.

Frasier and Johann both looked to each other with shock, agony, and concern. Neither of them liked where this was going.

Before their eyes, Alice reached one hand into the pocket of her jacket and pulled out the Glock Frasier had given back to her. She held the gun in both hands, trembling uncontrollably as she slowly reached her thumb to turn off the safety.

As Alice looked upon her dying friend, it seemed as if even past his clouded eyes, he could tell what she was getting ready to do, and when he raised his head to look up at her once more, she could see him smiling at her, as if he was trying to express gratitude for her agreeing to do this.

"Hey…Johann…d-did I do good…against Them?" Brian asked as he barely turned his head towards Johann, who was visibly caught off guard that Brian was actually talking to him.

"Y-yeah…yeah, you did, Brian…you whooped every last one of Them." Johann muttered weakly as he tried to fight back the relentless tears welling in his eyes.

"F-Frasier…do you…think…I'll find my parents?" Brian asked under his breath as he then turned to Frasier, who was similarly surprised Brian could still talk to him as well.

Taking a deep breath, trying his hardest not to let his sadness show in his voice, lest it effect Brian in any way, Frasier looked down at the young boy with the most optimistic smile he could possibly bring himself to muster at that moment.

"Of course, Brian. I'll bet they're waiting for you right now." Frasier replied, his mind beginning to flash memories of the bodies of his mother and father as he spoke these words to the boy.

Brian looked visibly relieved as he let out another heavy sigh, his shoulders dropping as he couldn't even raise his head to look at Alice again. Instead, Brian could only shift his eyes up to look in her direction. Alice was still trembling, her eyes red with tears as she slowly pulled the hammer back on her pistol, clutching it tightly in both her tiny hands.

"Alice…" Brian muttered, barely even in a whisper now.

"Y-yeah?" Alice responded, never taking her eyes off of him.

"I…always thought…you were real…pretty…when you smiled…" Brian continued, each word coming out weaker than the last.

Alice couldn't even bring herself to say anything; she didn't even blush at all. Perhaps she always knew he felt this way.

"Please…keep…smiling, Alice." Brian went on before sighing heavily, the small amount of air he could keep breathing not even audible in the silence.

"I will." Alice whispered back as she slowly began to raise the gun, remembering what Johann and Khota had taught her about lining up the sights and keeping her hands steady. Now, her whole body wasn't even shaking at all.

"I'll miss you." Brian finally finished before his eyes slid closed for the very last time, his head dropping down, and the last bit of strength keeping him alive, vanished.

"Me too." Alice whispered back, blinking away the welling tears in her eyes as she tried to prepare herself for what she was about to do.

Frasier and Johann both looked to see the little girl slowly begin to put her finger on the trigger, beginning to squeeze ever so slightly.

Both of them knew this wasn't right. Who knew how it would affect poor Alice to do something like this. Exchanging sideways glances, Frasier and Johann both began to approach her as she stood completely still, never taking her gun off of Brian. Frasier began to open his mouth to speak to her.

"Alice…Alice you shouldn't…"

BLAM!

The gunshot rang through the air, almost deafening in its sheer power. Frasier and Johann both nearly jumped out of their skins when Alice suddenly pulled the trigger, but when they looked, they both knew that the horrible deed had been done. Alice lowered her arms, the pistol still clutched in her hands, the barrel smoking. There was now a dime-sized hole right above Brian's left eyebrow, and a splatter of dark crimson on the wall behind him.

As Johann and Frasier took it all in, the gun fell from Alice's hands, clattering on the floor. Both of them quickly approached the little girl as she kept staring straight ahead at Brian's now permanently dead body.

"Alice?" Frasier whispered into her ear as he looked into her eyes. Something wasn't right. Her eyes looked so distant, almost as if she'd completely left her own body like a hollow shell.

Frasier looked to Johann concernedly before taking a sharp breath between his teeth and lifting up Alice, carrying her in his arms. She didn't even look like she'd even acknowledged being moved when he looked at her.

Wiping the last of his tears from his face, Johann hesitantly picked up Alice's Glock and tucked it into his back pocket before rising up to meet Frasier's gaze.

"Come on, Johann…let's just get the fuck out of here." Frasier muttered weakly. With a single nod, the three of them began to make their way out the room, and back down the hall. The once bright, sunny afternoon sky had given way to a grim pallor of dark gray rain clouds hanging over the city. And almost as if to give the three weary survivors a well-deserved break from all the torment, all of the infected that had been infesting the streets had apparently wandered off, leaving their journey back to the metro relatively peaceful.

**{}**

**[My co-writer did most of the chapter. However, I want you all to know everything he writes goes by what I/we plan out ahead of time. So if you found Brian's death to be too much then don't give him any grief over it since all character deaths are an executive decision by me in the end. Also sorry for the long wait but we've both been having to deal with school and all the other fine things of being grown up. But I assure you the next chapter will be up by the end of next Sunday! Thank you for all your support!] **


	63. Act 25 Revolution of Life & Death Part 5

**Act 24 Révolution de la Vie et de la Mort (Revolutions of Life & Death) Part 5**

**Bondy, Paris, Île-de-France, France**

**Z-Day+181**

An hour later, the trio staggered and barely managed to reach the entrance of the station they could now call home. Awaiting their return outside the entrance to Bondy station was Marcus, Rei, and Riot.

"Brother!" Marcus called out with concern in his voice as he ran to their aide, the rest of the group not too far behind.

Frasier fell to one knee as he barely managed to keep Alice from falling off of his back. Johann was breathing heavily, his legs trembled from having to walk so far. Rei quickly dashed to him and put his arm along her back, helping him walk back to the tram awaiting them.

Riot picked up Alice, her face still stone cold, as it was when she pulled that trigger. He gently carried her to the tram as Marcus hoisted Frasier along the way.

"Frasier... Where is..." Marcus began to ask before Frasier covered his mouth.

"Shh... He's gone, Marcus." Frasier whispered, not wanting to bring that name up in front of Alice.

"Oh man... those soldiers got him?" Marcus questioned, trying to maintain a sense of manliness by not shedding a tear at the tragic news.

"Worse. They crashed and the kid managed to escape. The infected were everywhere but he made it into a hotel, made a last stand but was bitten by the time we arrived." Frasier said softly, feeling his entire body surging with pain from the hard landing when he caught Alice, not to mention being shot at the tip of the ear.

"Who put him down? Johann? Or you?" Marcus then asked as they sat away from everyone else.

"Neither..." Frasier replied hesitantly.

"You mean... Alice? How could you let her do such a thing?!" Marcus hissed, shocked at his elder brother's judgment.

"She was closer to him. I wanted to stop her, but something just wouldn't let me, as if trying to remind me that it was her decision to make in the end. Alice pulled that trigger and granted Brian his last wish." Frasier answered honestly, pondering his next move as the tram moved down the tunnels.

"Christ... I really was starting to like the little guy too..." Marcus mumbled to himself, looking out the window to see the lights they passed by.

Meanwhile, Rei, and Riot tended to Johann's bruises and cuts. Rei held his head close to hers, cradling it softly as she felt blessed he survived the ambush. However, tears fell from her eyes when Johann told her what had become of Brian.

Even Riot, the silent golem of the group, was in pain. A low, raspy sob could be heard from under his helmet as he tried to think of something else. All he could think of now was Yulia, how he could never let her die under his watch.

Minutes later, the tram slowed down and the doors opened up. Marcus and Johann helped Frasier walk as Riot continued to carry Alice.

Everyone was silent as they walked towards the house. A cold, chilling breeze swept by as the door slowly swung open.

Riot was the first inside. He slowly handed off Alice to Saya when she rushed towards him.

"Oh thank God you're okay, munchkin! I knew it was a mistake to bring you two along with us. I knew... wait... where's Brian?" Saya exclaimed, overjoyed before her voice became more concerned and timid.

Johann and Rei then walked inside. Vassilli and Rika rushed over to help, slowly easing Johann onto the nearest couch so he could recover.

Then Marcus and Frasier entered the silent home. Everyone then watched in silence as Marcus let Frasier go to close the door behind them. They all looked down realizing their worst fears had come true, they knew that this was all who had survived the ambush on the surface.

Before Saeko could even think of moving to Frasier's aide. Saya dashed forward and threw her fist at Frasier's face. A loud impact sound echoed through the room as Frasier didn't even flinch when Saya's fist connected with his cheek.

Saya's eyes glared with rage and sorrow. Her teeth grit as she tightened her hand into a fist, preparing to hit him again.

"I warned you! I told you the kids were not ready! Now one of them is dead, all because of you!" Saya roared out.

Frasier just stood there, taking in the venomous words as he continued to stand his ground. One part of him felt perhaps he deserved to be hit for allowing Brian's death. But another part of him only grew angrier as Saya's verbal onslaught continued, falling on practically deaf ears. Saeko began to walk forward to intervene but Rika held her arm out. It was clear that Saya needed to vent her anger out now rather then let it boil up inside of her.

"Are you even going to say anything? Fucking say something!" Saya cried out, angry tears streaming down her face as she then wrapped her hands around Frasier's neck, wanting to squeeze until he could feel as much pain as she did.

When his hair brushed back, revealing the tiny chunk of ear missing, Saya's eyes widened as her hands let go from the shock.

Everyone shuddered once they saw this themselves. Saeko's head began to throb as she saw him so badly injured.

"You think I'm not suffering too, Saya? Did you really believe that you were the only one who had good intentions for the children? You don't understand at all, Saya. I hate myself for letting this happen. Don't you ever, even for a second, dare think I feel otherwise. BUT IF WE DIDN'T PREPARE THEM, WE WOULD'VE LOST BOTH OFF THEM!" Frasier muttered under his breath before he suddenly roared out at Saya, causing her to stand down in terror.

Saeko then walked over to Frasier and tightly held him in her arms. He could feel small tears dripping onto his shoulder before a tight grip followed after. Saeko had squeezed a pressure point that knocked him out cold.

Everyone just watched as Frasier slowly slumped against the door. They then looked at Saeko with uncertainty. She cleared her eyes of tears and regained control.

"Don't just stand there. We have work to do. Shizuka patch him up to the best you can. Saya and Rei, you two take care of Alice. Khota and Rika check Johann over for any serious wounds. The rest of you make yourselves useful." Saeko ordered in a commanding voice.

Riot walked over and hoisted Frasier over his back when Yulia had told him what Saeko just said. He walked up the stairs and placed the unconscious leader down on a cot for Shizuka to begin her work on him.

Shizuka loomed over Frasier and began to wrap medical cloth around his bleeding ear after putting some disinfectant over it. Just barely managing to keep the ear from becoming infected. Tears ran down her cheeks as she thought about Brian's death and the heavily wounded student she used to casually flirt with in the past.

"I just hope you don't become enraged again, Frasier. Our group can't take any more losses. It just can't." Shizuka said to Frasier despite him being unconscious.

"I'm sure you did your best. Saya was just upset at Brian dying. That's all. She will calm down soon enough." Shizuka said reassuringly to herself if not him.

"Vassilli, do you think you could let me speak to Johann? Alone." Rei requested as she entered the room.

"Of course... but shouldn't you be tending to Alice? She looked really bad after what she just went through." Vassilli asked.

"Saya's taking care of it. Besides, you can only do so much when someone is stone cold and won't say anything. It's like she's just a husk of her former self." Rei explained in a gloomy tone.

"I see. If anyone asks, I'll be alerting Henri of the K.G.B. threat. Maybe he can have some guards do a door to door check or something." Vassilli instructed before he left Rei and Johann alone.

When Rei was sure no one was listening in, she locked the door and walked back to Johann.

"Is everything okay, Rei?" Johann asked as he sat up to look at the worried look on her face.

"Kinda. I need to tell you something very important, Johann." Rei said as she sat by his side.

"You can tell me anything." Johann replied with a warm smile. Giving Rei a slight boost of confidence that he would take the news maturely.

"You know how I've been vomiting lately?" Rei asked.

"Yes, is everything ok? You don't think it's an illness do you?" Johann replied.

"Well...not exactly. I talked to Shizuka about it while you guys got split from the group, and…Johann…I-I'm pregnant." Rei answered, being slightly hesitant at the end.

Johann was stricken with awe at the wonderful news. He then looked at Rei's stomach then back to her red eyes.

"You mean…we'll be...you're certain of this?" Johann questioned with excitement.

"Yes. I don't see any other explanation for it." Rei replied softly, almost as if there was a problem with it.

"You don't sound very excited about this. Isn't this what we wanted?" Johann then asked, picking up on her saddened tone.

"It's not like that. I'm happier than you could imagine that we're having a child! It's just... is it right? To bring new life into a dying world where we aren't even safe within the save havens we find? Kibou became corrupted, Hamburg betrayed us... how long until Bondy Station decides to turn on us?" Rei explained as she looked down at her feet.

"Don't worry, I'm confident that Frasier will be able to keep his word and get us all to England." Johann replied in attempt to calm Rei's nerves.

"That's another thing I wanted to talk about... I don't feel comfortable with him being in charge at the moment. We lost a child today, Johann. Not an adult but a little kid who couldn't protect himself. Frasier is good at protecting himself no doubt about that. But can he protect others?" Rei brought up, leaving Johann speechless.

"Please understand, Johann, I don't want you to turn your back on him for our sake. I still respect him, I harbor no ill will towards him, but right now, all I can think of is keeping our baby safe no matter what, and right now, I don't know if that's possible with Frasier being the leader. I'll leave you to recover. Please, just think about what I said, okay?" Rei requested as she stood up and bent over to kiss his cheek. She then left the room and left Johann to ponder if Frasier was really worthy of being the leader anymore.

Hours later, Saya could no longer get through to Alice. All she would do was remain silent and sit in the corner of her room at the moment. It pained Saya to see the innocent child so broken. A mere husk of what she used to be.

"Of all the stupid... idiotic... reckless..." Saya grumbled to herself as she sat at her desk, hard at work as she tried to repair a small mechanical assortment laid out in front of her that she'd secretly been holding onto for a very long time without any of the other's knowledge: Giru.

She would have to stop every few minutes to clean her glasses from the tears or to pace around the room while she tried to think of what she was doing wrong. It was maddening trying to put together something she had little concept of.

She then could hear someone standing under a doorway. Saya figured it was Khota on the way to help her relax. It wasn't going to be enough for her, not this time.

"Go away, Khota. I need to be alone." Saya explained, as she didn't even take her eyes off of the busted contraption in her hands.

The figure walked closer and stood behind her. Saya became impatient and turned around ready to scream her head off.

"I said I want to be-" Saya began before she stopped to see it was Marcus before her.

"What do you want? Going to mock my gender again?" Saya questioned in a humorless voice.

"No. I don't have any socks on me." Marcus replied with a slight smirk.

"So I see... Why don't you make yourself useful and fuck off. Last thing I need is a clown to interrupt my progress." Saya said with venom in her words.

"I deserved that... kinda. Trying to put Giru back together?" Marcus asked, trying to change the subject.

"Trying is a funny way of putting it." Saya mumbled as she slumped back in her chair and let out a depressed sigh.

"Did you try checking his power source?" Marcus questioned as he sat on his knees besides her.

"No. Damn thing gave me a zap when I tried to pull it out earlier. I'm more focused on Giru's CPU. I think the chip that gave him animation is busted or cracked. Without it the little guy can't really move those little arms and legs of his." Saya explained in a more approachable voice.

"Let me try and remove his power source." Marcus offered as he put some leather gloves on.

"What makes you think you can do any better?" Saya growled as if her intelligence was being put into question.

"Just a feeling." Marcus replied as he pinched a tiny battery shaped mechanism from Giru's body.

He gave it a gentle tug and it managed to pull it out smoothly. Saya then watched as Marcus set it aside to pull it apart.

"Aha! I think I found the problem!" Marcus announced as he pointed to the crack in the power source.

"Oh I see. This must've been damaged during the fight." Saya said in agreement as the two spent the last couple of hours working on repairing Giru.

"So why are you always making jokes? I never did understand that part about you." Saya asked Marcus as he twisted the screws on a side panel.

"You guys may see it as immaturity. But for me, it's my way of coping with the world. Everyday it's something bad... something going to hell. I got over it by smiling, by taking even the worst of something and making a joke of it.

Frasier handles it by killing, and hanging onto the sheer fact that he's the leader who has to remain strong for us all. Khota has his guns and you. Saeko handles it by killing as well as being by Frasier's side. Rika smokes and acts like a hard ass. Shizuka is all bubbly and flirtatious. Rei and Johann have each other for comfort. Alice uses the happiness of others to feel all is well." Marcus explained softly.

"What about me?" Saya then questioned as she raised an eyebrow.

"We've been getting along for the last few hours. I'd rather not go back to how we normally are... at least yet." Marcus responded.

"Oh come on. It can't be that bad." Saya said, urging Marcus to tell her his opinion of her. He let out a sigh and turned towards her.

"Well... personally I feel you're always reminding us of your intelligence because you want to remind us why you're useful to the group. As if you have this impression we would throw you out if we no longer had any use for you." Marcus answered with honesty and hesitation in his voice.

"And here I thought you knew nothing about me... Yeah, you're right though. After being put up to my father's ridiculous expectations I became angered that I was never enough to satisfy him. That no matter how well I did, no matter how far I excelled beyond everyone else, I would always have room for improvement in his eyes." Saya commented before she let out a sigh; her voice then becoming weak and sad over how her father treated her.

"Well, it's not like that matters anymore. All you can be concerned about now is surviving the apocalypse. Not getting an A on a science test." Marcus said in attempt to give Saya some relief.

"You make it sound so easy." Saya smirked as she watched Marcus getting up.

"For someone like you. It would be impossible to relax." Marcus teased as he stretched his back out.

"Very funny; so back to the old ways the next time we talk?" Saya asked as Marcus stood under the doorway.

"Wouldn't want it any other way." Marcus grinned before he left Saya to her work.

Several hours later, everyone in the group had drifted off to attend to their own matters. Frasier had soon regained consciousness, and with a new idea burning deep in his mind, he moved as one with a purpose.

"Frasier, what are you doing?" Saeko asked concernedly when she noticed her husband had regained consciousness and was making his way for the door.

"I need to speak to Vassilli. Where is he?" Frasier asked, not even glancing towards his wife as he reached for the handle to the door.

As he began to open it, Marcus suddenly slammed the door shut, his extended arm blocking Frasier's path.

"He went outside to the platform overlooking the commune. Said he wanted to keep an eye out for you-know-who. Why do you want to see him, Frasier?" Marcus asked, clearly suspicious of Frasier's unclear motives.

"There's a plan I've been thinking of I want to talk to him about." Frasier explained as he gently pushed Marcus aside and opened the door once more.

As he started to make a beeline towards the platform, Saeko and Marcus quickly followed after him.

"Frasier, what are you thinking? After what just happened today, you're already doing this? You're not planning on something reckless, are you?!" Saeko called after him as she and Marcus caught up to Frasier, who didn't even turn his head to acknowledge their presence.

"That depends. It all depends on what Vassilli thinks." Frasier muttered under his breath as they approached the stairwell leading up to the platform.

"Frasier, I know that look in your eyes. You're planning on an attack, aren't you? On those people from the inner city?" Marcus asked nervously as Frasier glanced towards his younger brother.

"That's right." Frasier replied bluntly as he started to climb up the stairs.

"Frasier, wait!" Saeko called to him, forcing him to stop in his tracks.

"Please, think about what you're doing. I understand your feelings right now, Frasier. I'm angry about what happened to Brian too. But you're hurt, you've only just regained consciousness, and already you're eager to charge into a battlefield blind with rage. Please, don't do this to me now. Just stop for a minute and just try to recollect yourself, think about what you're doing? At least wait until your injuries have had time to heal over." Saeko explained, Frasier slowly lowering his head in contemplation.

"…I'm sorry, Saeko. This time, I just can't do that. If you understand my feelings right now, then you should understand why this can't wait." Frasier replied, leaving Saeko and Marcus to themselves as he made the rest of the way up the stairs.

"Vassilli." Frasier announced as he walked over to talk to the lonesome soldier standing on the platform that towered over the main commune of Nouveau Bondy.

"What do you need? Shouldn't you be resting after what happened earlier?" Vassilli questioned with an eyebrow raised.

"We need to talk about Gerard." Frasier said, ignoring the second question entirely.

"You want to kill him and take revenge for the kid I presume?" Vassilli asked, already fully aware if the answer.

"You know as well as I do that this bastard needs to die. I thought you of all people would understand." Frasier replied.

"It's a foolish plan, English. As much as I would love to put an end to his reign of terror, I have a bigger concern at the moment." Vassilli stated in a firm tone.

"So that's it? We just accept the fact that Gerard killed one of our own? A child might I remind you." Frasier asked, reminding Vassilli of Brian's demise.

"Listen. I know you're pissed right now, but you need to see the big picture here. If I allow the K.G.B. agent to get past me while I'm away with you trying to kill Gerard, what will keep her from simply going to another power hungry man with bad intent?" Vassilli brought up.

"I guess I can't get over the fact that someone got close to us and killed one of our own. I'm the leader here and it's my fault when something goes wrong." Frasier began to explain, seeing that Vassilli's point was irrefutable.

"Don't worry about it. Go get some rest, English. I'll consider your offer when we take care of business with the rogue agent." Vassilli explained, giving Frasier some resolve at the end.

Frasier gave Vassilli a slight nod before he walked away, leaving the Spetsnaz officer alone once again to keep a vigilant eye out for the rogue agent who could be amongst the many crowds of Bondy.

Marcus and Saeko walked with Frasier when he returned to them.

"What'd he say?" Marcus asked as they passed through the busy markets.

"He'll consider it." Frasier replied they exited the crowds and entered a low populated row of houses.

"So now what will we do?" Saeko asked before they all could feel a cold barrel of a gun pressed against their backs.

"Don't move or make a peep." a Slavic male instructed as he the three began to tense up from the guns being pressed against their backs.

"What do we-" Marcus questioned before a cloth was held against their noses.

"Chloroform..." Frasier muttered as he inhaled the sweet smelling anesthetic. His mind and vision blurred as all three were knocked out cold. Now at the mercy of the three figures who carried them off to an unknown location.

Everything was dark for the three captives. Their faces itched as it was clear their captors placed a sack over their faces. Tiny holes barely poked through to give them a basic idea of the surrounding area.

"Frasier? Saeko?" Marcus questioned as he had hoped they had awakened by now.

"We're here. Can you breathe ok?" Frasier asked in a somewhat muffled voice with a sack over his face.

"Yeah. Damn thing is itchy though. So where are we?" Marcus asked, trying to shake the bag loose.

Before Saeko or Frasier could answer to that, a door handle could be heard rattling around. The door swung open as two figures entered the room.

"Почему эти парни так важно? Не Катя знаю, что это лучше, если мы не высовываться?" **[Pochemu eti parni tak vazhno? Ne Katya znayu, chto eto luchshe yesli my ne vysovyvat'sya?] (Why are these guys so important? Doesn't Katya know it's best if we keep a low profile?)**One of them questioned.

"Эти ребята должны быть реальными важно, если она принимает их живыми. Лучше всего мы не ставим под сомнение ее мотивы. Не хочу, чтобы в конечном итоге, как последний парень." **[Eti rebyata dolzhny byt' real'nymi vazhno, yesli ona prinimayet ikh zhivymi. Luchshe vsego my ne stavim pod somneniye yeye motivy. Ne khochu, chtoby v konechnom itoge, kak posledniy paren'.] (These guys must be real important if she's taking them alive. Best we don't question her motives. Don't want to end up like the last guy.)**The other voice commented before another figure walked in.

"Она приходит и хочет говорить с ними, в одиночку." **[Ona prikhodit i khochet govorit' s nimi, v odinochku.] (She's coming and wants to speak to them, alone.)**The third figure said, effectively causing both men to walk out of the room without another word being uttered.

"What are they saying?" Marcus asked before the door swung wide open only to close behind the one entering.

He immediately fell silent as a female figure was now in the room. All three watched as she paced back and forth like a predator stalking its next meal. Suddenly Marcus and Frasier felt the sacks pulled off of their heads to be face to face with a beautiful Russian woman.

Her hair was golden blonde underneath a red, decorated, headscarf. Skin as light as snow, with sapphire blue eyes that were hard to look away from.

"Oh it's true. My sons are still alive!" the woman said with cheer in her thickly accented voice.

"What?!" all three prisoners muttered at once.

"You've both grown up so much now. It's been far too long." the woman replied.

"Lady, not to be rude or anything, but who the hell are you?" Frasier questioned, nearly disgusted by the fact this woman claimed to be his mother.

"He didn't tell you about me? Not even once?" the woman asked in a somewhat hurt voice.

"Who?" Marcus asked, intrigued what she had to say.

"Your father, Captain Markle of the S.A.S." the woman replied confidently if not proudly.

"How did you... Hmm, alright, you know his name but what are ours?" Frasier asked to follow up on how much this mysterious woman knew.

"Frasier and Marcus. Where is the third one. Where's Noah?" the woman asked, noticing that only two of the three brothers were present.

"He... Didn't make it. Who are you?" Frasier answered regrettably before he asked yet another question.

"Katya Makarova, of the K.G.B." the woman answered proudly as she pulled up a stool and sat before the brothers.

"How did you know about our father? You guys didn't... You know?" Marcus then asked, being slightly awkward at the end.

"We met here in Paris funny enough. I was meant to kidnap him and extract any juicy data he could've had on him. But he proved to be quite the challenge for me. One thing led to another until we ended up tossing and turning over each other in a bed made for two. I'll spare you the details, boys." Katya reminisced before she stopped to retain some innocence in her so called sons.

Marcus then began to softly laugh to himself. Frasier and Katya both raised an eyebrow to this.

"You find this amusing? Explain yourself." Katya said, unsure why he was acting like this.

"Our father would never sleep with a non-Brit. He always made it crystal clear that we had to keep our genes within our race. So either he's a fucking hypocrite... or you're a terrible liar."

"Either way you aren't our mother. We don't share the same blood or genes. Hell... if you want to call me your son then you better have the scars on your womanhood to prove it!" Marcus explained, watching as all of his words seeped into her like knifes.

"As true as that may be... I can see it in both of you. You're merely the representation of what could've been mine... and not that two timing, double agent, S.I.S. whore-" Katya began to respond, at first becoming volatile and ready to explode in anger. However, she took a deep breath and managed to calm her nerves.

"So... maybe you are an Ex. of our father... but that doesn't explain how you knew us." Frasier replied, almost beginning to accept this woman's words.

"When you love someone enough, you will do anything to see them. I managed to hack into some public medical records and simply find you based off of your last name. It was risky but worth it when it gave me hope of us being together one day." Katya explained, clearly showing a compulsive obsession with the two brothers and their father.

"Sorry to be the one to break it to ya. But that can never happen." Frasier explained to Katya, breaking her off from the momentary trance she was in.

"What makes you say that?" Katya questioned.

"Because Captain Markle is dead." Frasier answered coldly.

"No... It can't be. The infected aren't in London thou-"

"Third day after the first outbreak. An EMP was launched and took out most of the power. His plane crashed and I was unlucky enough to find him and his entire squad either dead or infected. I spared him the transformation and ended his life on the spot." Frasier continued on, not stopping for even a moment to breathe out.

"And his wife?" Katya asked.

"She was there too... But he already made sure she wouldn't come back." Frasier replied in a more regretful tone.

"Hmph. At least it's not all bad news." Katya muttered before she just realized another person was in this room.

"Who is this one?" Katya asked. Pulling the sack off of Saeko's head before giving the brothers a chance to respond.

"Saeko Markle. Proud wife of Frasier Markle." Saeko replied with a grin on her face.

"You got married?! But why no ring?" Katya asked excitedly before noticing a key flaw.

"I don't need some over priced piece of metal and rock to tell everyone who I'm committed to. Besides I got her a pendant but that's not important." Frasier explained before deciding to steer away from mentioning anymore about him and Saeko.

"Like father, like son. You two just can't resist us Eastern girls. Am I right, Saeko?" Katya questioned.

Saeko however remained entirely silent. Despite the mutual similarity between them, Saeko knew this woman was still the enemy.

Before anything else could be said, gunshots could be heard. Katya spun around and ran outside the room to see what was going on.

"Юрий, какого черта там происходит?!" **[Yuri, kakogo cherta tam proiskhodit?!] (Yuri, what the hell is going on out there?!)**Katya demanded, wanting an immediate update on their situation.

"Это спецназ! Он нашел нас! Мы не можем бороться с ним здесь, а не с охранниками от модерна Бонди на его стороне. Мы должны отступить, прямо сейчас!" **[Eto Spetsnaz! On nashel nas! My ne mozhem borot'sya s nim zdes' a ne s okhrannikami ot moderna Bondy na yego storone. My dolzhny, pryamo seychas!] (It's the Spetsnaz! He's found us! We can't fight him here, not with the guards from Nouveau Bondy on his side. We must fall back, now!)**Yuri replied from underneath a balaclava as he tossed an empty magazine of ammo across the room.

"Черт. Я мог бы поклясться, что мы потеряли его на этот раз. Независимо от того, спешите и давайте захватить трамвай. Это будет только вопрос времени прежде, чем он доберется сюда." **[Chert. Ya mog by poklyast'sya, chto my poteryali yego na etot raz. Nezavisimo ot togo, speshite I davayte, zakhvatit' tramvay. Eto budet tol'ko vopros vremeny prezhde, chem. on doberetsya syuda.] (Damn. I could have sworn we had lost him this time. No matter, hurry up and let's grab a tram. It will only be a matter of time before he gets here.)**Katya ordered before grabbing her belongings.

"Как насчет трех в спину? Если он находит их, они могут стать проблемой для нас позже." **[Kak naschet trekh v spinu? Yesli on nakhodit ikh, oni mogut stat' problemoy dlya nas pozzhe.] (What about the three in the back? If he finds them, they could become a problem for us later.)**One of Katya's henchmen commented.

"Я пойду заботиться о них." **[Ya poydu zabotit'sya o nikh.]** **(I'll go take care of them.)**Yuri announced, drawing a pistol out before heading for the back room.

"Нет! Я буду заботиться о нем." **[Net! Ya budu zabotit'sya o nem.]** **(No! I'll take care of it.)**Katya shouted before she offered to do it in a more calm fashion.

Katya walked back to see all three chairs were empty and tipped over. The ropes all cut by multiple blades. She grinned to herself and knew that her "sons" were far more capable than she gave them credit for. She fired the pistol against the wall three times to make it sound like a convincing execution before returning to her men.

With no reason to stay, the K.G.B. team retreated and began sprinting through the market place. The people immediately began to disperse when they saw the guns being widely presented out in public.

"Продолжайте двигаться! Не останавливайся ни за что!" **[Prodolzhayte dvigat'sya! Ne ostanavlivaysya ni za chto!]** **(Keep moving! Don't stop for anything!)**Katya ordered before she stopped dead in her tracks.

Before her stood Vassilli, holding a smoking AK-47. Katya and Yuri both aimed their firearms at him. Ready to for a shoot out.

However, Vassilli did the unexpected and tossed the AK-47 aside. Drawing a tomahawk from his side, swaying it around in circles as if challenging them.

"Очень хорошо. Мы будем играть по вашим правилам." **[Ochen' khorosho. My budem igrat' po vashim pravilam.]** **(Very well. We'll play by your rules.)**Katya replied confidently as she motioned for the rest of her henchmen to go another route. Leaving Katya and Yuri alone with the lone Spetsnaz warrior.

Katya tossed her pistol up in the air to distract Vassilli. The moment his eyes shifted to the gun, Katya tossed a throwing knife towards his neck.

Vassilli however, anticipated this trick and tossed his tomahawk sideways. Both blades clashed and bounced off one another. Leaving both sides unarmed for the time being.

Vassilli then rolled forward and reached for his tomahawk. His hand only an inch away before he realized Katya was already standing above him with her boot raised up high. She brought it down only for Vassilli to grasp it with both hands and twist it around to throw her off balance.

Katya spun around and was on her back. She pushed herself back up with both hands to see Vassilli throw Yuri against some nearby crates. She smirked and knew that this would be a fight to remember, as it was now a battle between the infamous K.G.B. and the Spetsnaz elite.

Vassilli turned towards her and spared no time for rest. He rushed forward, kicking at her side only for his foot to be swatted aside. His fist then came from another angle. Katya held her forearm up to block it. She then went on the offensive by throwing a few blows Vassili's way.

Both continued to block, throw, and counter each others rapid blows until Katya managed to swat Vassili's right arm downward. He felt a sudden sharp pain in his neck as she chopped at his neck with her hand. His winced but easily shrugged it off with his intense threshold for pain.

Vassilli stepped forward when he threw a surprise punch. Katya was so caught off by it she had to step to the side and block with both hands. She then slipped down and elbowed him in the stomach. A slight grunt of pain escaped Vassili's lips as he managed to block Katya's follow up strike.

He then took a step back letting her stagger forward. Vassilli then moved forward to strike but Katya anticipated this. She turned her torso sideways, his fist barely missing her heart. Katya then used the torque she built up and backhanded Vassilli a few steps back.

Still trying to maintain a style of unpredictability, Vassilli quickly swung his leg at Katya's midsection. The nimble agent ducked down and bounced right back up. Swinging her leg around in retaliation.

Vassilli crossed both arms and took the hit directly, grinding to the fact that her blows and strikes could hardly even be considered painful to him.

They continued another round of throwing and blocking punches until Katya saw a flaw in his defense. Vassilli felt her foot sudden slam against his side. Katya grinned as his head looked down. However, Vassilli looked up at her with a smirk on his face.

In the fray of the hit, he managed to grasp both hands around her leg. Vassilli then pushed forward, toppling Katya onto her back. His knee pressed into her waist to keep her pinned down as he attempted to land a critical strike to her neck.

Katya now on the defensive, held both arms up and blocked each strike. Vassilli became impatient and popped up into the air. Katya barely moved her head over in time to avoid the punch. The concrete made a crackling noise as new lines formed in it, right where Vassilli had hit.

Katya then rolled her knees up to her chest. Like a spring she kicked forward into Vassilli's chest. Sending him off of her and back to his feet. She twirled her lower half around until she was standing before the slightly winded Russian.

"Усталый старик? Не говори мне, что ты уже сделано." **[Ustalyy starik? Ne govori mne, chto ty uzhe sdelano.]** **(Tired old man? Don't tell me you're done already.)**Katya teased as she began to circle around Vassilli.

"Я не позволю вам достичь этой башни, сука!" **[Ya ne pozvolyu vam dostich' etoy bashni, suka!]** **(I won't let you reach that tower, bitch!)**Vassilli replied aggressively before they clashed again.

Katya kicked with her left leg, Vassilli blocked with his right forearm. She then swung the right leg only to be deflected by his left palm. As she threw her left leg again at such a fast pace, he was forced to block with his thigh and forearm.

Katya then delivered an quick strike, hitting Vassilli with an uppercut to the jaw. She began to hit him side to side before he honed in on her pattern. His hand caught her fist tightly. Vassilli then spun around, using his momentum to slam Katya against the wall.

He kicked at her shin then attempted to come in with a hook punch. Katya say the incoming blow and grasped his wrist. She viciously twisted it aside and countered by slamming her fist into his jaw.

Vassilli's head turned along with the powerful strike. He licked the inside of his mouth to taste a taste that he hadn't felt in a long time: the taste of his own blood.

"Aaarrgh!" Vassilli roared out as he came back at Katya.

She moved her head side to side in time to dodge the onslaught. Each time his fist hit the wall, cracks and chips would be made. Katya knew she had to break his deadly streak now.

On the fourth punch, Katya ducked down and slammed both fists forward, causing Vassilli to snap out of his rage and a few steps back.

Katya pursued her opponent, hitting Vassilli with strikes and jabs across his mid-center. Vassilli could absorb most of the damage with no pain, but he also had a hard time landing a strike on Katya.

He allowed her to grow confident in her victory. Vassilli then surprised her by swatting her hands apart and hit her solar plexus with a powerful uppercut. Katya gasped for air as her spit came flying out from the sudden force applied. It felt like she had been hit with a brick or something.

Before Vassilli could land another debilitating blow, Katya clapped her hands together and stuck Vassilli with a spear like jab. The force she applied was enough to send him hurtling back.

She just stood over him and grinned.

"Это было бы не конкурс, если бы мы использовали огнестрельное оружие. Но до закрытия я превосходные здесь. Уходи, старик." **[Eto bylo by ne konkurs, yesli by my I spol'zovali ognestrel'noye oruzhiye. No do zakrytiya yaprevoskhodnyye zdes'. Ukhodi, starik.]** **(This would be no contest if we were using firearms. But up close I'm the superior one here. Walk away, old man.)**Katya warned as she picked up her knife and pointed it down to Vassilli.

"Этот старик все еще есть несколько хитростей." **[Etot starik vse yeshche yest' neskol'ko khitrostey.]** **(This old man still has a few tricks.)**Vassilli muttered under his breath as he suddenly swept his legs at hers. Katya leapt up and dodged it with ease.

However, while she was preoccupied with his legs, she didn't even notice him swiping the knife from her hand. Next thing Katya knew, Vassilli was back on his feet and managed to plant a firm kick; just powerful enough to send the agent crashing against some nearby crates.

Katya slumped against the boxes; breathing heavily as she looked up at Vassilli approached her.

"Я признаю. Ты второй жесткий сын сука бить меня." **[Ya priznayu. Ty vtoroy zhestkiy syn suka bit' menya.]** **(I'll admit. You're the second toughest son of a bitch to beat me.)**Katya chuckled as Vassilli pinned her to the box by throwing her own knife against her clothing. The steel blade pierced the cloth and entered the wooden crate she leaned against.

"Избавьте меня от вашей биографии." **[Izbav'te menya ot vashey biografii.]** **(Spare me your life story.)**Vassilli requested as he grabbed his tomahawk. Standing by, ready to end the threat to all of Russia here and now.

Before Vassilli could even raise his arm, Yuri suddenly tackled him and tried to wrestle the axe out of his hands. Vassilli was too skilled for him though and managed to pin Yuri to the ground.

"Покажите мне ваше лицо перед тем, как вырезать его как-" **[Pokazhite mne vashe litso pered tem, kak vyrezat' yego kak-]** **(Show me your face before I carve it like a-)**Vassilli demanded as he pulled the balaclava away. He suddenly paused and dropped the tomahawk to see a man he knew for many years. A comrade whom he fought side by side with during the wars they served.

"Юрий ... это не может быть ... Почему? Зачем вы это делаете? Почему бы вам предать Родину?!" **[Yuri…eto ne mozhet byt'…Pochemu? Zachem vy eto delayete? Pochemu by vam predat' Rodinu?!]** **(Yuri... it cant be... why? Why would you do this? Why would you betray the motherland?!)**Vassilli demanded as he gripped Yuri's collar.

"Василий Меньшиков? Это вы ... но то, что вы имеете в виду "предать"?" **[Vasiliy Men'shikov? Eto vy…no to, chto vy imeyete v vidu "predat'"?]** **(Vassilli Menshikov? It is you... but what do you mean 'betray'?)**Yuri asked, unsure why Vassilli would call him a traitor.

"Я знаю все о-" **[Ya znayu vse o-]** **(I know all about-)**Vassilli began to explain before a metallic *clang* could be heard from behind the Spetsnaz warrior.

Vassilli suddenly toppled over unconscious. Behind him stood a figure offering his hand to Yuri.

"Новый парень ... Это ты." **[Novyy paren'…Eto ty.]** **(New guy... It's you.)**Yuri commented as he was forced to his feet.

"Вы можете поблагодарить меня позже. Получить Катя и пойдем. Он не будет долго, прежде чем станция охранников догнать нас." **[Vy mozhete poblagodarit' menya pozzhe. Poluchit' Katya I poydem. On ne budet dolgo prezhde chem stantsiya okhrannikov dognat' nas.]** **(You can thank me later. Get Katya and let's go. It won't be long before the station guards catch up to us.)**a raspy voice warned, his words being distorted through the respirator attached to his mouth.

"Что с ним? Является ли он ... мертвый?" **[Chto s nim? Yavlyayetsya li on…mertvyy?]** **(What about him? Is he... dead?)**Yuri asked as he looked over to Vassilli's unconscious figure, just lying there on the dust-covered floor.

"Вряд ли. Я бы закончить его, но я уже было достаточно весело провести время с охранниками станции для того, чтобы означать что угодно." **[Vryad li. Ya by zakonchit' yego, no ya uzhe bylo dostatochno veselo provesti vremya s okhrannikami stantsii dlya togo, chtoby oznachat' chto ugodno.]** **(Unlikely. I'd finish him but I've already had enough fun with the station guards for it to mean anything.)**the voice replied, coughing when he finished his sentence.

Moments later when Katya regained her breath, all three sprinted towards the only tram left in Bondy Station. They all stopped when they saw that only one man was guarding it.

However, this man was armed with a massive riot shield and covered in fully plated Kevlar armor. It was clear he wasn't going to roll over for them.

Riot was all that stood in the way of the K.G.B. team now. He had his back to the tram door with the shield raised up. Yuri and Katya both raised their guns, trying to find a chink in his armor.

"Позвольте мне." **[Pozvol'te mne.]** **(Allow me.)**Announced the one who had knocked Vassilli unconscious moments ago, winding his arm back as if he was going to hit Riot head on.

***Crack***

Moments later, the tram slowly sped off as Frasier, Saeko, Khota, and Shizuka ran to the site to see a honorific sight before them. On the floor was the riot shield, the upper half completely shattered as if hit by an armor-piercing round the size of a fist.

Under it was Riot's motionless body. Blood trickled from his cracked helmet and onto the concrete platform.

"Oh man... Who or what could've done this?" Khota questioned, visible shaken by the carnage laid out before Them.

"Not sure. Let's see if he's still alive." Frasier suggested as he began to pull Riot's helmet off very slowly.

Despite Riot's helmet being cracked, his face didn't look very damaged. With the exception of blood smeared all over his face of course. Frasier took a moment to observe the damage then let out a deep sigh.

"Well?" Shizuka asked worriedly, hoping that no one else would have to die today, that at least something good could come of this.

"He's... gone. Whatever hit him managed to give him major hemorrhage. Clear signs of head trauma... Poor bloke didn't stand a chance against whatever they had packing." Frasier explained coldly, his voice unshaken or unchanged by what had happened here.

"How can you say that so nonchalantly?! A man just died! Another friend now dead." Shizuka questioned with a hurt yet confused voice.

"I witnessed a small boy in his prime executed by the small girl he had feelings for so he wouldn't become one of Them. Finding a man I barely knew in life, now dead, on the same day, isn't going to move me nearly as much." Frasier replied firmly.

"How can you be so heartless?" Shizuka questioned as she glared down at him; her eyes filled with pain and tears at this point.

Suddenly multiple footsteps could be heard as a crowd of survivors approached to investigate the scene. Amongst them was the last person who needed to see this. Yulia.

"Папа?" **[Papa?]** **(Papa?)**Yulia called out when she noticed the four survivors she had only known for a day, were sitting around Riot's motionless figure.

Yulia slowly stepped forward, tears slowly welling up in her eyes when she saw the pools of blood around him. Her body trembling all over the closer she got to him.

"Нет .. Нет, нет, папа!" **[Net…Net, net, papa!]** **(No... No Papa no!)**Yulia cried out in pain when she saw what she feared most. Frasier seamlessly slipped the helmet back on so Yulia wouldn't have to see the worst of it.

She ran to him and dropped to her knees. Throwing her small arms around his massive torso. Her tiny tears dropped and splashed against the kevlar padding.

"Папа! Папа, пожалуйста, вставай! Вы никогда не останусь, ты всегда вставать! Пожалуйста, не уходи ... Я не могу потерять тебя и маму!" **[Papa! Papa, pozhaluysta, vstavay! Vy nikogda ne ostanus', ty vsegda vstavaty! Pozhaluysta, ne ukhodi…Ya ne mogu poteryaty tebya I mamu!]** **(Papa! Papa, please get up! You never stay down; you always get up! Please don't go... I can't lose you and mama!)**Yulia shouted out for all to hear, her cries and pleas for hope caused everyone else to tear up as well.

Yulia then turned her head around to see some station guards walking towards her. She quickly reached for Riot's magnum and held it up at them. She now saw everyone in the crowd as scavengers; just waiting to prey on what valuables Riot may have on him.

"Вернись! Уходи от нас!" **[Vernis'! Ukhodi ot nas!]** **(Get back! Get away from us!)**Yulia cried out in Russian.

The station guards had no idea what she was saying, but with the gun in hand being waved around it wasn't hard to tell what the orphan was demanding. They slowly backed up with the rest of the crowds of people.

"Yulia." Frasier suddenly whispered in an understanding voice.

The girl quickly spun around and placed the barrel of the gun against his chest.

"I know what you're feeling right now. It's okay to be afraid and uncertain of how things will play out for you now." Frasier explained in a smooth voice.

"How? How can you possibly know what I'm feeling?!" Yulia demanded in an enraged voice, barely remembering to speak in English to him. Right now, she was outraged that Frasier was so calm and unmoved by the loss of something so important to her.

"You feel helpless and completely powerless to change anything; to see someone who you cared so much about now gone forever. You're angry that you didn't even get to say goodbye to them. All because you weren't strong enough." Frasier explained to her. Each word so cold and brutally calculating, almost as if he wasn't even human at this point.

"How did you...?" Yulia asked, questioning how he could've known exactly what she was feeling at the moment.

"Because I've had to watch both my parents die before me as well. You're not the only one. You're not alone." Frasier replied before asking her that.

Suddenly he wrapped his arms around Yulia before she could answer that. The sudden course of action caused the gun to slip out of her hands. Yulia immediately began to squirm and fight back.

"No! Let me go! Get away from me!" Yulia demanded as she tried to pry him off of her.

"Channel this pain and anger, Yulia. When you find the one who did this; when your time comes for retribution, you think of this moment and decide what is right." Frasier explained in a smooth, claiming, voice. Yulia slowly calmed down and gave him a nod of understanding.

She then began wiping the new tears off in her eyes with her dust covered sleeve.

"Come with us. I can help prepare you for that day, Yulia. The choice is up to you." Frasier said, letting her go but offered his hand out.

Yulia looked up at him and cautiously wrapped her hand around his. Frasier then wrapped his winter jacket around Yulia and picked her up with ease.

Saeko, Khota, and especially Shizuka looked at their leader in shock as he had actually shown an unknown side of himself to a complete stranger.

"I guess I spoke too soon." Shizuka whispered to Saeko and Khota as they walked back home, uncertain of what was going to happen next.

Hours later, both Alice and Yulia had finally managed to fall asleep. Their minds unable to stay awake after the hell they had endured earlier. The rest of the group sat around the fireplace, discussing what was to be their next move.

"Tomorrow we should bury them and have a small funeral. It's the least we can do for them." Johann suggested.

Everyone in the room gave nods of approval and had no objections to the idea.

"Who will get Brian's body?" Marcus then asked, breaking the momentary silence.

"I will." Frasier and Johann said at the same time before looking at one another.

"Frasier, you need to stay here and recover from your injuries. I'll take Vassilli and we will be back in no time." Johann explained, showing concern for Frasier's health.

"But only I know the exact route there. You were tied up for most of it." Frasier explained, knowing he was the only one who could do it.

"Then draw it out on a map. Vassilli and I can handle this. Trust me." Johann replied confidently, holding out one of the maps to Frasier.

"I..." Frasier tried to protest before looking at the rest of the group. All clearly had expressions and looks that supported Johann's claim.

"Very well. Just give me a moment to mark it down." Frasier said in a defeated sigh as he took the map and began to mark the way down.

"Where will we bury the bodies?" Rika questioned, looking over to Frasier for the answer.

"Here. I found a small church not too far from here." Frasier pointed out as he circled it on the map.

"What should we do after the funeral?" Shizuka asked the rest of the group as she stared into the furnace that kept them all warm.

"I say we just cut our losses and just try to head for the Channel. Stick to the original plan. We're clearly outmatched here." Saya suggested, clearly aware that this group stood no chance with their current state.

"And let that monster get away? Not a chance, Saya." Frasier protested. It was clear he wasn't willing to accept defeat just yet.

"But what can we do? That dictator has a personal army and an entire city under his rule." Rei questioned, showing her support for Saya.

"Haven't you guys been paying attention? That K.G.B. agent has nothing in her way now. All she has left to do now is infiltrate the city and find a way to Gerard himself. If that happens its basically how you westerners say: 'game over.'" Vassilli commented, reminding everyone of the impending doom.

"This isn't working. Lets try for a vote. Who thinks we should assault Gerard on his home turf?" Frasier asked, watching the hands go up.

Vassilli, Saeko, Marcus, and Rika all voted for Frasier's plan. While Rei, Saya, Shizuka, Johann, and Khota voted against it.

"Five against five. I can tell this is a really big choice we're talking about right now. In case any of you decide to change your minds later on, we'll discuss this again later. But for now, we wait until Vassilli and Johann recover Brian. Tonight we will burry our fallen group members, our family." Frasier announced before he walked out of the room, leaving the rest of the group to prepare themselves for the funeral.

Moments before Johann and Vassilli left the house to go retrieve Brian's remains, Frasier approached Johann to discuss something of importance.

"Oh, Frasier. What do you need?" Johann asked in an approachable tone.

"Some of the group has been talking for the last couple hours. So I hear rumor has it you and Rei plan on leaving the group for 'unknown' reasons." Frasier noted.

"Unfortunately yes. I feel it's best we go our own way for now, Frasier. I hope you can understand after the way things have been going." Johann said apologetically, making it clear that his decision was not made lightly.

"I understand where you're coming from, Johann, but there are some things you seriously need to take into consideration here." Frasier replied in a somewhat warning tone.

"What do you mean?" Johann questioned, unsure what Frasier was getting at.

"I'm talking about you, Rei, and your little miracle." Frasier replied, making his point crystal clear to Johann.

"What the...? How did you know?" Johann questioned, somewhat shocked that Frasier could've known so soon.

"It was pretty obvious, really. First of all, the two of you have no doubt been going at it every other night, not that I'm judging. Aside from that, there have also been Rei's recent vomiting episodes for the last couple days, despite not showing any signs of being sick. In the end, either you've been secretly buying condoms and Rei just ate something that went bad, or she's pregnant with your child. That's the only possible answer when you look at the facts." Frasier replied in a tactical voice, almost like a detective putting the pieces together from a mystery.

"It's true. Rei is pregnant...I'm sorry, Frasier, but what makes you think you could be able to protect us? After what happened to Riot and Brian...forgive me, but I just don't know if you're as capable as you once were anymore." Johann admitted before he attempted to explain his reasons.

"What makes me think I can protect you? Because given the current state of things, I don't think you would have much of a chance out there. Hamburg rejected you, and we don't even know if there are any other cities in Germany that would accept outsiders left. Paris has been completely picked clean, and who knows how the rest of the country is fairing? Granted it's always possible you could find some kind of safe haven, but let me ask you this: are you really willing to risk it in order to find out? Are you really willing to risk the lives of Rei and your unborn child for something that might not even exist anymore? I'm not trying to intimidate you into staying, Johann. That's the last thing I want to do. I understand your current dilemma, believe me, I do. Just know this: you can trust me to get us all into England safely. I give you my word I'll get us all to safety." Frasier explained without taking a moment to stop. Giving Johann his word at the end.

"I want to believe you, Frasier. I really do. But I just can't stop thinking to myself: What if Vassilli is right? What if the British slam the door in our faces? If that were to happen, how would we be able to survive with a newborn baby, when every cry it makes could bring the infected down on top of us?" Johann argued, trying to be realistic about how the British could react to them requesting entry.

"It's not going to come to that, Johann. You just worry about sticking with the rest of us. I'll worry about getting us into England. I promise you, my brother, this is the best decision. Not just for you, or for me, or for your new family. It will be the best decision for all of us." Frasier said in a charismatic voice. Giving Johann a spark of confidence in his abilities as the leader.

"All right... I'll stay. Just make sure you have a plan B if we can't get in." Johann suggested.

"Don't I always?" Frasier smirked before Vassilli entered the room.

"Lets go get our fallen comrade." Vassilli announced.

Roughly thirty minutes later, Vassilli and Johann had made it to their destination. With hardly any infected about, it made the journey far more safe for the two to be exploring the outskirts of Paris.

Vassilli got out of the jeep first and scanned the area. When he saw no signs of Them he motioned Johann to follow him.

"Johann, I know you voted against Frasier's plan but I think you should reconsider it." Vassilli suggested as the two walked down the eerie hallways of the hotel.

"I just feel like this will get us all killed. With Rei being pregnant, I need to consider whatever options will keep her and the baby the most safe. She's the world to me, Vassilli. If something were to happen to Rei, I'd never be able forgive myself for it." Johann replied, making it clear Rei was his only motive for not going.

"And what happens when Gerard has nuclear capabilities? Do you think she will be okay then? We don't need to kill all of his men and security force. We just need to kill him. Cut the head from the serpent and watch the rest of the body flail to death." Vassilli explained as they entered the floor Brian was found.

"When you put it that way... that actually makes a lot more sense." Johann replied, conflicted in his choice now.

"Understand, Johann, that I do not look down on you for choosing against fighting. You're doing what any man with something to lose would do. You're looking out for the ones you love in this world. I'm only saying that while it may be dangerous, it's an action that could keep everyone safe for a much longer period of time in the end." Vassilli explained as he and Johann came to a stop in front of a very familiar door.

They both remained quiet when Johann slowly opened the door to the room he dreaded so much. Brian and the infected corpses he shot were still here as they left them. Vassilli walked up to the dead child and quickly wrapped a tarp around Brian. He then hoisted the child up and began to head for the door.

"You coming?" Vassilli questioned when he noticed Johann was taking in the scene as if it was the first time he saw it.

"Yeah..." Johann replied distantly before he snapped back into reality. He jogged down the hall until he was at Vassilli's side once more.

"Do you hear that?" Vassilli whispered when they entered the lobby, hearing a rustling sound coming from outside.

Both peered out one of the boarded up windows to see multiple infected lingering about outside. One stood out from the rest though. It had puffy red eyes with pus leaking from them; it's hands scratching and clawing at the hood of the jeep, almost as if it was searching for something.

"What is that one doing?" Johann whispered as he pointed to it.

"Ah shit, we've got a Squealer." Vassilli cursed under his breath when he spotted it.

"A what?" Johann questioned, unsure what his comrade meant by that.

"It's the next step on the evolution chain for these…zombies. The ones from the outbreaks can only hear you. But these new ones are able to sense heat with those sacks on their eyes." Vassilli lectured, teaching Johann about the new breed of infected.

"Two questions. One: If they can only see heat, then why do they attack us? Second: Why do you call them squealers?" Johann asked.

"Because we are warm blooded so our bodies give off heat. If they notice something around our heat levels they give off a horrid, ear piercing, screech that will alert any infected nearby. Anything below it and they will investigate it, I.E. the engine in our jeep. Then if there is anything that could be too hot such as fire, then they let out a low growl to warn the nearby infected." Vassilli answered.

They both then felt their hearts stop for a moment as one of Them passed by the window. It's figure limping along the perimeter of the structure. When it passed by, completely unaware of their presence, Vassilli and Johann took a deep breath and knew they had to find a way to sneak around to the jeep while hauling Brian's body with them.

"Any ideas?" Johann asked in a soft hush.

"Yeah, so crazy it just might work." Vassilli commented quietly.

"This is a crazy idea and you know it." Johann noted as him and Vassilli stood by the front door.

"Sometimes we have to be crazy to survive the new world. You ready?" Vassilli asked as he gripped the door handle tight.

"At this point I'm ready for anything." Johann replied as he held up the broken door they tore off its hinges moments ago.

Vassilli pushed the lobby doors wide open, giving Johann plenty of room to maneuver the unhinged door. Both hid behind the door, stepping sideways to keep the door facing the Squealer. Whenever the normal infected would pass by, Johann would make sure not to bump into any of Them.

The infected could be heard feasting on a fresh kill. All that could be made out to the two survivors was the sound of teeth ripping and gnawing into flesh and entrails. Despite how long they've survived, it never did get any easier for them.

"So once we kill that Squealer, be ready to jump right in. I didn't place a silence on my pistol." Vassilli explained as he balanced Brian on his shoulders.

Johann replied with a nod as they stood on the other side of the jeep. He just stood there holding the door up with both hands, the keys clenched between his teeth for quick access. Sweat began to form at his palms, making the door harder to hold up.

"Now!" Vassilli announced aloud.

Johann shoved the door aside and spat the keys into his right hand. Vassilli fired a single round that echoed throughout the local streets. The Squealer's head popped like a melon, it's brain matter splattering all over the windshield.

Johann threw the drivers door wide-open and assisted Vassilli in loading Brian's body onto the jeep. He then moved over to the passenger's seat as Vassilli took the wheel. Grey hands began to pound against the windows. Overgrown nails scratched at the paint job and made horrid screeching sounds.

The jeep reversed then made an evasive 180-degree turn. Vassilli ran over a few crowds of Them before he managed to leave them far behind their trail. Johann took a deep breath and held up a flashlight to the map he began unfolding onto his lap.

"How long do you think it will take us to get there?" Vassilli asked, as Johann looked over the markings Frasier left for him.

"A couple minutes at the rate your going." Johann commented as he began to settle his mind into what would come next.

Minutes later, the jeep slowed down before the church. Frasier approached the jeep and was handed Brian. The body felt stiff and heavy compared to how he was when Frasier carried him in life.

"Did you manage to convince Johann?" Frasier whispered to Vassilli as all three walked through the wrecked church.

"I believe so. Did you get through to Khota?" Vassilli asked in return.

"He's with us now. After the moment of silence we will tell the rest of the group we need to take a moment to say our goodbyes." Frasier explained; hating the fact he had to be deceitful to his own family.

"Very good. We end this tonight." Vassilli said with a burning passion in his voice.

**{Company of Heroes OST - Selfless Action}**

Everyone stood by the two dug out holes in the patch of grass that wasn't marked by a tombstone. They watched as Frasier carried Brian's corpse to the smaller of the two holes.

Tears streamed down their cheeks as they watched him gently set the child's remains into the dirt hole. Frasier could not even bare to hold back his sorrow for the child he could somewhat consider his brother now. He pulled himself out of the grave and immediately reached for a shovel.

Nobody said a thing as they stared at the two graves. It was almost as if Riot and Brian were still alive, merely being tucked underneath the dirt for their final rest. The sun vanished behind the horizon as the last patch of dirt was filled.

"Does anyone want to say anything?" Frasier asked as he stood there; shovel in hand.

"What needed to be said has already been said." Rika softly replied, the stone-cold sniper just as affected by this as everyone else.

"Let's just remain silent for the time being." Saeko suggested as she gently guided Frasier to stand with the rest of the group.

The air soon became cold to the point everyone's breath was visible. Alice then handed Yulia a small, purple, flower.

"What is this?" Yulia whispered.

"For your father. He died a hero, just like my daddy. I left him a flower to remember his bravery. Every time I see the type of flower I left, it reminds me of him. It may not seem like anything to you now, but one day you will understand." Alice explained, watching as Yulia grasped the flower lightly in her hands.

Yulia nodded in acknowledgement and walked forward. Slowly stepping towards Riot's gave, Yulia held her breath and kneeled down. She gently placed the flower under the wooden cross Khota and Shizuka helped make for him. The young orphan remained on her knees and watched as a figure overshadowed hers.

Vassilli stood over her and placed the cracked helmet on the top of the cross. He then leveled his eyes towards Yulia and gave her a slight nod of understanding. She smiled softly and stood back up, walking back to her new family. Something told her that this was the beginning of something special.

**{}**

"Lets go. Last thing we need is to be attacked in the middle of a graveyard." Saya suggested when the silence was over.

"Agreed. We can discuss our next move tomorrow morning." Rei said in acknowledgement.

"You guys go. We need a few moments. We'll be right behind you." Frasier replied in a low voice.

"This better not be a trick." Saya grumbled, feeling there was more than meets the eye.

"Everything's fine, Saya. We all just need a moment." Khota interjected to make it seem more convincing.

"Johann, will you be staying too?" Rei questioned.

Johann felt conflicted now. He looked back to Frasier then back to Rei. He didn't want to disappoint either of them but he knew which choice would be best in the long run.

"Y-yeah. Take the kids home and we can all have a debate on our next move." Johann replied, being slightly hesitant at first.

"Well... Okay. Just make sure to hurry up though, it's getting cold out." Rei instructed, rubbing her arms for warmth as she walked away.

The group staying watched as Shizuka, Saya, Rei, Yulia, and Alice all walked away towards the jeep, driving off into the night. Johann and Khota let out a sigh of relief, knowing they were what sold it off perfectly.

"She's going to be so mad." they both groaned at the same time.

"Never mind that. We have bigger priorities at hand. Follow me." Frasier ordered as he motioned the group to follow him to the jeep Vassilli and Johann used earlier.

Roughly twenty minutes later, the jeep stopped a couple hundred meters from what appeared to be a massive trench. Nearby houses on the other side had fires that illuminated the nearby area around them.

"Amazing. Instead of walls they use a massive trench! Then again I shouldn't be surprised, back in World War 1 the French had miles of trenches dug out." Khota noted, clearly impressed by Gerard's ingenuity.

"But wouldn't a trench eventually be filled up to the point the infected could just walk over it?" Rika questioned, pointing out a key flaw.

"Not exactly. Look more closely at the buildings on the other side of the trench." Frasier explained, pointing at the fires lit along the outskirts of the inner city.

"The fire? What about it?" Rika questioned.

"That new breed of infected we encountered has infrared vision. They are basically able to warn and direct the normal infected we've come to know and hate. Anything as hot as fire will cause the new breed to instruct the rest of the infected to stay away." Frasier replied, speaking in a way that almost implied he was impressed with Gerard's defensive strategy.

"When did you learn about the Squealers?" Vassilli questioned.

"Alexia told me about them." Frasier replied as they began to search for the easiest way over.

"Who's Alexia?" Saeko asked in a somewhat defensive if not jealous tone.

"Just another survivor Marcus and I encountered the other day. Now if you guys are done with the questions lets find a way in the inner city." Frasier answered in a grumble, trying not to give their position away by constant chatter.

Johann stood at the edge of the trench and looked down. He gulped just from imagining what could be lurking down there. Frasier then walked over to see that it was possible to jump the trench.

"Ok guys, one at a time." Frasier whispered.

"You can't be serious..." Khota groaned, knowing that him making it over in one go would be a challenge itself.

"Hmm, you might not make it. Vassilli, help me out over here." Frasier ordered as he held Khota's right arm.

Vassilli saw what Frasier was planning and grabbed Khota's left arm. Khota realized this was the best way and decided to make it easier on them by tucking up.

"One... Two... Three!" Frasier and Vassilli whispered to one another, tossing Khota clean over the gap. Watching as the gun lover rolled for a bit until he stopped on his own terms.

The rest of the group took turns, watching as one by one they crossed the border. With nothing else to get in their way, they carefully walked towards the more illuminated part of the town.

"Anyone else notice how the further we go, the nicer this place looks?" Rika asked, wondering if anyone else had picked up on this as well.

"Gerard must have set up a class system. The closer you are to him, the nicer your life will be." Vassilli replied as they entered a nearby garden. Carefully brushing by the plants that showed clear signs that someone was taking care of them.

Suddenly someone walked outside the house this garden clearly was a part of with a flashlight. The group quickly yet quietly moved into the garden to blend in with their environment.

"Bonjour? Quelqu'un est-il là-bas? C'est bien couvre-feu." **(Hello? Is somebody out there? It's well past curfew.)**a middle aged man announced, showing no signs of hostility in his voice as he walked about the garden.

Vassilli gripped his knife but then realized this man wasn't an enemy. He gently sheathed it and stood by with the rest of the group to wait the man out. Eventually the middle aged man gave up and returned to his home, feeling somewhat relieved he was just hearing things.

"Man, too close. We better pick up the pace." Marcus suggested as they vaulted over the wooden fence to the garden.

Soon the group entered to see a nearby park. Streetlights were on and people could be seen walking about to enjoy the night. There was even a cafe open with people going in and out of it.

"I don't get it... That man said there was a curfew in effect. Why are these people out and about?" Frasier questioned aloud for anyone to answer.

"Because we're now in the more wealthy district. They appear to be aloud to do whatever they please." Saeko answered as she then noticed a group of Gerard's men patrolling the streets.

"Marcus, hand me a smoke grenade." Saeko requested.

"Why? Got something you wish to share?" Marcus questioned as he obeyed the groups second in command.

"If we throw this in the opposite direction we need to go in. The towns soldiers will want to check here and not where Gerard will be." Saeko explained, already pulling the safety pin out before anyone could agree or disagree with her tactics.

She tossed the canister towards the cafe and smirked as the people who witnessed the smoke grenade go off all jumped out of their skins. The patrolling troopers ran towards the smoke to check out the developing situation.

The group then began to sprint through empty alleyways. Avoiding any guards who were running the opposite direction to investigate the diversion. Just as everything seemed to be going well, the group stood before Gerard's tower.

They took a moment to realize that the entire complex was not going to go down without a fight. However, they came prepared for close quarters fighting and were already out for blood.

"This is it. This is where we put an end to the bloody dictator once and for all!" Frasier growled in a soft hush.

*pft*

"Ugh... What the hell?" Saeko groaned as she felt something hit her neck.

"Saeko?" Frasier asked before he watched her slowly collapse before the group. Frasier immediately knelt down and caught her before she hit the ground. He checked her vitals only to spot a small dart in the back of her neck.

"Oh no... Ambush! Guys we've been-" Frasier shouted out before headlights suddenly turned on, blinding the group as more darts could be heard whizzing by.

"Take cover!" Vassilli ordered as him and Rika bolted for cover. Johann and Khota both felt their bodies go numb before they could even move a muscle.

"Shit. I guess it's just us now." Marcus said to Frasier as they both stood their ground, unable to leave their family out in the open so exposed.

"That bastard knew we would be coming. This is all my fault." Frasier muttered under his breath as they returned fire, managing to pick off a few figures shooting from a nearby balcony.

Suddenly an entire row of windows from the house behind Vassilli and Rika opened up. A volley of darts hit them in the back, leaving only Marcus and Frasier to deal with the ambush, alone.

"Brother, get out while you still can. Tell the rest of the group what happened and get them out of Paris." Frasier ordered as he pulled out a few darts that managed to get through his clothing.

"You know I won't leave you here to die." Marcus replied, throwing a smoke grenade at their feet to give them cover to drag their fallen group members somewhere safe.

"That's just it, Marcus. They're using tranquilizer darts. Gerard wants us alive. He planned this out and anticipated my every move. I don't know what shit he will do to us, just do as I say and run. I'll hold them off for as long as I can." Frasier ordered before he kneeled down to pull the darts out of Saeko, Khota, and Johann.

Frasier then rolled forward and fired three bursts into a group of soldiers. Darts continued fly by him and Marcus who refused to run away from a fight.

"Brother, look out!" Marcus shouted when he pushed Frasier aside.

Frasier turned his head back to see Marcus' body become pelted by darts. The younger brother fell to his knees in defeat, slowly slumping over as the tranquilizers caused him to drift into slumber. The older brother then looked forward, everything moving in slow motion again as he the one who shot Marcus was walking towards the group, still firing his dart gun at those who have yet to fall.

To Frasier it looked like Takashi in one of Gerard's uniforms. The mere sight of seeing him still alive after what happened in Hamburg pushed Frasier beyond his breaking point.

"T-Takashi?... TAKASHI!" Frasier muttered before he roared out, causing both sides to stall for a moment as he rushed towards the now petrified soldier.

The man panicked and began firing his entire clip of darts into Frasier's torso. Frasier however would just grab a handful of darts and toss them aside like they were nothing. His heart raced as he drew closer and closer to his prey. When the soldier was only a leaping distance away, Frasier clenched both fists.

*wa-ching* *wa-ching*

"Argh-" the soldier tried to cry out as six steel blades punctured both lungs.

Frasier then pulled the claws out and began to swipe back and forth at the man's face. The first few swipes just sliced through the flesh and bones. But soon the blades began to swipe out the back of the man's skull and into the ground.

"You traitor! We trusted you, gave you everything! You tried to kill Marcus, you tried to kill me, you tried to take Saeko!" Frasier cried out in agony and fury as he began to stab into the soldier's torso.

*pft* *pft* *pft* *pft* *pft*

Multiple darts sank into Frasier's back, he slowly slumped over and collapsed besides the man he slaughtered. His vision and senses blurred with all the tranquilizers placed into him. All he could see were multiple boots heading for him and his group before his eyes shut entirely.

"Emmenez-les dans mon bureau. Il est temps que j'ai eu une petite discussion avec nos invités surprise." **(Take them to my office. It's time I had a little talk with our surprise guests.)** an elderly voice instructed.


	64. Act 25 Revolution of Life & Death Part 6

**Act 25 Révolution de la Vie et de la Mort (Revolution of Life and Death) Part 6**

**Élysée Palace, Nouveau Paris, Île-de-France, France**

**Z-Day+182**

The throbbing in Frasier's head as he slowly regained consciousness felt like hell. He felt like he'd drunk several bottles of bad liquor and was going through the mother of all hangovers. Thankfully, the pain quickly began to diminish as he slowly opened his eyes. The light briefly hurt as his head continued to clear, no longer swimming in unconsciousness. As his vision slowly cleared, he slowly raised his head to try taking in his surroundings.

It was a surprising change of scenery. He was no longer in the abandoned streets of Paris, but was actually in a lavish, actually rather comfortable office room, like something a president or Prime Minister would have.

"Frasier, hey, are you okay? Brother, you feeling alright?" he could hear Marcus ask him, albeit his voice sounding rather distant due to his head still slightly spinning.

"I…I'm okay, Marcus…I just feel kinda lightheaded right now. What…what happened?" Frasier muttered as he started violently shaking his head in an attempt to erase the nausea from his mind.

"We got ambushed, man. Those guys were just waiting for us, like you said before I got taken down." Marcus explained. The sudden reminder of what had happened snapped Frasier to full attention as he started looking all around him.

On both sides of him were Marcus, Vassilli, Johann, Khota, Rika and Saeko. When Frasier tried to reach for them, he suddenly realized he couldn't move his arms. Looking up, he was shocked to see not only were his hands secured to the wall with iron wristlocks, but his gauntlets were gone as well.

"What the fuck…?" Frasier muttered to himself before the deep sound of a large wooden door creaking open caught everyone's attention.

A man looking to be in his late 60's dressed all in white with a black wooden cane slowly came into the room, his blue eyes instantly focused on all of Frasier's group as he slowly shut the door behind him.

Nobody said a word as the old man slowly made his way into the center of the room, soon turning his attention to an old stereo system sitting in a corner of the office.

The old man suddenly reached out and pressed a button, and soon a slowly building melody of strings and pianos began to play, floating through the entire office.

**[Ornella Vanoni- Quei Giorni Insieme A Te – Instrumental Version]**

The old man closed his eyes and sighed deeply as he began to approach his captives.

"Who are you, old man?" Frasier asked, although deep down he had a really good idea of just who this was.

"Brilliant composer, Ortolani. For an Italian, he had such a good grasp on balancing beauty in sound equally with horror in sight. A real brilliant mind, that one." The old man replied, as if completely ignoring Frasier's question, which only served to make the young Brit even angrier.

"Don't ignore me! Tell me who you are!" Frasier shouted before the old man suddenly tucked his hand into one of the pockets in his pants, and suddenly Frasier could feel painful electric shocks coursing through his body, his whole body going into spasms and burning from inside for only a few seconds before it stopped. All the strength in Frasier's body disappeared, his body dangling weakly as the old man continued to pace around the room.

"Gerard Gans, current ruler of Nouveau Paris, although I feel you all already knew that before you came here." The old man replied as he approached one of the many windows overlooking the cityscape outside.

As Frasier slowly tried to regain the strength in his body, Vassilli and Marcus both began struggling at their chains, Marcus grunting angrily as the shackles proved too strong to be broken from.

"You're wasting your time, strangers. It doesn't matter how strong you are, you'll never break free from those chains. And even then, I can just have you both shocked like your friend." Gerard called back to them, effectively causing the two to stop struggling.

"This conversation is no doubt going to last for a bit of time, so I'll try to be as sociable as I can. May I ask the names of my current company right now? I will not punish any of you for speaking, I want us to be on equal terms…at least, as much as possible, given the current circumstances." Gerard explained, using his walking stick to slowly motion towards all their restraints.

The rest of the group remained silent for several moments before Vassilli suddenly spat on the ground at Gerard's feet, just barely missing his shined leather shoes.

"Vassilli Menshikov. Spetsnaz." The Russian muttered with a smirk as Gerard merely glanced in his direction.

"I'll forgive you for that obscene gesture, Monsieur Menshikov. After all, it's only to be expected from a Russian." The old man replied, causing Vassilli to start struggling at his restraints once more in an attempt to attack him.

"Marcus Markle, of the UK." Marcus muttered under his breath, clearly more than a bit wary about provoking the old man into shocking him through his restraints.

"Johann Kessler." Johann replied, trying to avoid eye contact with the old man, who only smiled as he walked past the restrained German.

"I didn't realize there were any Germans left at this point. A pity, I could've sworn you would've torn into each other like a pack of rabid dogs by now." Gerard answered as he continued walking down the wall of prisoners.

"K-Khota Hirano." The gun-loving otaku nervously blurted out, clearly more than scared of the predicament he and everyone else had now gotten themselves into.

"Rika Minami, of the Self Defense Force." The tanned sniper announced defiantly, earning a wry laugh out of the old man.

"There's no need to be so aggressive, mademoiselle, I have no intention of torturing any of you. We are having a civilized conversation here." Gerard chuckled towards her, completely snuffing her dominant attitude within seconds.

"Saeko Busujima, and that's all you'll get from me." Saeko replied coldly once the old man had come to her.

"Hmm. I can tell you've got a real warrior's spirit in there, young lady. Surprising for one as young as you. However, it's to be expected if you've survived this world for this long." Gerard replied under his breath as he finally came to Frasier.

"Frasier Markle, of the UK." Frasier spoke in barely a whisper, resisting the urge to spit in the old man's face as he expected him to give him a name.

"Aah, so you are the two brothers I'd heard so much about." Gerard replied with an interested lift in his voice, momentarily earning a look of confusion out of all the prisoners.

"Five days ago, one of my men had told me of two English boys who had helped a bunch of Russian immigrants escape my men. I never would've guessed that the two of them would be here at this very moment…at least until I had found your little toys." Gerard explained, his mentioning of Frasier's gauntlets causing a new burst of anger to surge through his body, just waiting to be taken out on this old man.

"Don't even think of trying to get them back. As I said before, those shackles are unbreakable. And even if they weren't, I already had them destroyed. Such horrid weapons shouldn't be used by anyone, especially after what we all saw you do to poor Robert before we had you tranquilized." Gerard continued, his voice steadily lowering as his eyes focused squarely on Frasier.

"You reduced a man barely in his twenties into a headless carcass, like some kind of wild animal. Because of you, my men now have to tell his no doubt grieving family of his brutal demise, at the hands of one of you filthy British swine." Gerard spat, his friendly demeanor quickly breaking before he took another deep breath and gave out a soft sigh, returning to his previous attitude.

"What the hell do you want from us?" Frasier asked, clearly having no patience for all of Gerard's talk.

"Oh, believe me, I want nothing any of you have to offer to me. You killed a lot of my men over the last several days, and now I have you here to punish in any way I see fit." Gerard replied, smiling wickedly as he looked deep into Frasier's eyes, as if trying to burn right into his soul.

"Unfortunately, no amount of pain and suffering I could inflict on you British dogs would even come close to what you all did to me." Gerard muttered under his breath as he turned his back on Frasier, looking into the fireplace as the flames roared unperturbed by any of what was going on in the office right now.

"What the hell could someone like you know of pain and suffering? You've declared genocide on any foreigners in your city, and you have anyone not willing to bend to your rule cowering in underground shelters at the mercy of your soldiers and the infected! You're nothing but a monster!" Frasier spat angrily, forcing everyone else next to him to look at him in surprise that he would actually be this defiant despite having no means to fight or even defend himself right now.

For several moments, nobody said anything. This music continued to play until it finally came to a stop, leaving the entire office silent save for the occasional crackle coming from the fireplace.

Gerard soon slowly approached his desk and grabbed a framed picture off of it, holding it in his one free hand as he slowly approached Frasier, his head bowed down, examining the photo in his hand the whole time.

"What did you say to me, Frasier?" Gerard whispered, catching Frasier by surprise for a split second.

"I said you're nothing but a…" Frasier began before Gerard suddenly put a finger to his own mouth and quickly went _shh_, rendering Frasier silent.

"Not that. What was that first thing you said?" Gerard asked again, his hands barely shaking as his grip on the photo and his walking cane started to tighten.

"I said what the hell could someone like you know about pain and sufferin…?" Frasier started, before Gerard suddenly swung his cane, smashing it to splinters against Frasier's face, the old man's unexpected burst of strength actually sending a jolt of pain through his skull.

"FRASIER!" everyone else shouted in unison as Frasier hung his head low, half his face bleeding from the open bruise the sudden impact had left on his face. He slowly raised his head, only to be met by an unexpected fire of pure hatred burning in Gerard's eyes. This was unlike any kind of anger Frasier had ever seen in anyone before. In a way, it was actually…frightening.

"What do I know of pain and suffering? What… do I KNOW of PAIN and SUFFERING?! Where the HELL does an ENGLISHMAN get off asking me what I know of SUFFERING?! I know PLENTY about it NOW, thanks to all of you BRITISH BASTARDS!" Gerard shouted in an unexpectedly strong voice, causing everyone else to shrink back as Frasier took the blunt of Gerard's verbal onslaught.

"It's because of you…English swine…that Marion…" Gerard continued, his once furious shout now lowered to a nearly empty muttering as he lowered his head once more, the fury now replaced with what could only be taken as sadness.

Nobody could think of anything to say. Within a matter of seconds, they had just seen an old man beat their leader across the face with a cane, shout with incomparable anger, and then instantly defuse into a withered shell of his former self.

"Who is Marion?" Marcus suddenly asked, breaking the unbearable silence as Gerard barely glanced in the younger Markle brother's direction.

"My wife; the most beautiful, most wonderful woman in this entire world. But she's gone now…gone forever, all because of you British filth!" Gerard spat as he wiped his sleeve across his face to wipe away the oncoming tears. He quickly placed the picture back on the desk as he tried to regain his composure. It was clear to all of them that this subject carried some serious weight with him.

"W-what happened?" Johann suddenly asked as Gerard approached them all once again.

"I'll tell you, German, since unlike these British pigs, you have the kindness to actually care, I believe." Gerard replied, this time back to his regular calm self as he started to pace around the office, ready to tell them his entire story.

**{}**

"Back in the first days of this horrible outbreak, you would not believe the panic that devoured this entire city. It wasn't only the dead we had to worry about, but the looters and the psychopaths as well. A lot of us had heard that England had the situation under control, and so many of us fled Paris and headed for any ferries that would take us across the English Channel. Marion and I…we believed we were finally safe, that we'd escaped that nightmare. Unfortunately, we were wrong.

"Once we reached the English half of the Channel, we were greeted by the British Navy. They had set up a blockade around the country. At first, we believed it was so they could send teams onto any ferries to check for infections. But alas, that was far from the truth of their being there to greet us.

"The very first thing they told us, several thousand people looking for sanctuary from the undead plague, was that we had to turn around and go back to where we came from. Now, all of you should know this right now, if you had seen this city the way we had back in those early days, you would know why we couldn't go back to that. We just couldn't!

"When we didn't all turn around, the British didn't even give us a warning. Their ships…opened fire on us…they mowed down innocent men, women, and even children, just so they could protect their own worthless hides! The ship Marion and I were on was blown clean in half…and I blacked out.

"When I had regained consciousness, I was barely clinging onto a piece of debris, being carried by the current of the English Channel, back to France. Once I had reached shore, it didn't take long for me to realize…I was the only one who had survived…by some god-forsaken chance, I was the only survivor! And what I had found, floating in the water beside me…was this."

Gerard reached into the collar of his suits and pulled out what looked to be a small locket in the shape of a butterfly. His hands visibly shook as he held it out for everyone, especially Frasier and Marcus to see.

"Marion…always wore this locket…since the day we were married. She never took it off…and the fact, that this was all I found of her, told me all there was to know…that Marion, the woman who made this world seem just a little bit brighter, was gone, taken away from me…by you BRITISH SCUM! YOU ENGLISH PIECES OF SHIT!" Gerard roared out in fury as he dropped the locket and made a beeline towards Frasier, ready to plunge the splintered end of his broken cane right into his throat.

With a collective scream from everyone else, Gerard stopped himself, just as the first splinter was mere centimeters from Frasier's throat. He slowly pulled himself back as he picked up the locket from the floor and tucked it back into his suit.

"So now you know. Your countrymen took away the most wonderful thing that ever happened to me…all because they were too selfish to lend a helping hand to anyone else." Gerard muttered, pure venom in his words as he turned his back on Frasier.

"Okay…I can understand what you're feeling…but that still doesn't explain why you would do the same thing as the English, wiping out everyone of non-French origin. Why wouldn't you open your doors to everyone seeking shelter, proving you're better than the English?" Frasier asked, causing Gerard to stop in his tracks.

"You really want to know? Because resources aren't limitless here anymore unlike your precious England no doubt. We need to do what is necessary to make sure we don't starve, and if that requires us taking care of any outside influences, then so be it. That's not the only reason, though. I'm not foolish enough to think that anything lasts forever; but thankfully that also applies to the state of security your countrymen have set up for themselves. One day, something WILL happen to their secure little paradise, forcing them all to flee for safety. France is the closest country to theirs, so it's only natural that they will come flocking here.

"If they can brave the undead wasteland that is everything west of this city, then they will come clamoring here, begging for sanctuary, begging for safety, just as we did with them. They will cry out for us to save them, and we will look down upon them, and we will say 'no', and then…then they will finally know that they are reaping what they have sewn. I'm an old man, but I swear that I won't die until I see every Englishman suffer, as I have suffered, when they come looking for shelter, only to be forced back into the gaping maws of death they tried to escape from, losing all they have ever loved and cared for."

As Gerard finished, a lingering chill replaced the warmth in the office, almost as if Gerard's hatred had filled the entire office.

Everyone could feel chills go up their spines after hearing all of what Gerard had to say. It was shocking but, deep down; they could actually understand what he was saying. How could any of them really say they wouldn't feel the same way if they were in his position? Would Johann be any different if something happened to Rei? Would Khota if Saya were to perish? Deep down, even Frasier had to admit to himself, would he really be any different if something like what had happened to Gerard's wife were to happen to Saeko?

"So…why are you hanging onto all of us? Marcus and I, I hate to admit it, but I can understand; but why the rest of us? Why don't you just let the rest of my people go, and just do what you will with me?" Frasier suddenly asked, causing everyone else to look at him like he was insane.

"A very noble request, Frasier, but it won't do you any good, I'm afraid. I'm not holding you here to torture you. Most of you have proven to be rather large thorns in my side for the last several days, so now I have you here as punishment. As for the rest, I'm merely hanging onto them so that they can't go running to any of your other friends out there and try stirring up any more trouble." Gerard explained as he sat back in his leather chair, looking out the window as the first rays of dawn began to shine across the cityscape, signaling the beginning of a new day. The bright, vibrant orange, rays of light beamed through the windows in Gerard's office. It gave everything it touched an orange haze.

After several uncomfortable moments of silence, Gerard turned his chair to look upon his gathered prisoners.

"Besides, I don't so much want to cause you pain, as much as I want to see you break." Gerard suddenly said, causing a moment of confusion amongst all the prisoners.

"You see, I've always been an excellent judge of character. I've always been able to tell instantly about people. And I can tell that some of you have a real fighting spirit, something that makes you stronger than anyone else in the face of danger. Unfortunately, this cannot be said for all of you." Gerard explained as his eyes shifted from one prisoner to the next.

"So what do you plan on doing to us, old man? We can take anything you have to throw at us!" Marcus asked defiantly. He was clearly no longer afraid of getting a shock as a result of his disrespectful attitude.

"As I said before, this burning spirit clearly does not exist within all of you, and that goes for you as well…Marcus, was it?" Gerard replied, his words suddenly burning out the anger Marcus had. He was completely defused when told that he didn't have the same kind of strength that his elder brother clearly had in abundance.

"Most of you don't have anything to worry about. I only want to break the strongest out of all of you. I won't hurt the rest of you, so you can all rest easy." Gerard went on as he pressed a small red button on his desk, producing a barely audible buzzing sound.

Within seconds, three men in uniform came filing into the office, lining up in front of the prisoners.

"Le garçon blond britannique, le grand barbu russe, et la femme japonaise en noir."** (The blonde British boy, the large, bearded Russian, and the Japanese woman in black.) **Gerard suddenly commanded. In unison, the three guards suddenly plunged small syringes hidden in their closed hands into the necks of Frasier, Vassilli and Rika before they even had time to react.

Within seconds, all three of them fell unconscious once more. The guards unshackled the three prisoners and began to carry them away as Marcus, Saeko and Johann all struggled at their restraints in a foolish attempt to break free.

"YOU MOTHERFUCKERS! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU TAKING HIM?!" Marcus shouted furiously as the large wooden doors closed behind the guards.

"FRASIER!" Saeko yelled back to them before the doors shut, effectively sapping her strength as her husband was carried away helplessly.

"You all don't need to worry. They're just taking your three friends to a little…practice ground." Gerard explained with an amused chuckle as he grabbed a remote from his desk and pressed a button.

Two panels of the wooden wall across the room suddenly separated, revealing a large TV screen behind them. The screen turned on, revealing what looked to be a series of three makeshift fighting rings, almost like the kind Special Forces would use for combat training.

Frasier soon stirred back to consciousness to find himself lying flat on the warm dirt. Once his vision cleared, he could see that he was back outdoors, in what looked like some kind of training arena.

His head barely spinning anymore, he slowly got back onto his feet trying to get his bearings.

It looked to be out back behind some kind of abandoned office building in what used to be a parking lot. The arena was laid out with sand, and there was only one rack with what looked like blunt objects for weapons.

Looking to his side, he was surprised to see there were two identical arenas right next to his across the entire parking lot, and Vassilli and Rika were in each one.

Before any of them could try to speak to each other, a high pitched whine came from a large loudspeaker on top of a pole in the middle of the lot.

"Glad to see you're all up and feeling better, everyone. I do apologize for the rough treatment, but I highly doubt there would have been any other way to get you all to agree coming to this place." The voice of Gerard announced, earning angry grimaces from all three captives in the rings.

"What the hell is this place? What did you bring us here for? Where are the others?!" Frasier asked furiously towards the loudspeakers, earning a dry chuckle from them.

"Don't worry, Frasier. They're here in my office just as before, safe and sound. Right now, I think it should be yourselves you should be worrying about right now." Gerard replied, clearly amused by Frasier's explosive temper.

"What are you talking about?" Vassilli asked, but just as he said those words, the distant sounds of footsteps could be heard from up ahead, quickly approaching them.

"You see I picked the three of you to be brought to my little practice rings, because, as I said before, I can tell a great deal about people, and what I could see clearly from the three of you, is that you're the strongest warriors your little group has to offer; and if there is one thing I want to see right now, it's to see just how strong and confident the three of you really are." Gerard explained, just as two men and one woman came walking shoulder to shoulder towards the three. The trio soon separated and made their way into each respective ring.

"You want us to fight your soldiers? I'm insulted!" Vassilli replied with a wry smirk, only earning yet another amused laugh from the loudspeakers.

"Your overconfidence has already decided the outcome of this fight. It will be your undoing." Gerard finally finished as the three men suddenly got into a fighting stance.

"I'd like the three of you to meet my three most trusted bodyguards: Andre, Charlotte, and Michel. They may not look it from the outside, but I'll just spoil the surprise for you now, just so you know this isn't a game: the three of them are highly advanced androids that I've reprogrammed into soldiers." Gerard suddenly announced, the reveal that they were expected to fight machines in hand-to-hand combat suddenly sending a very brief chill of fear through all three captives.

"Monsieur Menshikov will be fighting Andre, Mademoiselle Minami will be fighting Charlotte, and Frasier will be fighting Michel. You are free to use any tactics you see fit to win this fight. Show me what you all can really do. Now then…BEGIN!" Gerard suddenly shouted, an electronic ringing suddenly sounding through the air.

Within a heartbeat, all three captives lunged towards their respective opponents.

Frasier launched his fist towards Michel, ready to launch a series of jabs at his face in an attempt to stun him; but the hulking blonde man simply swatted Frasier's fist aside like it was nothing, and instantly lunged his other hand, open palmed, straight at Frasier's face. He barely managed to side step to the right, the open hand just barely grazing the side of his face.

Once he was beside Michel, Frasier quickly jabbed his fist right into Michel's side, but the hit didn't seem to register at all to him. Michel quickly launched his right arm straight for Frasier's midsection, but he quickly reacted and leaped back to avoid getting the wind knocked out of him.

Before Frasier could even react, Michel was instantly following after him, sending multiple punches and kicks his way, forcing Frasier to move backwards and avoid as many hits as he could, some just barely grazing his arms, legs and sides.

"Goddamn, he's fast!" Frasier muttered as he quickly jumped and rolled to the side to get out of Michel's range of attack and he quickly ran for the weapon rack.

The very first thing he spotted was a lead pipe. It wasn't a sword or a gun, but it would have to do. Grabbing the pipe, Frasier quickly got himself into a familiar fighting stance, now armed with a weapon. He was ready to start bo staff fighting.

Michel stood his ground and simply gave Frasier a gesture as if to say, "Bring it on."

Frasier spat on the ground and quickly charged the giant of a man, readying his pipe for a killing blow to the skull.

Michel quickly predicted this, and instantly leaned back, the pipe swinging right by where his head was only moments ago.

Frasier predicted this reaction, and instantly ducked low, sweeping the pipe across the ground to knock Michel's feet out from under him.

However, Michel planted his hands on the ground, and launched his feet up from the ground, causing Frasier to miss once more.

Acting quickly, Frasier launched himself into the air to quickly perform a downward strike. Just as he was about to connect as Michel's feet landed on the ground once more, the giant blonde man suddenly raised his hands and caught Frasier's pipe in between his hands, effectively stopping Frasier in his tracks.

With a jerk of his wrist, the pipe was suddenly snapped in two as if it were nothing more than a pretzel stick.

As Frasier looked at his destroyed weapon, he immediately ducked as Michel swung his half of the broken pipe right at Frasier's head, the very edge of the weapon just barely grazing Frasier's forehead enough to make it bleed.

Frasier quickly leaped backwards as Michel continued swinging his weapon at him. Once he was forced to the corner of the ring, Frasier quickly brought his half of the weapon to intercept another of Michel's lethal swings.

The impact was unbelievable, almost as if he was trying to deflect a speeding truck, but alas, Frasier was still able to deflect what would've no doubt been a killing blow. However, in a fraction of a second, he felt another impact go right into his stomach the likes of which he couldn't believe.

It was clear from the beginning that Michel was fast, but this was like nothing Frasier had ever thought possible. Within a fraction of a second of having his blow deflected, Michel had lunged his weapon backwards, and slammed it right into Frasier's stomach, effectively knocking the ever-loving wind out of him.

Frasier was brought down to his knees, gasping for air as he quickly rolled aside as Michel stomped his boot into the ground where Frasier's head just was.

Frasier struggled back onto his feet, trying to get back into a fighting stance as Michel readied himself for another series of strikes.

"Oh God…another hit from that behemoth…and I'm a goner." Frasier grumbled angrily to himself as he realized he couldn't afford to take another hit like that.

Michel was immediately on top of him as he started swinging his half of the pipe at Frasier, forcing him to start ducking and weaving from side to side, deflecting multiple blows, but yet no matter how many times Frasier was able to deflect a strike, Michel would always immediately follow up with a counterattack. Fortunately, Frasier was now expecting this, and was able to weave past the giant's attacks and land in a lucky strike with his weapon at Michel's midsection; however even he knew these strikes weren't powerful enough to do any real damage.

As Frasier continued his pattern of dodging every attack Michel threw his way and deflecting any strikes and following up with a counter, he soon got an idea. If he could be able to stun or blind Michel, he could be able to go for the giant's legs and get him on the ground.

Frasier quickly ducked down to his knees as Michel swung at his skull, and he immediately rolled to the side as Michel stomped the ground Frasier had just been standing on.

Frasier quickly launched his foot up, and with a stroke of luck, managed to kick the pipe out of Michel's hands, sending it flying into the air.

Out of pure reflex, Frasier jabbed the pipe in his own hands straight into Michel's abdomen, sending him stumbling back a few steps. Thankfully, that was all the breathing room Frasier needed.

Frasier immediately dove for the weapons rack once more and grabbed the nearest thing he could get his hands on, a makeshift stainless steel shield. Luckily, stainless steel was all he needed.

As he grabbed it, Michel was already on the warpath, ready to deliver a crushing roundhouse kick to Frasier's head.

In a heartbeat, Frasier ducked down, the blonde android's foot barely missing his head, and Frasier quickly positioned the shield over himself, at just the right angle so that the sunlight reflected off the steel and shined right into Michel's eyes.

Without a second to spare, Frasier tossed the shield up into Michel's face and swept his legs across, ready to bring the giant down.

However, at the very last second, Michel jumped up, safe from Frasier's low attack, catching him completely off guard. Before Frasier could even begin to react, Michel was instantly down low on the ground and sweeping his leg across as well, fast enough so that Frasier couldn't get out of the way in time.

He felt himself instantly black out as the heel of the android's boot slammed straight into his face, knocking him flat on his back.

The instant Gerard had given the word, Vassilli instantly charged at the large android in front of him.

"A bucket of bolts like you couldn't hope to be a challenge to a Spetsnaz like me." Vassilli said with a smirk as he instantly closed the distance between himself and his opponent, immediately thrusting an open palm at his opponent's solar plexus.

However, upon impact, Andre didn't even flinch, let alone keel over. In fact, Vassilli's whole hand went numb from the pain, as if he had just tried slamming his palm against a block of solid lead.

Wasting no time over the pain, Vassilli immediately followed with a high roundhouse kick, only for Andre to quickly duck underneath it and sweep his own leg across the ground to knock Vassilli down.

Fortunately the Russian saw this action coming and quickly leapt off his one foot on the ground, quickly regaining his former fighting stance, almost exhilarated by this new challenge.

"It's been a while since I've had a good fight. Not since Georgia. This oughta be fun." Vassilli muttered to himself as he quickly ducked below one of Andre's punches and proceeded to send a series of punches straight into Andre's midsection, his arms moving like pistons as he delivered strike after strike, eventually managing to send Andre stepping back several steps before launching one of his feet straight up into where Vassilli's face was.

Vassilli quickly leapt back, the powerful kick sending a current of air brushing against his face. There was no doubt that kick would've been an instant game stopper if he hadn't dodged it in time.

"Oh, you've got some strength in you, I see. This just keeps getting better and better." Vassilli replied, getting back into his original fighting stance. For several moments, he was beginning to have flashbacks of Spetsnaz training back when he was a fresh recruit. All the sparring matches, the physical exertions the instructors would put him and his comrades through in order to teach them how to ignore pain.

Channeling his focus, Vassilli proceeded to start sending multiple punches and kicks at Andre's head, midsection and legs, only for the hulking man to either sidestep him or jump back, or simply duck. Either way, no matter what combinations of strikes Vassilli would send his way, it was like Andre was always one step ahead of him, dodging every blow.

"You may be fast, but you can't keep it up forever, machine or not." Vassilli muttered angrily as he proceeded to get even more aggressive, leaping into the air and delivering a barrage of kicks towards Andre's head, only for him to block each strike with his hands. Even when Vassilli would land back on the ground and go back to his string of jabs and low kicks, Andre wasn't caught off guard by any strike at all.

"How can he be reading my movements like this? Not even my instructors were able to keep up a defense for this long." Vassilli grumbled impatiently as he started launching high kicks from down low with the intention of nailing Andre in the jaw.

Alas, Andre once again saw this move coming and instantly caught Vassilli's foot in his grasp, leaving the Spetsnaz operative in a more than vulnerable position.

Acting on his former combat training, Vassilli quickly launched his one free foot for Andre's shin in an attempt to knock him flat on his face so he could get free.

Unfortunately, Andre wasn't falling for it and quickly planted on foot on Vassilli's leg, effectively pinning him.

Vassilli quickly started to struggle, but Andre's grip was like a vice, and Vassilli wasn't going to be getting free any time soon.

As the Russian struggled, he soon noticed that he was within grabbing distance of a 2x4 resting in the weapons rack for his ring.

Quickly reaching for it and grabbing it within the blink of an eye, Vassilli swung with all his body weight, and send the large piece of wood slamming into the side of Andre's head, temporarily stunning his opponent and allowing Vassilli to break free from his grasp.

Once he got back onto his feet, Vassilli went wide-eyed when he saw that the 2x4 was already splintering after one strike. If nothing else had served as irrefutable proof that he was fighting a machine, than this was the proof he needed.

Nevertheless, Vassilli wanted to end this fight now. As Andre tried to get back into an official fighting position, Vassilli instantly leapt forward and swung the entire length of the 2x4 straight into Andre's stomach, reducing half the wooden beam to splinters as it smashed against him, sending the android stumbling back once more.

With a sudden boost of confidence, Vassilli tossed the rest of the 2x4 to Andre in an attempt to distract him. With that single second, Vassilli ducked low and proceeded to charge toward him in order to land a devastating punch to his throat.

However, just as Vassilli's fist was within centimeters of Andre's neck, the android suddenly launched a hand forward and did exactly what Vassilli had attempted: punching him right in the throat.

Seconds before the lack of oxygen and pain registered in his brain, Vassilli couldn't believe that he'd actually managed to leave himself open, even for a split second.

With the wind completely knocked out of him, his lungs burning, Vassilli was flat on the ground, gasping for air as Andre stood over him, looking straight ahead as if none of their fight had even happened at all.

As Vassilli struggled to catch his breath, Andre suddenly crouched down; pressing all his weight into the leg he had pinning Vassilli to the ground. The man weighed as much as a truck, and the fact that Vassilli wasn't being mercilessly crushed under his weight was nothing short of a miracle.

Before Vassilli could focus enough to even try another attack, Andre suddenly lunged a hand forward and squeezed the precise pressure point between the Russian's shoulder and his neck to instantly knock him out.

Vassilli blacked out, completely blown away that a machine of all things had beaten him.

The instant Gerard had given the go, Rika had to start stepping back as her opponent Charlotte advanced on her, closing the distance between them in an instant, attacking with multiple jabs to her midsection and wide kicks to her head and legs.

Rika barely managed to keep up with her movements, weaving and dodging every individual attack, and even just a graze from one being able to draw blood.

_'This is insane. She's so fast…there's no way I can keep up, let alone attack.'_ Rika muttered to herself as she suddenly had to somersault backwards when Charlotte attempted another leg sweep.

_'I can't waste time fighting this bitch. I gotta take out that evil old fuck now while there's still a chance.' _Rika thought to herself as she started sidestepping around Charlotte, trying to make her way towards the weapon rack of her ring.

_'If I could just distract her, even for a second, that's all the time I need to get some kind of running start.' _Rika thought as she soon had her back to the weapons rack, now raising her arms to deflect any blows from Charlotte.

Unfortunately, Rika vastly underestimated just how strong her opponent was. Each blow send bursts of pain through the sniper's whole body, and even she knew she was going to have a ton of bruises to show for this.

As soon as Rika was practically up against the rack, Charlotte reared her arm back for a killing blow to the face.

Reacting with sheer adrenaline, Rika suddenly ducked down, spreading her legs to get as low as possible, and Charlotte's fist went straight between two bars of the rack, her arm consequently getting stuck in between them.

With her plan now in motion, Rika quickly rolled aside to avoid any of Charlotte's kicks and leg sweeps, and was instantly running from the arenas as fast as she could go, not even caring what direction she was going as long as it was leading towards the tower of Gerard's palace, which she could luckily see even from behind the factory these arenas were set up in.

She could barely hear the sound of the weapon rack being smashed to splinters behind her, but Rika chose not to let that stop her. She needed to get in there and kill that old man and save the others while she still had the chance.

Just as she could see a small iron gate that was clearly leading into the nicer parts of the city, the sound of a whip suddenly sounded, and before Rika even knew what had happened, a leather whip had suddenly lashed around her neck, sending her flying off her feet and crashing hard to the ground.

Charlotte quickly dragged Rika back towards her with the whip she'd grabbed from the weapon rack, and soon had the sniper back on her feet and stuck in a headlock without any hope of breaking out.

_'No…goddammit…not…like this…' _Rika thought to herself as the chokehold started cutting off the blood flow to her brain, causing her to quickly lose consciousness.

As soon as Rika had blacked out, the high-pitched whine of the loudspeakers rang out, drawing the attention of all three androids as they now stood over their respective fallen opponents.

"Excellent spectacle, tout le monde. Ce sera tout, je ne veux pas que vous les tuer. Apportez tous les trois dans mon bureau si vous voulez." **(Excellent show, everyone. That will be all, I don't want you to kill them. Bring the three of them back to my office if you will.)** Gerard's voice announced through the loudspeakers. With a solitary nod, the three androids effortlessly hoisted their three unconscious opponents over their shoulders and began to march single file back to Gerard's palace.

"Wake up…Frasier, my boy, can you hear me? Do get up, will you? Honestly, Michel didn't hit you that hard, now did he?" the distant voice of Gerard echoed through Frasier's head as he slowly regained consciousness.

His vision soon cleared only for him to be greeted by the observant face of Gerard Gans as he clapped his hands together once.

"Well, I'm glad to see you're not comatose. I was beginning to worry there for a second." Gerard said with a sigh of relief as he began to pace around the office once more.

Frasier slowly looked around to find he was once again shackled to the office wall alongside everyone else. Vassilli and Rika looked like they had regained consciousness a while ago, and they both had a very different atmosphere about them from what Frasier could tell. It almost seemed like the both of them were…defeated, in an emotional, perhaps personal way.

"Your face may be feeling a little numb right now. I had a medic give you some anesthetic so he could fix your nose. Unfortunately, Michel accidentally broke it when he hit you with that leg sweep of his. But don't worry, as I said, we were able to get it back to normal so it can have time to heal." Gerard explained as he grabbed a handheld mirror from his desk, holding it up as he approached Frasier.

Just as he had said, Frasier's nose now had a large white bandage placed over the bridge of it, the bandage already red with a large splotch of blood on it. Thankfully though, it didn't hurt at all, no doubt due to the anesthetic.

"I must thank you all for providing us all with such an entertaining show. However, there is something that I would like to point out, and I could be wrong, but this is just from what I was observing." Gerard suddenly said as he placed the mirror back on the desk and began to pace back and forth in front of all the assembled prisoners once more.

"I never had any doubt that the three of you were very strong fighters; and thankfully you didn't disappoint on that end. However, I must say that after all the things I've heard, I'm very disappointed in you, Frasier Markle." Gerard announced as all eyes fell on Frasier.

"All these stories I hear of how fierce and vicious you are in battle, if not from my soldiers, then from your friends while we were watching you fight. After all that buildup, I must say I'm sorely disappointed." Gerard explained in a low voice as Frasier took the brunt of his verbal taunting, clearly having had enough of the old man's games.

"While it may not have been fair to expect you to do much against one of my most advanced androids, I still expected so much more from you, Frasier. In fact…I get the feeling you perhaps were holding back a bit." Gerard went on as two soldiers suddenly came marching into the office, standing beside the old man, as if waiting for an order from him.

"Le gros garçon asiatique et l'allemand aux cheveux bouclés." **(The fat Asian boy and the curly-haired German.)** Gerard suddenly ordered with a snap of his fingers.

As if on cue, the two guards suddenly approached Khota and Johann and injected the small syringes into their necks, just as they had done with Frasier, Vassilli and Rika only mere hours ago.

"HEY! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?! LET THEM GO!" Marcus, Vassilli and Rika all started shouting as Khota and Johann fell unconscious within seconds, and were soon unshackled and carried away by the two soldiers, the large wooden doors closing behind them as the rest of the group watched their friends get dragged away.

"You bastard, what the hell are you going to do to them?!" Frasier shouted angrily as he started lunging for Gerard despite not going anywhere whilst shackled to the wall.

"Like I said, I don't think you were giving it your all during that arena fight earlier, so I'm merely giving you a slight…push in the right direction." Gerard replied as he slowly approached a small bar right next to his desk, pulling out a brown bottle of gin.

"Despite clearly being outmatched against one of my androids, I can sense some real potential in you, Frasier. And potential is something very hard to come by in people these days. Which is why I want to make you an offer." Gerard explained further as he poured himself a glass of gin before approaching Frasier once more.

"I'm not interested in anything you have to offer me, old man." Frasier spat, pure hatred burning in his eyes at the thought of his friends being hurt or even worse.

"That may be true now, but I wonder if you'll feel the same way after you're done hearing what I have to propose to you." Gerard replied, clearly unaffected by Frasier's disrespectful words.

"As a leader, one of the most important jobs there is, is to keep your people pacified, well-fed, and entertained most of all. So with that said, I want you to fight in the arenas for me, Frasier." Gerard offered as he downed a sip of gin. Frasier only looked at the old man like he had completely lost his mind.

"You want ME to fight in some kind of gladiator match for YOU? What in God's Green Earth makes you think I'll ever do that for you?" Frasier asked in disbelief.

"Well, since you and your friends trespassed into my city, you've no doubt noticed that this city has a bit of a class system going on. Now, the people in the upper class sections of the city would never consent to something as barbaric and cruel as a gladiator fight. However, the same cannot be said for the people that live in the lower class areas. They could all do with some entertainment, and I honestly can't think of a better candidate than you, the man who has slaughtered the loved ones of so many of the families living in my city." Gerard explained, stretching his arms out to emphasize the overall size of the city, and in effect, the massive influence Frasier's cooperation could have.

"Nice try, old man. It'll take a hell of a lot more than something like that to make me ever agree to anything you have to offer." Frasier replied with a hateful grin, almost wanting to laugh in Gerard's face for thinking he would ever consent.

"Alas, I had a feeling you would react this way, which is why I want you to know this as well. As much as I hate for it to come to this, if I can't have you to entertain those people, then I'm sure you're…lovely female companion will make more than suitable entertainment for the men at least." Gerard replied, his voice lowering as he motioned a hand towards Saeko, whose face went completely pale from the horrid thought.

In that moment, Frasier looked at Gerard like he was ready to tear out his intestines with his bare teeth and force feed them to the old man. The fact that he was actually threatening him with Saeko's life was inconceivable to him.

"It doesn't have to come to that, Frasier. If you only agree to fight for me in the arena, then Mademoiselle Markle will remain unharmed. I give you my word. All you need to do is say the word." Gerard finally finished as he stared straight into Frasier's bloodthirsty eyes, as if daring him to say one more spiteful word to him.

For several moments, Frasier said nothing. All he could do was stare at Gerard like he wanted to skin him alive. Taking a deep, sharp breath through his teeth, Frasier mentally weighed his available options, and with a frustrated groan, he hesitantly hung his head as he let out a deep sigh, causing everyone else to look at him nervously.

"…Okay. You…you win, Gerard. I'll fight for you." Frasier muttered in barely a whisper, earning a collective gasp from everyone else except Gerard.

"Frasier, no! Don't do this for my sake! You're better than this! Don't!" Saeko protested as Frasier suddenly glared sharply at her.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO, SAEKO?! There is no other option! I'm not letting you get thrown to the dogs. You're MY wife... for better or for worse. I fight not for him but for Gerard, but for you my beloved. This is the only way." Frasier shouted before slowly lowering into a weak mutter, leaving Saeko and Marcus completely speechless.

"Wonderful. I'm glad we were able to come to an agreement so soon, Frasier. Come nightfall, my men will take you to the arena we have set up in the lower class section of the city. Saeko will remain unharmed from this moment on, I swear to you." Gerard replied with a smile as he began to make his way towards the exit.

"Gerard…" Frasier suddenly called to the old man, causing him to stop in his tracks.

"Before this is all over…I will kill you. I swear on my life that I will kill you." Frasier muttered with pure venom, earning another dry chuckle from the old man.

"I look forward to it, Frasier. I really do." Gerard replied before he made his way out the door, the large wooden doors slamming shut behind him, leaving the rest of the prisoners to themselves in his office.

**Nouveau Bondy, Paris, Île-de-France, France**

"Do you think they could've run into trouble?" Shizuka asked in a panicked tone as she paced back and forth, showing great concern for her missing family.

"Oh there's going to be trouble for them alright! Just wait until I get my hands on that chubby otaku..." Saya growled as she folded her arms in disappointment.

"Saya, that's not helping. Maybe you should lie down and take a nap. You've been very stressed lately." Shizuka suggested before she had to duck from a plate Saya threw at her.

"Stressed?! My boyfriend lied to me and is now dead for all I know... OF COURSE I'M STRESSED!" Saya roared out as she clenched her fists in an uncontrollable rage.

"Saya..." Alice asked as she stood before the pink haired genius.

"Alice... I'm sorry you had to see that... I just worry about them... about Khota." Saya replied in a much more defeated yet approachable tone as tears formed in her eyes.

"It's gonna be okay, Saya. They're the best. Nobody can stop them!" Alice announced in an enthusiastic voice.

"Hmph, you never do cease to show us the brighter side of things. Thank you, Alice." Saya sighed out softly, gently holding the young girl close to her.

Suddenly a knock at the door could be heard. Everyone in the room looked over as Shizuka approached it.

"I bet that's them now!" Alice said as Shizuka turned the door handle.

However, when she pulled the door open they were all surprised to see a young man and woman before them.

"Umm... Can I help you?" Shizuka asked in a somewhat disappointed voice seeing that it wasn't whom they were expecting.

"Henri told us this is where Frasier lives. We were hoping we could see him?" the young man asked.

"He's not here at the moment... We believe that he along with a large portion of our group have gone missing." Shizuka explained.

"Who are you guys anyways? How do you know him?" Rei questioned, unsure why they would want to see Frasier.

"My name is Brandon, and this is Alexia. Lets just say we've crossed paths with him and would like to make a proposition... at least until now. What happened to them? Where were they last?" Brandon said as Alexia noticed something wedged in the mail slot.

"I think I have an idea." Alexia announced, catching everyone's attention as she held up a piece of paper.

Saya stormed over and snatched the note Alexia was holding, sparing no time to read it aloud to everyone.

"Pour les compagnons et associés de Markle Frasier. Nous avons capturé votre équipe d'assaut et de les avoir dans notre garde. Si vous souhaitez les voir en vie une fois de plus, vous devrez coopérer et faire ce que nous disons. Rencontrez-nous à ces coordonnées afin que nous puissions discuter davantage des affaires. Cordialement, Gérard Gans." **(To the companions and associates of Frasier Markle. We've captured your assault team and have them in our custody. If you wish to see them alive once more, you will cooperate and do as we say. Meet us at these coordinates so that we may further discuss business.********Yours truly, Gerard Gans.)** Saya read aloud as her voice became weak and frail near the end of the note.

"Damn it... I knew they were up to something... but this is just so..." Saya muttered, unable to finish her sentence, as she could no longer contain her sadness.

"They were captured?! When?" Brandon asked, shocked that Marcus and Frasier were defeated recently.

"It must've been last night. When Frasier said they needed a moment after the funeral…they must've tried going after that man in the inner city! Oh God, they must be being held prisoner now." Rei answered as she felt her heart sinking, worrying about Johann's safety and the future of their unborn child.

"Let us help. We may be strangers to you guys... But I'll be damned if I stand by helpless and unable to assist a friend in need. What say you, Alexia?" Brandon volunteered before asking Alexia for her stand on things.

"I'm in. Maybe we should bring the rest of your squad in case this goes south." Alexia suggested, showing her eagerness to help out.

"As much as I hate to admit it... We will need all the help we can get." Saya admitted before she turned to Shizuka.

"Stay here and watch the kids. There's no way in hell they're leaving the perimeter of this house on my watch." Saya instructed, making sure to keep things under control while she was in charge.

Shizuka nodded and looked down to see Alice and Yulia both walking forward with the AR-10 that Khota bought for her just a few days ago. They offered it to Saya and watched as the genius of the group smiled softly at their cooperation.

"Be good for Dr. Boobs. We won't be long." Saya instructed before she and Rei walked away with Brandon and Alexia to confront the men holding their family captive.

-

Minutes later, not so far from Bondy Station, the united groups entered a small office building that faced opposite to the four story building Gerard's men claimed to be in. As they climbed the stairs, Saya then motioned the group to use the third floor as a setup.

Brandon's two men kicked in the door and could see they were not alone here. Three infected corpses wandered towards the door only to be silently taken down by Rei and Saya's silenced pistols.

"Vous deux, mettre en place des postes de tireur d'élite à l'étage supérieur. Ne vous donnez pas jusqu'à ce que je donne un ordre de tir." **(You two set up sniper positions on the upper floor. Don't give yourself away until I give an order to fire.)** Brandon instructed to his men, earning a nod of acknowledgment before they bolted out of the room to do as they were told.

"So what's the plan? You really think these guys will be so negotiable? Last time we met they weren't so hospitable." Alexia brought up, recalling the events when they battled Gerard's forces a few days ago.

"We see what they have to say. I don't want to risk losing a chance at freeing those knuckleheads." Saya answered, still showing priority for her captured group.

Rei held up a pair of binoculars and watched as three figures walked along the rooftop of the unfinished building before them. It stood three stories tall and had plenty of scaffolds along the walls.

"I've got movement." Rei said, alerting the rest of the group.

"Is it Gerard's men?" Brandon asked.

"I know it is. I recognize those outfits from what Johann described to me." Rei responded coldly, dreading the thought of anything happening to him.

Suddenly one of Gerard's men held up a loudspeaker. The group all watched as he stood at the edge of the building to project himself as the one in charge.

"Nous savons que vous êtes là. Alors écoute, racaille étrangère! Vos alliés sont sous la garde de la règle de Paris. Nous avons pris bien soin d'eux, mais sa été décidé que nous en renvoyer deux d'entre eux pour vous." **(We know you're in there. So listen up, foreign scum! Your allies are in the custody of the ruler of Paris. We've been taking good care of them, but its been decided we return two of them to you.)** the soldier announced as he then motioned to the other two men to bring out the prisoners.

Saya and Rei both felt their jaws drop as they witnessed Khota and Johann walk forward with their hands bound and a blood stained sack placed over their faces. What made things worse was there were nooses around their necks, making things extremely tense for both girls to endure.

Saya immediately positioned herself behind a shattered window and took aim with her AR-10. It was clear to her that they weren't intending to let the two boys live.

"Saya, what are you doing? What if you hit Johann or Khota?!" Rei hissed as she looked nervously back and forth as Alexia and Brandon also took aim.

"Those assholes aren't going to let them live. Just be quiet and let me concentrate!" Saya growled back at Rei as she focused her aim just as Khota taught her.

"Vous avez cinq secondes pour vous donner avant que nous tuer deux de votre choix. Cinq ..." **(You've got five seconds to give yourselves up before we kill two of your own. Five...)** the soldier in charge announced.

"Soyez prêt à enlever ces deux hommes à l'arrière." **(Be ready to pick off those two men in the back.)** Brandon instructed to his men through a radio they all shared.

"Compris." **(Understood.)** one of them replied as they looked through their scopes.

"Quatre ..." **(Four...)** the soldier continued on, making every heartbeat pound against the group's chests.

"Trois ..."** (Three...)** the lead soldier called out before he grew impatient.

He then caught the group off guard and shoved Khota and Johann forward and over the edge of the roof. Saya kept her sights on the thick rope dangling above Khota's head. She fired once and hit it on the spot.

Khota landed on a scaffold before immediately tumbling down to the scaffold below it, before he fell and landed feet first onto the ground from a story up, his body instantly collapsing to the asphalt.

Brandon's men fired their sniper rifles and managed to kill both soldiers at the sides while the one in charge bolted downstairs, only receiving so much as a graze.

Saya then immediately switched her sights to Johann's line and fired once. Her heart stopped as the shot only weakened the rope. Johann's line extended fully.

_Johann's body bounced like a twisted rag doll in the air as he hanged for a split second, just before the rope snapped from his weight, sending his body plummeting down to the ground below._

"Johann! Noooo!" Rei cried out as she bolted as fast as her body would allow, down the stairs of the small office building and onto the streets.

"Fuck!" Saya muttered to herself as she along with Alexia and Brandon sprinted downstairs to see if the two boys were even still alive.

"No... Please don't be dead... please be alright..." Rei said to herself as she ran to find that Johann had landed on a bush, just barely breaking his fall._ His body was still completely motionless._

Rei mustered up just enough strength to drag him out of the bushes and set him out onto the grass. Yanking the cloth sack from his head, she instantly noticed a terrifying red mark across his neck, confirming her worst fears: Johann did indeed hang before the rope came undone.

"Oh God... No…no…no, no, no it can't be..." Rei thought to herself, devastated tears streaming down her face as she noticed he wasn't breathing at all.

She immediately began to perform C.P.R. she had learned one summer. Tears continued flowing down her cheeks when it didn't seem to work at first.

"Damn it... this can't be happening!" Rei cried out as she tried again, doing all she could to get Johann breathing again.

"1... 2... 3!" Rei counted out as she pumped down on his chest with her palms before pressing her lips to his in attempt to reopen the clenched airways.

She sat up and clenched the grass between her fingers. Her teeth grit together as it was clear Johann wasn't going to make it at this rate.

"God dammit it, Johann! You can't leave me... I can't do this without you... We can't do it without you." Rei sobbed as she loomed over his motionless figure.

"You've survived worse than this, now fight damn you! Fight... Fight! Fight..." Rei cried out in pain and anguish, pushing down with all her might before she slammed her fist down on his chest.

Suddenly a gasp escaped Johann's lips, his eyes shot wide open before he realized he wasn't dead yet._ As he struggled to regain his breath, his eyes slowly drifted to Rei as she was on her knees beside him, her beautiful face slowly coming into focus as he slowly regained his senses. He could feel her tears landing on his face as he struggled to speak._

"Rei..." Johann whispered, immediately clenching his teeth together afterwards to signify the intense pain it caused him just to even whisper anything out.

"Shhh. Don't say a thing. It's okay now, I've got you now, Johann." Rei hushed in a comforting tone, wrapping her arms around his head, pulling him close to her as tears streamed down her cheeks out of joy rather than pain.

Meanwhile, Saya kneeled at Khota's side and gazed in terror as his left leg had a clear fracture, the white shaft of his femur just barely visible as it poked out through his pant leg. She pulled the sack off and felt relieved to see that he was still alive and breathing._ Unfortunately, he was unconscious, no doubt from pain or shock from fracturing his leg._

"Is he okay? What about the one that got away?" Brandon asked as he stood over Saya and Khota.

"Get him to the truck. I've got something to take care of." Saya explained, pulling her AR-10 from its holster as she ran into the incomplete building to hunt down the last of Gerard's cronies.

Saya followed a trail of fresh blood and eventually found the man slumped against a support beam. He looked up to see Saya standing before him.

"S'il vous plaît ... ne tuez pas-" **(Please... don't kill-)** the man begged before Saya already fired a single round between his eyes, killing the last soldier on the spot.

Saya had just killed her first living human being. She had crossed a hard line she never imagined she would have to cross now. Despite how disgusted she was by it all, she wasn't done yet.

The pink haired genius continued to fire her AR-10 at the dead man before all she could hear was a loud click, indicating she was out of ammo.

_Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Saya soon walked back the way she came and exited out the front door to see the others all waiting for her, Rei in particular looking at her with visible concern in her red eyes._

_Saya could tell what was going through all their minds. They'd heard the gunshots. They knew exactly what happened._

_"What are you all standing around for? We have two people that need medical attention. Let's go!" Saya ordered, spurring everyone to hurry and file into the truck as she climbed in after them. _

**Nouveau Paris, Paris, Île-de-France, France (several hours later)**

Frasier walked down a familiar path. His eyes covered by a blindfold while his hands were tied together. He could feel two of Gerard's cronies guiding him so he wouldn't hit a wall or trip over anything.

Soon a sound of chatter and commotion could be heard the closer he got to the arena. Frasier could feel the dirt underneath his boots, as he was certain he was in the arena now.

Suddenly everything became quiet, with the exception of a few groans and chain rattling noises. Frasier could feel the blindfold and ropes being cut loose. Everything was still pitch black though. A speaker could be heard crackling to life.

"Mesdames et messieurs, garçons et filles! Bienvenue à la Fosse du Chaos!" **(Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls! Welcome to the Pits of Chaos!)** a charismatic like voice announced.

Suddenly spotlights lit up to reveal an entire audience of people looking down upon the arena. Entire families could be seen as they all let out cheers of excitement for what was about to unfold.

"Ce soir, nous avons une configuration spéciale, juste pour vous! Sur le ring, nous avons une plus nouvelle marque qui a été de donner à nos braves soldats tout un défi." **(Tonight, we have a special set up, just for you! In the ring we have a new brand addition that has been giving our brave troops quite the challenge.)** the announcer explained, earning a few rounds of boos and hisses near the end of his sentence.

"Hey! Ne soyez pas en colère contre moi les gars. Parce que ce soir, nous avons l'un des soldats qui ont rencontré ce terroriste et a réussi à survivre pour raconter Gérard lui-même! Dans le coin gauche, pesant 120 kg, nous avons le sergent Denis Fontaine!" **(Hey! Don't get mad at me folks. Because tonight we have one of the soldiers who encountered this terrorist and managed to survive to tell Gerard himself! In the left corner, weighing in at 120 kg, we have Sergeant Denis Fontain!)** the announcer called out, quickly earning the love of the audience back as they cheered for the well conditioned looking man the spotlights revealed in the arena.

Frasier gripped his fists and knew that in his current condition, after taking a beating earlier, this man may prove to be a genuine threat to him.

"Dans le coin droit, tout le chemin de Bondy Nouveau, pesant 90,781 kg, la Terreur griffes!" **(In the right corner, all the way from Nouveau Bondy, weighing in at 90.781 kilograms, the Clawed Terror!)** the announcer called out through the loudspeakers in a dramatic tone, giving Frasier a nickname based off of the reputation he had already earned. The crowd then proceeded to boo and curse at that name.

"Allons, essayez de ne pas donner le gars une chance. Au moins pour les prochaines toute façon quelques minutes. Nous savons tous combien de temps ces derniers combats, en particulier avec infectées dans le ring!" **(Come on now, try to give the guy a chance. At least for the next few minutes anyways. We all know how long these fights last, especially with infected in the ring!)** the announcer shouted out in a dramatic voice before the rest of the arena lit up revealing six infected corpses with chains around their necks. The crowds roared out, as they knew this was already exceeding their expectations before the fight even began.

-

Meanwhile, back in Gerard's office, the elderly man leaned back in his leather chair and took a sip of brandy. Along his wall was a massive flat screen TV that was broadcasting the fight live to him and the rest of the group still imprisoned in their electronic shackles.

"Nothing like a little mind numbing television to end a fine day. Wouldn't you agree?" Gerard asked the group in a very cheerful mood.

"Laugh it up, gramps. Frasier is more then a match for that coward who abandoned his men to save his own skin." Rika replied sharply, showing she had faith in Frasier's abilities.

"I'm sure he is. Now be quiet all of you, I have an important call to make." Gerard requested as he held up a cell phone to his cheek.

-

Minutes later, the announcer tapped on the microphone to gain the attention of everyone in the audience. The crowds settled down and listened in to hear what he had to say.

"Les paris sont comptés et les statistiques sont calculées. Chances contre la Terreur griffes sont 500:1. La rumeur a un seul homme placé de l'argent sur ce type. Devinez l'arme n'a pas vraiment fait l'homme." **(The bets are tallied up and the statistics are calculated. Odds against the Clawed Terror are 500:1. Rumor has it only one man placed any money on this guy. Guess the weapon really does make the man.)** The announcer joked, getting a few laughs and chuckles from the audience.

"Maintenant, je veux un bon, propre, la lutte entre vous deux. Et j'entends par là tout est permis ... DANS LES STANDS DU CHAOS!" **(Now I want a good, clean, fight between you two. And by that I mean anything goes... IN THE PITS OF CHAOS!)** the announcer roared out, ringing a bell to signal that the fight had begun.

**{Avatar the Last Airbender OST - Agni Kai}  
><strong>  
>Denis and Frasier both walked towards each other before they began to pace in a circle. Both had their fists up, ready to fight to the death.<p>

"I can't believe you're the bane of our platoon. I've always had a feeling I'd be the one to kill you." Denis taunted as he swung a quick jab towards Frasier jaw.

"Spare me your life story." Frasier replied as he ducked down and swept his foot around, tripping Denis onto his back.

Frasier then took a few steps back and felt a searing pain throughout his body from being pounded on by the androids from earlier. His breath became short as he tried to conserve his depleting energy.

Denis quickly hopped back onto his feet and dashed forward, managing to land a few jabs to Frasier's sides before he was blocked and backhanded a couple meters back.

The Sergeant however, continued to barrage Frasier with quick yet powerful hits. Eventually causing Frasier to fight defensively. Even then he was only able to dodge and take in the occasional punch.

-

"This isn't fair! He isn't even fully recovered from earlier!" Marcus shouted in protest, feeling sick from having to watch his older brother take a beating on the TV.

"He agreed to do as I say for the benefit of all of you. He knew what he was getting into." Gerard replied nonchalantly as he watched Frasier spin around and kick Denis in the kidneys.

-

"Oh qui avait l'air douloureux, mais pas assez pénible. Voyons comment ils le font quand l'anneau devient plus petit." **(Oh that looked painful, but not painful enough. Let's see how they do when the ring becomes smaller.)** the announcer suggested, as the infected's chains could be seen extending out, letting the walking corpses walk closer towards the two caged fighters.

When Denis and Frasier noticed this, they soon had to adapt to the change in the arena's layout. They soon were forced to continue their fight in an enclosed circle. If either were to step out of bounds, the infected in chains would have a good chance at getting them in their strong clutches.

Denis punched Frasier in the stomach then shoved him to the ground. Before he could do anything else, he took a sudden kick to the groin. He coughed and groaned in pain as Frasier let out a barrage of desperate kicks that traveled from the waist up.

Before Frasier could hit Denis' face, the Sergeant stepped to the side and punched straight down; his fist hitting Frasier straight in the belly. Frasier nearly shouted out in pain due to how sore he was there at the moment.

Denis grinned and continued to wail at that particular spot a few mode times before he decided to end the fight now. He knelt down and placed Frasier in a headlock. Slowly dragging the defeated leader towards one of Them.

-

"Frasier..." Saeko softly muttered in pain as she thought this would be his final fight.

"Come on... Do what you do best and surprise us." Vassilli thought as he tried to hold onto his faith for the Brit.

Gerard however was completely silent. He just sat there and watched to see how this was played out. The old man knew it was best to wait until it was truly over.

-

"I'll admit, the stories about you nearly proved to be true. But it just seems like you've given up and didn't even want to fight for your life. No matter, I'll enjoy cashing in on the reward and fame for killing you." Denis said to Frasier as the young man desperately tried to pry the adult's arm off of his neck.

"Remember that guy whose face you sliced through last night? That was my friend; I'm going to enjoy watching that walking corpse tear your face off before this crowd. Ironic isn't it?" Denis continued on as Frasier fought him every step of the way there. The infected man's jaws snapped and lunged forward in anticipation of its free meal.

"You were spoken of as if you were a god. Turns out you're just like everyone else here. You're just as killable as the next guy. This is for my comrades, you son of a bitch!" Denis roared as he pressed Frasier's face closer and closer to the infected man.

**{}**

**{Kingdom Under Fire: Circles of Doom OST - Track 22}**

Frasier's face turned red as he desperately tried to escape from the tight headlock. The crowds cheered as they watched the intense struggle coming to an end. The young man then remembered that if he died here his entire group would be done for.

"No!" Frasier shouted out in defiance; a primal feeling unleashed at the back of his mind.

He reached forward and grabbed the infected man's arms, violently pulling them down before he threw his head forward into its skull. The infected corpse staggered back as Frasier then launched his head straight back at the shocked Denis' nose.

*thwak*

A horrid crunching noise could be heard as Denis' nose was shattered on impact by the sudden revolt. He let go of Frasier and instinctively held his bleeding nose in pain.

Frasier then kicked at the side of his kneecap, causing Denis to fall down to his knees. The young man then grabbed the Sergeant's collar and pulled his right arm back.

"I'm not like you!" Frasier shouted out for all to hear as he punched Denis across the face.

"I'm nothing like you!" Frasier roared out as he hit Denis again before pulling him up to his feet and shoving him into the infected corpse closest to them.

Both toppled over to the dirt floor. Denis was on his back looking up at the overhead lights above him. He then watched in horror as the infected man now was on top of him, its jaws wide open to take the first of many bites.

Denis grabbed the infected man's face and tried to push it off with all his might. When it seemed like it was all for nothing, the infected man was suddenly pulled back by the chain on its neck.

The sergeant looked over and watched as Frasier could be seen pulling the chain away. It was clear that he wasn't finished with him yet.

Before Denis could get away, Frasier planted a firm knee on his torso and placed both hands over his face.

"You want to see what I really am? You want to see the legend?! You got it, pal!" Frasier growled out as he suddenly began to press his thumbs downwards.

The crowds of spectators let out gasps and screams of shock as they watched Frasier pressing his thumbs down into Denis' eyes. Blood squirted and seeped out of the sockets as Denis could do nothing but scream out in pure agony.

Frasier then stood up and kicked the poor man in the jaw before he walked away. Grinning to himself as he could hear the Sergeant being finished off by the infected corpse that made its way back to him.

-

Everyone in the shackles were terrified and relieved at the same time to see Frasier still had it in him to be the ruthless fighter they've come to accept. Gerard set his brandy down, lighting up a cigar as he smiled at the potential Frasier was showing.

"Ha! Told you he would fuck that guy up!" Rika taunted, as she knew Frasier had it in him all along.

"I never doubted you even for a moment." Gerard replied maturely as he let a puff of smoke escape his dry lips.

-

The audience soon began to disperse and leave now that it was no longer a fight that seemed interesting to them. The announcer noticed this and figured out a way he could keep the show going.

"C'est inconcevable! Absolument scandaleux! La Terreur Clawed nous a clairement montré que même sans ses armes, il est un fils de pute difficile. Mais peut-il le faire à nouveau? Avec six infectés sur son cul!" **(This is inconceivable! Absolutely outrageous! The Clawed Terror has clearly shown us that even without his weapons he's a tough son of a bitch. But can he do it again? With six infected on his ass?!)** the announcer questioned in a dramatic voice, causing a massive spike of suspense that caused the audience to return as all the chains were unraveled to the point where they didn't restrict the undead at all.

Frasier looked around to see all of Them wandering right past him to join on the feeding frenzy. He then realized he only had so much time before Denis would turn and become one of Them.

Sparing no time for rest, Frasier grabbed a chain and pulled back on a random infected corpse. He dragged the fiend back, his hands tightly gripping its head before he made a jerking motion.

*snap*

A dreadful, snapping noise crackled out as the infected corpse's spinal cord disconnected from the brain. It slowly crumpled to the ground as the crowd began to whisper and chatter amongst themselves, somewhat impressed at the lack of restraint Frasier showed.

"C'est un vers le bas!" **(That's one down!)** the announcer commented to keep things lively.

He then continued to arouse the crowds appeal for infected slaying when Frasier grabbed an arm and placed his foot on its shoulder. With all his might he managed to pull the decaying arm out of its socket.

-

"What is he doing? Shouldn't he be focused on Them?" Gerard questioned as he scratched his beard softly.

"He needs a weapon." Saeko commented as they watched him peeling the gray flesh off until he managed to form a shiv from the shattered bone.

-

"Much better." Frasier muttered under his breath as he tore off a piece of his already tattered shirt and wrapped the infected arm around his forearm. Effectively making a bayonet out of one of Them.

-

"Be sure to watch, Gerard. This is where the tide turns." Marcus grinned as he watched Frasier walking towards the five corpses that limped towards him.

-

Frasier immediately dashed forward and wedged his bone bayonet between the eyes of the closest one. As it dropped he kicked forward, using it to topple the next two in line.

"Deux vers le bas!" **(Two down!)** the announcer said.

After another was impaled through the skull, the one besides it grabbed Frasier's arm and immediately bit down. The crowds let out a gasp as everyone in the group felt their hearts stop.

-

"Frasier! Noooo!" Saeko cried out when she realized it was all over for him.

"Stop that! He's fine." Vassilli hushed as he saw the camera angle change to show that the teeth had sank not into Frasier's actual arm, but the gray, bayonet arm instead.

-

Frasier quickly untied the knot and let his arm become separated from his makeshift weapon. He then punched the infected woman down that bit at him and slammed his boot against her decaying skull, adding yet another kill to his seemingly endless count.

"Trois ... Aucune quatre! Cela laisse simplement deux à gauche. Peut-il le faire? Cet animateur pense certainement pas!" **(Three... No four! That leaves just two left. Can he do it? This announcer certainly thinks so!)** the announcer commentated; clearing showing a new found respect for the warrior.

The two knocked down were already back up and gave Frasier no time to recover. He pulled his shiv back out and managed to take one down before it became dull and utterly useless to him. The last one tackled him only to be kicked over him, rolling in the blood stained dirt.

"Cinq vers le bas, un à aller!" **(Five down, one to go!)** the announcer noted; his voice rising in excitement. The crowds cheered and applauded at the violence they so craved to see.

Frasier slowly walked towards the last of the infected. He smiled and decided to get creative now that the threat level was dramatically reduced.

Both hands took the chain that was still attached to the infected man. Frasier wrapped it around and around its neck until he was certain it was on securely. He sprinted towards the chain linked fence that formed a dome, keeping the fighters and infected deprecated from the audience.

Everyone watched as he began to slowly make his way to the top. He slipped the chain through a loop and took a deep breath. Frasier grasped the chain tight in hand then let go of the roof of the cage.

The audience and his group dropped their jaws as he went down while the infected corpse went up. Denis' body could be seen getting up from the reanimation process. It slowly looked up only to meet Frasier's leading foot head on.

"Hhhhrrraaarrggghh!" Frasier roared out as Denis' skull splattered and managed to cushion his fall.

**{}**

Frasier's head lowered as he then let go of the chain when the entire arena fell silent. The infected corpse that was hung, dropped besides him, dying before it even hit the ground. He then looked up with a grin on his face. Standing tall and proud at his inconceivable victory.

"Incroyable! La Terreur griffes n'a pas seulement tué son adversaire, mais aussi manipulé les sept mordeurs qui sont venus après lui ... à mains nues! Permet y renoncer pour l'homme!" **(Unbelievable! The Clawed Terror has not only slain his opponent but also handled the seven biters that came after him... with his bare hands! Lets give it up for the man!)** the announcer roared out, causing the crowd to go wild and wanting for more carnage.

-

Gerard smiled to himself and walked over to his trophies that were smiling amongst themselves.

"I can see why he's the leader. Perhaps there's a chance for all of you after all." Gerard complimented before he turned the TV off.

**Nouveau Bondy, Paris, Île-de-France, France**

**Z-Day+183**

For the last several hours, Rei never took her eyes off of Johann. Ever since she'd thankfully managed to resuscitate him, all the way back to Nouveau Bondy, and back into their home, she never let him out of her sight.

She didn't want to make anyone worry, but she was still shaking inside from just how close Johann had come to dying.

The thought of losing him forever absolutely terrified Rei. In such a relatively short amount of time, this boy she had barely known less than three months ago had come to be one of the people she loved the most in what was left of this wretched world. She never wanted to lose him ever since she'd come to term with those feelings, but now, now that she was pregnant with their child, and especially after what had happened only mere hours ago, she didn't want to take her eyes off him even once lest something else happen to him.

Shortly after they had returned home, Johann had lost consciousness again and had to be kept in his and Rei's bedroom. Shizuka had theorized that after the no doubt large amount of physical abuse he had suffered by those people keeping him captive, and the fact that he was actually hanged for a single second, his body had become quite weak from all the strain and exertion.

Thankfully it didn't sound like there was any permanent damage to worry about. The worst the nurse had noticed was that his throat was in really bad shape due to the hanging, and he wouldn't be able to speak for a couple weeks. It would require time to heal.

As grateful as Rei was that Johann was all right, it still killed her to know that he had been hurt at all. Deep down, she was angry. Angry at herself for not being more persistent last night that he just come back home with her after the funeral. Angry with him for thinking he needed to lie to her. Even if she wouldn't have liked it, she still would have let him go with Frasier and the others if he had just told the truth right then and there. She was confident that he would know what was the right course of action, and if going with Frasier was it, then she would have supported his choice either way.

"Dammit Johann…why didn't you just tell me?" Rei muttered to herself, trying to wipe away the tears stinging at the back of her red eyes as she watched Johann rest.

Suddenly, the sound of a wooden door creaking open from behind her caught her attention. She looked over her shoulder to see Saya carefully walking in, making sure not to make too much noise.

"Are Alice and Yulia finally asleep?" Rei asked as Saya walked up to her from behind.

"Yeah…God, those poor kids. Everything just keeps getting worse each day. I wish they didn't have to see all this. I can't forget just how terrified Alice looked when we brought Khota in." Saya replied in a whisper as she pulled up another empty chair and sat beside Rei.

Rei couldn't think of anything to say. The two of them had unexpectedly gone through so much in only less than one hour out of the entire previous day. The fact that the men they both loved had come so close to death was practically bone chilling.

"We're just lucky as hell we were able to save them at all." Rei muttered weakly as she wiped a single tear from her face just from thinking back to that afternoon.

For several minutes, both girls remained silent as they both were trying to come to terms with everything. Despite her outward appearance, Saya was still completely shaken by the fact that she had killed a living person yesterday. More than that, she didn't feel the slightest bit bad about it. If nothing else, that fact scared her more than anything.

"I know it's stupid to ask right now, but how's Khota?" Rei asked as she slowly turned her gaze to the pink-haired genius as her eyes were glued to the floor.

"Alive. That's all that matters in the long run. Shizuka was able to set his leg back into place. Thank goodness this place had some more doctors to help, otherwise I don't know what we could've been able to do about his leg." Saya admitted, her voice shaking at the thought of what could've become of Khota in any other circumstance.

"Things are just getting more and more dangerous these days, Rei. Our men can't keep going out fighting these idiotic battles like they have been. After today, I'm not sure if Khota should even go out fighting with Frasier anymore." Saya finally admitted as she took a deep breath to collect her thoughts.

"I know what you mean, Saya. By now, I know I sure as hell don't want to let Johann out of my sight, either." Rei agreed as she laid a loving hand on Johann's hand protruding from under the sheets.

"Too bad keeping an eye on both of them is easier said than done. I was able to save them from hanging thanks to the practice I've had, but I know I still have a lot of improving to do before I'm going to be any good in a real battle. And since you're now expecting, it won't be long before you can't be able to go out into the field with him either." Saya explained, clearly thinking out the futility of their attempts at keeping the men in check.

"I know that, Saya. I don't know. I don't want Johann to keep risking his life like this. I know he's doing it for the good of all of us just like Frasier, Saeko, Marcus and the others are…but the thought of him dying and our baby growing up without a father just kills me. I want to keep him safe just as he's done for me. I want to be by his side so that he'll always have someone to watch his back. I just don't know." Rei explained, her voice shaking as she buried her face in her hands, thinking continuously about the moral dilemma. She didn't want to keep him from helping the others, but she didn't want to risk losing him again either. The stress of it all was about enough to make a lesser person's head explode.

"Don't worry, Rei. I know we'll both think of something. We're both smart enough to do so." Saya reassured her with a brief hug as she rose up from her chair, making her way towards the door.

"If you need to talk again, or need anything, I'll be watching over Khota in our room. Try not to worry yourself sick, Rei." Saya finished in a concerned tone before she shut the door behind her, leaving Rei alone with Johann once more.

Rei was still silently weeping as she just kept thinking over and over again about all the problems their group was now facing. She suddenly heard a nearly silent moan and a warm hand touch hers. She looked to see Johann's eyes slowly fluttering open, his exhausted moans barely audible, but his face grimacing in pain all the same with any sound he made.

"Try not to make a sound, Johann. Your throat's in really bad shape, you need to just give it time to heal." Rei said in a soothing voice as she grabbed a small glass of water and helped him slowly drink it down.

Johann rested his head back on his pillow, looking up at the ceiling with weary eyes as Rei slowly rose from her chair and carefully laid down on the bed beside him, placing a comforting arm across his chest as she gently rested her head against his shoulder, listening to the calm sounds of his steady breathing.

"I was so scared, Johann…" Rei whispered softly into his ear as she tried to fight back the tears once more.

"When I saw you hang…I thought I'd felt myself die along with you. I was so scared you were gone, Johann…the fact you're still alive is nothing short of a miracle…" she whispered into his ear, her shoulders shaking as she started to weep into his shoulder.

"I won't leave your side ever again, Johann. I love you so much…I can't lose you…we can't lose you." She continued as she gently grabbed Johann's hand and slowly led it until his palm was against her stomach.

A single tear escaped Johann's eyes as he slowly turned his head to look Rei in the eye. They both looked deep into each other's eyes as they slowly leaned their heads closer until their lips met in a single loving kiss. They both felt like it had been long, unbearable years since they'd last kissed; cold years that were quickly being melted away as the warmth from their bodies seemed to breathe a new life into both of them.

To Rei, she could feel it in her heart: this was real; he was really here, safe and sound with her at last. Nothing could ever tear them away from each other in this moment. Deep down, she hoped that they could stay like this forever; just the two of them.

When their lips parted, Rei nearly became lost in Johann's hazel eyes before he suddenly nodded his head backwards.

For a moment, Rei could only look at him in confusion before he nodded his head in the same direction once more, and when she looked just to where he was motioning, her eyes fell on the jacket he had been wearing when she'd saved him.

Climbing from the bed, she quickly grabbed onto the jacket and carried it over to him before draping it over him like a blanket.

"I'm sorry it's not too warm yet. Winter is only a week or two away at the most, and everyone's trying to conserve as much energy as they can right now." Rei explained in a gentle whisper as she lay back down beside him once more.

Surprisingly, Johann didn't give any indication that he'd even been listening. Instead, he looked like he was focused on something else entirely. Rei looked to see Johann had one of his hands fishing around in one of the pockets of his jacket.

"Johann, what's wrong? What're you looking for?" Rei asked curiously, as if trying to figure out if there was some way she could help.

Before she could begin to climb back out of bed to help him, he suddenly pulled his arm from his jacket pocket and held out a closed hand in front of her.

Rei looked at him confusedly before her eyes rested on his hand just as it opened up.

**{The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly OST – The Death of a Soldier}**

Resting inside his palm was a single silver ring with a tiny dark green stone embedded in its center. It was such a simple looking ring, but at the same time it looked so beautiful as well.

Rei's eyes widened as she looked at the ring, then back to Johann's face as he was trying to see what her reaction was. She then looked back to the ring, and then back to him, her eyes beginning to well with tears once more, but this time, they were of joy beyond any conceivable measure.

Trying to wipe the tears from her eyes, Rei struggled to find the words to say right now. What he was doing right now was so obvious, and yet she still needed to know she wasn't dreaming at this moment.

"J-Johann?" she asked between gasps for breath as her heart was racing.

All Johann could do was smile weakly as he gave the slightest of nods.

Rei's entire world nearly froze as the reality registered to her with that single nod. This was really happening. This wasn't another dream of hers; this was real. At this very moment, Johann, the person who had come to be her most cherished person in the world…was proposing.

Tears of happiness flowed down Rei's cheeks as she could only bring herself to smile back at him as she closed her hands around his, clearly at a loss for words as she slowly leaned her whole body forward into his, closing her eyes before she threw her arms over his shoulders, embracing him in immeasurable joy as she pressed her warm, pink lips to his, clearly cherishing every single moment.

Johann closed his hand around the ring as he brought his arms around Rei's waist, holding her close to him as they continuously kissed again and again, each one sweeter than the last.

When Rei had to pull her head back to catch her breath, she looked down at Johann as he lay underneath her, unknowingly having her joyful tears fall down upon him as she could practically feel her whole world coming back to life around her. This was without a single doubt in her mind, the single happiest moment of her entire life.

"Of course I will." Rei finally responded before she leaned down for them to kiss once more. For the first time in what felt like years, Rei could feel something deep inside she thought she never would again: hope.

**{}**

**Élysée Palace, Nouveau Paris, Île-de-France, France**

It was dark and cold within Gerard's office. The old man had left his trophies on the wall as he attended a dinner with his friends in the upper class hours ago. Wanting to maintain a high reputation and social status amongst those who controlled the inner city.

"You figured a way out yet?" Marcus asked Frasier, hoping that his older brother would have an Ace up his sleeve as always.

"No." Frasier replied as he just hung there in defeat.

"You mean not yet, right?" Marcus corrected, knowing Frasier always had a back up plan.

"No. I mean not going to. Gerard's come up with every counter to whatever I do, whatever I could do. He beat me at my own game." Frasier admitted, hating the fact he was so powerless at the moment.

Marcus and Saeko both looked down. It pained them to see him so defeated and broken. The fact that Gerard had used them to manipulate and control Frasier was sickening to them.

The door to the room suddenly opened up, the prisoners on the wall looked over to see Gerard enter the room, slightly stumbling as if he were drunk. The group watched as his secretary, Diane, assisted the old man walk to his leather chair.

"Ne bougez pas, Gérard. Je vais te chercher quelque chose pour soulager votre estomac." **(Just sit tight, Gerard. I'll go get you something to ease your stomach.)** Diane instructed as she placed Gerard in his chair, his body slightly slumping against the desk from exhaustion.

The group was in awe at the rare sight. Gerard was truly out of character and no longer a prime example of class.

"Been hitting the bottle have you, Gerard?" Marcus questioned as he watched Gerard playing with the controller to their restraints.

"I've been hitting the bottle." Gerard muttered softly as his warm, red cheeked, face pressed against the cool touch of the desk.

"Bet you want to do whatever I say." Marcus joked as he watched Gerard's movements.

"I want to do whatever you say." Gerard repeated, mumbling near the end.

Marcus then got a surprised look on his face before he hatched an idea.

"Hold on guys. I think he'll do whatever we ask of him. This may seem crazy but I think it just might work." Marcus whispered to the others.

"You want to walk over here." Marcus instructed towards Gerard.

"I want ta walk over dere." Gerard repeated in a slur, slowly getting out of his leather chairing and stumbling over towards them.

"You want to give me the remote in your pocket." Marcus announced, hardly able to contain himself from chuckling at the serendipity of their situation.

"I want ta give you the rebote in my pocket." Gerard slurred again as he took a few moments to search his pockets for the remote he kept in it.

He then placed the remote in Marcus' hand. The young Brit smiled and began to press buttons at random as Gerard just stood there, barely able to keep his balance.

"Hurry up, kid. I can hear that secretary coming back!" Rika warned as she continued to listen into the footsteps approaching the office.

"I'm trying! Damn thing isn't doing anything." Marcus cursed under his breath as he pushed a button that caused the wall T.V. to turn on.

"Oh son of a bitch... the drunk gave me the damn T.V. remote!" Marcus muttered in anger, knowing that his plan was not going to workout after all.

Suddenly the door opened up again to reveal Diane holding a glass of water and a tablet for Gerard to take. She noticed that he was out of his chair and standing before the prisoners.

"Qu'est-ce que tu fais?" **(What are you up to?)** Diane questioned as she stormed over to Marcus and snatched the remote from his hands.

"He wanted to watch T.V. You weren't around so he gave it to him. He's the weakest of us all so there's no reason to be so worried. Now if I were holding it that would be a different story." Frasier interjected, being very convincing with his words.

Diane just glared at him, trying to figure him out. Frasier then glared right back and sent a chill down her spine. Something about him frightened her, even with the powerful restraints that kept him locked up against the wall.

"Hmm ... Allez M. Gans, je pense qu'il vaut mieux que vous alliez à votre chambre dès maintenant. Il est très tard." **(Hmm... Come on Mr. Gans, I think it's best you go to your room now. It's very late.) **Diane said in a distant tone, clearly trying to change the subject. Gerard gave a slight nod and walked out the room with her.

The moment the door closed, Frasier growled and kicked the wall behind him. A small dent was made as he soon calmed down and tried to not think about what Gerard would have him do the next morning.

**Z-Day+184**

Morning soon came by once again. Frasier slowly woke up and could see Gerard talking to the photo of Marion again.

"Ah, you're awake. I have something very important for you, Frasier." Gerard announced as he set the photo frame down and strolled over to him.

"What, another Gladiator battle? Already?" Frasier questioned as he began to stretch what parts of his body he could.

"I have something far more important for you. You're from Nouveau Bondy, so I'm positive you knew two very important men from there. Henri and Luc Depardieau. I want you to kill them." Gerard ordered in a humorless voice, showing that he was not playing games.

"You can't be serious... Those two-" "Are a key factor to that station's success and well being. Killing them will be more than enough to break and eventually force the people there into having to come to me for protection. You will do it and just so I know the job is done, I'll be giving you two men to make sure you do!" Frasier protested at first, instantly interrupted and talked down to by Gerard.

"Frasier, you can't do this! This man is only using you until you no longer serve a purpose... Please don't do it!" Saeko cried out at she hated the fact he was slowly becoming Gerard's minion rather than prisoner.

"I must do it, my love. I do this for you and the rest of the group. I'll figure a way out of this!" Frasier reassured, trying to get through to Saeko.

"That's not how you were last night judging from the security cameras. Can I count on you to obey?" Gerard commented before questioning Frasier's loyalty.

"It will be done." Frasier stated loyally, watching as Michel and Charlotte walked over and un-cuffed him.

"So these two are coming with me?" Frasier questioned as he looked over to Gerard for an answer.

"Oh, Heavens no! Those androids may be quite the fighters up close but they aren't invincible. Bullets can still do quite a bit of damage to them so it's too risky. Plus there are only three active, I have a fourth one but he's not finished yet." Gerard explained, giving more background information on the androids.

The two androids then proceeded to escort Frasier to the outskirts of the inner city. A small jeep could be seen waiting for him as two of Gerard's cronies could be seen waiting.

"C'mon already! We're burning sunshine here!" announced one of the two soldiers sitting in the jeep.

"First thing's first. Ditch those outfits." Frasier ordered as he got in the back of the jeep.

"What? Have you gone mad?" asked one of the henchmen.

"No. Just thinking, unlike you. Those station guards see you in that, don't expect me to vouch for you when they start shooting." Frasier explained as one of them tied his hands together.

"He's got a point. We can dress like survivors he could've picked up along the way then just walk our way right in. This way no one will even notice we're there." the second henchman elaborated as he liked Frasier's idea better.

"Fine, just give us a minute, I'm sure one of these bottom feeders has a spare set of clothes for us to use." the first henchman said, causing Frasier to let out a sigh. He knew these two idiots were going to be a pain for him to work with.

-

**Nouveau Bondy, Paris, Île-de-France, France**

"Hahaha! Je vais devoir vous emmener sur cette offre, rendez-vous un peu de repos vous les chiens!" **(Hahaha! I'll have to take you up on that offer, go get some rest you dogs!)** Henri laughed out to some friends of his who he had finished having a merry time with just moments ago.

He slowly approached his home and was surprised to see it so dark when he entered inside. He walked over to a lamp and tugged on the switch to light up his home.

The moment he saw could see his surroundings, he was shocked to see Luc tied up in a chair with a cloth stuffed into his mouth.

"Luc! Qu'est-ce qui vous est arrivé?" **(Luc! What happened to you?!)** Henri questioned as he studied his brother whom was squirming about and trying to free himself from the chair.

"Mphm mphm!" Luc replied in an incomprehensible muffle. Henri quickly pulled the gag out so Luc could tell him what was going on.

"Derrière toi, mon frère!" **(Behind you, brother!)** Luc warned as the door suddenly closed behind them.

Henri immediately spun around to see three figures standing before the two brothers. He immediately rolled to the side and pulled out a shotgun from underneath a cabinet. The older French brother aimed it and pulled the trigger but nothing happened afterwards.

*click*

"I think you're missing something, Henri." Frasier commented as he held the two shotgun shells between his fingers that he removed from the shotgun earlier.

"F-Frasier?! What is the meaning of this?" Henri demanded, hardly able to contain the shock in his voice.

"Tais-toi! Il est ici pour une chose, et une chose seulement. Pour vous tuer tous les deux sur le nom de Gerard Gans!" **(Shut up! He's here for one thing, and one thing only. To kill you both on the behalf of Gerard Gans!)** the first henchman snapped, aiming a silenced pistol at Henri and Luc.

"You were on his side this entire time? I... I trusted you kid... We trusted you..." Henri asked in a hurt voice, hardly able to convince the fact he was wrong about someone he knew he could trust when they first met.

"I'm sorry Henri, I must do what I'm told. Gerard captured us and if I don't... It's for my group... It's for Saeko!" Frasier explained as he tried to tell Henri why he was doing this.

"The time for talk is over. Time to do what we were sent here to do." the second henchmen announced, motioning the first to shoot Henri and Luc.

"Frasier, please! I beg you, don't do this!" Luc pleaded, not wanting to die like this.

"Wait!" Frasier interjected, causing the henchmen with the silenced pistol to delay on shooting.

"What now?" the man grumbled impatiently.

"Let me do it." Frasier offered with his hand out for the gun.

"And why should I do that?" the henchman questioned as he turned his back to Henri and Luc.

"Because Gerard ordered me to do it. Not you two creeps. Unless you want to answer to Michel, I suggest you hand me the gun." Frasier explained, causing both henchmen to shiver at the thought of having to answer to that soulless being.

"Shit, you're right... Here take it and lets be done with it." the pistol welding henchmen said, quickly handing Frasier the Glock 17 with a silenced attached to it.

"Frasier, we can still talk about this..." Henri said with both hands up as Frasier held the gun up.

"Oh that little squirt is right about one thing. The time for talk is over." Frasier announced in a cold, heartless, tone before he squeezed the trigger twice. *phft* *phft*

-

**Z-Day+185**

Moments later, Brandon walked alone in a metro tunnel. He'd become lost when trying to find a local market that sold toilet paper, something that had become very rare in the world a few months after the outbreaks.

"I knew I should've brought a map... Someone needs to put up some damn signs of something." Brandon mumbled to himself.

Before he could complain any further, he felt a cold, steel, knife placed under his neck. He froze up and didn't dare move a muscle, at least not until he knew who the one holding the knife was.

"Afternoon. Any reason you've got a knife to my neck? I've got no bullets on me." Brandon commented, trying to see if it was just someone trying to rob him.

"I'm not here to rob you, I need your help." a familiar voice whispered to Brandon, slowly lowering the knife down so the two could talk.

**Élysée Palace, Nouveau Paris, Île-de-France, France**

**Z-Day+185 **

While Frasier was out doing as he was told, Gerard had ordered Marcus, Rika and Saeko to be taken downstairs to be cleaned up while Vassilli remained restrained so Gerard could have someone to talk to. He may have been keeping them as prisoners, but his high expectations demanded that they could at least smell nice in his presence.

"I know all about your plan." Vassilli muttered to Gerard, still feeling intense soreness throughout his body.

"Oh, care to explain?" Gerard questioned as Charlotte massaged his tense shoulders. Wondering what the Spetsnaz had to offer him for conversation.

"I know all about the K.G.B. agent... and your-" Vassilli announced before the door to the office was suddenly kicked in.

All three heads turned to see three figures storm the room. They walked towards Gerard with hostile intent. Vassilli's jaw dropped when he recognized that it was Katya, Yuri, and someone else wearing a respirator and black, fur, jacket.

"Gerard Gans, vous êtes en état d'arrestation pour avoir comploté l'utilisation des armes nucléaires russes." **(Gerard Gans, you are under arrest for plotting the use of Russian nuclear armaments.)** Katya announced in French, holding a pistol out with the barrel pointing at Gerard's face.

"Cette semaine est pleine de surprises!" **(This week is just full of surprises!)** Gerard announced as he let out a small chuckle.

"Что ты здесь делаешь?" **[Chto ty zdes' delayesh'?]** **(What are you doing here?!)** Yuri called out the moment he noticed Vassilli was chained to the wall on the other side of the room.

"Il, avec quelques autres, empiété sur ma ville et j'ai essayé de me tuer. Manifestement, il n'a pas fonctionné comme il prévu. Mais, apparemment, quelque chose ne va pas comme il apparaît." **(He, along with a few others, trespassed into my city and tried to kill me. Clearly it didn't work out as he planned. But apparently something is not as it appears.)**

"Essayons de tirer ça au clair. Vous pensez que j'ai des plans pour utiliser des armes nucléaires que je n'ai même pas des codes d'accès à?" **(Let's try and get this straight. You think I have plans for using nuclear weapons that I don't even have access codes to?)** Gerard questioned while wondering how on Earth these people keep managing to break through his security.

"J'ai des preuves solides que vous avez l'intention d'utiliser les codes qui ont été volés à partir du renseignement militaire russe. Nous pouvons le faire de cette façon la facilité ou à la dure. Votre choix." **(I have solid evidence that you have plans to use codes that were stolen from Russian Military Intelligence. We can do this the easy way or the hard way. Your choice.)** Katya demanded, making it crystal clear she wasn't the traitor.

"Подождите ... Ты не предатель? Ты лояльный?" **[Podozhdite…ty ne predatel'? Ty loyal'nyy?]** **(Wait... You're not the traitor? You're a loyalist?)** Vassilli questioned, shocked to realize Katya wasn't the one he was meant to be chasing down.

"Конечно, нет! Я получил зашифрованную электронную почту, которая предупредила меня, сотрудника спецназа планирует использовать украденные коды и продать их. Я принял это как серьезную угрозу и сумел получить некоторые русские солдаты, чтобы помочь мне в моей миссии." **[Konechno, net! YA poluchilzashifrovannuyu elektronnuyu pochtu, kotoraya predupredila menya, sotrudnika spetsnaza planiruyet ispol**ʹ**zovat**ʹ** ukradennyye kody i prodat**ʹ** ikh . YA prinyal eto kak ser**ʹ**yeznuyu ugrozu i sumel poluchit**ʹ** nekotoryye russkiye soldaty , chtoby pomoch**ʹ** mne v moyey missii.]** **(Of course not! I received an encrypted email that warned me of a Spetsnaz officer planning to use stolen codes and sell them off. I took it as a serious threat and managed to get some Russian soldiers to assist me in my mission.)** Katya explained, giving her side of the story.

"Но я получила зашифрованное письмо, которое предупредило о КГБ Агент краже ракеты коды!" **[No ya poluchila zashifrovannoye pis'mo, kotoroye predupredilo o KGB Agent krazhe rakety kody!]** **(But I received an encrypted email that warned of a K.G.B. agent stealing the missile codes!)** Vassilli announced, making it quite obvious to both groups that they had been deceived greatly.

"Что? Ты хочешь сказать, что ты не тот, кто дает ему коды? Тогда кто?" **[Chto? Ty khochesh' skazat', chto ty ne tot kto dayet yemu kody? Togda kto?]** **(What? You mean you're not the one giving him the codes? Then who is?)** Yuri questioned before a gunshot rang out.

Yuri slowly dropped to the floor, the bullet in the back of his head granted him a quick and painless death. Vassilli, Gerard, and Katya's eyes all widened when they turned to see that the other intruder had shot him.

"Perhaps it's time I shed some light on this little story I've concocted. There were no nuclear codes, there's no rogue K.G.B. agent or Spetsnaz officer willing to give away Russian military codes. I simply orchestrated all of this and now my plan is beginning to unfold into stage two." the raspy voice announced before he began to cough slightly, feeling a burning pain in his chest.

"You? It was you who sent us the emails? How could you even accomplish such a thing?!" Katya demanded as she turned and aimed her pistol at the real culprit of the conspiracy.

"Lets just say I came across a P.D.A. of a well renowned mercenary that had you two for contacts. I needed to get in to this tower so I could begin stage two of my plan, but I couldn't do it alone. So I contacted Katya and had her escort me all the way here. Along the way I contacted Vassilli because she began to question the authenticity of the email. Hard to believe I know... but it doesn't matter now." the traitor explained, slightly chuckling under his breathing mask.

The moment he blinked, Katya swept her leg and managed to trip him up. Vassilli and Gerard watched as the nimble agent had already bolted out the office before the traitor could line an accurate shot.

"No matter, the pawn has served its purpose. I'm here for the king." the traitor announced, making it clear that Katya was not of any value to him anymore. He then turned his gaze over to Vassilli.

"Ah, brother. It's so nice to see that you're doing so well. Where's our other sibling? Where's Durge?" the raspy voice through the respirator questioned as he kept the gun pointed at Gerard and Charlotte.

"No idea, it's been years since I last heard from him. He's just another mercenary thug for whoever has a higher bid." Vassilli growled, trying to maintain a leveled head despite seeing a close friend murdered and the discovery of a conspiracy unfolded before him.

"Shame you don't know. I was hoping to settle an old score seeing that I now have the advantage." Vassilli's brother commented as he pulled a sleeve up to reveal a mechanical arm.

"Your arm... It's-" "Property of Kimura Robotics Industry." Vassilli began before Gerard interrupted him, stating where Vassilli's brother got the mechanical arm in the first place.

"Ah, so you do know of the late Misaki Kimura. Then you also must know what this building is." Vassilli's brother questioned, impressed Gerard wasn't merely some rat that burrowed in to a home that was not his.

"Of course I do. I was the C.E.O. here before the outbreaks started. There are many like it across the globe, Japan, France, Sweden... It does not matter though. I'm beginning to think I'm the only one who has enough ambition to make any use of the potential here." Gerard explained, showing he also had a plan in mind.

"Just who are you anyways?" Gerard then questioned, curious about this devious fellow before him.

"It doesn't matter who I am. What matters is my plan." Vassilli's brother explained, pacing back and forth the room, pistol still leveled at Gerard.

"Well in that case I must ask you to leave." Gerard said as he stood up from his desk. Pressing a finger against his belt for some odd reason.

"Make me." Vassilli's brother said before he pulled the trigger several times. His jaw slightly dropped when Gerard stood there completely unharmed.

"Impossible... How are you still standing? Those shots were on target!" Vassilli's brother growled before he tossed the gun aside.

"Magnets are very amusing when you play with them enough to realize that they can not only attract various metals, but also retract them. I've always expected some crazy lunatic to pull a stunt like this somewhere down the line."

"So I created this power source that essentially produces a magnetic field that has enough power to stop a speeding bullet. Only downside so far is that I have to be standing on this side of the room. If you don't believe me you can try again." Gerard explained confidently, making it clear that the gun would have no effect on him.

"I'll admit, I'm somewhat impressed, Gerard." Vassilli complimented, completely astonished at the amazing invention the elderly man had created.

"Brains over brawn. Something I don't expect your foolish brother to understand, at least for much longer anyways." Gerard replied, a wide grin forming over his face as Vassilli's brother clenched both fists.

"Alright, so I can't shoot you. Looks like I'll just have to beat you instead." the sinister brother cackled as he approached Gerard.

"Charlotte, pourquoi ne pas s'amuser avec notre invité surprise?" **(Charlotte, why don't you have some fun with our uninvited guest?)** Gerard suggested as he leaned back in his chair.

"Avec plaisir." **(With pleasure.)** Charlotte exclaimed as she jumped over the desk and stood before Vassilli's brother.

"You? Haha, the man is clearly senile if he thinks a woman can beat-" the brother exclaimed before Charlotte backhanded him, sending him hurtling across the room.

Vassilli hung there; watching as his brother slowly pulled himself back up with rage in his golden eyes.

"I see I'm not the only one who thought these robotic husks could be used as a weapon. Lets see how well you've programmed her." Vassilli's brother commented before he rushed the android.

**{Ultimate Spiderman OST - Venom Fight 1}**

Charlotte grinned only to catch his left fist. She then felt her body launched back a few meters, right through a wall when the robotic fist uppercut her. However, she was designed to adapt and have emotion. Unfortunately for the brother, her personality was quite sadistic.

The brother followed her into the next room over, not wanting to give her the chance to recover. But it was too late; Charlotte was already on the attack again.

Vassilli's brother leapt to the side, her fist barely missing his jaw. The strike hit a wooden support beam. She quickly pulled it out with her immense strength and brought it down on him, trapping him underneath it.

"Pas mal, vous emballez assez un coup de poing. Quel que soit le ferai-je avec vous?" **(Not bad, you pack quite a wallop. Whatever shall I do with you?)** Charlotte questioned as she approached the trapped traitor. Watching as he desperately tried to pull the rubble off of him.

"Je pourrais passer les deux prochaines minutes tirant vos membres hors tension. Cela pourrait se révéler amusant que je te regarde saigner lentement." **(I could spend the next couple of minutes pulling your limbs off. That could prove to be fun as I watch you bleed out slowly.)** Charlotte suggested, drawing closer and closer to him as he was nearly free.

"Peut-être que je pourrais vous débarrasser de l'établissement et profiter du bruit que vous ferez quand vous touchez le sol." **(Maybe I could throw you off the building and enjoy the noise you'll make when you hit the ground.)** Charlotte said aloud as she then kneeled before her defeated opponent, slightly struggling to get the last piece of debris off of him legs.

"Ou il pourrait être amusant pour vous garder comme animal de compagnie. Le choix est le vôtre." **(Or it might be fun to keep you as a pet. The choice is yours.)** Charlotte offered as she then pulled the last piece off.

"No thanks, not my type." Vassilli's brother growled from his breathing respirator as he then threw a desperate punch with his closest fist.

Charlotte caught it and formed a wicked grin across her life like face.

"Cela va vous coûter une côte." **(That's going to cost you a rib.)** Charlotte commented before she forced his organic arm down and reached out, pressing her other thumb against his lower side with no mercy.

"Agghh..." the brother groaned in immense pain, backhanding the android aside in time before she could put in enough force in to snap one of his lower ribs. He began to back away before she stood before him.

"J'aime mes amants de faire un peu de bruit. Que puis-je briser?" **(I like my lovers to make a little noise. What else can I break?)** Charlotte asked as she approached her wounded opponent who had clearly underestimated her.

Vassilli's brother grabbed a chunk off rubble then tossed it at her. Charlotte grinned and moved her head aside, wondering why he thought it could work.

"Vous avez manqué." **(You missed.)** Charlotte grinned.

"Wasn't aiming for you." the raspy voice explained as he looked up at the ceiling.

Charlotte then looked up and watched as he had managed to unhook a swinging chandler. It swayed back and forth until it came off and fell on top of her. The android immediately shrugged it off but soon realized it was just a diversion so the brother could escape.

Charlotte entered Gerard's office through the hall and was ready to pursue her prey. However, her master knew that she had driven him off for a while.

"Laissez-le aller, Charlotte. Je pense qu'il a appris qu'il a affaire maintenant. N'aimeriez-vous pas d'accord, Vassilli?" **(Let him go, Charlotte. I think he's learned whom he's dealing with now. Wouldn't you agree, Vassilli?)** Gerard grinned as he then proceeded for his secretary to have a repair crew come in to fix the damage to the office and room next door.

**{}**

**(a couple hours later)**

"Ah, Frasier. You've returned at last." Gerard announced as he watched the Brit walked in with Michel and one of the henchmen who was wearing a helmet and a face wrap.

"Who were you expecting? The King of England?" Frasier grumbled sarcastically as Gerard approached them slowly, quickly noticing one of the henchmen was missing.

"Frasier, I recall sending two men with you. Where is the second one?" Gerard noted, crossing his arms as he narrowed his eyes at the sight before him.

"Dead. Idiot panicked when we were attacked by one of the new breed of infected. Once he was bitten there was no point in saving his worthless hide." Frasier answered, showing no remorse for his actions.

"I sense you're trying to hide something from me. You could've gone back to your friends in Nouveau Bondy... Michel! Remove that man's helmet and scarf." Gerard ordered, thinking that Frasier was trying to sneak another Asian companion into the tower.

Before the henchmen could respond, Michel had already grasped the helmet and tore the face wrap off in a single tug. Gerard then calmed down once he noticed that it was just him overreacting to a bad vibe. Underneath the helmet was a white male with brown hair that appeared to be naturally spike without any gel. As for his eyes, they were just a simple hazel mixture between green and brown. To Frasier it was Brandon, but to Gerard it appeared to be just another soldier he never bothered to personally know.

"Are you done making an ass of yourself?" Frasier questioned as he rolled his eyes.

"Eh bien ... At-il le faire? At-il vraiment tuer les deux hommes que j'avais commandé?" **(Well... Did he do it? Did he really kill the two men as I had ordered?)** Gerard asked the henchmen who was now shaking nervously from the sudden outburst.

"Oui ... Je l'ai vu tirer sur la gâchette, monsieur." **(Yes... I watched him pull the trigger, sir.)** Brandon replied as he tried to not make eye contact with the people on the wall.

"Et l'autre homme que j'ai envoyé avec vous? Avez-infectées le faire?" **(And the other man I sent with you? Did the infected get him?)** Gerard questioned, wanting to see if Frasier was telling the entire truth.

"Oui, monsieur." **(Yes, sir.)** Brandon replied before Gerard let out a sigh of relief and returned to his desk.

"Je vois. Eh bien désolé pour mon emportement, vous êtes rejeté. Retournez à votre poste et continuer, soldat." **(I see. Well sorry about my outburst, you are dismissed. Return to your post and continue on, soldier.)** Gerard ordered while he lit a cigar up.

Brandon nodded and turned his back, slowly exiting the room without uttering another word. Everyone's eyes then looked over to see what Gerard would do next.

"Michel, take him downstairs to change. He smells disgusting and needs a good washing if he's going to be on my wall. Don't let him out of your sight, not even for a moment." Gerard ordered, motioning them to go down to the lower level of the tower.

Michel obeyed his master's wish and took Frasier downstairs to be cleansed of the blood and filth on his body. The android watched the entire thing, never once taking his eyes off of Frasier, just in case he would try to attempt any of his tricks. Michel then unexpectedly left when a guard whispered something into his ears.

-

An hour later after the sun went down. Frasier re-entered the office to see all the lights were turned off. He felt around the wall until a switch could be found. His eyes widened when he saw two of Gerard's security guards lying face down.

"What the hell's going on around here? Gerard what are you up to?" Frasier demanded as he spun the leather chair around to see Gerard tied to with a gag in his mouth. Frasier grinned at this site and stared down at the elderly man.

"Oh, this is just too good to be true. Guess my group managed to break out and..." Frasier announced before he turned to see that they were still in their restraints, all gagged just as Gerard was.

Frasier abandoned Gerard and rushed off to them. He reached up and pulled the gag out of Saeko's mouth, immediately wanting to know what was going on.

"Frasier... He's alive!" Saeko warned as her husband could see a very rare thing in her eyes. Fear.

"Who's still alive?" Frasier asked as the door suddenly slammed shut in Gerard's office.

Everyone in the room turned their heads to see the one who betrayed Katya and Yuri earlier standing at the door. He began to let out a low, raspy, laugh through his breathing respirator as he slowly approached Frasier, cracking the knuckles in his left hand for an intimidating effect.

"Kraven." Frasier growled as he turned to see the psychopath that they all thought to be dead, now standing before them in the flesh. It was hard to tell at first, but Frasier could never forget those golden eyes filled with nothing but hatred. There was a sinister look on Kraven's face, now that his mortal enemies were trapped within the same room as he was.


	65. Act 25 Revolution of Life & Death Part 7

Act 25 Révolution de la Vie et de la Mort (Revolution of Life and Death) Part 7

Élysée Palace, Nouveau Paris, Île-de-France, France

Z-Day+184

"Surprised to see me?" Kraven grinned as he began to pace back and forth the room.

"Seeing how I cut off your hand, impaled you through the abdominal, and then kicked you off of a building after handing your ass to you on a silver platter... yeah, I'm somewhat curious as to how you aren't dead." Frasier replied as he tried to stall for time so Gerard's androids could show up to help.

"Then allow me to indulge you with my tale of surviving our last encounter. It will be the last thing you hear."

"When you kicked me off the tower, I managed to catch a horizontal flagpole on the side of the building. I clenched on and never dared to let it go. Before I passed out I slid down it and kicked a window in, knowing I wouldn't be a pancake on the sidewalk that day before everything went dark."

"Weeks later, I awoke restrained inside a lab with a new, robotic arm. The new council approached me, they told me how my stub became infected and they had to amputate my entire arm to prevent any serious infections. Then they tell me how I owe them my life and that I was to hunt someone down for them."

"At first I was pissed off, but when they said it was you they wanted dead, I couldn't be happier. After a few days of getting used to my new arm I was sent off on a boat to join with two others sent after you."

"However, I figured that you'd be long gone by then. I deducted that you would be going back to your homeland in the United Kingdom. So I killed the crew and went on my own path, through the hostile deserts of the Middle East themselves!"

"Along the way I remembered how the corporation that built my new arm also had research on robotics, like androids that would serve mankind for basic tasks. I then wondered if said androids could be programmed for combat. So I... Wait you're just stalling for time, aren't you?" Kraven explained before he realized Frasier's true intentions. Slowly beginning to walk towards him and Gerard.

Gerard then managed to spit the cloth out and let out a small chuckle. Causing everyone to look over at him.

"You were a fool to come here. This time my androids won't hold back." Gerard announced proudly as he watched Kraven halt for a moment as if in thought.

"Hmm that's a problem... Too bad by the time they get here I'll already have killed all of you by then." Kraven replied with a wicked grin on his face.

"Smooth, Gerard. Looks like you're in a bit of a pickle now. However, if you make it worth my while I'll save your sorry ass." Frasier replied. Making it very clear that Gerard would need him if he wanted to survive this.

"Damn. What's your price?" Gerard asked, knowing Frasier wasn't going to help out of the kindness of his heart.

"You give my group a suite just for us. Only I have to be in your chains, except on the weekends. To top it all off I want you to release Saeko from your captivity." Frasier said, giving Gerard his ultimatum.

"Absolutely not! If you think for a single moment that I will accept those terms then you've clearly been hit too many times about the head." Gerard snapped, clearly unable to meet those demands.

"Fine. Kraven, want to do the honors?" Frasier asked as he stepped back, giving the psychopath a clear path to Gerard.

"Ha ha ha ha. With pleasure." Kraven replied as he cracked his knuckles in anticipation.

"Alright, fine! But change it from Saeko to Marcus!" Gerard announced, caving into Frasier's demands with no other options for him at the moment.

"Deal." Frasier announced as he reached down, grabbing one of the chairs with both hands.

With all his might, he tossed it towards Kraven only to be caught by the robotic arm that managed to hoist it up all on its own. Suddenly the chair shattered as Frasier punched through it, completely catching Kraven off guard.

Before Kraven could adjust to the sudden attack, Frasier delivered a series of rapid jabs to his midsection then spun around, backspin kicking Kraven through the office. As Kraven got up, he caught both fists that were heading straight for him.

"You've certainly grown stronger since we last met. But I'm the better one between us!" Kraven commented as he then ran forward while holding Frasier's wrists. Causing both to go through wall after wall until Frasier stomped down and kneed Kraven in to the stomach only to realize his robotic arm had caught it.

Frasier then found himself upside down as Kraven held him up with one arm. Shaking him about like a rag doll until he tossed him against the wall.

Kraven rushed forward with his robotic arm pulled back, just barely missing Frasier by the skin of his teeth. The steel fist penetrated the wall and became stuck for a few moments. Frasier took this opportunity by punching Kraven in the face a few times before the escaping mechanical arm backhanded him.

He wiped his face off from the blood that seeped from his lip. Frasier then ducked and leapt back whenever the robotic arm would go for him, fully aware that it could be fatal to take a direct hit from it. But sooner or later he would have to hit back if he had any intention of surviving this fight.

Frasier threw one punch only to be grabbed by the organic arm. The mechanical hand caught the second attempt. Kraven quickly tucked both fists under his arms then began to viciously head butt Frasier over and over again.

Frasier's vision was a blur until he managed to ignore the pain just enough to counter Kraven by holding his knee up to his chest. Making it impossible for Kraven to launch his head forward again. Kraven then let go of the trapped hands and punched Frasier across the room.

Frasier quickly hopped back up and managed to dodge the piston driven fist that came right at him.

Kraven then punched the floor only to balance on it and kicked his legs forward. The force knocked Frasier through a wooden door and into a bathroom. He felt his body slowly being lifted up by the mechanical arm, his cheeks stinging as Kraven's organic arm slapped his face back and forth.

"After all these months of plotting my return. After all this time and you've barely scratched me, Frasier. I'm kind of disappointed in your lack of commitment. Perhaps being in a group has caused you to rely on them." Kraven commented as he enjoyed the feeling of his knuckles connecting to Frasier's body.

"A strong man can fend for himself. But a stronger man can fend for others." Frasier replied as he sighed heavily. Trying to build enough energy to break off of Kraven's grip.

"Such a shame, after I finish you off, I won't have anyone to truly oppose me. Saeko normally would prove a challenge but seeing how she's carrying your child... I don't think she will be able to give me a fully committed fight." Kraven chuckled as he held Frasier up against the wall with the organic arm now, while his robotic fist was held back.

"What? She's not... How would you know such a thing?!" Frasier demanded, unsure if Kraven was lying or not.

"Earlier when I was in Gerard's office, she said how if I was to kill her and her unborn child, that the father would turn over every stone on the planet to find me. Seeing how you're still kicking it I presume you two have become quite close. Too bad this ends now!" Kraven explained before slamming his robotic fist forward.

Kraven grinned as he watched Frasier's eyes slowly close. His eyes then widened as he realized both of Frasier's hands clapped together to stop the killing blow. Kraven tried to press on with his robotic fist, but it was too late. He had inadvertently pushed Frasier into a paternal mind set now.

Frasier kicked Kraven off then deflected the punch his organic arm threw when he came back for more. Frasier held Kraven's arm up then body slammed him against the wall. Kraven suddenly felt a fist slam against his stomach as he bounced off the wall.

Before it was over, Frasier grabbed the back of his head and shoved it into the tiled wall. Tiny shards cut Kraven's face as he then grabbed a loose piece, planning to use it like a shiv.

He swung it back and forth, no longer in a disciplined mind state. Frasier simply weaved back and forth until he twisted Kraven's wrist around, causing him to drop the sharp piece of tile.

Frasier then landed a solid punch between the eyes. Kraven flew back only to push himself back with his arms. He then tried to hit with his mechanical arm.

This time Frasier stepped to the side, watching as it made a massive crack in the tiles on the wall. He then threw his knee forward causing Kraven to bend over. Now in a vulnerable position, Frasier took the opportunity and placed Kraven in a headlock only to throw him forward.

Kraven's head smashed against the porcelain sink before bouncing off it only to hit the porcelain toilet. He was now breathing heavily through his respirator as he pulled himself back up only to see Frasier swing both hands towards him.

Kraven reacted by throwing both hands up to block the oncoming attack. The force of it stunned him for only a mere second, but that was all Frasier needed.

Frasier punched Kraven in the lower abdominal before he grasped the back of his head again. Pulling straight down to meet his knee. As Kraven lurched back his face was pulled forward only to slam against Frasier's forehead.

Kraven's body slowly slumped against the wall until Frasier grabbed his collar and pulled him up and against the wall.

"You said you're the better between us. Well it's wrong... You'll never be better than me. Not like this!" Frasier shouted in Kraven's face before hitting him with a palm strike. Causing Kraven to burst through the fragile wall and into one of the many hallways of Gerard's tower.

Frasier walked through the gaping hole he made in the wall. Breathing heavily from the beat down he suffered moments before he returned the favor to Kraven.

"Perhaps I've underestimated you. Next time it won't be so easy." Kraven grunted through his respirator, barely able to pick himself up as Frasier stood before him.

"There won't be a next time." Frasier replied as he took a fighting stance. Fully aware that Kraven wasn't entirely out of energy.

"Love the new fighting spirit by the way." Kraven chuckled as he coughed a little; now back into his fighting stance.

Before the two could clash once more, a group of Gerard's tower guards showed up with their weapons aimed at both of them.

"Il ya des intrus! Feu!" (There are the intruders! Fire!) one of them shouted.

Kraven and Frasier immediately bolted down the hallway as bullets whizzed and ricochet past them. The occasional one would hit Kraven's robotic arm and leave a scratch on it. Hallway after hallway, more tower guards would show up to join the firefight.

The two fighters were so caught up on surviving that they didn't even bother going after each other. All that was on their minds was one thing: survive. At a conjunction, Kraven went left while Frasier went right.

Frasier's heart pounded, as he knew he had to out last all the obstacles in his path. If he were to die here, he'd never be able to see Saeko or be there for his potential child Kraven mentioned earlier. Nothing was going to stand in his way.

Kraven meanwhile could feel blood sliding across his face as he sprinted with what little energy was left in him. His robotic arm grabbed a tall bookcase and pulled it down to stall those who chose to pursue him. One tower guard managed to get in his way; his mechanical arm grasped the man's face and rotated a full 360 degrees before tossing the lifeless corpse aside.

He ran at full speed towards the stairs only to see Frasier jump towards him at the last minute. Both clashed in mid-air as they fell between the hundreds of rows of stairs. Punch after punch, kick after kick. If either were to move any part of their body near the stair railings it would be very likely to fracture the bones from the sheer impact of their descent.

"I'm what this world needs!" Kraven shouted out as he reached out with his mechanical arm in time to grab the last stair railing. Watching Frasier falling bellow him.

"But you're not what it deserves!" Frasier shouted back as he grabbed a chain to a hanging chandelier. Slowly sliding down it to ease up on his momentum.

He then looked to where Kraven was last. Eyes widened to see the menace punching away at the chain that held the chandelier up. Frasier quickly jumped off and landed on the receptionist's desk. He then looked up only to be swatted aside the room with a chair Kraven picked up.

He looked up to see Kraven standing over him with the entire desk hoisted above his head. Ready to crush him into a pulp with it.

At least he was until the elevator doors opened up to reveal all three of Gerard's androids. Kraven quickly tossed the desk towards them only to watch in horror as it shattered while they sprinted right through it.

"Fuck... Looks like you lucked out this time." Kraven announced as he bolted out the building, being closely pursued by Michel and Andre as he made his escape.

Meanwhile, Frasier was slowly sitting up to see Charlotte standing over him. His eyes met hers as she towered over him. It was clear she was hoping Frasier would try to run and give her a reason to thrash him.

"Go ahead. Make my day." Charlotte whispered in clear English as she took a few steps back.

"Another time... Android..." Frasier replied boldly before falling unconscious from his fight with Kraven.

-

Nouveau Bondy, Paris, Île-de-France, France

"What more can you tell us? We need to know everything." Henri asked as he stood in the doorway of the group's house.

"You wouldn't believe half the things they've been saying. Massive trenches, cage fights for entertainment, even talk about... androids." Saya replied as she was uncertain how much of that could be true.

"Things sure have escalated. It's quite uncertain what we can do for them now. Frasier spared my life along with Luc's; I want to repay him somehow... But the risks are so great. I'll need some time to think things over." Henri said, uncertain that the men from Bondy Station would have any chance against Gerard's forces.

"Of course, let us know if anymore of our group returns." Saya requested, receiving a slight nod from Henri, just before he departed from the house.

Saya let out a deep sigh before returning to Shizuka and Rei. They were both sitting near the dusty fireplace as the flames crackled and sparked.

"How are the boys doing?" Saya asked as she sat down with them.

"Better... Johann can now speak in short whispers. In a few days he should be able to speak again. Luckily his body didn't take any dramatic damage elsewhere." Rei replied as she looked on, gazing deeply at the moving flames.

"And Khota will be alright, just unable to walk for a few months. Luckily it wasn't permanent damage." Shizuka added in, her knees tucked against her chest.

"What about the kids? How've they been holding up?" Saya questioned. Remembering the devastated looks their young faces had.

"They've been very quite. With everything going on they've just shut down. As if their innocence has been drained and sucked away." Shizuka replied coldly, her body rocking back and forth slowly.

"I wish they didn't have to see what they've witnessed. To endure the hell we've faced. One-day things will change... One day things can go back to normal." Saya said in a voice that implied she still had hope in the world.

"Do you still have faith in him?" Rei questioned.

"Who? God?" Saya questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"No. Frasier. Do you two still believe he has what it takes to keep us safe? Do you still believe that under his leadership, we will prevail over the apocalypse? Or merely fall down to the mercy of the world we now live in." Rei asked, uncertain since it was clear Johann still had faith if he went with Frasier on the assault to Gerard's tower, yet her faith was diminished and dry.

"I do. If he could gain the trust of Gerard to kill someone as important as Henri and Luc, then not go through with it. It's clear he's gained some sort of advantage and therefore must be planning something big. So yeah... I believe in him." Saya replied tactically as she then began to ponder at the possibilities that were set before them.

-

Nouveau Paris, Paris, Île-de-France, France

Z-Day+185

"You're awake, how do you feel?" Rika questioned as she held up a wash cloth to Frasier's face.

"I'm fine, just a little sore. That bastard packs quite a punch with that augmented arm." Frasier groaned as he tried to sit up slowly. Feeling a burning pain in his chest from the beating he took.

"Can you two give me and Saeko a minute?" Frasier then asked.

"Where? It's not that large of a suite." Vassilli commented, realizing there wasn't much for them despite the deal made earlier.

"Then go hang out in the bathroom. This is important." Frasier ordered impatiently, not wanting to deal with anything but what he had in mind.

Vassilli and Rika looked at each other only to shrug their shoulders and slowly enter the bathroom. Slowly closing the door but leaving it a crack open to overhear whatever was to come next.

"Saeko... Is it true?" Frasier muttered under his breath as he looked over at Saeko slowly.

"Is what true?" Saeko replied, uncertain of what he was asking of her. She walked over and sat besides him in the bed, gently rubbing his cheek.

"When fighting with Kraven, he mentioned that you were carrying my child." Frasier explained, making it crystal clear now. Slowly pulling her hand off, showing no room for affection at the moment.

"I-It's true. I didn't tell you because you would never have allowed me to go into battle with you. You know I can't handle being on the sidelines." Saeko answered as she slowly looked down, speaking in a voice as if she was ashamed for not bringing it up sooner.

Frasier was silent for a moment. Trying to warp his mind around everything now. He then took a deep breath and pulled Saeko on top of him.

"You're not mad? Or upset?" Saeko questioned as she saw a wide smile form across his face.

"Not at all. You may be good at hiding the first symptoms of pregnancy. But you would have to tell me at some point." Frasier whispered in her ear as his hands slowly ran along her stomach.

"You always did think two steps ahead of everyone." Saeko admired as her fingers gently stroked his hair.

"It's how I've survived this long; that and being part of a very capable group. Without you all... I'm just the disgraced son of one of my nations finest officers." Frasier admitted, making it clear that his group needed him just as much as he needed them.

"Do you think about him? Do you still care about what your father thinks of you?" Saeko questioned as Frasier gently caressed her mid-abdominal.

"No. It's only you and Marcus' whose opinions matter to me. I may not have any love for my father... But I can't ignore the failure on my part. Do you ever think about your father? It can't be easy seeing Kraven still alive after what he did." Frasier said sympathetically as he looked up to look in Saeko's eyes.

"Not a single day goes by where I don't think about subjecting Kraven to the horrendous pain he's caused to others, then end him slowly." Saeko explained in anger, her grip on Frasier's hair tightening as she thought about the sight of her fallen father.

"He'll get his my love. They always do." Frasier said reassuringly as he ran his hand across her cheek. Slowly smiling when her soft cheek rubbed against it in comfort.

-

Just outside Nouveau Paris' borders

Meanwhile, Marcus was slowly walking down a lonesome street just outside of the inner city. His hands were still bound as he wandered about. Trying to find a sharp object to cut off the ropes that restricted the use of his hands.

"Fucking pricks... When my brother hears about this..." Marcus mumbled to himself. Feeling he would go mad if he didn't hear someone else's voice soon.

Suddenly, he heard some tin cans being knocked over. His attention quickly turned over to see multiple infected wandering through. He let out a sigh of relief to know that it was only the common infected. So long as he was silent, they wouldn't bother him.

He then quickly hid behind a broken down car when the last one out the alley was one of the new breed of infected. He recognized it by the putrid gurgling noise it made. Marcus could feel his heart racing as he tried to figure out a way past Them.

At first it seemed impossible for him to do it alone. But then he noticed something unusual. The car he was hiding behind was one of the only ones to not be entirely scrapped by the local stations or Gerard's men. This one still had the wheels attached to it.

Marcus slowly got onto his belly and began to slowly crawl underneath the car. He then turned over onto his back, searching for the break cables. Once he found them he tried to pull and pinch them apart but realized it would do him no good. Especially with his hands all tied up.

At first his only hope of getting away seemed to be cut short. But then he noticed a barbershop across the street from him.

"Maybe I can find some scissors in there and cut these damn ropes or something. But how will I get across the street without being spotted... Marcus pondered to himself before he recalled seeing a cardboard box lying in an alleyway a few meters behind the car he was under.

Marcus backtracked his steps then made his way into the alleyway to see an infected man just standing there. It's gaze vacant and looking into empty space. It probably wandered in from another route while Marcus was underneath the car.

The young Brit scanned the area for a weapon. Anything sharp enough to dig in and kill the infected corpse that stood between him and his cardboard box. Unfortunately, nothing useful could be found on the ground that would help him out.

Marcus then noticed something that could be helpful. However, retrieving it would be extremely risky on his part. A small knife could be seen, wedged in the shoulder of the infected man in the alleyway.

"Damn... Where's Frasier when you need something killed... Wait a moment... I don't need him to kill one of Them. Yeah, time for Marcus to be the badass. " Marcus thought to himself, managing to motivate himself to sneak up on the infected corpse.

His hands slowly reached out and grasped the handle of the kitchen knife. Sweat trickled down his face as he slowly pulled it out, making a squishy sound that caused the infected man to turn around. Marcus quickly tip toed behind the infected man as it turned around.

He quickly pulled back on the handle. The kitchen knife now being held with both hands as the infected man turned to face Marcus.

Now fully aware of his presence, the infected man limped forward, causing Marcus to fall onto his back. He looked up and let out a soft grunt of anger as his arms thrust out. Both eyes were closed, only to open to see the rotten, decaying, yellow teeth were just a few centimeters away from Marcus' face.

"Ugh, I nearly forgot about the smell." Marcus grumbled to himself before pushed the infected man off of him, the kitchen knife snapping as he twisted it, rendering it entirely useless to him.

"Marcus: 1. Dead assholes: 0." Marcus thought to himself as he pulled the box over his head.

He then slowly got down on his knees and pulled the cardboard box over himself.

In the middle of the road, a small cardboard box could be seen. Carefully crossing the street as the infected were none the wiser about it. Eventually he managed to enter the barbershop and pull the box off of himself.

"Marcus: 2. Dead assholes: 0." Marcus thought, adjusting the score before he began to rummage through some of the drawers in the shop.

Eventually he managed to find a pair of scissors and take a few moments to carefully snip the bindings off. Now that his hands were free, Marcus snapped the scissors apart and decided to keep them as makeshift knifes.

After taking a few minutes to crawl under the box and back to the car, he began to slowly carve away against the break cables. Before the scissor blade could cut all the way through, Marcus began to tap the second one against the car to attract Them.

"Oh yeah. That's it... Come to me you ugly freaks." Marcus muttered to himself as he watched the infected slowly line themselves up for him.

*Snap*

The scissor cut right through the break cables. A low-pitched creaking noise could be heard as the car could be seen slowly moving forward. However, Marcus knew it wouldn't be going fast enough to without enough momentum.

He quickly got out and began to push forward, summoning just enough strength to cause the car to roll downhill.

Marcus just stood there and watched as the car crushed and ran over the infected in his path. Making short work of Them, just as his brother would've.

"Marcus: 3! Dead assholes: 0!" Marcus cheered aloud, feeling a little more than proud of himself at the moment.

He then realized he had just compromised himself by shouting out like that. Multiple shadows from alleyways and streets ahead could be seen. Marcus was fully aware that he basically just rang a dinner bell for Them.

He quickly sprinted into a nearby alleyway to evade Them. As Marcus climbed a chain-linked fence, he immediately bounced back the moment he saw four infected heads turn to meet his gaze.

Marcus quickly bolted down the narrow path between two buildings before the infected blocked him on both sides. Giving him no chance to escape the easy way out.

He then held the scissor blades in both hands. Ready to make a desperate last stand as his father or elder brother would've.

"I hope you don't plan on fighting Them with those, Marcus." a familiar female voice called out from above.

Marcus quickly spun around to see Katya standing on a fire escape just out of his reach. Anger and dismay filled Marcus, not yet aware of the truth of Katya's nature.

"You again... What do you want?" Marcus grumbled as he focused his attention back to the infected that were approaching him.

"I was just minding my own business until I spotted you. Looks like you could use some help." Katya commented as Marcus prepared for a last stand.

"Pass. I can handle it on my own." Marcus replied, not wanting anyone's help, especially not hers.

"I don't know. This looks a bit out of your league. I realize why you're upset with me. But if you come with me I'll explain everything." Katya offered as she reached down for him.

Marcus took a moment to weigh his options out. At first it seemed like a terrible idea to trust Katya. But seeing as he was all by himself in the outskirts, he didn't have much choice but to accept what Katya had to offer.

With a reluctant sigh, Marcus slowly reached out and was hoisted to safety. Just before the infected could swarm the alleyway and add him to their wretched ranks.

Marcus slowly climbed up the ladder. When he entered through a hole in the building, he looked up to see Katya standing over him. A warm smile presented on her as she gently held him close.

"Get off me... I'm grateful for the help and all... but I know what you're up to. You won't get away with it." Marcus said as he slowly managed to squirm out of her loving embrace.

"You're very cold to me, Marcus. And what is it exactly that I'm up to?" Katya questioned as she stood before him with her arms crossed, curious as to what he could know of her in the short time they've met.

"I know all about the nuclear codes. About Gerard..." Marcus replied before Katya placed a hand over his mouth.

"Shhh... You misunderstand. I came here to stop Gerard. I was actually in his office not too long ago. It was then I was betrayed by the madman responsible for it all." Katya corrected, informing Marcus of the truth seeing how he wasn't there to witness it.

"Kraven..." Marcus muttered as she took her hand off of his mouth.

"Yes, how did you know?" Katya asked, amazed Marcus could put things together on her own.

"No... Listen... Can you hear it?" Marcus asked in a whispered hush to her.

Katya closed her lips then listened in more closely. Not too far down the hall she could hear the dreaded breathing from a respirator, then the sound of a metallic fist gripping tightly. A dark shadow soon appeared along the wall.

"How do you know of this monster?" Katya questioned, unsure how Marcus could've known the monster drawing near.

"He's one of many enemies Frasier had the displeasure of encountering. Last time they fought it was something fierce. Frasier beat him so bad it's why he breathes like Darth Vader and has an augmented arm." Marcus replied softly as the shadow continued to grow.

"Stay here. Let me handle this." Katya ordered firmly as she then walked forward to encounter Kraven directly. Marcus remained silent and wondered what she could do that made her confident to take on someone as deadly as Kraven.

"You don't waste time." Katya commented as she stood above Kraven, looking down into his golden eyes.

"Your stay of execution has come to an end, Katya." Kraven announced through the respirator as he approached her slowly.

Suddenly something jumped on his back and tackled him. Kraven rolled around with whoever it was and threw the opponent overhead. He looked up to see standing before him was a human like figure. It stood just like the other three androids did.

The new android didn't have any synthetic skin on it though. It had an ultra-strong, transparent, plastic like material that covered over its complex circuitry and rotating gears. It's eyes were a bleak white color that scanned Kraven's every move.

"It appears you've acquired your own android, Katya... May I ask where you found it?" Kraven questioned as he paced back and forth, coughing between the pauses.

"I found this little contraption in Gerard's tower while making my get away. I'm only telling you this because you won't make it out alive." Katya explained with her arms crossed, expecting the android to mop the floor with him.

Kraven then looked back to the android and gripped his mechanical fist. He then pointed towards the new android.

"Bow before Kraven! Your master." Kraven ordered to the new android, now pointing his sawn-off shotgun at it.

"I'll allow you two to become better aquatinted." Katya chuckled as she stood back to watch from her perch.

The machine suddenly charged towards him, both arms extended out. Kraven then leveled the weapon to the android's chest.

"I said bow-" Kraven demanded before the android grabbed his face then jumped over him. He could feel the mechanical monstrosity throw him overhead like a baseball.

Kraven landed on his feet just before he hit the wall. The next thing he could see was the android charging at him at the last moment. Both his arms were pinned against the wall. He let out an aggressive snarl as he tried to free himself from its clutches. The android replied by letting out a low growl as if to taunt him.

"Grrraahh!" Kraven roared out as he managed to fire off his sawn-off shotgun.

The android immediately backed up when it's right hand was blown clean off. Kraven then aimed it again only for the sound of Katya's pistol to ring out. The shotgun flew out of his hand, sliding across the room. He scowled as he looked over to see her grinning.

"You and your machine will do well to remember. I honed my skills in the deserts of Arabia!" Kraven announced as he gripped his metallic fist tightly.

"Subject scans complete. Sensors show the target is only 25% combat capable." the android reported to Katya.

It then dashed forward and threw a punch right for Kraven's heart. He stepped aside only to be kicked against the wall. The android's foot held him in place. It's left fist heading straight for his face.

*Clang*

Katya raised an eyebrow as she noticed a somewhat surprised look on the androids face. It's left fist grasped by Kraven's augmented hand. Gears and pistons could be heard going into overdrive as the two struggled for power.

Kraven's hand then shook the android back and forth before he tossed it across the room. The android quickly pulled itself back up and then looked back to Katya.

"Re-assessment complete. 50%." the android announced, now calculating for Kraven's augmented arm.

When the android tried to charge him again, Kraven pulled his mechanical arm back only to punch forward. Sending the relentless machine back through a brick wall. Debris went flying all over the room.

Kraven then looked to see the android standing upside down. It's toes dug into the ceiling as it shot him a slight grin.

"My turn now. Ha ha ha ha ha... Ragh!" the android announced in a menacing voice, laughing in an equally disturbing tone before launch itself towards Kraven.

"Aaarrrgghh!" Kraven roared out before he dashed towards the twisted machine.

Katya watched as the two figures clashed. At first Kraven managed to hold his own, deflecting and swatting attacks aside, all with only his robotic arm. Occasionally getting in a few good hits with his augmented arm. But unlike him, the android never grew tired or became winded.

Katya grinned softly as she watched Kraven being kicked and tossed back and forth like a pinball. His breath became heavy as he tried to defend himself.

"This ends now!" Kraven cried out as he suddenly sprinted for the sawn-off shotgun that was shinning under the light behind him.

The android quickly rushed towards him. Programmed to strike at key opportunities in a battle, and nothing could be more opportune then when an opponent turns their back.

When Kraven grabbed the shotgun, he spun around and fired a single shot off before the android pinned his organic arm down with both hands. It had a sinister grin on its face until Kraven formed a wider one.

The android then looked down to see Kraven's robotic arm was shoved directly through its chest cavity. The machine tried to pull itself off but Kraven kept his grip tight and pushed so hard that his fist popped out the back of the android.

He slowly stood up and began to go to town on his mortally wounded foe. Slamming it against the wall over and over before viciously tearing out wires and what appeared to be the power source from it. Smashing it between his metal fingers like it was child's play.

"Let that be a warning to all who oppose me! Be they android, or human." Kraven announced as he raised the crushed parts up in the air. Almost as if their was an audience before him.

He then tossed the parts aside and turned to see Katya was long gone by now, leaving him with the remains of the android he just finished decimating.

"Shame, fresh out of the factory and already broken without a warranty. Hahahahahaha" Kraven laughed out mechanically to himself as he then turned to see a pack of infected had been attracted to the scene. A wide grin formed beneath his respirator, as he knew his adrenaline rush wasn't over yet.

-

Nouveau Bondy

"Maybe we can enter the inner city from the south?" Rei suggested as she studied the map with Saya, Alice, and Yulia.

"Maybe... Just don't expect to enter the same spot they did. If Gerard is any good at tactical positioning, then I'm more than certain that he will have buffed security since then." Saya replied, finding little to no reasonable scenarios where they could enter the city with ease.

"Maybe we could enter underneath the city." Alice suggested as she pointed at a thin line on the map that lead under the roads.

"Where... the sewers? No way munchkin! Who knows how much disease and bacteria is down there." Saya protested, throwing the suggestion out like it was never there to begin with.

"Not to mention the possibilities of Them being in there." Khota added as he managed to enter the room on crutches.

"Khota! You know better than to be back on your feet. It's been too soon!" Saya scolded, rushing over to set him down on the couch.

"Don't worry about me. I'm as tough as nails baby!" Khota announced confidently before he winced at the sudden sharp pain that shot through his shins. Saya noticed it and gently set him down before he could hurt himself.

"I know. Hopefully you will still be that tough once those legs are healed because I'm going to make you suffer for lying to me." Saya replied as she then walked back to the table to continue planning out the methods of infiltration. Leaving Khota pale in the face at the thought of what she intended to do to him later on.

Before any other ideas could be suggested, a knock at the door could be heard. Rei popped out of her chair and slowly opened it to see Katya standing before her.

"Who are you?" Rei questioned as she tried to study and figure out who this Russian woman was.

"It's ok, Rei. She's with me." Marcus announced as he stumbled into the house, having a hard time trying to keep himself up.

"Marcus? Marcus!" the entire group announced, beyond relief to see another one of their group members had made it out safely from Gerard's tower.

"Glad to see you've made it... Where's everyone else?" Khota asked as he limped over on a crutch.

"Still at the tower. Frasier managed to strike a deal with Gerard to have me released." Marcus explained as he was walked over towards one of the scrappy couches.

"How did he manage to do that?!" Rei questioned as she handed him a cup of water.

"Well... Kraven showed up and-" "Kraven?!" Marcus began to explain before the group interrupted him.

"Yeah... He's not dead after all. Frasier was forced to fight him in order for me to be released. Yet those assholes that dragged me to the outskirts didn't bother to untie me. Then I met Katya, and it would appear Kraven still isn't dead seeing how he managed to tear her android apart." Marcus explained, resting his head on the arm of the couch.

"You mean like the one's Gerard had Frasier, Rika, and Vassilli fight?" Khota asked curiously.

"Yes. But I doubt it was completed. It had no skin or anything. Just a robotic husk with Gerard's programming." Marcus replied as he sat up.

"Can you take me to it?" Saya asked as she knelt besides Marcus. She was already holding her AR-10 and had a backpack on, making it quite clear she wasn't going to accept no for an answer.

"Sure... but why? Kraven smashed it and everything. I doubt it could be of any use to us now." Marcus questioned, unable to find a valid reason to go back out to the surface world.

"If I can salvage something from it then there's the chance I can develop a virus to destroy these so called androids I've been hearing about." Saya answered as Marcus stood up.

"All right, I'll take you. But we have to keep quiet and move fast. With the undead, Gerard's men, and Kraven running about, it won't be safe in a large group." Marcus stated.

"I'll come with you. I can't let you go by yourself." Katya announced as she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"No. I need you to talk to your people and try to get some support for our cause." Marcus replied, making it clear he needed to keep the recovery team small.

"But what if you run into trouble? I need to be there to protect you." Katya protested in a motherly tone.

"I'll be ok. I promise, mother." Marcus replied as he hugged Katya tight. Appealing to her sense of kinship between them.

"M-mother? Hmm alright, but you be on your best behavior!" Katya ordered, feeling an overwhelming sense of happiness when Marcus called her mother, as if giving her hope after those long, lonesome, years.

"Of course. C'mon Saya, lets go find that android before someone else discovers it." Marcus suggested as they began to head out the door.

When the door closed. Only Rei, Khota, Katya, and Shizuka remained.

"Man, even after all he's been through, and he's still able to put himself on the line." Khota commented, somewhat admiring the determination in Marcus.

"He's becoming like his older brother. Those two are proving time and time again that they will never stop until they've run their last breath. I just hope nobody else dies... Our group is slowly dividing each time we lose someone." Rei commented as she slowly placed both hands on her stomach.

-

Hours later, Saya and Marcus slowly entered the building Marcus so dreaded; remembering how the alley over was nearly his grave and that this was where he saw Kraven last. Saya on the other hand was visibly mortified from the blood and guts smeared along the walls. The infected corpses (that appeared to be torn limb from limb) scattered out all over the floors they passed.

"How much further?" Saya questioned, not wanting to spend anymore than five minutes in the massacre.

"Just past this corner." Marcus replied as he kept his silenced 9mm leveled for any surviving infected that might have not been put down properly.

Both survivors' eyes widened when they stumbled upon a gruesome scene. It was not only the sight that threw them off, but the smell as well. Saya immediately covered her nose with her shirt as Marcus wasn't quick enough. He began to gag and cough violently before controlling his sudden outburst.

Several heads turned towards them. A weak chorus of groans could be heard as several infected corpses stood up; most missing on arm or large chunk of their torso.

"Shit." Marcus thought as he tried to compose himself.

However, Saya had already turned the safety off of her AR-10 and began to fire single shot bursts into the small pack.

Round after round was fired with careful timing between each squeeze of the trigger. After at least twelve shots, Saya holstered her rifle and turned to Marcus with a grin of confidence.

"Not bad, huh?" Saya said, almost as if trying to prove her new marksmen skills to Marcus.

"You should've let me do that." Marcus replied as he could now speak without worry of gagging from the smell.

"Why? I did just fine! Only missed like three shots!" Saya growled at him. Feeling somewhat insulted at the fact he didn't show praise to her.

"You did fine, except for the fact that you didn't have a silencer on." Marcus replied in a more firm tone.

Marcus then pointed to the nozzle of his pistol to show why it was a mistake for Saya to be shooting in an area that would easily echo out the shots.

Suddenly the sound of multiple doors could be heard being pounded on a few floors bellow them. The infected they didn't see downstairs had heard them and were now on the hunt.

"Fuck... Ok, let's go grab what you need and move out." Marcus instructed as they both began sprinting down the halls.

When it seemed like they would never find the remains, Marcus found the hole in the wall Kraven made. He slowly led Saya through it and before them was the broken remains of Katya's android just as Kraven had left it.

"Amazing... this machine is a marvel of pure genius. The technology and possibilities were always possible but never given enough priority to become public." Saya said to herself as she studied the entire mechanical being in a matter of seconds.

"Yeah that's great and all but we gotta move." Marcus said. Reminding Saya of the immediate danger they were in.

"Oh, right." Saya replied as she then walked over and placed the blown off hand in her satchel.

"What part do I take?" Marcus asked as he kneeled down with his backpack open.

"All of it." Saya responded as she began to scrunch up the arms and legs up. Finding the androids body to be surprisingly compact.

"You can't be serious. This thing must weigh a crap ton! What can you possibly do with all this?" Marcus questioned as he watched Saya load the robot into the backpack. Just barely able to fit it in.

"It's a surprise." Saya replied sarcastically as she then tossed him the bag.

"Oh wow. That's not too bad actually." Marcus thought before Saya grabbed his hand and dragged him out into the hallway.

They both ran for the stairs before the first of the infected could be seen ascending the steps. Saya and Marcus began shooting their weapons off. The ones they killed served as temporary obstacles; tripping and knocking over the ones behind them as they made their way forward.

Marcus kicked in a familiar door and opened up the window he and Katya entered through earlier. Saya went first, watching as Marcus began firing at the ones that broke through and were already perusing them.

"C'mon! Get out of there you idiot!" Saya shouted as she watched Marcus' ammo clip quickly become empty.

Marcus then retreated and leapt out the window. Closing it just in time as multiple grey hands smacked and pounded against it. Smearing and leaving their bloody handprints all over the glass window.

"We should hurry. That window won't hold for very long." Marcus noted as they both scaled down the fire escape.

"Which is why we won't be anywhere near it when it goes." Saya replied sharply. Dropping down to the street level as Marcus leapt down beside her.

They both nodded to one another and took off at Saya's top speed. Infected that were standing outside the nearby buildings turned their heads. Slowly limping towards the sound of footsteps that echoed off into the distance.

-

Moments later, Saya and Marcus were both wandering down the streets they were accustomed to by now. Marcus remembered his training and kept his eyes focused on all the windows they passed by.

When he noticed a glimmer of light from one of the higher windows, he immediately tackled Saya into the alleyway and placed his hand over her mouth. Knowing she would give their position away by screaming at him for his unannounced action.

"I know you want to yell and kick my ass for this. But I doubt you just saw the glimmer from that office building we need to move by. Unless I'm mistaken... there's a sniper we need to neutralize before we can get back home." Marcus explained, watching as Saya slowly calmed down and took a deep breath.

He slowly removed his hand and watched as her fist extended outwards, her knuckles hitting the bottom of his chin.

"Ow... Ok I guess I deserved that." Marcus groaned as he rubbed his chin. Watching Saya smirk before she held out a broken piece of glass. Trying to find the glimmer Marcus mentioned as she leaned against the brick wall foundation they were hidden behind.

"Can you see it?" Marcus whispered.

"Yeah, I do now. You don't have to whisper by the way. The scope doesn't enhance hearing." Saya replied sharply. Turning her head back to Marcus as she adjusted her glasses.

"I need you to do it. You're more experienced in this kind of crap. So unless you're desperate, don't expect me to be able to do anything." Saya then stated. Making it clear that Marcus would have to be the one to handle it.

He rolled his eyes then proceeded to sneak through the nearby buildings. Remembering what his father taught him years ago and what Frasier had been teaching him recently.

Always keeping his body and shadow away from any windows. Making sure he never gave his position away by attracting any of Them along the way.

-

Moments later, Marcus was at door to the room the sniper was hold up in. His heart was pounding as he brushed the sweat off his brow. Fingers close to the trigger as he kicked the door in.

A figure immediately spun around, paralyzed with fear. His hair was semi-long; an indistinguishable color of between brown and black, sideburns went down to his lower cheek. He had a lean, medium, build. Skin was a light brown shade.

He had a black leather jacket with a white line going from the shoulders to the bottom of the jacket, a picture of a star within a circle on the back of the jacket. Underneath was a white undershirt with a picture of smoking gun barrel in the middle. He also wore blue jeans, with black dress shoes along with regular glasses between his eyes.

The young male held both hands up as his eyes focused on the 9mm aiming for him. Marcus watched as his eyes suddenly shifted over to something.

Out of reaction, Marcus lanes back in time to dodge an incoming fist. He then grasped the attackers arm and twisted it around before noticing the other one was reaching for his sniper rifle.

Marcus planted a firm kick on the one he had in an arm lock. Causing both to tumble over one another. Both didn't dare move a muscle as Marcus kept his pistol honed in one them.

"Marcus?" one of them suddenly questioned.

"How do you know me? Stand up slowly." Marcus ordered, surprised that this guy not only knew his name, but spoke English as well.

"It's me... Rhys Lone. Remember? From Kibou?" the figure claimed as he stood up to move his hair out of his face.

"Rhys... Oh right... Normally I'd be shocked and baffled at the fact you're here right now... but given the hectic shit I've seen lately... Not so much." Marcus announced, still keeping his gun leveled.

"So will you put the gun down? I'll tell you whatever you want to know. Just take it easy..." Rhys requested.

"Last time you encountered our group, it was because it involved that incompetent council in Kibou City and their hired gun sent after my brother. Is this guy one of them?" Marcus questioned, ready to kill if the answer was anything but no.

"No. His name is Ramon De Leon. Without him I wouldn't have made it this far. You can trust him." Rhys replied, standing up for the young man behind him.

"Fine. So what brings you here to France? Shouldn't you be in Japan with the rest of those douche bags in Kibou City?" Marcus questioned as he spun the pistol around on his index finger.

"Kibou City is gone, Marcus. Place went straight to hell with the new council. The system fell and so did the city. A lot of good people died when the infected broke through... Julie, Ryou, even Yuki..."

"Afterwards, I realized all I had left was my friends... you and Frasier. I then recalled you guys had intentions of returning to the last beacon of hope this planet has to left to offer, England."

"I've been hearing mixed things about you guys since I passed through Hamburg. Not all were very nice but I knew better than that. Ramon managed to save my ass after my first encounter with the new breed of infected. So would you guys be able to accept me into the group?" Rhys requested after explaining his story to Marcus.

"Don't know; I'm not in charge. You'll need to ask Frasier. He wants to keep things small seeing how we have... Never mind. Sorry about going totally ninja on you guys by the way." Marcus said apologetically to them.

"It's ok. The way you moved and acted though, it's something I'd expect from Frasier though. You've greatly improved, Marcus." Rhys complimented as Ramon stood up and brushed himself off.

"Kissing my ass isn't going to help you get in." Marcus replied as he stretched his arms out. Almost as of he was bored now.

"So what do you plan to do now? I hear revolution is brewing in the inner city from a few friends from Bondy Station. Care to let me lend a hand?" Ramon then cut in.

"What can you offer us?" Marcus questioned as he leaned against the doorway.

"A way into the city that Gerard would never expect." Ramon replied confidently as he walked over to grab a map he had laid out on a crate.

"Oh? This should be good." Marcus replied as he walked over to observe the map.

"Ever since you guys infiltrated the city, trench patrols are thicker and are far more dense now. We can't go over them, but we can go underneath them. Unfortunately it's by the sewers, but the undead are just as bad so I'm sure someone as seasoned as you can handle a smelly sewer trip." Ramon explained as he pointed out the way.

"Not bad. All right, report to Nouveau Bondy. They will want to use that vital information." Marcus replied as he then lifted the window open. Waving his arms out so Saya would know everything was all right.

"As for you, Rhys. You stick with us... For now." Marcus replied as he then walked towards the door to regroup with Saya.

-

Beneath Élysée Palace, Nouveau Paris

Gerard stood in the center of the research facility, just under his tower. His fingers working furiously against the keyboards as he had finally just discovered an alternate solution to insert his combat programming into the robotic husks that were originally intended to be simple servants.

Rather than spend an entire month to place it into a single husk, he could transmit it through a signal and control them all at once.

"Monsieur, vous êtes un génie! Vous avez effectivement accompli votre travail ensemble pour les Américains. Imaginez le pouvoir que nous obtiendrons avec l'argent qu'ils nous donnent." (Sir, you're a genius! You've actually accomplished your entire workload for the Americans. Imagine the power we will obtain with the money they'll give us.) one of Gerard's assistants announced as the rest just stood there in awe at the elderly man's amazing breakthrough.

"Ce pouvoir ne serait jamais comparer à la puissance que nous avons maintenant." (That power would never compare to the power we have now.) another assistant commented as she gazed upon the rows and rows of husks come to life.

The fresh androids stepped down and stood attentively before Gerard. He then turned back to his employees and smiled warmly.

"Vous avez raison. Ils peuvent trouver leur propre pouvoir ... C'est notre pouvoir maintenant." (You're right. They can find their own power... This is our power now.) Gerard announced as he then began to pace around the fresh recruits, observing them as he tapped his cane along the floor every now and then.

Everyone watched, as the androids didn't move a single gear without being told to do so. Gerard then stood before the robots, ready to see if they were as good as his previous models when it came to taking orders.

"Aller." (Jump.) Gerard ordered calmly.

The moment his lips closed together, the androids jumped at the exact same height at the exact same moment.

"Marchez dix pas en avant. Puis dix pas en arrière."(Walk ten steps forward. Then ten steps back.)Gerard instructed, greatly impressed with how uniform the androids were when it came to taking orders.

Just as they had jumped in synchronization, the androids moved forward for ten paces only to move ten paces back.

"C'est excellent. Oh Marion ... Si seulement vous pouviez être là pour me voir maintenant." (This is excellent. Oh Marion... If only you could be here to see me now.) Gerard announced proudly before he then took a few moments of silence to remember how she always was there to support him and his work.

Gerard then took a deep sigh and turned his head back to the assistants in the research room.

"Les rendre à leurs rangs. Vous ne voulez pas qu'ils soient perdre le pouvoir maintenant, nous faisons?"(Return them to their rows. Don't want them to be wasting power now, do we?) Gerard ordered as he slowly walked down the chrome colored hallways, his cane could be heard tapping along the floor until he entered an elevator to take him back to his office.

-

Nouveau Paris

Z-Day+238

(8 weeks later)

After the first week of preparation and planning, the volunteers and dedicated revolutionaries were surgically moving through the sewers in a time span of seven weeks, just as Ramon suggested long ago when first joining up.

Rather than swarming the heavily defended town in one single assault, though, teams would be sent in at night to slowly infiltrate and be quartered in the homes of the citizens who had resentment for Gerard's oppressive ways and let them in willingly; citizens of the lower class, ready to do their part in the Second French Revolution.

In this great span of time many things had changed, mainly the weather. It was now officially winter and that meant one thing. Snow.

At first it was heavy, but the snow was lighter now, swirling down in mild flurries over the quiet, silent city. Purposefully filling foot shaped imprints in the crisp, bitter snow. Winter was here, leaving her blanket on the rooftops and streets, a soft and gentle coverlet of white.

The streets were busy, still immersed in the darkness that came before the late December dawn whilst naked trees that dotted along the edge of the lanes still groan under the weight of the snow laying innocently and kindly on their branches, only to occasionally fall to the silvery ground at the sigh of the wind.

Henri slowly walked amongst the crowds of citizens in the busy markets. He looked around to see familiar faces surrounded him. All who knew it was only a matter of time before revolution was going to sweep over all of the inner city.

Henri then turned to see two of Gerard's guards harassing a stand owner. He watched as they kicked and tore down the man's establishment, all because the owner refused to give them free food.

Henri casually walked over and tapped the shoulder of one of the guards. The man turned his head over to see Henri standing before him.

"Tiens-moi ça." (Hold this for me.) Henri requested as he placed a piece of fruit that rolled away from the wrecked stand.

The guard looked down at it in his palm before looking back up just in time to see Henri's fist connect to his face. Sending the guard tumbling into the rubble of the fruit stand.

The other guard immediately responded by pulling out a nightstick only to have his arm twisted around and tossed into the wreckage just as his friend was just seconds ago.

Nearby guards noticed this immediately broke off from their patrols and stations to intercept the troublemaker. Henri noticed them approaching, he knew it was time to fight back now.

"Les citoyens de Paris! C'est ce système corrompu de Gérard est venu! Les gardes qui sont censés protéger et servir nous, le peuple, désormais profiter de notre situation." (Citizens of Paris! This is what Gerard's corrupt system has come to! Guards who are supposed to protect and serve us, the people, now take advantage of our plight.) Henri announced to the crowds of people watching as he began to grapple and resist the guards trying to detain him. His voice burning with passion and love for his beloved nation.

"Ne laissez pas ces lâches vous faire peur! Ce n'est pas nous qui devrions avoir peur d'eux, mais eux qui devraient avoir peur de nous! Nous sommes les classes laborieuses qui ont construit cette nation autrefois très bien avec nos mains nues. Combattez avec moi ... Combat comme nos ancêtres quand ils se sont battus contre les classes supérieures siècles auparavant!" (Do not let these cowards scare you! It's not us who should be afraid of them, but they who should be afraid of us! We're the working classes who have built this once great nation with our bare hands. Fight with me... Fight like our ancestors when they fought against the upper class centuries ago!) Henri cried out. Pausing we never he would take a direct punch to the face.

"Laissez vos actions d'aujourd'hui ... être la pierre angulaire qui façonne notre avenir!" (Let your actions today... be the building block that shapes our tomorrow!) Henri announced before being overpowered and overwhelmed by the guards trying to arrest him.

Suddenly a brick cracked against the back of the skull on one of the guards wailing on Henri. The people in crowds and the guards who were arresting Henri, all turned their heads to see the stand owner holding a bloody brick in hand.

"Pour la Révolution!" (For the Revolution!) the stand owner called out as he raised the brick in the air. Showing he was ready to do what it takes to reclaim what belonged to the people.

Before the guards could react to the violent citizen, they were suddenly swarmed by more inspired citizens, all who were dispensing their own brand of justice against the corrupt city guards; viciously beating the guards who didn't manage to escape the marketplace.

Henri smiled as Ramon and Rhys walked over towards him, both offering him a hand. Henri was slowly pulled to his feet and watched as only a select few managed to get away in time as the entity known as the lower class was ready to take the fight to Gerard's tower.

"Laissez-les aller. Il est temps de Gerard voit pour lui-même que nous n'avons plus peur de lui. Nous marchons à la tour!" (Let them go. It's time Gerard sees for himself that we no longer fear him. We march to the tower!) Henri announced to the cheering crowds, standing at the front of the brave revolutionaries who were willing to follow him to hell and back.

-

"I'll admit, you were quite the adversary. But in the end I always manage to pull out on top. Very interesting turns of events these past couple of days though." Gerard complimented as he gazed at his photo of Marion.

"Heh, it's not over yet, old man." Frasier muttered under his breath as he hung against the wall; a slight grin forming along his lips as he turned his head over to see smoke rising from behind multiple buildings.

Suddenly multiple flashes of light could be seen. Followed by rounds and rounds of the loud explosions. Gerard set the photo frame down and turned his gaze to realize something was not right in his city.

"M. Gérard! Les classes inférieures sont des émeutes dans tous les secteurs. C'est la guerre!" (Mr. Gerard! The lower classes are rioting in all sectors. It's war!) a worried tower guard announced as he burst into the room. Alerting Gerard of the cause of the recent explosion that could be seen all the way from his office.

"Ce n'est pas la guerre mon ami. C'est la Révolution. De la vie et de la mort." (It's not war my friend. It's Revolution. Of life and death.) Gerard replied calmly as he then pressed a button underneath his desk, ready to unleash his new android army upon those that defied his rule.


	66. Act 25 Revolution of Life & Death Finale

**Act 25 Révolution de la Vie et de la Mort (Revolution of Life and Death) Part 8**

**Élysée Palace, Nouveau Paris, Île-de-France, France**

**Z-Day+238**

"You never did kill them... Did you?" Gerard asked, looking out the windows to see his guards march out to engage the revolting citizens of both his city and Bondy Station.

"Of course not. Those two men saved my group and many others before us. Killing them in cold blood would be a sin. I simply shot your two goons then replaced one with a friend of mine. Made up a story about what happened to the second one and you fell for it. Just as I had planned." Frasier answered, slowly twisting and turning his wrist with a bobby pin he borrowed from Saeko.

"I have orchestrated everything that has happened since that child was murdered up to this point. I gained the trust and love of the lower class by killing the infected in the arena. By slaying a common enemy they've learned I'm not all that bad as you've made me out to be."

"They've had resentment towards you for quite sometime, but not enough to act it out publicly, until now that is. With the combined help of them along with the people you've been oppressing in Bondy Station... I'd say you have only a few more hours before they break through the lines and storm your tower." Frasier calculated, his master plan finally coming together.

"We shall see about that." Gerard replied, knowing he still had an ace up his sleeve as he watched the revolutionaries march down one big street, heading right for the doorsteps to his tower.

-

**{The Dark Knight Rises OST - All Out War}  
><strong>  
>Tattered French flags slowly waved by the will of the soft breezes and currents of wind that passed through them. Thousands of revolutionaries walked side by side. Armed with handguns, pump action shotguns, and whatever tools they could find to act as a suitable close quarter's weapon.<p>

Their hearts pounding like drums with each valiant step they took. Moving closer and closer towards Gerard's tower. Ready to bring the fight right to his doorsteps. At first it appeared they were entirely unopposed.

But then they saw all of Gerard's remaining guards standing before them. Hundreds armed with wooden batons and fully automatic weapons. Three ERC 90 Sagaie tanks rolled between the gaps their ranks made.

The hulking 90mm guns aimed towards the revolutionaries. Causing them to halt and see just how far Gerard was willing to escalate things.

"Disperse! Disperser ou être tiré sur!" **(Disperse! Disperse, or be fired upon!)** one of the soldiers from the tanks announced through a bullhorn. Making it crystal clear that the city guards whom were still loyal to Gerard would not back down without bloodshed.

"Une seule autorité dans cette ville aujourd'hui." **(Only one authority in this town now.)** Henri announced to his brothers in arms as they stood their ground.

Everything was at a standstill. The crowds of men and women standing before their oppressors just watched as the three tanks focused on them. Their guns loaded and prepared to fire at them with no mercy.

Suddenly, multiple figures could be seen on the rooftops above the crowds of revolutionaries.

"For the Revolution!" Marcus roared out as he fired a homemade, rocket-propelled grenade at the first of the reconnaissance tanks. Two more followed by Rhys and Ramon were launched shortly afterwards.

Fire engulfed and consumed the three tanks. Taking the city guard's only major advantage over the revolutionaries away in a single, savage, strike.

The silence that followed the destruction of the tanks was swiftly broken as all the revolutionaries let out one, unified, roar of defiance and inspiration. The ground quaking at the charge of thousands as they sprinted towards Gerard's guards.

The streets were peppered with bullets as the guards immediately began to fire at the ground to maintain the fear they were so used to seeing in the people's eyes whenever they passed by. But this time it wouldn't cut it as the charge was still going strong.

The guards then began firing into the crowds, dropping dozens upon dozens of men and women in the front rows. Bullets that missed would either hit the surrounding buildings or ricochet off the street.

However, it was too late for them to rely upon their assault rifles to get the job done. Revolutionaries threw tin canisters at the guards and into the black asphalt streets. Smoke spewed from them and threw white clouds of deception over the battleground.

Both sides clashed against one another, Revolutionaries and guards alike thrown into the ultimate brawl. Ready to fight for the future of Paris.

Shots were fired from both sides, fists buckled against one another, skulls cracked on the cold, hard, ground, and jaws were broken and shattered.

Blood spilled on both sides, tainting the pure white snow as the fallen bled out and remained motionless on the bloody streets of the inner city.

Gerard's men fought desperately for their lives as they barely managed to hold their own. Their numbers were bad enough as it was, but with more and more revolutionaries taking the place of the dead ones, it was a matter of time before they would break rank and run for safety in Gerard's tower.

-

As the fighting raged on, Saya, Saeko, Vassilli, Katya, and Rika detonated homemade explosives at the back of Gerard's tower. Granting them access to the hidden research facility underneath the foundation.

"You sure this will work?" Rika questioned as Saya dropped her backpack. Quickly unzipping it to reveal Katya's android folded up and fully repaired.

It slowly stood up and looked down at them. Saya placed a vial containing the computer virus she perfected to counteract Gerard's combat programming. Taking her weeks to create with what little technology Bondy Station had to offer her.

"Most certain. Ready Giru?" Saya asked.

"Affirmative." the android replied, giving a nod of conformation.

"Wait? Giru? That little robot that was wrecked in America?" Rika questioned, uncertain if she was going crazy or not.

"That's right!" Saya announced as she quickly pulled on the android's chest plates, opening a compartment to show she placed the round robot within to replace the power supply the android lost when Kraven smashed it.

"Your friend's intelligence scares me sometimes." Vassilli replied in a joking tone.

"Save the jokes for after we win." Katya replied before Saya sent Giru in alone to plant the virus.

"You sure we should send him in alone?" Saeko asked as Saya watched her greatest creation sprint off to accomplish the most important task of all.

"I doubt those other androids even have a chance! You guys should go help those people at the front of the tower. I'm going to try and find a place to wait this all out." Saya replied, knowing she would be of no further use in combat to this scale.

"Good plan. Is Frasier out yet?" Katya complimented before turning to Vassilli, Rika, and Saeko.

"Not yet, he stayed in for a reason." Saeko replied, remembering what her husband said to her while they secretly escaped that morning.

-

Meanwhile, Gerard remained calm and composed. Completely confident that once his guards were entirely wiped out by the revolutionaries, they would be tired and unable to withstand the brutal force of an entire brigade of androids.

"It's funny, if I had not reprogrammed all those androids a few weeks ago, I'd be quite shaken by the site of all these men ready to tear my head off along with my upper class friends just a few levels below us." Gerard announced to Frasier and the tower guard who was watching the fight while standing behind Gerard.

Suddenly Frasier's shackles came undone after he finished tampering with them. Gerard turned around at the sudden noise, only to see Frasier pounce upon the unsuspecting guard.

"How did you escape those bindings?! Gardes!" **(Guards!)** Gerard questioned before he shouted out over his intercom, watching as Frasier finished off the tower guard he managed to take down.

"I could've escaped anytime. But I thought I'd stick around to watch things crumble. As for your guards... I doubt they will be able to help you with all that's going on now." Frasier replied, softly chuckling as Gerard was at his mercy now.

"You wanted me to capture you..." Gerard muttered, just now realizing Frasier's true intentions.

"I had to get close somehow. See what tricks you had up your sleeves so I could counter them. Feed the knowledge and tactical information to the Revolutionaries. They know every key location, how to attack and cripple your little operation. It's over Gerard. Checkmate." Frasier explained before he began to close in on his prey.

"Not just yet, boy." Gerard replied as his eyes then looked over to see someone standing behind Frasier.

Frasier noticed the shift in Gerard's gaze and ducked down out of reaction. As he looked up, the arm of Michel could be seen swinging over his head. He then leapt to the side so he wasn't in the direct reach of the mechanical monstrosity.

"Cette fois, vous pouvez le tuer, Michel." **(This time you may kill him, Michel.)** Gerard announced as he watched the android rush Frasier with a ruthless attitude.

Frasier immediately bolted out the doors, knowing he couldn't take the android on directly. He needed a weapon that could pack a punch hard enough to thrash Michel. Something sharp or at least dense enough to crack the hard material he was made of.

-

Frasier kicked in the door to the security room. He quickly dodged Michel's wild swings that took out chunks of the walls each time they missed; any one of them powerful enough to be fatal to Frasier if they were to hit.

Once Michel's fist was wedged within a concrete support beam, Frasier grabbed Saeko's sword from the confiscated items. He rushed forward ready to cleave Michel in two.

*Wa-ching*

"Hmm... An upgrade." Frasier replied as he observed the blade protruding from Michel's arm; clearly Gerard taking Frasier's design with retractable weapons.

He then broke off their clash and headed out the doors to see Gerard's guards and the revolutionaries still fighting. The streets running red with blood as the violence escalated. Explosions going off as the revolutionaries seemed to be turning the tide.

Frasier tried to break contact from Michel by hiding amongst the vast mobs but the android had locked into him. Following him all the way to the rooftops that he scaled in mere seconds.

"Alright you bucket of bolts. Round two!" Frasier announced, now ready to fight Gerard's top android one on one.

-

"Frasier! Hold on, we're coming to help you!" Henri announced as he noticed the young Brit clashing with Michel.

Suddenly the ground began to tremble as the sound of hundreds of metallic feet marched forward. The revolutionaries finished off what was left of the guards to see hundreds of androids heading straight for them.

"Préparez-vous à payer!" **(Prepare to charge!)** Henri then announced, ready to take on whatever Gerard could throw at them.

"No! Pull everyone back; we aren't equipped to deal with them. Give my group more time to handle this. Get everyone to safety!" Marcus explained, fully aware of how dangerous Gerard's androids were individually. But in a group they would be practically unstoppable.

"I hope you know what you're doing kid." Henri replied before blowing a whistle.

"Repliez-vous! Ne vous engagez pas ces choses! Nous avons besoin d'acheter plus de temps!" **(Fall back! Do not engage those things! We need to buy them more time!)** Henri announced, running with the rest of the revolutionaries to place distance between them and Gerard's army of androids.

-

Meanwhile, Michel and Frasier continued to clash on the rooftops. Despite having the tool to destroy the mechanical nightmare, Frasier wasn't skilled enough to do it with a sword he only used one other time.

Michel spun around and backhanded the blade from Frasier's hands. It spun off and was out of his reach now. His foot then tripped Frasier and pinned him down. Ready to end him once and for all.

"Saeko... I'm sorry..." Frasier thought as he tried to free himself from Michel's superior strength.

While Michel raised his newly built in blade to finish the job, Frasier tried to crawl away in desperation. Just as all had seemed lost, a shot rang out, the android's chest was blown out from behind.

Frasier looked over his shoulder to see Kraven running in with a sawn-off shotgun, blasting away at the android's torso. The mechanical behemoth unable to react in time, staggered back from the sudden attack.

Michel swung his sharp appendage around in attempt to hit Kraven. However, he just ducked down then gripped the back of the android's neck with his robotic arm and violently swung it around into the ground.

"THIS... IS... MY CITY!" Kraven growled, pausing at first when he kicked the android's face up, then a second pause for when he punched downwards, causing a faceplate to come flying loose, revealing the mechanical skull within.

Kraven then hoisted Michel back onto his feet. With a single savage strike, he shoved his mechanical fist inside of the androids chest cavity, griping vital circuits and wires only to tear them out with no mercy. The android tried to grab Kraven's neck but slowly powered down and slumped over, crashing to the ground like a wound up tin soldier that just ran out of charge.

"Don't think I did this for you, Frasier. Fate demands that your death shall be at my hands, not some machine. We're two very powerful forces, you and I."

"While you represent order and structure, I represent chaos and destruction, an immovable object versus and unstoppable force. Only one shall prevail! Besides, who would you be without me?" Kraven questioned as he pointed his robotic finger at Frasier. Watching as he slowly got back up, wiping the blood from his mouth.

"Let's find out." Frasier replied, as he clenched his fist, ready to end their rivalry once and for all.

"I can see your fight has left you winded and weak. I'm a fair man though, so I'll give you five minutes to recover." Kraven replied as he then drew one of two blades from his back. Slowly sliding it over towards Frasier as he kneeled down to regain his stamina.

Kraven then turned his back and watched as the androids continued their march to push the revolutionaries back to the trenches. Knowing they would prove to be the perfect tools once he took control of them.

-

While Giru sprinted down the hallways of the research facility, he came to an immediate halt when two figures walked out the door he needed to gain access to.

Andre and Charlotte could be seen standing at the door. All three stared each other down for a split moment before running at top speed for a clash of the machines.

Giru leapt in the air and clamped his legs together to form a spear head. His body spun around in circles like a speeding bullet as Charlotte jumped up to collide with him. She was kicked up into the low ceiling as Andre and Giru tangled up in each other.

As they landed, both androids split up and were now facing off, one on one. With no safeties on it was a fight to the death.

Andre dashed towards Giru; his legs running along the wall as he barely dodged Giru's sweep kick. He landed with his back turned to Giru, causing the newly improved robot to throw a punch with his only free hand in hopes of ending their fight in a single hit.

Suddenly, Andre's hands both reached back and clamped around Giru's hand. He spun his torso around and slammed Giru into the wall but never let him out of his grip.

Andre then raised his other fist to finish off the kneeling Giru before him. But his gaze was instantly directed towards something else, the vial that Giru tossed into the air to momentarily distract him.

Giru took this opportunity by punching across Andre's arm joints and face before he caught the distracted android in a headlock. With a slight jerking motion, Andre's head was crushed in an instant, essentially "killing" the android on the spot. Giru then caught the vial just before it could come anywhere near the floor.

Afterwards, Giru took off at full speed, with Charlotte not too far behind him as she had only just managed to pull herself from the ceiling.

Charlotte leapt forward, tackling Giru to the floor. One hand pinned his head down while the other was cocked back, ready to put a fist-sized hole through his skull.

When her fist came down, Giru's head slipped back just enough to dodge the piston driven fist that left a devastating mark in the floor. His legs then reached up and around Charlotte's back. Both feet grasped around her neck and tossed her backwards.

While Charlotte's body was already rolling back onto its feet moments after landing, Giru pushed off with his arms and did a back flip through the air. He landed on her back with both legs wrapped around her torso.

Sparing no time for her to react. Giru slammed his free fist directly into Charlotte's head. Sparks went off as she slowly slumped forward, remaining completely motionless after hitting the floor with a *thud*.

"Giru superior. Previous models inferior." Giru announced triumphantly before continuing his journey towards the motherboard; now completely unopposed to complete his task.

He smashed through the titanium doors and stood before the motherboard that was continuing to broadcast Gerard's signal. Giru looked around the entire room to see at least twenty androids being activated to stop his progress.

Giru immediately tore the protective casing out and inserted the virus. He watched as the androids that dashed for him suddenly stopped dead in their tracks. All androids stopped in their tracks, as their combat programming was wiped clean.

Even Giru could "feel" the affects as the combat program in his new body was destroyed. Reverting him back to his original programming, to learn and understand sociological behavior in mankind.

-

Meanwhile, the androids that had the revolutionaries back into the corner powered down. Just as Giru and the androids back in Gerard's tower, they too were powering down and no longer a threat to the people of Paris. Marcus walked forward and gently pushed his hand forward.

Everyone watched as the android he touched slowly tipped over. The last line in Gerard's defense was now gone. All that was left to do was to confront the man himself, Gerard Gans.

Everyone chanted and cheered as they marched to retake what rightfully belonged to them. Their freedom!

-

**{Johan Williams - Dual of Fates}  
><strong>  
>"Time's up, Frasier." Kraven commented as he drew his blade from its sheath.<p>

Frasier remained silent as he rose to his feet. Grasping the katana Kraven gave him minutes ago. Gripping the handle tight as he stood there, ready to end their struggle for dominance once and for all.

"Let us begin." Kraven announced as caught Frasier off guard by back flipping towards him.

Both blades collided as the fight began. Their speed was unreal, their power unmatched by any other. Frasier walked backwards as Kraven's blade continued to clash against his.

They both kept a leveled head as their blades deflected off one another. The cold steel clanging over and over as the two mortal foes neared the edge of the rooftop.

Kraven tried to push on so Frasier would fall to his demise. But he was already aware of his surroundings. Frasier quickly swiped his blade and body in a circle to not only cause Kraven to step back, but to also position himself so he wouldn't fall off the roof.

Frasier then continued to walk backwards as they fought over a scaffold that connected to the barracks on the other side. Kraven kicked forward causing Frasier to crash through the doorway.

Frasier quickly pulled himself back up and clashed once more with Kraven as they descended the stairs that led to the heart of the barracks. The tips of their blades scarring the walls they cut into.

Once they managed to get into an open space in the barracks, Frasier thrust his blade forward with one arm. Kraven dodged it by spinning to the side. Before he could do anything else, Frasier spun around as well.

Their backs slammed into one another as Frasier reached back with his free hand. He grasped Kraven's organic arm and twisted it around to the point Kraven was bent over.

Frasier swung downward only for Kraven's robotic arm to fold over with the blade in hand. Frasier broke off and stepped back as Kraven readjusted himself. Grinning to himself as he knew this was only the beginning.

Once more their blades clashed. Both warriors locked their stance and pressed with all their might. Kraven's robotic arm could be heard grinding gears to maximum output as Frasier's arms flexed from the intense struggle.

Suddenly Kraven sword was swiped aside. Before Frasier could finish him off, Kraven's mechanical hand grasped his throat as his organic one held Frasier's sword arm aside. Frasier's body slowly bent over backwards as Kraven decided to kill him slowly rather than crush his neck instantly.

He then slowly pressed his sword arm downwards; the steel blade slowly heading for Frasier's face with each passing second. Before he could finish the job, Frasier's foot kicked up and struck Kraven in the back.

Causing Kraven to launch over him seeing how he wasn't properly positioned to resist the force of the kick. Frasier slowly stood up only to see Kraven dash for him. He held his arm back to swing his sword at Kraven only to be drop kicked through the room.

The sword in his hand dropped to the floor as he quickly stood back up. Kraven was already charging to do it again. Only this time, Frasier turned to the side and tripped Kraven over. Frasier quickly snatched his sword as Kraven reached over for his.

Both blades struggled against one another as Kraven grinned under the cold steel that were only inches from carving into his face.

Frasier cut off the attack and leapt back. Kraven slowly pulled himself up. Both fighters circled each other before clashing again. No matter how hard one would try, the other would be too faster or dexterous to land a single hit.

Suddenly their blades spun around themselves for a few seconds to distract the other. Frasier then grasped the handle with both hands. Swinging it at Kraven as used just his robotic hand to grasp the handle. Their swords became red as sparks began to fly off to the sides.

Both mortal foes went flying off to the sides of the room. Kraven quickly pulled himself back up first and leapt upon a table before leaping at Frasier; his downswing causing his blade to cut into the wall as Frasier deflected it. Frasier then spun around, bashing Kraven in the stomach with the hilt of the sword before back handing him aside.

Frasier then felt winded once more, his body had hardly enough time to recover from his battle with Michel. He quickly ran back up the stairs to put some distance between him and Kraven. Trying to get just enough energy back to overpower him.

As he reached the rooftop he turned to see Kraven had somehow beat him to the roof.

"Don't think you can get away from me that easily." Kraven taunted, clearly showing he had enough energy to spare.

"I don't run from a fight... something you would know plenty about." Frasier replied, striking at Kraven's pride.

"I didn't run away! It was merely a tactical retreat." Kraven responded sharply.

Kraven launched himself forward, his strike so powerful that it caused Frasier's defense to break. His sword arm forced aside. Frasier's sword was then kicked aside; the tip of Kraven's blade now at his throat, forcing him to remain frozen in place.

"Looks like we have our answer now. Unstoppable force it is!" Kraven announced as he drew his blade back, the steel sword shinning in the sunlight.

Frasier's head slowly looked down as he accepted his defeat. He then heard a clang between two blades. His gaze looked up to see Saeko standing before him.

**{}**

**{Devil May Cry Anime OST - Main Theme} **

"Took you long enough." Frasier muttered with a smile on his face as he watched a demented grin form across his wife's face.

"Kraven, you will suffer for what you've done! You've killed the innocent, those who couldn't even defend themselves. You killed not only your master but my father!"

"But worst of all... YOU TRIED TO KILL MY HUSBAND!" Saeko roared out as she pressed with all her might. Causing Kraven to stumble back.

Her swings and swipes were far too fast to dodge. Kraven's sword deflected most of the attacks. But some weren't enough to withstand Saeko's wrath. The tip of her katana cut into Kraven's flesh.

Blood trickled down his legs and arms as his breath became short. Kraven leapt back before dashing towards Saeko.

"You cannot defeat me! I am immortal!" Kraven roared out defiantly; ready to cut down Saeko in a single charge.

"It does not matter how powerful you've become. It's useless!" Saeko replied confidently as her sword swayed back and forth before she dashed to meet Kraven's charge head on.

Frasier watched in awe as the two clashed. Their swords became red as the force they both applied was too great to handle. Saeko growled in a blood rage as she could never forget how her father was slain by Kraven. How he had nearly killed the only person that truly mattered to her in the world.

Both blades snapped from the intense force. Kraven stumbled forward, feeling a sharp pain as Saeko drove the remains of her prized katana into Kraven's chest.

When he turned around to reach for her, she unbuckled his respirator and watched as he hit the floor with a *thud* She smirked as the last thing she saw in his dying eyes was pain.

"For my father." Saeko said before she pushed the blade even further into Kraven; killing him before he could utter out another word.

**{}  
><strong>  
>Saeko then tossed the respirator aside and ran back to Frasier. Slowly kneeling at his side as she took his hand in hers.<p>

"It's finished. Let's get out of here my beloved. The time has come to prove to the group that your leadership is the only way now." Saeko instructed as Frasier stood before her.

"Not just yet, Saeko. Gather the group in Bondy Station and bring them here. There's one last thing I need to do." Frasier explained. Kissing her deeply before leaving her speechless as he ran for Gerard's tower.

-

Back in his office, Gerard was frantically trying to pack his belongings and flee the tower before the revolutionaries returned to tear him limb from limb.

When he opened the door to exit his office, he ran right into Frasier. The old man slowly backed up, trembling in fear now that all his men and androids were disposed of.

"So this it? My dream dies here along with me and all I've worked for?" Gerard questioned as he looked up at Frasier, tripping over a chair as he walked backwards.

"Your dream will never come true, Gerard; that I will guarantee; and your city will not be destroyed when the revolution is over. As for your life..." Frasier explained as he took his knife and slammed it straight down, causing Gerard to close his eyes shut, waiting to be reunited with Marion once again.

"... I will not be the one to claim it." Frasier finished as he let go off his combat knife, leaving it planted firmly in the wall besides Gerard's head.

Gerard slowly opened his eyes to see he was still alive. Not a single hair on his head out of place.

"I beat you, used you like a puppet, killed one of your own, threatened to throw your wive to the mercy of other men, even planned to annihilate your entire race... Yet you refuse to kill me? Why?" Gerard questioned, completely shocked at the sudden change of heart after all the death threats Frasier had claimed before.

"Simple. I decided to place myself in your shoes, Gerard. If Saeko was to die and I was in your position... I wouldn't just destroy the group responsible... I'd destroy the entire world. Without her, I would want the entire planet to suffer and feel my sorrow for a single second, and then total annihilation afterwards." Frasier explained, showing how much Saeko had kept his destructive nature contained and in check.

"That's it? Because of that one woman, you'd condemn your entire species to extinction?" Gerard questioned, slowly trying to pull himself up but slowly slumping back down from the lack of energy.

"I've killed my own before, it wouldn't be a trivial challenge to do it again." Frasier answered as he reached down and helped Gerard up to his feet. Making sure not to pull too hard in case Gerard had weak bones.

"So what are you going to do now? Let the people decide my fate?" Gerard questioned as he walked along with Frasier down the clean hallways.

"No. They will simply kill you and mount your head on a pike. It's merely going to be a relapse of the first French Revolution. I can't allow these noble people become slaves to what they do not yet understand." Frasier replied as they took the elevator down just in time to see the revolutionaries storming the lobby.

All of them raised their weapons at Gerard, fully aware of whom he was. But before any could pull the trigger, Frasier stood in front of Gerard with both his arms held out.

"Hold your fire." Frasier ordered as he glared at the revolutionaries. All who now were expressing looks of confusion and betrayal when they saw someone still willing to stand up for Gerard still.

"Get the fuck out of the way kid! You don't know what that monster has done to us all. He needs to die along with the rest of the upper class!" warned a revolutionary with his rifle aimed as Frasier's chest. Earning cheers and approval from his brothers in arms.

"I know what he has done and what he was once capable of. I have orchestrated this revolution and have given it life. Allow me to speak before you make your decision on their fate." Frasier requested convincingly; watching as most of the people were able to maintain a cool head for now.

Henri walked up to Frasier, uncertain of his intentions. She had a look of betrayal and uncertainty in her eyes.

"Why? How can you stand up for that monster after everything he's done to us? Remember how he used your own kind to get to you? Using you as a puppet and bending you to his will?" Henri questioned, trying to remind Frasier of what Gerard did to him.

"I do. Let me have my word, then we can proceed." Frasier replied as he then was handed a microphone that was connected to the intercom system throughout the inner city.

"People of Paris! It is I, the Clawed Terror. As most of you know by now... The city is under complete and total control by those who keep it running, the people. The upper class has no power and now they're at our mercy. Many, if not all of you, believe it's just to kill them all, right? Wrong!"

"We now have the power they once had. The same power used to oppress and control all of us at some point. They've done a wrong that can never be forgotten in the hearts of those who have survived this fiery cleansing."

"If you choose to do what your ancestors did long ago, then you're only condemning yourself to repeat history in the long run. Are you willing to put your strong hatred aside just long enough to ask yourselves this: Now that we have the power, will we use it just as our enemies have been all along? Or shall we prove not only to them but ourselves that we're better than them? That we're willing to focus on the big picture here and rebuild a once great nation."

"The choice is yours, it always has been." Frasier announced in a heartwarming speech, causing the revolutionaries to ask themselves about what would be best for the future of France.

One by one, they began to toss their weapons into one big pile; all of them unanimously agreeing to spare Gerard and the rest of the upper class.

"Vous êtes un homme très chanceux. J'espère que vous comprenez maintenant que vous ne pouvez pas blâmer une race entière de ce qu'un membre ou même des groupes d'une autre race ont fait du tort à vous." **(You're a very lucky man. I hope you realize now that you can't blame an entire race for what one member or even groups from another race have done to wrong to you.)** Henri said to Gerard as Frasier began to walk away with nothing left to say.

"Frasier, wait!" Gerard called out to him.

"What?" Frasier asked, standing in place but never turning his head back towards Gerard or anyone behind him.

"You're just going to leave? After all you've accomplished here?" Gerard questioned, unsure why he would do such a thing.

"Despite all that has happened here today, I can't truly call this place home. Now that things are settled here, my group and I can finally move on and reach our destination after all these months of running. We can finally go home." Frasier replied with a smile. Slowly leaving everyone in the room utterly speechless.

**{Coldplay - Viva La Vida}**

When he walked outside, Frasier was greeted by the cheers of thousands that stood before in the liberated streets of Paris. French flags waved back and forth as the snow began to rain down once more. Almost as if signifying a new age of peace and prosperity in a dark land.

He smiled and slowly walked down the stairs. Waving to those he passed as they began to celibate the great victory they earned through great effort.

"You've done well my son." A familiar voice announced to him.

"Father... And here I thought the fun was over. What do you want of me now? Here to tell me of my failures?" Frasier thought to himself.

"Quite the opposite actually. I've been watching ever since you became the leader of your group. Despite the odds being stacked against your favor, you still managed to think and fight around them. I'm proud of you, son. Now go to them, and lead like a true soldier!" his father announced before the voice in Frasier's head became mute once more.

Frasier smiled to himself and let out a sigh. Now realizing no matter what methods are taken, he would always hear the voices inside his head. That his father's opinion of him was always going to be heard, despite it being a mere figment of his own imagination.

His head turned over to see Alexia and Brandon amongst the crowds. Watching as they waved over to him, Alexia then surprising Brandon with a kiss on the cheek, his cheeks turning bright red. It was reliving for him to see that they had survived the revolution.

Frasier then looked over to see a group of young men launch fireworks from old mortar cannons. Red, white, and blue explosions filled the grey skies as he continued to march down the long road. Cool breezes blew by as he approached the end of the long lines of celebrating civilians. Church bells in the distance could then be heard ringing.

"Frasier!" Rhys cried out, managing to break through the crowds to greet his old friend.

"Ah, Rhys. You're far from home." Frasier commented with humor in how voice.

"Very funny. So I talked to Marcus a few weeks ago about rejoining your crew. Do you think...?" Rhys asked, not wanting to invite himself in unannounced.

"Rhys, you're a true friend. You will always have a place in my group. Just don't tell anyone where we're going. I still need to keep things small." Frasier replied, gladly letting Rhys rejoin his group.

"You're too kind. So why go to England? You've made this place a much better place. With your help we could make it a beacon of hope." Rhys asked curiously.

"I'm not the one who made Paris a better place. It's everyone around me that changed it for the better. I was merely the spark that ignited the powder keg of their anger." Frasier replied humbly, seeing things in a much different perspective than Rhys was.

"Humble to the end. I like that." Rhys complimented. Seeing that Frasier had so much since their last encounter.

Frasier remained silent, taking in the scenes of people enjoying the shackles being taken off of their lives.

Then he saw them: his entire group walking towards him. All smiling and finally reunited once more. Alice and Yulia ran from them and tightly grasped his legs; tears of joy flowing from their cheeks as he stood before the rest of the group.

All were fortunate to survive the final confrontation. Frasier held both kids in his arms and walked over to see what his group had to say to him.

"So now that we've settled that, I say it's high time we move on to our final destination." Frasier announced, watching as his group replied with warm smiles and nods of agreement.

Even Saya and Rei were smiling. Frasier thought that of all people, they would be the angriest at him. But they were smiling because they knew he was a worthy leader now; that his skills and decisions were exactly what the group needed.

"Agreed. So shall we depart by boat or plane?" Rika questioned as Frasier set Alice and Yulia down.

"Neither. The British Navy and R.A.F. would vaporize us in seconds if we tried it. We go by tram." Frasier announced as they walked to the exit of town.

Everyone stopped in their tracks and thought they all had misheard him. Surely he was tired and wasn't thinking properly they thought.

"Sorry... But did you say by tram?" Johann questioned as Frasier turned his head back to them.

"Yes. Sea and air are a no go. The English Channel is probably blockaded if not blown to smithereens. However, I heard a rumor once that there is a secret tramline that links between the French President's office and the English Prime Minister's office. Thought it would be worth a shot." Frasier explained. Normally that plan would seem insane but in this circumstance it seemed to be their only hope of getting in without conflict.

"Do you really think that's going to work? I'm not judging your leadership or anything like that. But are you certain it's the only way?" Johann asked as he stood before Frasier.

"It's either that or we start swimming." Frasier replied, trying to put some humor into his answer.

"I say we go for it!" Khota replied with thumbs up; balancing himself on a single crutch as Saya braced him on the other side.

"Next stop, Élysée Palace!" Frasier announced with determination in his voice.

Everyone began to move but stopped when Vassilli and Katya did not follow.

"Is everything okay? What's keeping you two?" Frasier asked.

"We've been talking. I don't think us being Russian will help your chances of getting in. Plus it's best we stay to help out around here. The next step is now to rebuild and secure our borders from ambitious powers out there." Vassilli explained, feeling it would be best that they stayed behind.

"I understand. I thank you both for everything that wouldn't have been possible without either of you." Frasier thanked, shaking both their hands. Marcus then walked up to Katya.

"Thank you, mother. I hope to see you again one day." Marcus said as he felt her arms suddenly wrap around her.

"You will... one day. Goodbye my sons. Not a day will go by where I won't think of you both. May your journeys be safe." Katya announced with warmth in her voice.

"Stay safe, Katya." Frasier replied distantly. Not yet able to accept her as a motherly figure.

"Don't worry, he will come around soon enough." Marcus whispered to Katya; earning a soft chuckle from her as he walked back to rejoin the group.

Yulia then stood before Vassilli. Looking up at the man that she had been traveling with for quite sometime now.

"Здесь. Возьмите это, ребенок." **[Zdes'. Voz'mite eto, rebenok.] ** **(Here. Take this, child.)** Vassilli replied, kneeling down to the young orphan as he placed his Makarov pistol in her hands.

"Используйте это, когда Biters воспитывать своих уродливые лица." **[Ispol'zuyte eto, kogda Biters vospityvat' svoikh urodlivyye litsa.]** **(Use this for when the biters rear their ugly faces.)** Vassilli whispered softly before Yulia hugged his neck, unable to verbally say goodbye.

She then handed the weapon to Rika as the two groups then parted ways. Knowing she was finally considered an equal with a weapon of her very own.

**{}**

-

The group walked away to their next destination, only to blend in with the rest of the crowds.

Luc slowly approached Henri.

"Frère, nous avons un problème!" **(Brother, we have a problem!)** Luc announced in a worried voice.

"Qu'y at-il mon frère?" **(What is it brother?)** Henri asked, concerned by the worried look in his eyes.

"Vous devez voir par vous-même." **(You have to see this for yourself.)** Luc responded, leading Henri and a few others to the thrashed security room.

He pressed a button on a medium sized television to show a black and white security tap playing. They all watched as heavily armed men were carting away hundreds of androids away. Henri gripped his fists thinking Gerard was behind this.

"Oh non. Ce n'est pas bon." **(Oh no. This isn't good.)** Gerard announced behind them all.

"Quoi? Que se passe-t-il? Sont ces hommes que vous essayez de récupérer ces monstres mécaniques?" **(What? What is going on? Are those your men trying to salvage those mechanical fiends?)** Henri questioned, now unsure if Gerard was even involved in this.

"Non, c'était il ya avant le début des combats. Mes hommes étaient également loin d'être aussi bien s'adapter ou équipés que ceux des hommes sur la bande." **(No. This was hours ago before the fighting started. My men also weren't nearly as well fit or equipped as those men on the tape.)** Gerard replied, his cave visibly shaking against the floor.

"Si ce n'était pas vous, alors qui est-ce?" **(If it wasn't you then who was it?!)** Henri demanded, watching as Luc zoomed in on one of the men on the tape.

"Le B.O.P." **(The B.O.P.)** Luc announced, pointing to the patch on one of the men's shoulder.

"Le B.O.P.? Qui sont-ils? Je n'ai jamais entendu parler d'eux." **(The B.O.P.? Who are they? I've never heard of them.)** Henri replied, questioning Gerard's knowledge.

"La Confrérie des patriotes ... les Américains. Ils ont cette technologie android maintenant. Que Dieu nous aide tous." **(The Brotherhood of Patriots... the Americans. They have that android technology now. God help us all.)** Gerard answered, watching as the elite stealth team that managed to infiltrate the tower without anyone knowing took the androids away.

-

One hour after searching, the group had found a hidden passage in the office Frasier spoke of. The wall slowly opened up and revealed a secret elevator.

"Going down." Marcus announced as he let Alice and Yulia press the button to take them down.

Everyone was quite as they stood there in the elevator. Nothing needed to be said as they found themselves entering the only tram available to them. Saya looked over at the controls, taking a few moments to look over the conveniently placed instruction manual.

The tram hissed as it came to life. Slowly beginning to move down the dark tunnels that could only go where Frasier had once stated. England.

"It will be a few hours before we arrive. Try and get some rest guys." Frasier announced as he sat with Saeko, his head resting against her lap as she fussed with his short blonde hair.

Everyone nodded in response and just took the time to spread their legs out. Relieved to know this tram was built for comfort. After all, it was made for the President of France.

-

**{Jóhann Jóhannsson - The Great God Pan is Dead}  
><strong>  
>As Frasier drifted asleep, Johann sat besides Rei. His arms wrapped under her arms as she curled up close to him. Things were beginning to become quiet all around him. His vision faded and seemed unclear.<p>

Everyone around him vanished one by one. Only to be replaced by four figures. The first two figures appeased to be his aunt and uncle.

"Nein .. es kann nicht sein!" **(No... it can't be!)** Johann muttered. Vaguely aware this was a hallucination of some sort.

"Shh. Es ist in Ordnung, Johann. Kein Grund zur Sorge." **(Shh. It's alright, Johann. No need to worry.)** his aunt replied.

"Aber ... Ich euch beide g-getötet ... Wenn ich dich gefunden habe ..." **(But... I k-killed you both... When I found you...)** Johann tried to reply in tears. Having flashbacks to the first day of the outbreaks. How he had to kill his own aunt and uncle to set them to rest.

"Es ist in Ordnung, Johann. Sie tat, was Sie zu tun hatte. Was du getan hast war einfach befreie uns von einer ewigen Hölle. Eingeklemmt zwischen Leben und Tod." **(It's alright, Johann. You did what you had to do. What you did was simply free us from an eternal hell. Stuck between life and death.)** his uncle explained softly.

"Es tut mir leid ... Ich wünschte, ich könnte es früher waren. Vielleicht Dinge hätte anders dann haben." **(I'm so sorry... I just wish I could've been there sooner. Maybe things would've been different then.)** Johann sobbed as he tried to reach out for them, his hands slowly phasing through them.

"Johann, du hast so viel gewachsen. Sie haben die besten jemand in Ihre Schuhe getan haben könnte. Lernen Sie von uns und diejenigen schützen, reisen Sie mit jetzt." **(Johann, you've grown up so much. You did the best any man in your shoes could've done. Learn from us and protect those you travel with now.)** Johann's aunt explained, warmly smiling at how mature he had become since then.

"Ich liebe dich auch so sehr." **(I love you both so much.)** Johann replied, wiping his tears away slowly.

"Das wissen wir. Wir haben immer gewusst." **(We know. We've always known.)** Johann's uncle responded before they faded away.

Johann dropped to his knees and slowly reached out for them. Looking down only to see the feet of another image forming before him. He looked back up to see his old girlfriend, Toshimi Niki.

A warm smile was presented on her face as she kneeled besides him; her hand feeling so real to him as it lifted his chin.

"Toshimi... Is that you?" Johann asked, his vision slightly off from the water in his eyes.

"Yes." Toshimi replied as he gazed at her.

Johann slowly brought his arms around her, and for that time, it felt like she was right there with him, like she'd never died at all. He could feel the fabric of her school uniform and felt the warmth of her returning his embrace. It felt like back in the days before the dead stopped dying.

Johann could feel nostalgic tears biting at his eyes as he ran his fingers through her dark blue hair, memories of all the years they spent together from their first year in middle school all the way to their third year in high school; memories of the many summers they spent, of the many winters, school days, holidays that had gone by; even the memory of the very first kiss she had ever given him back in their third middle school year. These were all memories that brought both bliss and pain alike.

Johann started to weep as he could feel Toshimi's embrace tighten ever so slightly before he felt the soft touch of her lips against his cheek. It felt so unbelievably real, he couldn't even imagine how this could be just a dream.

"I…I miss you so much, Toshimi…" Johann stuttered through his tears.

"I know you do, Johann. I miss you too." Toshimi whispered comfortingly into his ear, no malice or anger to be found anywhere in her voice.

"I-I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you, that I wasn't able to protect you when the infected showed up. To hold you in my arms as you passed on. I failed you." Johann apologized; showing deep regret in not being there to protect another loved one.

"It's okay, Johann. You did the best you could. I understand. No one can be everywhere at once. Just know that I could never bring myself to think badly of you for anything you did. I loved you when I was alive, from the very first time we met; and I still love you even now, Johann. If you ever feel uncertain or alone, just know that I'll always be here for you. You've come so far through all of this, and after everything you've gone through, I want you to be happy, and if that girl makes you happy, then in the end, that's all that matters. Please learn from this and always be there for her, Johann." Toshimi explained soothingly before pointing to Rei; explaining to Johann that she was his top priority now.

"I will. For the both of you." Johann softly muttered as he looked over at Rei, admiring her beauty, as she appeared to be asleep to him.

"I'm glad. Remember, I'll always be here for you if you ever need me, Johann. I love you." Toshimi replied comfortingly as her voice began to fade away into silence.

Johann then turned to see the last person he would've wanted to see on the planet: Takashi.

"You... What could you possibly want?" Johann asked in an angered tone. Already beginning to adjust to the fact they weren't real.

"To say I'm sorry." Takashi responded as he stood before him.

"It's going to take more than 'sorry' to forget what you did." Johann replied coldly; unable to forget their fight back in Hamburg.

"Fine, don't accept the apology. But know this, it's not your fault I died." Takashi said as he sat besides Johann.

"I don't get it... In life I want nothing more than for you to be gone. But in death I regret being the one to end you." Johann admitted, unable to understand his conundrum.

"It was my fault. After breaking under the pressure of being leader, I just lost all control. Driven by the most primal of human nature." Takashi explained, looking over at Johann with understanding eyes.

"I guess if anything... me killing you was merciful compared to what Frasier would've done." Johann brought up, knowing he was the only one who could possibly hold more resentment for Takashi than he could.

"Hehe, true, very true. Try to keep a lid on things. Someone has to stay sane around here." Takashi replied before slowly walking away; his figure vanishing through the tram walls.

Johann then opened his eyes to see everything was back to normal. He looked down at Rei to see she was still all right, his hand gently ran across her cheeks as he gazed upon her.

"I will never let anything happen to you. I promise my love." Johann whispered to Rei softly.

Suddenly the entire tram came to a squealing halt. The entire group looked over to see Saya working the controls until the tram was at a complete stop. The doors slowly opened up. Frasier was the first to walk out and see if anyone were there to greet them.

"Guess they weren't expecting any visitors." Marcus whispered as the group slowly entered the elevator similar to the one in Paris.

"Everyone keep your weapons down. We won't stand a chance against the Royal Guards they have here. I don't want anymore bloodshed today." Frasier instructed, knowing the Royal Guards wouldn't show any tolerance for bringing weapons to Westminster Palace.

"Hope you're ready to explain our intrusion." Rika commented as the elevator doors slowly opened up.

Frasier took a deep breath and was first to enter the Prime Minister's office. It was empty and vacant of life.

"So far so good. Maybe we can leave our weapons here and just walk on out." Rhys suggested as he looked around with the rest of the group.

"Good idea. Not like anyone plans on going through here anyways." Frasier replied as everyone set their weapons inside the elevator. Knowing no one would be able to find them.

The group then slowly opened the doors to the office and walked down the eerie hallways of Westminster Palace. Not a single soul to be seen or heard from. All the lights were dimly lit up. Almost as if the power was running low or someone was trying to save it.

"Where is everyone? What's going on?" Alice asked, worried something was wrong.

"I'm sure everything is alright. Lets just keep moving and make sure we keep quiet." Shizuka replied, trying to keep the kids from panicking from the nerve wrecking silence.

Frasier led them to the front doors of the palace. Not a single soul to be seen yet.

"My friends! I give you... En... gland..." Frasier announced proudly, his voice instantly dropping in shock at the sight before him.

The safety and security he had promised his group for so long was broken. All the rumors of England being safe and infected free were lies. For before the group, stood thousands upon thousands of infected citizens of London.

All were aimlessly wandering the frozen streets, searching for prey, as did the rest across the Earth. The thing that was very odd though, was that none of them had any bite marks. All were perfectly normal despite being infected.

"No... It can't be..." Frasier muttered as he began to walk outside.

"Shit! Don't let him go out there!" Rika instructed in a hiss.

"My people... My home..." Frasier muttered to himself.

Marcus, Johann, and Rhys all dashed for their distant leader and dragged him inside. Frasier put up no resistance though; he was far too stricken by the realization to respond to anything.

"Hey guys, you should come see this!" Rei called out from a distant hall.

Everyone quickly followed the sound of her voice until they found themselves in the room where the English Parliament would meet to discus the politics of England.

"I found this." Rei announced as she held up a videotape with a letter on it.

"What's the letter say?" Marcus asked as she handed Johann the videotape.

"Not sure, it just says to place it in this VCR." Rei responded as she motioned towards the television set mounted where the Prime Minister would normally sit.

Johann pushed the videotape in and watched as the T.V. turned on. Everyone watched as it showed an elderly man in a black suit standing before the camera.

**{Assassin's Creed Revelation's OST - Main Theme}**

"Hello there. You're probably wandering who I am. Allow me to introduce myself, Earnest Pendleton, Prime Minister of England."

"If you are watching this tape, then I, along with the rest of the United Kingdom, are now dead. We were not killed off in by an invading country or by insurgents, but by our own hubris."

"We only had our navy covering our borders. Leaving Ireland entirely vulnerable to whatever the world could throw it."

"The American group known as The Brotherhood of Patriots used this against us by launching a new, deadly, strain of gas into Ireland. It turned everyone there into the horrid monsters we've only heard about in the rest of the world. The air currents then brought this deadly cloud to Whales, Scotland, and England. Effectively infecting everyone in the British Isles."

"By the time we learned of this, it was far too late to react. Without knowing the first thing about the disease, our scientists had no viable cure. In a mere few hours, the majority of the population was already wiped out."

"I can feel the sickness inside of me. It won't... be much longer until I become one of Them too. But not all hope is lost. For one day, a trueborn son of England will find this recording. If you are that said son then heed my words carefully."

"There is no way to understand why this is all happening. Is this all because we shut out our fellow man? A new empire shall rise from the ashes. Great things will occur. Secrets will be unfolded over time. In the long run this will make sense to you. The empire is now at your command, giving you ownership of everything. Palace and all.

"You must survive. Live on and rebuild whatever we have left. It will be apart of the coming empire. You will be the voice of our people." the Prime Minister said, explaining the tragic fate of the U.K.

Everyone was dead silent from what the just heard. Their hearts sinking as the last place on Earth now belonged to them.

"I will be more then that." Frasier suddenly replied to the video. Walking away as the picture on the T.V. faded away.

Everyone turned and watched as he stormed down the hallways. Pulling a sword off the wall that was nearly there for decoration.

"Frasier... What are you doing?" Saeko asked in a concerned voice. Trying to reach out for him before he pulled away, pushing a set of doors open that led to the rooftops of the palace.

Above all of them was the famous clock tower, Big Ben. Everyone stopped as they saw their distant leader slowly scale the great tower. Standing before the great white circle.

"What's he doing?" Alice asked as they watched him raise the sword up.

"Don't..." Saeko thought to herself, hoping he wasn't going to do anything foolish.

Suddenly Frasier looked at his confused family, shooting them a grin of confidence before slamming the sword straight down into the concrete.

"By all that is holy, I vow to avenge my people. To bring those that are responsible to justice. So long as I can draw a single breath, I will fight on and never give up my struggle. Through the fire and steel I shall forge the next empire... not as a simple man... but as a king! I, Frasier Alexander Markle, herby claim my right as a true son of England, to rule these lands. Let all those who oppose me tremble in the wake as the English return to rule once more!" Frasier announced, claiming the title and becoming the new King of England. Slowly letting a few drops of blood stain the blade to signify it as a blood pact.

He then left the sword in its place as he descended back down to see his group slowly bow down in respect for him. Frasier did not want them to treat him differently though; he would not dare let this new power go to his head.

"Rise, my family. Do not treat me as king, but as brother." Frasier announced humbly as he walked towards them, motioning them to stand.

"What do we do now my king? Where can we possibly go now?" Saeko questioned as they all stood up.

"We stick to the plan. My old home will prove to be very sufficient for us to live in. We have been running for long enough... too long for my taste. Now we stand and fight!" Frasier announced not just to his group, but also to all the infected that stood beneath them.

**{}**

**[Sorry about the wait everyone. Merry Christmas to all of you whom celebrate it and to those who don't Happy Holidays! I initially planned to post this on the 25th but I had so much more content to put in so I hope it was worth the wait! Season 5 is now over, hope you will all stick around to see Season 6! I also want to say thank you to my awesome co-writer for his hard work and dedication to this season]**


	67. Act 26 Homecoming Part 1

**26 Homecoming Part 1**

**London, Westminster Palace**

**Z-Day + 239**

Cold winds breezed by the group as grey clouds painted the skies; sunlight barely able to seep through the cracks in the depressing weather. The groans and gurgles of the infected could be heard everywhere as it was carried by the wind.

The group looked out to observe the great city of London. None of the buildings were burned nor destroyed. It was a strange sight to them when they compared it to how things were when the infected showed up around the rest of the world.

Then again, the infection didn't happen all at once for the rest of the world. It was over a matter of days before the destruction and widespread chaos consumed the entire planet.

Everyone then turned back to Frasier to see what he felt was best. He knew the layout of the city better than any one of them, even Marcus.

"So we're going to your house? What do we do afterwards?" Rhys questioned, curious as to what his leader had in mind in terms of survival.

"First thing's first. We need provisions and supplies for the rest of winter. That means food, water, and medicine." Frasier replied as he stood facing his fallen people.

"What about guns and ammo?" Khota questioned, wondering how they would be able to protect themselves from Them with the limited weapons they brought along.

"No need to worry about weapons or ammunition. My father has quite the... collection." Frasier responded, remembering what his father told him to say whenever talk of their armaments would be brought up in a conversation.

"So who goes with who and where?" Rika questioned as she stood before him, almost as if volunteering to lead a team.

"Since you have good leadership qualities, I want you to lead the hospital team." Frasier instructed confidently, feeling Rika's experience in Japan's Special Assault Team was more than adequate for the position.

"I'll take Shizuka and Johann." Rika suggested as she paced back and forth.

"Shizuka and Marcus. Johann needs to stay by Rei at all times." Frasier responded, knowing full well that Johann was not going to want to be away from his woman or unborn child, just like he was feeling with Saeko ever since he heard that she was expecting.

"What about the food team? Should they also gather the water?" Rhys asked as he pondered what role he would play in all this.

"Saya, I'm placing you in charge of the food. Take Khota and Rhys with you. You'll need them to protect you for when you run into Them." Frasier announced planning his next steps out very carefully.

"What about us?" Alice asked as she stepped forward with Yulia at her side.

"You two are with Saeko, Rei, Johann, and I. We will be looking for clothing and other supplies." Frasier replied, taking a moment to observe the surrounding areas so the group could evade the hordes of Them without conflict.

Marcus then returned to the group with all of their weapons from the elevator, handing each one back to the respective owner. Marcus was then informed that he was to go with Shizuka and Rika to the nearest hospital to gather all the medical supplies they could carry with them.

"We don't have much to take on the infected here. Any suggestions?" Khota asked as he checked over his spare magazines.

"Stick to the shadows. Best we avoid Them for as long as we can." Frasier suggested as he re-entered Westminster Palace, closely followed by the rest of the group.

He then reached into Marcus' satchel and pulled out three maps. He began to then use a pen he found on a nearby desk to mark the locations down. Minutes passed as he tried to remember where everything was. He then began to tear the map up.

"Take these portions of the map and make your way to those locations. Once your task is complete, converge here in Earley, in Reading, Berkshire. That is where we shall take back what is ours. It's a long ways from London, mind you, so you'll want to make sure to take a vehicle." Frasier announced as he instructed where everyone was to go from here on out.

Just outside Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, Chelsea, London

Rika slowly zoomed in through her scope, observing any movement near the front of the hospital the three of them faced. Her eyes carefully marked down any good-looking spots to enter in and out of the structure.

"See anything?" Marcus asked as he crawled up besides Rika.

"No movement inside, at least from what I can see here. These buildings were never destroyed or damaged during the gas attack. We'll have to use the front door if we intend to do this quietly. No telling how many of Them are lurking in there, hiding amongst the shadows." Rika explained as she spat out the toothpick she finished chewing on, needing something to take the place of her oral fixation with cigars.

"Ever think of quitting?" Marcus asked, causing Rika to stop in her tracks as they approached the hospital. Shizuka then covered her eyes knowing Marcus shouldn't have brought it up.

"Quit? I'm one of the top snipers in all of Japan's Special Assault Team! I had to bust my ass off to work up and maintain such a position! So unless you have a better idea on how to calm my nerves, I suggest you keep your opinions to yourself!" Rika snapped at Marcus, gripping the collar of his shirt tightly before storming off to the front doors of the hospital, leaving Marcus shocked in the middle of the road.

"Yikes... Guess I really hit a nerve, huh?" Marcus asked Shizuka, earning a slight nod of acknowledgement before they entered after Rika.

**Chelsea and Westminster Hospital**

The three survivors slowly entered though the front doors. The front lobby appeared to be empty despite the way things were set before them.

Garbage and personal belongings were littered all over, and seats were tipped over and scattered amongst the scene. Marcus vaulted over the lobby desk and began to pull drawers out at random. Rika and Shizuka both raised an eyebrow to his sudden course of action.

"What're you doing, Marcus? We won't find anything useful in there." Shizuka questioned as she walked towards him, curious as to what was going through his mind right now.

"Looking for a set of keys. I figured all the good stuff would be locked up." Marcus answered, leaving the desk when he couldn't find anything of use to them.

"Guess we'll have to do things the hard way." Rika commented, as she then pulled open the door to see an entire hallway filled with Them. Most were wearing nurse or various medical staff clothing and patient gowns, while others were dressed in typical civilian or student clothes.

Before any could react to the sudden sound of her opening the doors, Rika quickly slammed them shut and pressed her back against it.

"Quick! Slide me that crowbar!" Rika ordered Marcus, feeling the full force of the infected pounding against the door as she waited for Marcus to respond.

He quickly did as he was told and slid the crowbar across the lobby floor. Rika squatted down and reached for it only to stand back up when it felt like the door wasn't going to hold.

"I... Can't..." Rika grunted before Shizuka surprised her by slipping the crowbar through the door handles just in time.

Rika backed up and watched, as the door remained sealed for the time being. The crowbar just barely managing to keep the undead pack contained behind the two doors they pressed up against, their grey arms and bony claw-like fingers reaching through the gap between the two doors at the survivors, clawing at the air futilely as they all collectively growled and snarled viciously at the sight of fresh meat.

"We should keep moving. No telling how long it will hold." Marcus suggested as he peeked into another hallway to see no infected within.

"Agreed. I guess we'll have to take the stairs then." Shizuka acknowledged before she realized it would be stealthier to take the stairs rather than the elevator.

"Can't hurt, Zu-Zu. Besides, it's a great way to keep your ass in shape." Rika announced as they began to make their way up flight by flight.

Shizuka giggled at that remark as she managed to barely keep up with the better-conditioned survivors. Eventually around the twelfth flight, she slumped down against the cool metal railing, her legs aching as her lungs gasped for air.

"Marcus, be a dear and carry me." Shizuka pleaded, as she felt more than a bit light headed.

"You sure that's a good idea? I mean, given your…assets, I don't think carrying you is a good idea." Marcus replied, making sure to choose his words carefully, but still manage to get his point across.

"Stop being such a candy ass, Marcus. Ill be right here if anything goes wrong." Rika commented in a taunting tone as she tried to reassure Marcus.

"I don't know. I'm certain we only have a few more flights left." Marcus replied, confident that Shizuka could simply tough things out just a bit longer.

"Your brother would be done by now." Rika commented, appealing to Marcus' sense of pride.

"Oh is that so? For your information, I've become very strong over the past few months." Marcus announced proudly, slowly allowing Shizuka to piggyback on him as he continued moving up the stairs.

"I don't know. You still look pretty scrawny to me." Shizuka teased, as her lips were inches from his ear, causing Marcus' whole face to turn red. The nearly heart-stopping sensation of Shizuka's huge breasts squishing against his back didn't help either.

"If that's the case, then explain how I managed to pull you all the way up here on my back?" Marcus questioned as he set Shizuka down on the top floor.

He then realized what they were doing, but it was clearly too late now. Shizuka kissed his cheek as Rika approached him.

"That'll do, Marcus. That'll do." Rika teased as she tussled his hair playfully. She then walked off to keep up with Shizuka in case more infected were upstairs. Marcus then let out a sigh, then began to walk forward, knowing those two were deadly when together.

Moments later, Marcus cautiously opened a door to see entire shelves filled with random assortments of medical supplies. He suddenly covered his nose, unable to withstand the horrid scent the room produced. It reeked of sterilization and disinfectant. The intoxicating aroma of antiseptic was too much for him to take.

"Which ones do we take?" Marcus whispered to Shizuka, unsure what would be the best to salvage first.

"We'll want painkillers, blood bags that match Rei and Saeko's blood types, antacids for heartburn, Simethicone for gas pains, Dextromethorphan for any bad coughs they may develop, Acetaminophen for pain relief, fever, and headaches, Diphenhydramine for insomnia they will endure, Hydrocortisone is good for any irritating itches, Hemorrhoid creams for-" Shizuka explained before Marcus covered his ears at the end.

"Alright, I get it! Man the one time you have something to say, it had to be about... Blah." Marcus announced, unable to stand the thoughts Shizuka was putting into his head. A chilling shiver then traveled down his spine.

"So how are we going to carry all of this stuff out of here?" Shizuka questioned, knowing that there was no way they could possibly carry all these supplies down those multiple flights of stairs.

"We could just take the elevator." Marcus suggested as he looked out the windows to see the gloomy skies showing no signs of letting up.

"The elevator leads to that pack we sealed off earlier. I don't have enough rounds to take them all down. Plus the sound of my marksmen rifle will attract any of Them that we didn't see. We need a plan B." Rika explained as she paced the room, trying to think of a way past this.

An idea then crossed her mind as she reached for the radio in her tactical vest. She then proceeded to press down on the red button to project her voice to whoever was listening.

"Frasier, can you hear me? Over." Rika asked as she leaned against the doorway.

She then released the red button and waited for a response. At first there was nothing, but then the radio began to crackle to life.

"Yeah. What's up? Everything okay at the hospital? Over." Frasier's voice questioned, concerned that something may be wrong if Rika was calling in through the radio already.

"For the most part. We have plenty of medical supplies but the only way out is blocked by Them. I need a distraction. Over." Rika confirmed as she watched Shizuka pile up the last of the supplies onto a cart.

"A distraction? Hmm all right. Give me a minute. Over." Frasier responded as the radio became silent once more.

Rika smiled to herself as she then walked over to Marcus and placed the radio in his hands.

"You're agile, right?" Rika questioned as she towered over him.

"Yeah? Why do you ask?" Marcus wondered as they walked over towards the elevator doors.

Rika began to slowly press on the buttons. Waiting for the elevator to respond and come up to their level. They both watched the lights flash as the elevator ascended at a steady pace.

Both had looks of shock on their faces as the elevator doors opened to reveal more infected within. Rika and Marcus immediately backed up as they fired their weapons off, knowing they had no other choice but to fight.

Bodies dropped and toppled over one another as the two survivors carefully timed their shots. Rika then fired her rifle rounds at the kneecaps to slow down the infected advance. Marcus caught on to her tactic and carefully placed a single pistol round in the head of each one that fell.

Within moments it was over just as fast as it had began. Marcus let out a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat off of his forehead. He checked the ammo clip then holstered his pistol at the side of his hip.

He then turned his head to see pure anger in Rika's eyes. Her fists clenched tight as she punched a wall in rage.

"Son of a bitch! I should've been more careful. This is a fucking rookie mistake!" Rika growled to herself as she continued to let her pent up anger out.

"Woah, chill out, Rika. You couldn't have possibly known the infected were in there. Don't let it get to you... We're both still fine and unharmed." Marcus reassured her, gently placing a hand on her shoulder for comfort.

Suddenly her hand gripped his wrist and pinned his entire arm against the wall. Before Marcus could even react to the sudden movement, he felt Rika's lips pressing against his.

Both his emerald green eyes shot wide open as her tongue expertly slipped between his teeth. Marcus tried to resist at first but Rika had him just where she currently wanted him, her lips constantly dominating his at every move made.

Marcus slowly closed his eyes, accepting that she was using him to relieve the stress and frustration. He just stood there and allowed Rika to go to town on him. His heart raced as her chest suddenly pressed against his.

"Rika! Respond! Over." Frasier's voice suddenly called out, causing both to nearly jump out of their skins at the thought of being seen like this.

"Yeah... I'm here. Got that distraction for me? Over." Rika asked, just now realizing they had both blocked out everything else around them for a few moments.

"Yeah. I found an MP3 player. Hope this helps. Over." Frasier's voice announced as music began to play through the radio's speakers.

**{The Clash- London Calling}**

Rika let out a relieved sigh and tucked the radio into Marcus' pocket. She then led him into the elevator that had fresh blood splattered on the walls.

"Go to the first floor and lure the infected inside. Afterwards go up a level and toss the radio out. Then come back up and we can leave without delay. Got it?" Rika questioned as she looked at Marcus.

"G-got it." Marcus replied timidly, still in shock from her sudden action just moments ago.

Rika smiled then watched as the elevator doors closed. Marcus let out a deep sigh before he began to climb onto one of the railings inside the elevator, pressing his hands and feet against the walls as hard as he could, flattening himself against the elevator ceiling, panting in anxiety as the radio continued to play the rock 'n' roll music.

When the elevator stopped it let out a high-pitched *ding*. All the infected in the sealed off ward immediately noticed the sudden noise and began to slowly wander towards it. Marcus held his breath as he watched all of Them wandering into the enclosed elevator with him.

Their jaws snapped and chattered as their grey arms reached out for his radio. Marcus then carefully lowered himself just enough to where he could activate the keypad on the wall. He pressed the buttons at random then pulled back up just in time to avoid being snagged by one of Them.

Once the elevator doors opened back up, he spared no time by tossing the radio out into the hallway. The infected in the hall and in the elevator immediately went after it, just as Rika had anticipated earlier.

Marcus then dropped down and began to press the buttons on the elevator. The doors slowly shut and gave him a perfect chance to catch his breath.

**{}**

"Christ that was rough. I can only imagine what Frasier is doing right now." Marcus thought as he spat on the white tile floor.

The doors opened once more to reveal Rika and Shizuka patiently awaiting his return. Shizuka pushed the cart in as Rika stood over Marcus.

"Everything okay?" Rika questioned in a more approachable tone.

Marcus just gave a slight nod and leaned against a cool metal rail in the elevator, his heart pounding as his throat felt dry. She smirked and playfully tussled at his hair before the doors opened right back up.

"About time we got out of here. I'm over the smell of death in this place, and that's before the infected showed up." Rika joked as she pressed on the door to the lobby.

All of their jaws dropped when the door barely budged. They then remembered the crowbar was still where Shizuka left it. The sniper and nurse both shot each other a look then gazed down at Marcus.

"Oh Marcus!" they both chimed together.

"Yeah, yeah, I got this." Marcus groaned as he stormed off to the elevator, knowing exactly what they were going to ask of him now.

Moments later after going down the stairs, Marcus pulled the crowbar out and let out an exasperated sigh, earning a quick peck on the cheek by both women as they passed by him and out into the lobby.

"Such a gentleman. Holding the doors for ladies." Shizuka commented as they exited the hospital.

"Just like his older brother." Rika complimented as all three headed for one of the abandoned ambulances sitting in front of the hospital; ready to meet up with the rest of the group at Frasier and Marcus' hometown.

**Acton, London**

Meanwhile, the group sent to gather food had just arrived to their destination. With no infected in sight, they simply walked inside without even needing to scout out the area first.

Khota kept his rifle out though, just in case the infected decided to do what they do best and show up at an inconvenient time or moment. Rhys then sniffed the air only to cover his nose.

"Ugh, what's that smell?" Rhys questioned as he pulled his undershirt over his nose, covering the lower half of his face.

"Vegetation rot, but it smells fresh though. The gas must have only been a few weeks ago. Otherwise we would've been burning up with fevers and coughing up blood by now." Saya deducted, knowing that the deadly gas cloud had plenty of time to disperse by now.

"So that means no vegetables or fruit?" Rhys asked as he began to pull three separate carts out for each of them to use.

"Not unless it's irradiated." Saya replied sharply, her eyes scanning the aisles for any hidden infected, but so far things seemed calm and peaceful for the time being.

"Irradiated? You mean like the stuff that's in nukes? That doesn't sound very healthy." Rhys commented, not liking the idea of having to eat anything that had the word 'radiated' in it.

"On the contrary, irradiated food is simply affected by gamma rays to kill off microorganisms. It's entirely safe despite the misconception that most people have by comparing it to the more deadly variants of radiation." Khota explained, secretly earning a bright smile from Saya as she overheard him, finding his knowledge refreshing and soothing to hear.

Khota pushed his cart down the meat aisles and began to pull in anything that didn't appear spoiled. He made sure to only grab the ones sealed off, fully aware that the rest would've been swarmed with insects by now.

His cart suddenly bumped into another one at the end of the meat aisle. Khota looked up to see Saya standing before him.

"Oh, sorry about that! Everything alright, dear?" Khota asked, certain that Saya was going to yell at him for being clumsy or for not watching where he was going.

"Everything is fine. How's your leg feeling?" Saya questioned out of curiosity.

"It feels much better actually. Can hardly feel any pain down there now. So you're gathering... toothpaste and toothbrushes?" Khota noticed as he looked over into Saya's cart.

"It's been so long since any of us have had a clean mouth. Oral health is very important, but given the circumstances, it's been so easy to forget." Saya replied softly, licking the roof of her mouth and tasting the plaque that had been building up.

"So what's on your mind? You seem... troubled by something... and I'm not talking about the dental dilemma." Khota questioned as he walked down the abandoned aisles with Saya.

"It's just... This whole scenario, it's been keeping me thinking ever since we discovered the fate of the United Kingdom." Saya replied as her voice started to become distant.

"What's to think about? The Brotherhood wiped them all out. Simple as that." Khota responded straightforwardly, unable to understand why someone as intelligent as Saya would be baffled by something like this.

"It's not that. It was before the gas attack. Remember when we first met in Fujimi Academy and saw how London had everything under control in that news report? How every time someone spoke of England, there were only stories of how it was infected free and still under the original government?" Saya asked Khota as she stopped to wipe the dirt off her cheek.

"Yeah? I don't see what that has to do with anything though..." Khota replied, uncertain by what Saya was trying to get at.

"Think about it! All the nations on the Earth are plunged into chaos at the exact same time, all except the British of course. I always thought that maybe... that maybe they were the ones responsible for it all. That they planned this out and..." Saya tried to explain, slowly breaking into tears, as she couldn't finish her sentences without pause.

She then felt Khota's embrace as he walked over and wrapped his arms around her for comfort. Saya couldn't help but smile at the affection no one ever showed her. Her finger tips gently ran through his greasy black hair.

"I really hope their shower still works." Saya suddenly thought as she just noticed the sweat under her arms.

"Ahem. You two done yet?" Rhys questioned as he rolled by with his cart filled with all the irradiated fruits and vegetables he could gather.

"Yeah... just go bring the car around. We can load it up. I'm certain the others are waiting for us now." Khota responded as he grabbed the keys from his sage green flak jacket and tossed the keys to Rhys.

Rhys gave a nod of acknowledgement and walked outside to see the parking lot was still vacant of any signs of life. He placed the key in the hole and turned it until the lock made a *click* noise.

As he opened the door he heard a rustling noise coming from a nearby alley. He quickly reached for the Glock pistol strapped to his thigh and aimed it towards the sudden noise.

His heart raced as he slowly approached the alleyway, expecting one of Them to be wandering through and knocking any garbage cans it touched, just another one of the common infected he had been so used to killing by now.

But to his surprise, the alleyway was entirely empty. Rhys calmed down and slowly holstered his weapon. Just as he turned around to leave, he noticed something was off at the last moment.

Through a chain-linked fence, an infected man could be seen walking into it. It's red eyes throbbing and pulsating when it looked up at Rhys. A loud screech emitted from the creature's mouth, forcing Rhys to cover his ears.

Suddenly a gunshot rang out. Rhys stepped back as the infected corpse's head lashed back only to drop to the ground. Rhys then turned his head back to see Saya and Khota standing before him, a thin flow of smoke flowing through the barrel of his rifle.

Suddenly, the figures of an infected mob could be seen in the distance. All three survivors knew they didn't have much time before the infected would swarm the grocery store and its parking lot.

"Okay, no time for chit-chat. Lets roll out of here!" Saya ordered as she motioned Khota and Rhys to pull the carts out.

Meanwhile, Saya rushed over to the car and turned the engine on. She spun the wheel around and drove in reverse until the rear end of the car faced the doors to the store.

Rhys and Marcus rolled the three carts and spared no time to pull the trunk wide open. They quickly loaded things up and crawled in through the back.

"Floor it!" Rhys announced as he buckled up behind Saya and Khota.

Saya smirked and slammed her foot down on the gas pedal. The car engine roared out as the rubber tires squealed from the friction. Khota and Rhys grasped the arms of their seats as Saya went at top speed through the streets.

As they barely escaped through the slightest crack in infected rows, one of the squealers let out a banshee like wail as the car passed by, watching the car vanish off into the night, forced to search the lonesome streets of London for a meal once again.

**Just outside the Exchange Shopping Centre, Putney, London**

As the other two groups attended to their tasks, Frasier's group was still on the road, making their way to the shopping district that was marked down on the map. Not a single word was said during the trip. The tension of mentioning anything about the fate of England before Frasier was too much to bear.

He just stared out the windows, distantly gazing into the lifeless faces of Them as they passed by. A time long ago, these were his people, his countrymen. But now they were nothing more than monsters to him.

When he turned his head back to look at the group, he noticed Saeko, Rei, and the kids instantly looking away. He let out a sigh before he then motioned Johann to stop.

"Everything okay, Frasier? You seem more tense than usual." Johann commented as he slowly pressed on the break pedal, just barely stopping from the destination as it was now in their sights.

"I'm fine. You all keep looking at me like I'm going to lose it though. So let's be clear on this: Those things out there aren't my people... not anymore at least. I have no hesitation to kill Them." Frasier explained in an annoyed tone, almost as if to convince himself rather than his group.

The rest of them were silent at first, but Alice then looked up at him, clearly showing a sense of concern in her eyes.

"If you want, we can go in while you wait here." Alice suggested, sensing Frasier wasn't being entirely honest with them.

"That's okay, Alice, but Johann and I are the only ones here who should be doing any of the fighting. Saeko and Rei need protecting because- (wait... did you guys tell them yet?)" Frasier explained before he stopped mid-sentence, changing his level of voice to a whisper to Rei and Johann to confirm the kids knew of the newborns.

"Not yet. Guess now is as good as time as ever." Rei whispered back as they all looked back to see both Yulia and Alice staring up at them with curiosity in their eyes.

"What's going on?" Alice asked, not wanting to be left out of the loop.

"Yeah! You guys aren't telling us something." Yulia added as she folded her arms in disappointment that they weren't being included in the conversation.

"Umm... Well... have your parents ever told you guys about... babies?" Rei cautiously asked, trying to be subtle about the delicate subject.

"Baby?! You guys are having babies?!" both girls squealed out with excitement in their voices.

Frasier and Johann both sunk into the back of their seats as Rei and Saeko both blushed at the awkward situation. Alice and Yulia kept bouncing up and down in their seats unable to contain themselves.

"Are there any girls? How much longer until they get here? Will they look like you guys? Can we hold them when you guys are tired? Will we be sharing rooms?" both Alice and Yulia asked, barraging the young adults with questions like there was no tomorrow.

"We can answer those questions when we reach my old home. Until then, try to hold it in. Wouldn't want the monsters to hear us now, would we?" Frasier explained to Alice and Yulia, slowly earning a nod of acknowledgement from them before he stepped out of the car.

One by one, they all followed him into the shopping district. All the girls were astonished by how different the intact architecture was compared back to their native countries. Frasier and Johann however were both used to European architecture, so it hardly fazed them.

The group was moving in a convoy styled line. Frasier would be up at the front, Saeko would be behind him, both the kids were behind her, Rei walked behind the children, as Johann stood behind her to cover the rear flank.

Neither of the males wanted to stray far from their loved ones, not only for their obvious feelings for them, but also based off of their paternal instincts.

Suddenly, Frasier held his fist up. Everyone stopped dead in their tracks as they looked around the area for any immediate danger.

"What is it? Them?" Saeko whispered behind Frasier as she watched his eyes lock on to something in a nearby butcher shop.

"Shhh. The infected aren't the only danger that England has to offer it seems." Frasier whispered as he turned back to his group just after watching a pack of wild dogs ravage the butcher shop in search of meat.

He then turned his head to see one of the dogs standing in the doorway, its brown eyes glaring down the entire group.

"Don't move a muscle." Frasier ordered quietly as he clenched his fists.

Suddenly a low growl could be heard from underneath Frasier. Zeke had leapt out of Alice's arms and bared his teeth, trying to ward off the filthy dog that looked at his masters with hungry eyes. Alice tried to reach for Zeke but immediately retracted her hands when she watched his fur spiking up.

The other dog didn't take kindly to this and began to let out a low growl as well, yellow teeth bared as its fur also stood up, the growls soon attracting the rest of the dogs inside which joined in on the standoff.

"Start circling around, they're just defending their territory. We can avoid them if we just pass by. They won't follow us with all that meat in there." Johann suggested to Frasier, keeping a pistol in hand just in case he was wrong.

"Good thinking. You lead, I'll stay here to distract and slow then down if worse comes to worse." Frasier replied softly, standing guard so the others could escape without delay.

The rest of the group slowly moved away, inch by inch, never once taking their eyes off of the wild dogs. Their hearts raced as their palms sweat. One wrong move, and it would be a bloodbath for certain.

One of the wild dogs took a step forward only to step back when Frasier gave into his more primal instincts, baring his own teeth as he then let out a growl of his own, flexing all his muscles to make him appear larger and more intimidating to the beasts.

"C'mon, Frasier! Lets get out of here." Johann announced as the rest of the group was out of harms way.

"Right..." Frasier replied as he then began to back away after picking up Zeke, feeling the small dog shaking in anger in his hands as they made their slow retreat.

Eventually Frasier caught up with the rest of the group and managed to relax now that the wild dogs were no longer a threat. He then looked around to see that everyone else was ready to go.

Without delay they all entered a nearby clothing store that seemed to be completely vacant. Then again it always seems that way before danger struck, but the group also didn't exactly have very many options on the matter.

"Keep close guys. I don't want anyone going off alone. Kids, you stay with one of us at all times." Frasier ordered as he handed Zeke off to Alice.

Alice kept him close to her as she gently rubbed his soft fur. She didn't want him to go running off anytime soon, now knowing what was now lurking outside.

Yulia kept close to her as they both followed behind Rei and Saeko, gladly giving their input when it came to choosing clothing for the newborns.

"What about toys? What will the babies play with?" Alice asked as she spotted an entire aisle that had toys for children to beg their parents for whenever they went shopping for clothing here.

"Not sure. Frasier, I doubt you'd have anything suitable for a baby to play with, right?" Rei asked as she looked over to him for the answer.

"Hahahaahahahahahaha... oh, wait, you're serious... Umm... No. I don't think there's anything suitable for a child to play with back at home. Take what you can carry back to the car." Frasier said after recovering from a sudden burst of laughter, the mere thought of anything fun at home was so humorous to him.

Frasier then walked away and leaned his forehead and forearm against a shelf, only to feel Saeko's hand lightly grasp his shoulder.

"Are you sure you want to return to your old home? I can't imagine it being easy after your history there. Being forced to train since the age of six, being forced out of your own home at age fifteen by a father whom you've always shown loyalty to. We could always go elsewhere if you can't handle it. We will survive under your leadership, my king." Saeko said, offering an alternative option for Frasier to choose, as he remained deep in thought.

"I know you mean well, but we need somewhere secure and defendable. My old home has plenty of weapons to keep you, Rei, and the rest of the group out of the putrid hands of Them. I will be stronger, I must be stronger." Frasier answered softly, still trying to prove that he could push on despite any odds against him.

"I understand. Just don't be afraid to let anyone help you, okay? We're all in this together." Saeko said in a concerned voice, gently patting his shoulder before walking back to Rei to help decide on what blankets to take with them.

Meanwhile, Johann and Rei were standing by a checkout station to see if there were any spare keys left for them to unlock any doors or cases with. Flies could be heard buzzing nearby, instantly giving them the impression something dead was nearby.

After a moment of searching the area, Johann looked over the checkout stand to see a former employee curled up with a shotgun between his legs.

His lips were wide open and presumed to be wrapped around the barrel of the gun. The back of his skull blown wide open from the blast, dried up blood painted the wall besides him.

Flies buzzed around his open wounds, maggots being laid and weaved into the decaying flesh.

Rei shuddered at the sight as Johann wrapped his arms around her, averting her gaze from the uneasy sight of a man who'd clearly lost hope. Her face buried into his chest as she clenched her eyes tight.

"Shhh. It's okay, Rei. Go help Saeko find more supplies. I'll take care of this." Johann instructed as he gently stroked Rei's hair for comfort.

"All right. Just don't take too long. We should all get going soon so the rest of the group won't be waiting long at the meeting point." Rei replied before she pecked his warm lips, leaving Johann to the task he gave himself.

Johann smiled as he watched her walking away. He then looked down and carefully pried the shotgun from the man's hands, his eyes gazing down at the cold scene before him.

It pained Johann to see a man dead and with no hope of being properly buried. He slowly pulled his overcoat off and covered what he could with it.

"I'm sorry you had to make a choice like that. It couldn't have been easy. You probably had a nice life, a family, and a chance for tomorrow. All that cut short because of Them. I just hope you've found peace wherever you are now. Ruhe in frieden (Rest in peace)." Johann spoke to the corpse as he gently ran his fingers along the fibers of the overcoat.

Moments later, Frasier let out a deep sigh and returned to see his group was just about good to go. He then watched as the pack of dogs from earlier could be seen running away from something.

"I wonder what's got them running?" Rei questioned as she watched the last of the dogs escape from view.

"They run because the only thing more dangerous than us... is Them." Frasier announced as he watched one of the infected corpses pass by.

"What do we do?" Johann asked softly, his fingers tightly wrapping around the grip of the double-barrel shotgun in his hands.

"Let me handle that." Frasier announced as he ran towards a fire alarm. He quickly pulled it down and caused the store's sirens to go off.

All the infected within the vicinity began to head for the front doors. The ones outside began to limp towards the commotion. Frasier then motioned everyone to follow him through the exit doors.

They did as he instructed and followed through the back entrances to the other stores. Saeko and Rei pushed the carts at a comfortable yet increasingly fast pace. Alice and Yulia were now riding on the backs of Johann and Frasier as they covered both flanks.

Frasier then kicked in a door and could see the parking lot was filled with Them. Everyone stopped and just looked at him standing there. Johann slowly walked beside him and then looked back to Rei.

**{Halo Reach OST - Epilogue} **

"Saeko, take the kids and supplies to the car. Johann and I will provide the necessary distraction." Frasier ordered as he pulled out the P226 SIG pistol from the holster strapped to his thigh.

"You can't be serious... There's at least forty out there, and you have no blade. But it is your word, and I am compelled to obey. Good luck, my king." Saeko muttered; knowing Frasier wouldn't accept no for an answer, yet still unable to leave him behind like this.

"You forget, my queen, that I was trained to use firearms long before I met you. Now go!" Frasier announced with confidence as he scanned the area to learn of his environment.

"Go on, ladies. Let us handle this. We'll be right behind you." Johann added in, knowing Frasier had the right idea, the answer clear to him now.

"I'll never forgive you if you die." Rei whispered to Johann before she kissed his cheek, slowly walking away with Saeko and the kids.

"Take this, Frasier!" Alice exclaimed as she tossed him the pistol he gave her long ago.

Frasier caught it with his left hand then spun both pistols around his fingers until they were both firmly gripped by his hands.

"You ready?" Frasier asked Johann as he held a Korth revolver in one hand and the body of the double barrel in the other.

"Yeah... I'm ready. Let's do this... for them." Johann replied, as he knew their stand here was for the survival of their unborn children.

They both stood on one of the many cars left behind. Frasier looked over to see Saeko looking right back at him. He then motioned Johann to attract the infected that blocked the way back to the car.

"Do it." Frasier ordered. Johann then swung the butt of the shotgun down into the sunroof of the car they were on. Glass shattered as the alarm went off. All the infected within the parking lot slowly looked over and began to limp towards them.

**{}**

**{Devil May Cry 2 OST - Nefasturris Theme}**

Frasier crouched down as Johann took aim above him. The dual pistols began to expertly head-shot the first of the infected, the recoil bouncing him from target to target.

Casings from the pistols rounds popped out of the sides of the pistols and bounced off of the car roof. The infected corpses snarled and groaned as they were now closing in on their prey.

"C'mon! We have to keep moving!" Johann announced, feeling it was best to move before the infected could box them in.

Both comrades began to hop from car to car, running along the roofs of each car that kept them from being torn apart by the infected that were hot on their trail.

Johann fired three rounds from his revolver, managing to nail two infected corpses in the head while the third shot only hit a shoulder of another. He then watched as the rest of their team came driving along the rows of cars in their vehicle.

"That all you've got?!" Frasier shouted at the infected as he slowed down to thin out their numbers, firing the last of the pistol ammunition he had on him.

"Jump for it!" Rei shouted as Saeko was driving up to them.

Johann was first to react and managed to land on the roof. He gripped it as tight as he could, managing to pull himself into the sunroof.

When Frasier attempted to jump, his laces caused him to trip and barely grasp onto the side of the moving vehicle.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" Frasier muttered to himself rapidly as his feet hit the ground, causing him to run along the side of the car.

Alice quickly opened the door for him; he barely made it inside before the infected could catch up to the slow moving vehicle.

"You alright?" Johann asked as he looked over to see Frasier slamming the door shut.

"I'm fine. Just get us out of here." Frasier ordered in a short breath, hardly able to utter another word past his lips.

Saeko smiled to herself knowing he was unharmed, her foot slamming down on the gas pedal. Within a few laps around the parking lot, the entire group managed to elude the oncoming horde, leaving Them in the dust as they were heading for the location everyone agreed to meet at in the Markle brothers' old neighborhood.

Just outside Earley, Reading, Berkshire, England

Marcus sat on the hood of a car before hopping off to check up on Rika. He looked up to see her standing on top of a flipped over mail truck, constantly watching for any signs of Them or the rest of their group.

"Got anything yet?" Marcus questioned as he began to become impatient.

"Obviously not, or I would've said something." Rika responded in a bored tone, jumping down before the young teen.

"Shizuka still napping?" Marcus asked as they both looked back to the car.

"Zu-Zu hasn't been sleeping right lately. That's the longest time since Hamburg that she could keep her eyes shut. Poor thing." Rika responded in a sympathetic tone.

"Yeah, after sleeping with my brother, I'm not surprised. Heh, heh." Marcus joked as he then chuckled to himself.

"Is that jealousy I'm sensing?" Rika said with a raised eyebrow.

"What? No! I'm just saying you guys must've done something crazy to convince him into it. Ever since the outbreaks, he's been talking about Saeko like she was god. Whatever was done to make... that... happen must've been very... special." Marcus responded as he backed up against the mail truck, somewhat intimidated by the female sniper.

"You're too young for these things kid. I wouldn't dwell on it if I were you." Rika responded as she drew closer to him.

"No one gets to be a kid anymore. Not after what began all those months ago." Marcus explained as he then looked over to see a car approaching them.

Both survivors walked over to see Saya's group slowly stepping out of their vehicle, slowly stretching and looking around the area to make sure it was secure.

"You guys okay? Did you find what you needed?" Khota questioned as he approached Marcus slowly.

"For the most part. Can't take two steps without tripping over these undead fucks." Marcus replied as he walked over to check out what food they had brought.

"I know what you mean. This place is packed with Them." Rhys commented as he checked what little ammo he had left on him.

"So what did you guys find in the hospital?" Saya questioned as she looked over to Rika whom was playing with her lighter for entertainment.

"Some medical shit-dead people-more dead people—umm, did I mention dead people?" Rika answered as she was waiting for something exciting to happen.

"Good. Shizuka will need everything she can get her hands on if she's to do this right. I don't even want to imagine what will happen if Johann or Frasier lose a child." Saya commented, shuddering at the thought of how they would react to such a terrible loss.

Suddenly, the sound of tires could be heard coming to a complete stop. The rubber made a loud screeching sound as multiple doors suddenly opened up. The survivors waiting all smiled when the rest of their group approached them.

"Good to see you've made it to the party, Frasier. Did you get what you needed?" Marcus inquired as he approached Frasier.

"Indeed I have. How much ammo is left?" Frasier responded, wanting to make sure no loose ends were left.

"Not really. We're grossly under-armed here seeing how we expected England to not be-this." Marcus answered as he looked out in the distance to see the infrastructure had remained intact.

"We'll just need to make do with the hand we're dealt." Johann interjected as he noticed a utility van crashed into a phone booth.

Johann jogged over, quickly prying one of the loose doors open. He smiled as he began to pull out the tools left for anyone to claim.

"Johann? What are you doing?" Rei asked in a concerned voice when she watched her boyfriend split from the group without warning.

"Just evening our odds here." Johann explained as he claimed a sledgehammer for himself.

"I like how you think. So you wouldn't happen to have anything for me, would you?" Rei complimented before she began to scrounge around for a tool to use.

"Sorry Rei-but I can't allow you to fight. You must understand how vital it is for the group to keep you and Saeko safe." Johann replied in a soft voice as Frasier and Saeko walked over to see what the commotion was about.

"But this is our home now! It wouldn't feel right if I just sat on the sidelines while everyone else risked their lives." Rei protested, wanting to lend a helping hand to the group.

"I agree. We can get the special treatment after we secure the neighborhood." Saeko agreed as she stood at Rei's side with her arms crossed, both taking a stand against their overly protective men.

"Hrm. I don't know-Saeko, you don't even have your blade anymore. What could you possibly use?" Frasier asked as he picked up a construction pickax.

"Your pistol. It may not be my strong suit, but it will have to do." Saeko replied as she held her hand out for one.

"If you're willing to use a gun, you must be very desperate. Fine. You can use a gun, but I'm entirely empty and the kids need theirs. Go tell Rhys to relinquish his." Frasier explained as he finally gave in to his wife's demand.

"I'm glad you were able to see it my way. You should get used to it, my king." Saeko thanked as she then walked back to the rest of the group in search of a spare weapon.

"Finally! So can I have a gun, too?" Rei asked Frasier as she leaned against the van, a smile of victory formed across her face.

"I'm not your man. Johann is the one you need to ask. I may be the King, but this is a matter between you guys. Keep me out of it." Frasier replied as he grabbed a monkey wrench for Rhys to use.

Rei then looked back to see Johann in the midst of thought, clearly showing signs of conflict as he tried to think things through.

"Alright... You can use my revolver, but I don't want you to fire unless there is no other option left. Only have six shots left anyway." Johann finally said, willing to give Rei a chance to contribute to the group despite hating to risk her personal safety.

Rei kneeled down, holding him tight to show her thanks, eager to prove she was still able to provide and protect the group's best interests. She then wrapped Johann's holster around her waist and walked back to rejoin the main group as they talked amongst themselves, each one preparing for the inevitable fight to come.

Minutes later everyone was standing before Frasier, awaiting to hear what their leader had to say before heading out.

"Alright, listen up! I know you all were expecting a happy ending just a few hours ago, a safe haven from Them. Well that's not going to happen until we give it all we've got and more."

"We've all been on the run since day one. Always uncertain if we'd be granted the miracle of surviving to see the next day. We can put that all that behind us once we've established a strong foothold."

"My home is going to have everything we'll ever need. The armory will last us more than enough guns and ammo to handle the local infected. We can hot-wire all the vehicles we come across and secure our territory by parking them into a wall formation."

"We have two priorities here: Put down the local infected, and keep Saeko, Rei, Alice, Yulia, and Shizuka safe at all costs. If they're in trouble, you take that bullet for them. That goes for everyone I didn't just mention. Understand?" Frasier explained as he watched the group nod their heads in acceptance of his orders.

"Good. I'm sorry if that sounds harsh, but there is no going back now. We've spilt too much blood, watched too many friends die. So watch each others backs and follow me." Frasier announced as he then boarded the car behind him, ready to lead the group back to his old neighborhood.

Three cars parked along the entrance to the English neighborhood. Ten houses to clear out, multiple cars parked along the streets to hot-wire, roughly thirty infected to put to rest that roamed aimlessly about.

"Crap. I can see at least five Screechers. Rika! Khota! How many rifle rounds do you two have between each other?" Frasier inquired in a whisper as the group hid behind their vehicles to avoid their heat being detected.

"Six now. Had to use most of my rounds back at the hospital, I've only got one in the chamber and he has a full clip." Rika responded after Khota held up five fingers to answer the question.

"Alright. I wanted to avoid using the guns, but with those things here, I don't think there's any other choice." Frasier grumbled as he could then feel small drops of water pecking against his cheek.

"Maybe we can use this weather to our advantage." Saya suggested as she motioned towards the increase of grey clouds forming above the group.

"Yeah... If there's any thunder it would conceal our shots perfectly." Khota added in as he brushed his hair out of his face.

"That could work. Take out those heat-seeking bastards whenever the thunder goes off. If we eliminate them, then the rest are easy pickings." Frasier instructed as he waited for the first of the thunder strikes to begin.

Rika and Khota both crawled beneath a car to keep hidden. Both set up a bi-pod for their weapons and never took their eyes off of the targets, always keeping track so they could easily switch targets when required.

"Ready, big guy?" Rika whispered to Khota.

"I was born ready!" Khota whispered in response, eager to fire the first shot.

***crack***

Thunder suddenly rang out a second after a blinding light flashed for a split moment. Khota was quick to react and managed to blast away the first of their targets.

All the remaining infected simply looked up at the sky, uncertain as to what to make of the great sound, completely unaware that one of Them had been shot.

Khota and Rika both waited for the next flash of light while the rest of the group could do nothing but sit back, watching their marksmen eliminate the new breed of infected, one by one.

***crack***

Khota fired a second shot almost instinctively. The brim of the head was blown off his target, sending fragments of skull and brains flying into the gutters, the blood smearing in the puddles forming from the rain that was now heavily pouring.

Frasier was crouched down with the pickax in hand, constantly gripping it, anticipating the bloodbath that was now inevitable. He then turned to his group to address them before heading out into the open street.

"When they fire on the fifth shot, we all move in and clear the streets. Nobody stray off from the group, this is a team effort. None of that lone wolf shit."

***crack***

"Shizuka, Alice, and Yulia! You three stay in the center of the group. We'll all be covering you guys every step of the way."

***crack***

"Saeko and Rei! You two are the reserves here; don't fire unless it's absolutely necessary. Last thing we need is more of Them to show up."

***crack* **

"There we go! Follow me! Gggrraaagghh!" Frasier roared out as he swung the pickax around while he stood up, piercing the skull of an infected neighbor that had overheard his speech between the thunder strikes.

Everyone charged past the parked vehicles and watched as three infected corpses had noticed them from all the commotion.

Johann swung the sledgehammer in a sideways arc, managing to bust an infected woman's jaw clean off. He quickly kicked it in the kneecap, causing the feral creature to topple over. Before it could even begin to stand back up, Johann raised the sledgehammer over his head and crushed the skull in one powerful slam.

He then looked up to see the other two infected neighbors standing before him. While Johann pulled back the heavy hammer, Marcus tackled one of Them while Frasier swung the pickax into the leg of the other, using sheer strength to tear the grey flesh apart.

Frasier and Rhys began to stomp on the infected man's head while Marcus continuously slammed his crowbar against his former neighbor's face. The rest of the group kept a sharp eye out for any of Them that may have been lurking nearby.

"We've got four over here!" Saya announced as four infected police officers stumbled out from one of the local gardens.

"On it!" Frasier responded as he rushed over to handle the oncoming threat alone, leaving Marcus, Johann, and Rhys to handle five more infected neighbors that were wandering towards the group.

Frasier swung the pickax over his head and into the first police officer, killing it on the spot. He then kicked his leg out, sending the second officer tumbling against the third. The fourth one now had an open chance to close the distance.

***crack***

The fourth infected officer's head suddenly exploded out from the back and toppled over dead. Frasier spun around to see Rei's revolver smoking from the barrel as her hand slowly lowered. He shot her a smile before proceeding to handle the remaining two infected.

"Would be so much easier with my gun!" Rhys complained as he swung the monkey wrench down on an infected paramedic, watching as the heavy tool bashed the skull in.

"Stop your bitching, best not to rely on a limited weapon anyways. Can only do so much with a gun before the ammo runs out." Johann responded as he heaved the sledgehammer around, slamming two infected corpses against one of the cars.

"Point taken." Rhys responded as he worked with Marcus to take down two more of Them.

"I've got seven more over here!" Saeko shouted out, the dark skies and heavy rain making it hard to see for the survivors.

"Make that three more!" Shizuka added as she watched a nearby window break open.

"Where? I can hardly see in front if me with all this damn rain!" Saya responded as she tried to wipe her glasses off.

"Shit... Everyone form a circle! Don't move until it clears up!" Frasier ordered as he re-joined the group. The others did as they were told and managed to keep disciplined under Frasier's command.

From all sides, the former neighbors moved in on the survivors. The males on the outside of the circle kicked the infected back then responded with a series of swings and devastating slams.

***crack* **

Saeko fired a shot that whizzed by Frasier's head and into an infected man that was reaching for him, the cold blood splashing against his arm and chest. Saeko grinned to herself as Frasier smirked at how well she could adapt to fighting.

Rei fired a shot into the kneecap of an infected soldier, causing the creature to topple over before Johann. It raised a hand out only to be crushed under the massive hammer.

Alice and Yulia were even able to double team one of Them during the commotion, both barrels smoking as they each smiled at one another, feeling relieved to know they would be able to back each other up.

"That it?" Marcus questioned as he scanned the area he was able to see.

"Give it a moment. I don't want to move until it becomes clear again." Frasier ordered as he pried his pickax out of yet another infected neighbor.

The group just waited for a few tense moments, waiting for any signs of Them to arise. But so far, nothing had proven to be a threat. It wasn't long until the rain had momentarily eased up, giving the group just enough time to see no infected were in the streets with them.

"I'm cold." Alice muttered as she began to shiver where she stood, gently tugging at Saya's sleeve.

"We need to get inside before the kids freeze to death. Which one is your house?" Saya questioned, as she wanted to avoid the children becoming sick from the rainy weather.

"Right over here. Follow us." Frasier replied as him and Marcus took the lead.

Frasier and Marcus cautiously herded the group towards a two-story house. Black shingles that led the continuous rainwater to fill the gutters at the side of the walls, stainless windows that reflected each figure that wandered past them.

Frasier reached through the iron gate that was held up by a sturdy brick wall. He pulled up the switch and stood back as it swayed wide open. Everyone rushed in before he slammed it shut behind them.

Marcus meanwhile was searching the front yard for the fake rock that held a spare house key.

"What are you doing?" Alice asked as she observed Marcus curiously.

"Looking for the key. Start flipping rocks." Marcus responded as he continued his search.

Alice and Yulia began to help him search while Frasier held up a flashlight over the wall, flicking it on and off to signal Rika and Khota to follow the group inside.

"Fuck this." Rhys grumbled as he swung his wrench into a window besides the door, carefully reaching into the house and unlocking the door.

"Rhys, what the hell? That's my house, you fucking moron!" Frasier suddenly roared out in anger as he pinned Rhys against the wall, giving him an angered glare.

"Chill out man. Everyone's freezing out here. We aren't as resilient to the cold as you and Marcus are." Rhys responded as he dropped the wrench.

"Just don't break anything else." Frasier instructed in a distressed voice before he let go of Rhys, storming off to let Khota and Rika inside the front yard.

"Man... Didn't know it would set him off." Rhys said as he brushed his sweater off.

"You broke the man's window. What'd you expect?" Rei responded before Marcus pushed the door open, guiding everyone inside.

"He always did try to avoid talking whenever I asked about his home. Must've been through a lot here to set him off so easily." Saeko explained as she watched the rest of the group entering the house.

"No kidding." Rhys said as he slumped against a wall, breathing heavily now that the adrenaline was wearing off.

"Man, you guys were pretty wild out there. That all of Them?" Rika complimented as she entered the house, curious if the infected had been dealt with.

"Doubt it. Knowing our luck, there's always one left." Johann answered as he carefully set the sledgehammer down, making sure not to scratch or dent the cherry wood flooring he stood on.

"I'll search the other houses in one hour. You guys just relax and make yourself at home. Just stay away from the basement. That's off limits to everyone." Frasier ordered, already setting house rules for the group.

"Why? Got skeletons down there or something?" Rika joked as she sat on the arm of a leather chair.

Frasier didn't bother responding though; he just let out an exasperated sigh and walked away from the group, earning a few concerned looks at his lack of reaction.

"Was it something I said?" Rika questioned as she suddenly regretted her attempt to lighten the mood.

"That's our deceased father's personal study. Frasier was a loyal son of a bitch to him. No matter what happened, he would always defend Arthur Markle's name. He only entered that study one time; afterwards he was exiled to Japan. The rest is history." Marcus explained before he pulled his shoes off.

"Great. Now I feel like a bitch." Rika grumbled as she stood up to go apologize to Frasier.

"So now what do we do?" Alice questioned as she sat with Yulia on the same couch.

"Johann, Frasier, and I can go take out the infected that are occupying the other houses. Everyone else can stay here." Marcus answered as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"Wait, what about me?" Rhys questioned.

"We need someone here in case something happens. Besides, you aren't exactly on Frasier's good side after you smashed that window." Johann replied as he sat with Rei, more than relived to be able to sit down without having to look over his shoulder every five seconds.

"Can we go look at the backyard?" Alice questioned curiously.

"Yeah! I wanna go see if they have roses!" Yulia added in as they both hopped off of the couch.

"Alright, but let me check the backyard first. It's safe to assume the house is clear, but the backyard might be a different story." Marcus instructed as he grabbed his crowbar and led the two eager kids to the backyard.

They stepped outside to see that the rain was only drizzling now. Marcus looked up in the sky to see that they were now in the eye of the storm. He then watched as Alice and Yulia were both running through the yard to explore the plants that had grown over the brick wall.

Luckily no infected were able to breach the perimeter. The walls remained intact and would give the group a strong sense of security, so long as the wall had no weak point of course.

Marcus just stood at the doorway, watching for any sudden movements, keeping a constant and vigilant watch over the kids as they explored the garden, picking up multiple flowers they found along the way.

He then noticed something that could be of use. On the stump of a tree, there was a hatchet implanted into the strong trunk. With one good pull he managed to pry it free, knowing that his sister-in-law would be more than thrilled to use it if given the opportunity.

Back inside the house, most of the group spent the following hour catching their breath and observing the otherwise quiet house, while those that had spare energy carried in all the supplies the group had gathered, setting them down in the living room.

"Do you think the showers are still hot?" Rei asked Saeko as they both slipped their shoes off.

"I can only hope so. This weather is so damn freezing." Saeko responded as she began to rub her arms.

"How can you guys be thinking of showers when we have an entire armory at our disposal? It makes me tingly just thinking about it!" Khota exclaimed, as he was more than eager to see what type of guns they would have available for use.

"Don't push it. Frasier will show us when the time is right. Best not to pester him for now." Saya warned as she was browsing for something to read in a bookcase.

Johann, Frasier, Rhys, Rika, and Marcus suddenly walked in, all carrying the last of the supplies with them before setting it down with the rest.

"That takes care of that." Rhys commented before he wiped the sweat off his forehead.

"Did you guys find anymore of Them out there?" Rei asked Johann as he leaned forward to kiss her forehead.

"Just a few stragglers. Nothing we couldn't handle." Johann responded before Frasier approached the group with a look as if he had something important to say to them.

"I'm going to start checking the other houses for any of Them. Maybe load up on extra food if I can. Rika, Marcus, and Saeko you're all with me. Everyone else stay here and catch your breath, you've all earned it." Frasier announced as those he called upon began to gear up.

"What about me?" Johann questioned as they were leaving, causing Frasier to stop so he could address the question.

"I need you on the home front. You're my fourth in command after all." Frasier answered as he leaned against the pickax.

"Wait, I'm fourth? Really? Who is your second and third?" Johann asked with a surprised look on his face.

"Saeko, then Rika." Frasier replied with a serious face.

"I outrank Marcus? I mean he's your brother though." Johann commented as he looked back to see him talking with the kids and Shizuka.

"True. But you're more mature than he is. Don't get me wrong; my brother has matured greatly since the outbreaks. But he isn't as experienced as you are in leadership. He may be kin, but I won't let that blind my better judgment." Frasier responded, looking back to see Saeko approaching them.

"Alright then, guess you better get going then. You can count on me!" Johann replied as Frasier only responded with a smile before walking away to search the neighborhood for Them.

Johann closed the door then began to make his way back to the group, watching as Rhys and Marcus placed some firewood in the fireplace to keep everybody warm.

"Aren't you going with them?" Rei questioned as she watched her boyfriend returning to her unexpectedly.

"I have orders to stay here... Do you think we could go talk somewhere else? I kinda need to ask you something in private." Johann requested as the rest of the group paid no attention to them.

"Of course. Is everything okay?" Rei asked as they both walked into the kitchen.

"Yes... Well I think so... I'm not sure actually. I've been thinking about something that's been bugging me lately." Johann explained as he sat in one of the wooden chairs by the kitchen countertop.

"What is it? You can tell me anything." Rei responded in a reassuring voice as she placed a gentle hand on Johann's shoulder.

"It's about-Takashi." Johann said, hesitant at first, knowing this would be a fragile subject to talk about.

"What about him?" Rei asked in a lowered tone, her voice showing a faint hint of emotion towards that name.

"Well…I know the two of you were really close friends for such a long time, and…this is going to sound crazy, but sometimes, I just can't help but wonder…do you ever, perhaps…feel any resentment for me for doing what I did to him?" Johann asked nervously, struggling to word it the best way he could.

Rei momentarily lowered her head as she clearly tried to think of the best answer she could give him.

"No. Never. I love you with all my heart, Johann, and that has always been true. But I won't lie to you, I am still sad about what happened to him. I understand that given the circumstances, it was unavoidable, but that doesn't make it any less regrettable. However, whenever I think back to that night, I feel that my sadness is less from my missing Takashi in general, but rather from missing the person I knew he used to be, the person whom I had been such close friends with for pretty much my whole life.

"As sad as it is, I do know that at least he's in a much better place now and he won't have to go through so much pain anymore, so there is comfort in that fact, that wherever he is now, he won't have to go through the things that turned him into what he became in the end. So there is that.

"While I still have the memories, what matters now is that we now have each other right here, right now, and there's nothing that can change that. I love you so much, Johann, and there has never been any doubt about that at all." Rei explained, slowly raising her head up to look Johann in the eye before she slowly brought her head forward, placing a warm, loving kiss to his lips.

Once they parted, Johann could feel a heavy weight lift from his heart after hearing all Rei had to say to his question. However, as good as he felt in that moment, there was still one thing left he needed to know.

"I love you too, Rei. Thank you so much for telling me the truth. There is just one more thing I need to ask you about…Takashi…" Johann replied, the warmth he felt only seconds before quickly fading as Rei's eyes stared straight into his once he brought up the name again.

"Well, I recall that you two had recently split up from a relationship before we met. At the time, I thought nothing of it, but now that I actually have time to think-I was wondering that if at the time, you merely dated me because you wanted to make him jealous." Johann explained, as he looked down, unable to look Rei in the eyes.

He suddenly flinched when he felt Rei punch his arm in anger. Johann then had a look of surprise when he felt her arms wrapping around him in a warm embrace.

"Of course not! You know I'm not shallow, darling. Besides, you shouldn't be thinking about Takashi anymore. You should be thinking about us." Rei replied in a more calm voice as she then placed one of Johann's hands over her stomach.

"Do you have any names yet?" Johann smiled as he gently rubbed around in circles.

"I'm not sure. I want to see her face before I make that decision." Rei responded as she enjoyed their moment together.

"Or his face. Could be a boy as well." Johann added, as he was somewhat hoping for a son.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Rei chuckled as she then looked at the ring on her finger.

"So how do you think we will do this? Do you think anyone here will know what to do about the wedding?" Rei then asked as she ran her fingers through his hair.

"None of them seem very spiritual. Where did Frasier and Saeko marry?" Johann pondered aloud, earning a nervous look from Rei.

"I...ummm...uhh... Don't remember actually. Certainly not a forbidden jungle though." Rei responded as she tried to move the conversation forward.

"Okay... Well, since we don't have a priest or any other religious figure to do the ceremony... I was wondering what the next best thing would be." Johann commented as he sat back up.

"I'm not sure, I never really thought about it until now." Rei responded, uncertain who could be a proper replacement for their dilemma.

"What about the highest authority of the land? That sounds like an ideal choice." Johann suggested.

"You mean Frasier? You really think he'd be any good at it?" Rei asked in a doubtful voice.

"It may not be his strong suit but his word certainly holds the most power. He is King now after all. I can't think of anything that could top that." Johann answered as he then looked out the window to see the storm was picking up again.

"When he returns we'll ask him. Until then we wait." Rei responded as they both got up to return to join the rest of the group by the fireplace.

**[One Week Later] **

**Z-Day+246**

A cold winter breeze blew by as all the leaves from the trees had now fallen. The infected within a three-mile radius had been destroyed and burned in multiple piles. Not a single one was able to escape the group's determined efforts.

All the cars were parked at key points to help fortify the streets and weak points of the neighborhood. The fuel within those vehicles had been siphoned and placed in gasoline canisters for reserve.

Building supplies had been salvaged to erect a ten-foot wall of composite materials around the entire neighborhood, effectively securing the entire area without need to have someone on constant watch duty.

Saya had even managed to create an operable gate to the wall along with a security system that consisted of thin string and bells. Whenever the infected would stumble past the wires, a bell would ring under a marked sign, instantly alerting the group of its position.

The group had also been armed with plenty of weapons from the hidden armory Arthur Markle had. There were over fifty weapons to choose from and hundreds of thousands of rounds to spare, and more than enough food and water to last them for the next fifty years.

Johann was currently on watch, walking back and forth on the platform connected to the wall. He held a simple AK-74 in his hands and wore a grey overcoat as he kept an eye out for anything out of the ordinary.

Suddenly, something could be heard behind him. He turned his head to see Rika slowly climbing up the ladder to relieve him from watch duty.

"Oh, it's just you. My turn up already?" Johann asked as he was at ease to see a friendly approach from behind.

"No, I just like the bleak view while its freezing cold." Rika responded sarcastically as she stretched her arms up, only just waking up moments ago.

"Good to see you're in a cheery mood. Sleep well?" Johann asked as he smiled knowing Rika was in a good mood.

"Hell yeah. I'll be honest with you, I was uncertain about Frasier's leadership at first, but he's certainly proven himself worthy. Takashi would've never gotten us this far." Rika explained as she began to play with her lighter.

"Yeah... Well, I'm going to go inside. Want anything?" Johann offered as he holstered his gun and began to descend the wooden ladder.

"Nah, you just go get ready for your little ceremony. I'll be watching it from here." Rika responded as she pulled over a wooden stool left for anyone to use while on watch.

Johann just nodded as he then made his way through the iron gate to Frasier's home. He was soon greeted by Zeke who began to playfully bark as Alice came running out to see who it was.

"Hey Johann! Is it time?" Alice asked in an excited voice.

"Yeah, is everything ready?" Johann questioned as he kneeled down to speak on Alice's level.

"Mhm. Everyone's waiting for you." Alice answered as she began to tug at Johann's hand, urging him to follow her.

"Slow down Alice. Let me set this down first." Johann responded as he set his AK-74 against the wall.

They both then walked out the backyard to see everyone was standing around, waiting for them to approach. Johann's heart was racing, pounding heavily with each step taken. Alice let go of his hand and ran over to stand with Yulia, watching with the rest of the group.

Johann continued to walk through the now trimmed grass until he stood besides Rei, both of them facing Frasier as he stood before them in a British Military uniform.

"Good. You're here. Let's begin." Frasier smiled as he then motioned everyone else to stand aside.

"By the power of the British Empire, as sole sovereign to these lands, I call you all here to watch as two close friends take the next step in their lives, as well as their relationship, and become husband and wife."

"From here till the end of your lives, you two are bound together, each to be there for one another in the best of times and for the worst of times. Let it be known that these two are man and wife till death do them part." Frasier announced in a passionate speech as he then drew out a military officer sword.

"Give each other the rings then place your palms on the blade." Frasier instructed as he planted the sword into the dirt.

Johann and Rei both had a nervous look on their faces but did as they were told, each exchanging rings before they slowly placed a palm on the edge of the planted blade.

Frasier suddenly took his hands and firmly placed them over Johann and Rei's hands. With a gently press he forced them to hold hands as two small lines of blood trickled down the sides of the sword, intertwining at the very end.

"Through honor and blood, I pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride." Frasier instructed as he then released their hands, watching as they both shared a passionate kiss before the group. Applause soon followed, as everyone was able to enjoy the momentous occasion.

Everyone walked inside with smiles on their faces. The moment had placed everyone in good spirits. Frasier was last to enter but was instantly greeted by Saeko's lips as they pressed into his.

"What was that for?" Frasier asked as his cheeks turned red.

"For helping them of course. I know talking isn't your thing but you're quite charismatic when you put your mind to it." Saeko complimented as she threw her arms around his neck.

"They deserved something nice. After all we've endured, this is something I couldn't say no too. Besides, I'm glad Rei found someone that can make her happy. I was shocked at first when they requested me of all people to do this though." Frasier explained as his hands held her waist.

"So what do you want to do now?" Saeko asked as she placed her chest against his chest.

"I need to go take care of something first. Afterwards we can go lay down." Frasier answered as he then turned his head to Marcus, motioning his younger sibling to follow him.

Saeko let go and nodded in acknowledgement, standing back as Marcus and Frasier walked off to attend to a family matter.

"Is it time?" Marcus asked as he looked up at Frasier's stone cold face.

"Yes. Do you have them?" Frasier answered before checking to see if Marcus was prepared.

"I've been keeping them close ever since we entered this house. I just wanted to wait until you were ready to go through with it." Marcus responded as they stood before the basement door.

**{Metal Gear Solid 4 OST – Father And Son}**

Frasier and Marcus slowly walked downstairs, entering their father's personal den. Both held their breath as they descended into his lair. The vast British weapons used over the decades that mounted the wall, the framed photos of relatives and family members gathering dust on his desk, and an English Flag and a Union Jack Flag hung up against the empty spaces of wall.

But what caught their attention above all else was the great memorial their ancestors created long ago. Entire rows of nails stuck out from the wall with dog tags and pictures of their respective owners that dated back to the First World War in 1914.

"It's just so... I don't know what to say." Marcus muttered as he marveled at the sight before him.

"Hand me their tags." Frasier ordered softly as he pressed five nails into the wall with a hammer he found lying around the toolbox under the desk.

Marcus nodded and slowly handed his older brother Noah's disk shaped tag, watching as his older brother refused to shed a single tear in front of him as he placed Noah's dog tag in its rightful place.

"Noah Markle, Unit number 119. Rest in peace, brother." Frasier announced as he then backed up to see the empty gaps besides it.

"He was the most courageous of us all. We will never forget his sacrifice." Marcus added as he placed four more tags into Frasier's hand.

Frasier nodded in agreement as he then pinned up their uncle Mark's tag. Watching the twin disks sway back and forth on the nail it hung from.

"Mark Markle, Unit number 116. A second father to our trio." Frasier announced before he reached over to place the next set besides it.

"Arthur Markle, Unit number 115. One of England's finest soldiers to have ever lived." Frasier noted as he placed their father's tags before Mark's tags.

He then looked down to look at the last pair of tags Marcus left in his hands. Frasier then turned over to his brother with a puzzled look on his face.

"These are your tags, Marcus. This wall is for the fallen." Frasier explained, holding out the dog tag to Marcus.

"I was shot and left for dead by Takashi back in Hamburg. But if that does not count, then do it because all of us have died somewhere down the line since the outbreak. One time or another." Marcus replied with no humor to be found in his voice, slowly walking away as he left Frasier to ponder to himself.

Frasier then let out an exasperated sigh and realized Marcus was right. He then placed Marcus' tag on the wall besides Noah's.

"Marcus Markle, Unit number 118. While he may not the most disciplined of us, he always manages to pull through and prove himself." Frasier said to himself, slowly smiling at how mature his little brother had become over the months.

Frasier then looked at the new additions to the wall. Watching as the dog tags all hung before him. Another sigh escaped from his lips as he then walked back to his father's desk. He picked up multiple frames and snapped them with no effort at all.

He pulled the photos out and looked down to see the photos were of the new additions to the wall. Frasier then walked back to the wall and gently placed the photos with the matching tags.

There was a photo of Noah by his tag, and one of Marcus and Mark with their tags. Then last but not least, a photo of Arthur and his wife under Frasier's father's tags.

"I'll never give up. I will never forget any of you." Frasier vowed in sorrow as thunder rang out. A single set of tears dripped against the concrete floor as his fists gripped tight in remembrance.

"Frasier? Is everything alright down there, beloved?" Saeko called out from the top of the stairs, her voice carrying concern with it as she awaited a response from her husband.

"Y-yes. I'm coming up now." Frasier announced as he then slowly removed his own dog tag. Placing it in the last available slot in chronological order.

He ran a hand against the memorial wall before he slowly walked off to rejoin his anxious wife, leaving his dog tags hanging with the rest of the family line where they truly belonged: Frasier Markle, Unit number 117.

**{} **


	68. Act 26 Homecoming Part 2

Act 26 Homecoming Part 2

Uxbridge, Western London, England

7 Years After Z-Day

It was quiet in the bleak outskirts of London. Two female figures wearing scarves around their faces were cautiously exploring a ruined toy store littered with old world playthings. Every now and then an infected corpse would shamble on by, it's shadow looming through the glass windows before passing on to walk through the lonesome roads abandoned long ago.

The young teenage girl in the back made sure to carefully shut the door as quietly as she could so as not to risk having the wind slam the door closed. Once they were sure none of the infected outside had heard anything, the two girls removed the scarves from their faces now that they were at least out of the bitter English cold for now.

The girl taking the lead had her dark red hair cut short, which accompanied with her thin, nearly flat-chested figure, gave her a very tomboyish kind of look. She gave a brief glance to her partner as her purple eyes slowly scanned the room for anything noteworthy.

Her companion had her semi-long, dark brown hair tied up into a combination between a bun and a ponytail, so as to make it that much more difficult to grab. Whereas her red-haired partner was clearly of Japanese origin, she herself was clearly European of birth, given her naturally pale complexion, which greatly complimented her brilliant golden eyes. Also, unlike her companion's tomboyish figure, she herself had filled out much more, having gained some noticeable curves and a C-Cup chest.

Once she was certain there was nothing to worry about, the red-haired teenager motioned for her partner to follow her behind the counter.

"So what exactly is it we're looking for, Alice?" The brown-haired girl asked in a thick, Slavic accent as the now 14 year-old Alice Maresato cautiously opened the door leading to the owner's office.

"Well, I'm going to see if this office or any of the bathrooms have any medicine, preferably for the flu, since Fall is right around the corner. However, seeing as we're in a toy store, it's only natural that we should also look for something new for the kids to enjoy. That part I'll leave to you today, Yulia." Alice replied with a smirk directed towards her 14 year-old Russian partner as she shined her flashlight throughout the dark office.

"Well, we'd better hurry up before the sun goes down. You know how worried the adults get when we don't return by nightfall. Last thing I need today is to be lectured." Yulia commented as she began to load various toys into a small backpack.

"They're just concerned about us, it's not like they don't trust us or anything like that." Alice responded in a reasonable tone before she drew a silenced pistol from her hip, motioning Yulia to follow her through the back of the store, seeing how roughly ten of Them were now pressing up against the windows and front door, all carrying a deep yet vacant look on their despaired faces.

Yulia slowly turned another door handle, only to jump back when an infected woman burst through as if it had been waiting for the two teen survivors to walk by this entire time. However, they were no longer defenseless little girls that had to rely on the adults to protect them.

Without hesitation, Yulia swiped her leg over the legs of the infected woman, causing the grey fiend to trip over face first. Alice then responded by firing a single round now that she had a clear line of sight. Both hardly winced when the thick, dark red blood gushed from the bullet wound, watching, as the infected woman didn't get back up after their tag-team effort.

"Okay, no doubt at least a couple might've heard that on top of the rest just outside the front window. We'd better get going now." Alice commented as she and Yulia began to make a beeline for the back door.

"Честно говоря, вы не можете идти два шага, не спотыкаясь эти вещи." {Chestno govorya, vy ne mozhete idti dva shaga, ne spotykayas' eti veshchi.} (Honestly, you can't walk two steps without tripping over these things.)Yulia commented mainly to herself (although Alice was able to fully understand her by this point) before deciding they both needed to remain silent afterwards, slowly making their way through an alleyway filled with Them.

Both girls walked past the infected without making a peep, knowing exactly how to bypass a small group without alerting any of Them. Yulia covered her nose when the rotten stench became too thick for her to withstand.

"Ugh, you never get used to the smell." Yulia groaned softly before Alice pulled out the keys, cautiously flipping through the various keys to prevent then from rattling and attracting any of Them.

Alice eventually found the right pair and opened the door with the utmost finesse, her purple eyes watching for any signs of Them being alerted to their presence. Luckily the infected continued to wander aimlessly as Yulia confidently took the wheel, well aware the small electric car wouldn't draw any major attention towards them or lead any big hordes towards their settlement.

Earley, Reading, Berkshire, England

Within the walls that served to barricade the town of Earley in southeastern Reading, a young girl, no older than 5, could be seen standing eagerly in anticipation, pacing back and forth at the north gate. She played with her dark brown hair, practicing tying it into twintails before looking back to see another, slightly taller girl approaching. This one looked to be just about 7. The younger girl narrowed her eyes; barely refraining from rolling them, knowing her big sister was going to say it was time to come in for dinner.

"Kiriko, Mom says it's time to come inside," announced the slightly older girl, speaking in a somewhat authoritative tone.

Her hair was a more golden brown coloring, styled in a simple braid that ran halfway down her back in an effort to keep it neat. A determined look shone in her hazel eyes as she continued to approach her younger sister.

"Just give me five more minutes, Lena; Big Sis' Alice and Yulia will be home soon. I wanna see what they brought back!" the little girl known as Kiriko responded defiantly, now firmly standing her ground, shooting a disobedient glare towards her big sister. Unlike Lena, Kiriko actually had heterochromia, or two different eye colors. Her left eye was hazel just like her sister, and her right eye was red. And her defiant attitude burned fiercely in both of them.

"C'mon, Kiriko! I don't wanna get in trouble just because you're being stubborn!" Lena explained as she began to slowly pull Kiriko (despite the great effort she made to drag her feet) all the way towards their house.

"Hey! What seems to be the problem?" announced a male voice above the two squabbling siblings. Both girls instantly stopped what they were doing only to look up to see one of the adults looking down at them from the wall that separated their fortified town from the rest of the world.

"Nothing, Mr. Marcus. We were just going inside. Right, Kiriko?" Lena nervously responded before her little sister gave up with a frustrated sigh, knowing that she could no longer stall for time without the risk of getting into trouble with their parents.

Marcus just stood there, wearing a black baseball cap and warm clothing to protect him from the occasional nips of cold air that would breeze by while he would stand guard on his shift to watch the north and east sides of the wall. His hair had grown considerably longer, to the point he had to keep it tied up in order to keep it out of his face. He had also grown a thick, black beard over his face, since it managed to keep him warmer during the winter. He never stopped watching until Lena and Kiriko were both back inside where they belonged.

Suddenly, one of the motion sensor monitors Saya had designed a couple years back began to blink; Marcus quickly drew out his assault rifle and rushed over only to be relieved when he noticed it was only Alice and Yulia returning from their scavenging mission.

"Hey Rhys, Brandon! Look alive, they're finally back." Marcus announced as he motioned them over to his side of the gate.

Brandon pulled down on a lever, watching as the gears and cogs spun around until the gates were both opened all the way. Alice slowly pulled up, making sure to pull in all the way before being stopped by Rhys and Marcus.

"How did it go? Did you find anything?" Marcus questioned as he stood before the duo as they exited from the car.

"Oh yeah, I think we've got exactly what the kids were hoping for." Alice replied confidently before handing Marcus the bag of toys they recovered from the store.

"Not bad. I'm certain my nephew and niece will certainly enjoy these. Take these back to Shizuka. You know how much she loves to wrap the gifts every time we do this. " Marcus commented as he then handed the bag back to Alice, motioning her to go to Shizuka's house at the west side of the neighborhood.

"Sure thing. Hasn't been much for her to do since Ramon stepped on a nail last year." Alice responded enthusiastically before walking off to visit the group's top medical expert.

"What about you? Shouldn't you be heading off to bed now?" Marcus asked, as he looked over to Yulia, watching her stretch her arms above her head like she was only just warming up.

"НетNet(No), I'm going to go see if Rika is willing to spar with me in a few minutes. Tell Corvo I said 'Привет' (Privet)(Hello)." Yulia responded before she wandered off in search of the group's sniper, most likely sitting on her perch at the watchtower constructed at the southern side of the wall.

-

Meanwhile, Lena and Kiriko both unfastened their shoes and bolted to the dinner table just in time to see their father, Johann, sitting at the table and awaiting their anticipated arrival.

"Ah, just on time. Were you waiting for Alice and Yulia to come home again, Kiriko?" Johann questioned with a warm smile on his face, even though he already knew her answer.

"Maybe..." Kiriko responded innocently as she looked down at her feet, swaying them back and forth.

"Yes, she was." Lena commented seconds later, earning an annoyed look from Kiriko for the quick, if not unnecessary remark.

"I hope that's not all you guys did today." Rei commented with the warmest smile on her beautiful face as she began to portion out the food for everyone.

"Lena was drawing with Corvo on the wall again." Kiriko said in hopes to get back at her older sister for the comment.

"Kiriko!" Lena hushed in an embarrassed tone, not wanting their parents to rain down on her with questions about the boy across the street.

"Oh? What were you guys drawing this time?" Johann inquired with a smile, curious as to what Lena and Corvo drew this time with the various colored chalk they had available.

"Stuff." Lena nervously replied as she turned a bright red, looking down into her food, too embarrassed to even look her parents in the face.

"So long as you guys weren't playing with that BB gun of his, then I don't mind what you two do together. There's no need to be nervous, sweetie." Rei said encouragingly as she gently rubbed her daughter's back for comfort.

"Okay. Thanks, Mom." Lena replied in a more reassured voice before taking a spoonful of food in her mouth.

"So what did you do today, daddy?" Lena asked with curiosity in her eyes as she then set her eating utensils aside to listen to what Johann had to say.

"Oh. Just more training with Mr. Frasier. Unfortunately, it was my turn to box him today. I still can't feel my knuckles." Johann explained as he held up his hands to reveal slight bruises on them.

"He really should be taking it out on Them. He's going to really hurt somebody if he doesn't find something do with all that pent up energy." Rei brought up, showing concern that their leader was starting to become aggressive again, whilst also laying a loving hand over his bruised knuckles.

"Ever since he destroyed all the infected within a five mile radius, he's either been sitting in that study of his all day, or training to the point me and the rest of the guys have to get involved." Johann responded, remembering that bloody day as if it were only just moments ago.

"I think I'll talk with Saeko. Maybe she can shed some light on his recent behavior." Rei suggested as she then began to collect the finished dinner plates, depositing them into the sink before tenderly kissing her husband on the cheek.

"Thank you, Rei. It would be nice to not dread Sunday anymore." Johann thanked before he got up to carry Lena and Kiriko off to bed.

"But I don't wanna go to bed yet! Can't we at least have a story first?" Lena questioned as she playfully squirmed around defiantly.

"Yeah! Can't sleep without a story first!" Kiriko chimed in as she agreed with her older sister for once.

"Oh fine, I guess you two have been rather good lately." Johann said gently.

Several minutes later

Soon, both little girls were sound asleep after hearing yet another story from their father about his adventures through the undead world.

Johann expertly exited their room without making so much as a peep. When the door was closed, he turned around to see Rei anxiously awaiting his return with a warm smile on her face.

"That was pretty fast. Which one did you tell them this time?" Rei questioned as she threw her arms over his neck.

"Just the one about Kibou. They always like that one. They say it reminds them of here, except with more people." Johann warmly replied as his hands naturally held his wife's waist, gently swaying her back and forth while their eyes locked on one another.

"I love you so much, Johann. Just be careful not to fill their heads with anything scary again. Kiriko just stopped wetting the bed last week, and Lena just kept asking about what's outside the wall." Rei warned as her thumb ran along Johann's jaw line, playfully tracing it.

"I love you too, Rei, and don't worry. We always have someone on watch. Plus the kids are always active and drain themselves near bedtime so they'd have no chance at it." Johann confidently responded before both of them went into a deep, passionate kiss, now able to spend the rest of the night together in a heart-warming embrace.

The next morning, the Markle Household

The following morning, a young boy sprung out of bed, looking around the room to see his sister had already gotten up before him. He rubbed his crystal blue eyes to make sure he wasn't seeing things.

'Shoot! How long did I sleep in?' the young boy thought as he began to scramble out of bed, not even bothering to fix his messy, blonde hair.

Within moments, he ran through the halls and down the stairs to enter the kitchen, only to see his uncle sitting in a chair with a box of cereal before him.

"Uncle Marki! Did... she... eat...before..." the young boy began to ask before gasping for air, just now noticing the half eaten bowl of cereal sitting beside Marcus.

"No. She was about to, but she had to use the bathroom first. I'd say you have two minutes before your sister gets back." Marcus replied as he watched his nephew scrambling to set up his own bowl of cereal.

Without saying another word, Marcus' nephew began to tear into it, racing against time before his sister returned from the bathroom.

"Hey! You said you'd warn me if he woke up!" a young female voice suddenly shrieked mere seconds later.

Marcus and the young boy both turned over to see a little girl with exactly the same crystal blue eyes; long, dark purple hair that partially covered one of her eyes, and to top it off, she had one fierce look to her.

"Oh... Did I? Must've slipped my mind, Miyu." Marcus said as he forced a slight smirk on his face.

"Ugh! I knew you'd help Corvo over me!" Miyu whined as she quickly rushed back to her seat in attempt to finish what she started.

"I'm on nobodies side here. I have no reason to be." Marcus responded as he watched both siblings tearing into their cereal, somewhat amused by how competitive they were when around one another.

"Done!" Corvo and Miyu both announced at once as they held their empty bowls towards Marcus.

"I was done first!" Miyu proudly claimed as she smirked at Corvo, determined to prove she was the superior one when it came to finishing a meal.

"Nu-uh! I beat you by a second!" Corvo responded as he waved his bowl around wildly.

"Actually, I won." announced a voice from behind the two arguing siblings, causing them (along with Marcus) to see Frasier before them with an empty plate with a few crumbs in hand.

"Dad!" Corvo and Miyu both happily cried out as they both jumped out of their chairs and dashed towards Frasier, jumping into his arms as he then hoisted them up.

"So what do I win?" Frasier questioned as he felt both their tiny arms wrapping around his neck, knowing that they'd been anxiously awaiting his return.

"A hug apparently. So, did you manage to take care of the horde we spotted a few miles out?" Marcus questioned as he took all the dishes and began to put them in the nearby sink.

"If by take care of, you mean wiped out into a red pulp, then yes, Marcus, I certainly took care of Them." Frasier responded as he made it clear the potential threat was dealt with.

"How many were there?" Corvo asked with a curious look in his eyes.

"I bet there were at least a hundred of Them! Nobody can beat my Daddy!" Miyu complimented, as it was quite clear she thought very highly of her father.

"More than I expected, but in the end it didn't help Them. And don't you forget that, Miyu. Where's mommy?" Frasier answered as he then kissed his daughter on the forehead before setting them down.

"She's still sleeping." Marcus answered as he looked over to his elder brother.

"Good. I'm gonna try and surprise her." Frasier grinned as he began to head towards their bedroom, hoping to get the jump on his wife.

Corvo and Miyu both giggled and barely restrained themselves from laughing aloud as they watched they father attempting to sneak up on their mother. Frasier motioned them to wait outside as he entered only.

As he slowly crept up towards the edge of the bed, his eyes suddenly widened when he realized Saeko was no longer beneath the blankets. Before Frasier could even consider turning around, he instantly felt her warm breath going down the back of his neck as two steel blades crossed together.

"Seems I've underestimated you, Saeko." Frasier said as he could feel her chest pressing into his back.

"You should learn by now that you can't sneak up on me. It's just too easy, especially with the kids announcing your return." Saeko taunted as the blades scraped together, increasing the tension between them.

"I'll bare that in mind next time. How was everything while I was away?" Frasier noted before inquiring on how the settlement was over the night he was away.

"It was quiet. More quiet than I like anyways. I think you owe me something." Saeko answered before she began to whisper into his ear.

"Right here? Right now?" Frasier responded as a smirk formed across his face.

"It's like you can read my mind. I'll have Marcus take the kids out." Saeko responded as she lowered the blades and walked over towards the doors.

She smiled when she noticed both Corvo and Miyu were standing behind the door. Both nearly jumped out of their skin when she popped out from behind the door.

"Did Daddy surprise you?" Miyu asked curiously, hoping for a yes.

"He sure did! Marcus can you watch them for awhile?" Saeko playfully responded before looking over to Marcus.

"Yeah. C'mon, kids, lets go play outside!" Marcus announced as he caught on to her signal, motioning the kids to follow him as Saeko locked the door behind her.

"Uncle Marki, how come you don't use a sword?" Miyu questioned as she looked up at him.

"Because that would mean I'd need your mother to train me in how to use them, and that would mean I'd cry myself to sleep every night after the training she'd put me through." Marcus responded, shuddering at the thought of Saeko relentlessly training him.

"But she's teaching me the way of the sword. Does that mean I'm tougher than you?" Miyu then followed up, forming a curious look to her face.

"Yeah. Sure. Why not?" Marcus responded nonchalantly as he continued to eat his cereal, wanting nothing more than a few minutes to himself.

"I'm tougher than Marki! I'm tougher than Marki!" Miyu chanted playfully as they all walked outside.

Meanwhile, Brandon and Alexia were in the middle of putting away their sparring gear as they exited the makeshift ring she had drawn into the dirt of her backyard. They were both panting heavily, clearly physically drained from their usual training, but they both knew it was necessary. However, unlike every other day, Alexia could see that there was a deeply troubled look in Brandon's eyes as he set his gear aside. Thankfully, having come to know Brandon as well as she now did over the years, Alexia knew what was most likely on his mind.

"What do you think?" Alexia questioned as she pulled her helmet off, placing it aside while looking over at Brandon.

"What do I think about what, the genocide of my entire race? Or the fact that the people responsible could show up any day to take over what's left of my homeland?" Brandon said in an attempt to narrow things down.

"Alright, first of all Brandon, it's been seven years now. I'm pretty sure if those people wanted this land, they would've made a move for it by now. Besides, you know what I really mean. It's just that ever since we got here... I've noticed that Marcus and Frasier have been very compulsive if not flat out obsessed with getting back at the B.O.P. I'm just concerned you'll be like that as well, so I figured I'd let you know I'm here for you." Alexia explained as she then looked at the mixed expressions Brandon had on his face.

"All this time…I thought I was unlucky for being out of the country when the outbreaks started, and that my family died for nothing when they were taken from me by Them. Remember how I couldn't stop smiling when Rhys came back and said he could guarantee us a way in? Do you remember that look of relief I had on my face, only to realize that not being home kept me from perishing with everyone else? It's maddening, Alexia." Brandon said, speaking in a gloomy tone while fighting the urge to cry before his longtime friend.

"All we can really do now is hope to God that the B.O.P. never show up. Even if they do, we've got a pretty solid group to hold them off!" Alexia responded with great enthusiasm in an attempt to raise Brandon's morale.

"What about Rhys? He's an American too, you know. What if he can't do it? What if he betrayed us for his own kind or some fucked up shit like that? I can't handle something like that again..." Brandon brought up as he gripped his fists, remembering how someone close to him betrayed him several years ago.

"Rhys IS trustworthy, Brandon. Besides, Frasier claims the B.O.P. is an insurgent group technically, so Rhys shouldn't have a reason to be conflicted over his loyalties when it comes right down to it." Alexia mentioned as she held Brandon's hand through it all.

"And what if he does?" Brandon questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"I'll give him a good kick in the rear." Alexia chuckled before giving Brandon's hand a squeeze.

"Heh, heh, thanks, Alexia. I better go check on the wiring system before Khota notices I haven't given it a proper running yet." Brandon replied in a warm tone, his voice somewhat rejuvenated before he walked out to handle the task at hand.

"Anytime, sport." Alexia replied before she noticed Corvo and Miyu running through her yard, both moving at top speed, clearly another dispute for dominance between the two siblings.

-

Meanwhile, Frasier sat up in bed with scratch marks all the way down his back, Saeko soon rising right behind him when he got back up.

"Is everything alright? You seem a little tense this morning. More than usual at least." Saeko asked in a concerned tone before firmly wrapping her fingers around Frasier's shoulders.

"I'm just wondering what could've been if I'd gotten the reinforcements I was expecting. When I sent Rhys to bring allies back here without drawing any major attention, I was hopping for Vassilli and Katya. Not Brandon, Alexia, and Ramon." Frasier explained as he looked over his shoulder to meet her gaze.

"I think they're a very worthy addition to the group. Granted, they aren't nearly as combat-oriented or experienced as Vassilli and Katya, but after you began to train them yourself, they've become quite productive in helping out around here. Plus with the kids, it will take much more than a sharp blade to keep this group going." Saeko said as her fingers tips began to run through his short, disciplined hair.

"Hmm, point taken. Sometimes I just need you to see the brighter side to things for me. I don't know what I'd do without you, Saeko." Frasier thanked, as he couldn't help but blurt out his inner feelings towards his wife.

"You'd be long dead." Saeko chuckled in a teasing, yet sadistic manner before retracting her fingers from his head.

"Very funny. I'll be up on the wall if you need me. Oh, and be sure to keep your blades on your person, or locked away. Miyu had that look in her eyes the other day." Frasier instructed as he recalled how their little girl would eyeball those blades as if she was determined to wield them herself one day.

-

Lena, Corvo, and Miyu were all standing before Shizuka. Each one of them was helping her water the garden she had tirelessly created over the last several years.

"Can't we stay here with you?" Corvo requested as he set down a watering can.

"Yeah! I don't want to go to class." Miyu grumbled as she spoke in a bitter tone.

"Now, now, run along you three. It won't be long till Saya expects you all to be at her house for another lesson." Shizuka announced as she motioned the three out of her garden.

"Can we come back later and look at the roses? I wanna give one to my Mommy." Lena requested as she gave Shizuka an innocent look, making it impossible for her to say no.

"Of course you can! Just make sure to do so after your lesson. Now go, before Saya loses her patience!" Shizuka kindly replied before urging the three to move on again.

Without any further delay, Miyu, Lena, and Corvo ran off towards the next house over, ready to sit through another session of home schooling. When they entered Saya and Khota's house, they took their shoes off before finding their way to the cushiony couch where they normally sat for a lesson.

"You guys are just in time! I was almost certain you'd forgotten," announced a little girl, roughly six years old as she entered the room.

All three turned their gaze over to see the daughter of Khota and Saya. She was just slightly taller than Kiriko, but nowhere near the others height. Her eyes appeared to be a soft brown color, her hair a dark pink yet styled the exact same way as her mother, and to top it off, she even wore thick glasses just like her parents.

"Oh...hey, Michiko. When will we start?" Corvo asked as he began to impatiently tap his feet against the wood floor.

Before Michiko could even begin to answer, Saya walked into the room with a welcoming smile on her face, motioning her daughter to sit along with the rest of the class. Saya then began to put her large books aside as the kids just sat there in anticipation.

"Okay, now that you're all here, we can get started. First we're going to start with a few basic math problems. I'm certain all of you have been practicing at home, right?" Saya announced as she entered the room with mini-whiteboards and spare pairs of socks, handing them out to Corvo, Lena, Miyu, and Michiko.

"I sure have!" Michiko proudly said as she raised a hand, wanting Saya (and to some extension everyone else) to know that she made studying a priority.

"Nerd." Miyu softly whispered causing Michiko to pout with an irritated grumble at the end while Corvo and Lena chuckled.

"Okay, let's try 12+9." Saya suggested as she wrote the equation on her own whiteboard.

Within seconds, Michiko had naturally finished first after scribbling down her answer, her small hands covering her work in case any wandering eyes peered over.

Lena luckily had practiced with her parents whenever she had the opportunity, so within moments she had also managed to find the answer and took the time to put a personal touch on her penmanship.

Corvo meanwhile chewed on the back of his pen while he tried to think of the correct answer. It wasn't long before he could hear his sister finishing before him, knowing she'd simply have to mention it whenever she could.

"Having trouble?" Lena whispered as she gave Corvo a peek at her answer.

"I can handle it!" Corvo blurted out in a prideful tone, inadvertently causing all attention to focus onto him.

"You two wouldn't happen to be sharing answers again, would you?" Saya suddenly questioned in an omniscient tone, already knowing the answer.

"We're sorry." Lena and Corvo both replied, a guilty feeling in the pit of their stomachs.

"Lena, you know better than to share answers. I know you mean well, but simply giving Corvo the answers doesn't help him in the long run. As for you, Corvo, did you not study again?" Saya questioned as she raised a suspicious eyebrow.

"Yes... well... kinda." Corvo muttered as his face turned red, his gaze quickly shifting down towards his feet so he couldn't see the looks everyone had.

While Saya had a look of understanding, Lena and Michiko both carried looks of concern while Miyu couldn't help but grin at Corvo's dilemma.

"It's alright. I'm sure whatever it was you did to neglect your studies was important. Let's try again." Saya announced, irritated that Corvo chose to disregard studying, yet understood that he was just a kid still.

-

While on watch duty, Ramon walked over towards Frasier's sector, ready to tell him something that had been on his mind lately.

"What do you need?" Frasier questioned, not even needing to look back at Ramon to know who it was.

"I've just been thinking for a while…we should train the kids harder while they're still young, let this be a time they hone in on their unfounded talents. In case something goes wrong. You know?" Ramon suggested as he looked over to Frasier, giving his leader his opinion for the future.

"They don't need the lifestyle we're so accustomed to. Had this been when the kids were still in their diapers, I'd be more concerned... but the answer is still no." Frasier responded nonchalantly, brushing the matter aside like it was nothing to him.

"But what if…?" Ramon began to protest.

"You don't understand, Ramon. All of you merely adopted a lifestyle based off of fighting and survival. I however was born into it. I will not force the kids into training and have them become resentful of their elders." Frasier responded in a grim tone before he left Ramon to watch the rest of his side of the wall.

Ramon let out a deep sigh. He knew that deep down; Frasier knew what was best for the group. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a packet of Starbursts, unwrapping one before popping it up into his mouth.

He then looked down to see Corvo being approached by Lena. A smirk formed across his face as he then took a slow walk back to his sector.

"Oh...hey, Lena! How are you?" Corvo asked before feeling a slight nervous feeling in his gut when he noticed his longtime friend approaching him.

"Hey, Corvo! Just came over to ask if you wanted to maybe go draw on the wall again. If you want, I mean... Soooo, whatcha doing?" Lena asked in an equally shy voice as both her cheeks turned red.

"Oh, I was just going to go shoot cans with my BB gun. Wanna watch?" Corvo responded as he hoped Lena would say yes.

However, before she could answer, a shadow moved over them, causing both kids to look up at the wall to see Frasier standing above them, his intimidating blue eyes looking between the two before someone decided to finally speak up.

"Hey, Dad!" Corvo announced as he decided to break the nervous tension.

"Come up here, Corvo. There's something I want to talk to you about." Frasier responded as he motioned the young boy to use the ladder a few meters away from him.

"B-but you said to never climb on the wall..." Corvo said with a hesitant attitude, weary of why Frasier was letting him come up of all times now.

"Hmm, I suppose that's true. Hold on." Frasier agreed as he took a moment to process his son's concern.

Suddenly, Frasier hopped off the wall and landed on both feet before the two kids, causing them to both to step back out of reaction. Frasier made sure to bend down so he didn't destroy the bones in his legs; Corvo and Lena both watched as he soon rose back up and towered over both of them again.

"Lena, may I borrow my son for a few minutes? I'll send him back to you once I'm done." Frasier requested, making sure to not seem threatening to her.

Lena was silent and simply gave him a nod before running off to see what the other kids were up to. Corvo watched her leave before he looked up at his father to see a look of importance in his eyes.

"Am I in trouble?" Corvo asked nervously, wondering if Frasier was going to punish him for something.

"Not at all. I just want to make sure you understand why Miyu is receiving practice with a blade and you aren't." Frasier explained before he holstered his rifle, knowing nothing dangerous would be found on ground level within the wall.

"Oh...is it because she's a girl?" Corvo asked curiously as he looked back down at his shoes.

"Of course it isn't! I know the way of the sword myself, but we're letting Miyu practice it early on because it's a great way for her to bond with mommy." Frasier explained as he kneeled down and rubbed Corvo's back.

"So what will you teach me? I wanna learn something cool too!" Corvo requested in a very jealous tone, knowing that if he didn't have anything, his sister would instantly tease him to no end over the matter.

"Don't worry, son. I'll teach you many things I know one day. I just want you to be ready for when that time comes, okay?" Frasier answered as he ensured Corvo that him and Saeko weren't playing favorites between their kids.

"Okay. Can I go play with my friends now?" Corvo said in a more cheerful tone, relieved that he too would have something to brag about when it was dinnertime.

Frasier gave a simple nod, watching as Corvo bolted off down the empty street. A warm smile formed over the proud father as he then made his way back to his post, fully aware that leaving it unattended could only result in trouble.

-

It wasn't long before the sun began to go down, the skies a bright, vibrant mix of orange and yellow, occasionally obscured by the white clouds.

All the kids were playing in the street, occasionally breaking off into two separate groups before regrouping to see what the others were doing. It wasn't long until an argument broke out though.

"Bet you're afraid to go over the wall!" Miyu teased as she motioned everyone to look over the obstruction none of them had ever traversed over before.

"You're scared too, Miyu! You've never gone over it either!" Lena responded in an equally angry tone, knowing Miyu was in the same spot as her now.

"I think you're both chickens." Kiriko taunted, causing both older girls to glare at her before looking separate ways.

"Alright, I guess nobody has been over there before." Michiko noted as she adjusted her small glasses.

"Maybe we should change that." Corvo suddenly suggested, earning a surprised look from everyone (even Miyu was caught off guard by the sudden boldness).

"Oh, you got something in mind, brother?" Miyu questioned, determined to see if Corvo was simply bluffing.

"I say we all go out there, together, and see what's the big deal." Corvo announced as he spoke in a leader-like tone, confidence rising by the second, only to be rivaled by his desire for an adventure.

"But what about the monsters?" Lena asked, remembering the vivid tales of flesh eating creatures that her father told her and Kiriko almost every night when going to bed.

"That's just it! There are no monsters!" Corvo replied as he smiled at the nervous girl, clearly showing that he knew something the others didn't.

"Oh? How could you possibly know if you've never been outside the wall?" Michiko inquired, 100% certain Corvo was making it all up now.

"I know because I overheard my Dad and Uncle Mark talking about how the monsters are all gone! It's why my Dad was gone last night, honest." Corvo explained as his story managed to hold up to everyone so far.

"Oh yeah... Hey, he's right! If my Daddy took care of the monsters, then why are we still here? Lets go, right now!" Miyu recalled before heading towards the wall to go forth with their idea.

"No, wait! One of the grown ups will notice if we try now." Corvo warned as he tugged his sister back.

"Corvo's right. We should wait until all the grown ups are distracted or too busy to notice us gone. Give me a week to determine an adequate solution." Michiko suggested, earning a few puzzled looks from everyone at the end.

"Uhh...what?" Kiriko asked in a confused tone, scratching her head to further express herself (along with everyone else).

"Hrm... Give me a week, and I'll find a way for us to sneak out." Michiko sighed before speaking in a way the others could understand her this time.

"Okay. In one week, we all go out, together." Corvo said, standing before his group as he watched each and every one of them accepting the idea by responding with a simple nod and look of commitment. With just enough luck, everything would go off without a hitch.

All five kids stood on the grass, side by side, each one of them ready to have an adventure of their own to tell one day, to venture out into the unknown to see what lied in wait for them.


	69. Act 26 Homecoming Part 3

Earley, Reading, Berkshire, England

One week later

The men had gotten up before the sun could even rise that morning. The reason being it was their most dreaded day of the week: Sparring day.

By the time they had all arrived at the ring that had been constructed in Frasier's basement, he was already there, waiting for them, clearly pumped to get in another workout. Funny, it seemed that whatever counted as a workout for Frasier, translated out to busted knuckles and multiple cuts and bruises for the rest of them.

Not wanting to prolong this morning more than it already would be, they all proceeded to get into the ring with their protective sparring armor on, and proceeded to attack Frasier when he ordered them to. Unfortunately, he was simply too good for the rest of them, as he was easily able to swat every incoming attacker away like they were nothing but pesky flies. After a little while had passed, with the entire match being eagerly watched by Saeko and Rei, Frasier had unexpectedly ordered for their match to stop, his body language showing clear frustration at something.

"This isn't enough! I need more of a challenge." Frasier observed as he tossed his training helmet aside out of frustration.

"The only potential challenge you'd have anymore is fighting all of us at once." Marcus commented as he helped Brandon back up only to be nudged when Brandon shot him a look.

"Don't give him any ideas, you idiot." Brandon muttered under his breath only to realize it was too late. Frasier was fully convinced that it would be something worth trying.

"Hmm, you may be onto something, Marcus. Very well, all of you versus me!" Frasier complimented before walking to the center of the room, announcing his challenge to all of the men in his group.

One by one, Rhys, Ramon, Brandon, Marcus, and Johann lined up, ready to face their leader in physical combat. Despite their numbers, it still felt like a slim chance for them to win.

"Any ideas? Anybody? I don't think this will end well if we don't have a plan." Ramon whispered as they watched Frasier stretching.

"Yeah, don't stop or hesitate. Because he sure as hell won't." Johann advised, being one of the more advanced fighters of their group.

{Batman Beyond OST – Hot vs. Cold}

"Yeah not to mention-" Marcus began before Frasier dashed at them without warning, all of them jumping aside as Ramon was caught off guard, barely able to defend himself from a flurry of punches.

Rhys and Brandon quickly rushed in while Marcus and Johann kept back for a better opening, knowing that Frasier would counter them all at once if they were to strike so sudden.

Luckily their instincts were right as Frasier tucked both arms into his sides, blocking both Brandon and Rhys at the same time only to punch outwards. Brandon recoiled a few feet back as Rhys decided to duck only to be kicked aside, his body bouncing against the padded floor.

Frasier then backhanded Brandon when he darted in for a second attempt at landing a jab. Ramon was still startled if not dazed by the first strike; Frasier soon took advantage of this by grabbing him and pushing him into Brandon for a distraction.

"Now!" Marcus announced as he and Johann both launched themselves at Frasier.

Frasier quickly lashed out towards the source of the sound. Marcus ducked down only to punch Frasier a few times in the stomach before leaping back to avoid any retaliation from his elder brother.

Johann then punched at Frasier, swiftly brushed aside yet returning as strong as ever with determination in his heart to prove himself. Frasier smiled to himself as he memorized their patterns, knowing they were learning to never use one more than twice so he wouldn't catch on to counter it.

"Son of a-" Frasier suddenly thought as his younger brother managed to trip him after Johann landed a decent punch to his torso.

Frasier quickly rolled back before being kicked in the chest the moment he got back up. He staggered for a moment before standing off against his top two fighters.

"Now that the warm-up is over, let's really get down to business." Frasier suggested as he began to pace back and forth, barely even having to break a sweat.

"At least we managed to warm the blood up." Marcus joked, as he knew things wouldn't get any easier.

"Shut up, Marcus." Johann chuckled as he began to feel nervous that Frasier would go too far with them. He took a combat stance, ready to face their master and put their skills to the test.

Everyone on the sidelines watched in anticipation as Rhys, Ramon, and Brandon slowly made their way out of the ring, knowing that they would only get in the way if not be used against Marcus and Johann.

Sweat began to drop down their faces as their relentless mentor was now treating them as actual opponents. Marcus suddenly made the mistake of brushing the sweat off of his eyebrows. Within the blink of an eye, Frasier dashed in for the attack.

Johann kicked forward only to miss as Frasier jumped over it. Marcus quickly blocked but felt a sharp pain in his arm from the heavy punch. Both fighters then backspin kicked, their mentor just barely able to block them in time as he then leapt back to avoid being fought on two fronts.

Johann and Marcus however continued to pursue him, knowing that if they could knock him out of the ring, they'd automatically win and survive this madness unscathed.

"We've got him on the defense now!" Marcus announced as they both continued to push Frasier towards the edge of the ring, hoping to knock him out and be done with it.

While at the edge of the ring, Frasier punched Johann aside, giving Marcus the perfect opening to finish his elder brother. However, when Marcus' arm came in, Frasier simply spun around, back handing his brother out of the ring with extreme finesse, now leaving it down to just him and Johann.

"And then there were two." Frasier announced as Johann stood his ground, fully aware that trying to knock Frasier out of the ring would most likely result with him being knocked out just like Marcus.

"I admit I lasted a lot longer than I expected. This is truly one for the books. Hey, with any luck, I might win this time." Johann replied with pride as they both began to circle each other.

"We'll see, Eight-punch. Hopefully your missing fingers won't get in the way of your newfound luck." Frasier taunted, resulting in both of them clashing once more.

Both of the long time friend's fists slammed and buckled against one another. Bones could be heard impacting against one another as they both moved at high speed, neither of them showing any signs of letting up.

"Honestly, how do you live like that? I'd go mad if I had to go on with such a deformity. Can't possibly imagine how Rei feels about it." Frasier suddenly remarked, unknowingly earning mixed looks of shock and disgust from the onlookers, as Johann could no longer handle his painful words.

"Shut up and fucking fight!" Johann shouted as his technique became flawed and sloppy, now making it child's play for his mentor.

"C'mon! Don't be so headstrong, it's no use to you against a seasoned opponent." Frasier lectured as he ducked and weaved past anything Johann could throw at him during his outburst of rage.

Suddenly Frasier swung his leg around with enough force to sweep Johann off of his legs. The most determined student was now on his back, breathing heavily as he looked up at the bright ceiling lights above. Sweat poured down his face as blood rushed to his head.

When Johann slowly looked up, he watched Frasier standing over him with a somewhat triumphant look on his face.

"You fought well, friend. Now c'mon, on your feet before you pass out." Frasier said in a friendly manner, offering his hand to Johann in a peaceful gesture.

Johann however just stared at him, grumbling something under his breath before taking Frasier's hand. However, when Frasier pulled him up, Johann sprung at him and dealt a vicious jab to his jaw.

{}

Caught off guard by the sudden attack, Frasier was knocked off his feet as Johann then stormed off, clearly infuriated by what was said to him just moments ago.

Normally Frasier would've retaliated for a cheap shot, but he then noticed the others standing before him as Johann left the room.

"What are you all looking at me like that for?" Frasier questioned as he looked around to see the disapproving faces of his group.

"What do you THINK? What the fuck was THAT just a minute ago?" Marcus asked angrily, clearly surprised by his older brother's unusually mean-spirited taunt towards Johann.

"What are you talking about? I beat him fair and square, it's not like I flat-out assaulted him." Frasier replied, clearly not getting what the supposed big deal was with everyone else.

"That's not what he meant! He's talking about what you said to Johann! Did you even hear what you just said?" Rei asked, also clearly angered by his below-the-belt comment towards her husband.

"That? Oh come on, that was just a friendly taunt, something to help get his blood…" "Bullshit!" Frasier started to explain before Marcus suddenly cut him off.

"We've both known Johann for damn near eight years now. You know for a fact how sensitive he is about those wounds, and we all know for damn sure just how much Rei means to him, and you had the gall to suggest she's disgusted by his injury." Marcus explained, clearly trying to emphasize just how insensitive Frasier had really acted in the ring.

"Frasier, there are friendly sparring taunts for hyping up your opponent, and then there's just flat-out attacking them personally. I'm sorry, but what you said to him was clearly in the latter. How you could say something that cruel, and especially using ME against him, trying to suggest that I'm disgusted by anything about him…I can't even imagine how you could do something that low to one of your closest friends, let alone my husband." Rei explained further, painful tears welling in her eyes as she thought of just how hurt Johann must be at that very moment.

"Well, excessive taunts aside, you're all looking at me like I'm some kind of monster or something. Hell, you all look at me as if I were somebody like Takashi right now." Frasier replied in defense.

"I don't know, Frasier. You sure as hell sounded like him when you were sparring Johann." Marcus answered as he shook his head.

"Don't you dare joke about such a thing, Marcus," Frasier snarled as he gripped both fists in disgust at being compared to a former foe.

"I wasn't joking, Frasier. You went way too far this time, whatever your reasons may be. Hopefully Johann will cool off and let it go sooner rather than later." Marcus responded as he left everyone behind to do something else other than train.

"Back when Takashi was plotting against you guys, he said some really messed up things to Johann. Mostly about his missing...well, you know where I'm going with this." Rei explained as she let Frasier in on the missing details from a few years ago, having managed to calm down considerably.

"I'm not trying to lower his guard and stab him in the back! I'm simply reminding him what's at stake if we're ever attacked by the Brotherhood!" Frasier responded in a defensive tone, fully convinced that what he said was justified in the long run.

"Believe whatever you want, Frasier. But it won't matter if you can't get us to believe it. Johann is the world to me, and I to him. The fact that you tried to use me against him…I-I can't even imagine how much he must be hurting right now. I hope you realize you can't talk to your friends like…this." Rei said in a calm manner before leaving the sparring room to comfort Johann, leaving Frasier and Saeko alone.

"Beloved, you know I'll always be the first person to support any decision you make, but as much as I hate to say it...they do have a point, Frasier. Your reasons are justifiable, but perhaps you should start rethinking the ways in which you do things with all of them. We're a family, Frasier, and all this preparation won't mean anything if we're divided because of your attempts at toughening them up. Despite everything we've gone through, you must remember that they're not as hardened as you are; they're not experienced with being talked to like…well, soldiers. Being taunted and talked down to personally and emotionally is one of the very last things they need right now, my love. I know you'll find a way to make this all right again." Saeko added in, hesitant yet willing to stand with what she believed in. When she said that, Frasier realized he truly had gone over the limit if his loyal wife was speaking against it as well.

"I see...hmm, all right. I'll let him cool off for now. When he's ready to talk to me again, I'll...apologize." Frasier concluded as he looked out the window, deep in thought now as he began to question his paranoia; whether or not those responsible would one day show themselves to him, and if it was right for him to push the group so hard.

Meanwhile, the kids began to gather at Shizuka's garden while most of the adults were occupied with sparring one another, leaving only a few to watch the walls and tend to their personal lives.

"I think that's just about everyone. Is there anything else we should go over?" Corvo noted as he began to look around to make sure no one was left behind.

"I believe we should know what we're getting into in case we run into any of the monsters." Michiko suggested as she paced back and forth, a nervous look to her face, as she knew there would be consequences if they left unprepared.

"My Daddy always said that the monsters look like us but with grey skin and walk funny. Also, they don't see but rather hear us, so shhhh." Lena added in, recalling a few details Johann told her in his stories.

"Don't forget the head thingy!" Kiriko chimed in as she tugged at her big sister's arm.

"Oh yeah! They only go down if you hit them in the head." Lena said as she then had a proud look on her face for contributing to the group.

"Good thing I brought this then." Miyu commented as she pulled out something from her backpack, causing everyone to step back in shock at what she held.

In the young girl's hand was one of the two blades carried by none other than Saeko.

"Woah, how did you get one of Mom's swords?!" Corvo questioned, as he was overwhelmed with disbelief that Miyu could obtain such a thing.

"I took it before we left to meet up here. I figured she'd be okay with just one. It's not like I don't know how to use it." Miyu explained before she slowly unsheathed the deadly weapon, the steel shining in the sunlight, causing those who looked upon it to avert their eyes.

Before anyone else could make a comment, Miyu swiped the blade around a few times, cutting down some of Shizuka's plants for reasons unknown.

"Why did you do that?! Miss Shizuka really liked those plants!" Kiriko questioned as she was on the verge of weeping over a few dead sunflowers.

"We need a distraction in case one of the adults out here decides to check up on us. Michiko's dad and Miss Alexia are going to be on the wall, so that means Miss Shizuka and Miss Rika will be watching us." Miyu explained as she put the sword back in its sheath.

"Don't worry, Kiriko. I'm certain we'll find more plants out there!" Lena said in an attempt to calm her little sister down, knowing they had to fix this somehow, or at least make up for it.

"We'll need somebody to tell Shizuka the unfortunate news. Kiriko, think you can help us escape by telling her that her plants fell over?" Michiko inquired as she knew Kiriko was already in the perfect mood to tell an adult that something was wrong, as well that nobody could suspect anything from her.

"Y-you want me to lie?" Kiriko questioned innocently as she looked up at the girl only a year older than her.

"Well think of it this way, her plants are broken, so think of it more as informing her rather than lying. Trust me, we will make it up to her." Miyu said in a convincing manner, yet speaking almost as if out of experience.

"Oh...are you sure this okay, guys?" Kiriko asked as she looked up at Lena, for once seeking guidance from her older sister, knowing that she would know what the right thing to do would be.

Lena was silent at first, contemplating an honest answer as she looked at the others in the group. Deep down she knew that lying was always wrong no matter what the circumstance was. When looking at Miyu and Michiko, she simply felt a slight pressure, but when looking at Corvo, she felt the entire weight of the world on her shoulders.

"I... I think it's okay... so long as we replace the damaged plants though, our actions will mean more than words." Lena nervously responded as she explained her opinion to her younger sister.

"Okay, should I go tell her now?" Kiriko then questioned as she watched the older kids starting to head out of the garden.

"Let's go to the hole Corvo found in the wall first. Afterwards, you simply need to tell Shizuka about her garden. Try to not get held up, or we'll have to leave without you." Michiko instructed as they all put on small backpacks to bring with them on their highly anticipated journey.

Kiriko simply nodded, running before Shizuka's front door. Her little hand pounded against the door before looking up to see Rika standing before her, completely catching the young girl off guard.

"Hey, squirt! Whatcha need? Everything alright?" Rika asked as she towered over the timid child.

"I-I-I-I, ummm..." Kiriko stammered in fear as she was expecting the sweet, bubbly nurse of the group rather than standing before the group's hardened sniper who was well known for her temper.

"Did you do something you shouldn't have?" Rika questioned as her eyes narrowed, causing Kiriko to shake, as she felt she'd been compromised.

"N-no...But Miss Shizuka's sunflowers fell over." Kiriko stammered before Rika had a concerned look on her face.

"Oh man, that can't be good. I'll go break the news to Zu-Zu. You run along now, kid. It's best I be the one to tell her. Might be easier on the poor thing." Rika instructed as she motioned the young girl to move out to avoid the maelstrom that would be Shizuka's wrath over her precious garden.

Kiriko nodded and ran as fast as she could towards the rest of the kids, all of them standing by the only side of the wall that no adults were currently watching. All of them smiled when they saw Lena's younger sibling approaching.

"Did it work?" Lena asked as she looked at her younger sister running towards them yet trying to not trip over her own two feet.

"Uh huh! Lets go!" Kiriko huffed energetically as she caught up to the older kids, slowly following them as Michiko led the way through a gap she found just big enough for her friends to fit through.

"How did you find this, bookworm?" Miyu inquired as she looked around, ducking bellow some of the loose clutter that formed the wall.

"I used sound to determine any areas that have less mass than others. Luckily this part of the wall is hollow enough for us to walk right on through." Michiko explained as she then looked over her shoulder as if one of the adults were standing right behind her.

"Wow. You're really smart!" Corvo complimented, inadvertently causing Michiko's cheek to flush and giggle softly to herself, something no one ever expected from her.

While walking through the wall, the young adventurers were guided by the cracks of light that seeped through any pockets and gaps in the wall's structure. Soon enough, they reached the other side, completely undetected by any of the adults on watch.

"Woah..." all five kids muttered softly as they all took a moment to look at the open land before them, their eyes not once seeing beyond the protective walls over the course of their entire lives. A true sense of wonder and curiosity overwhelmed them all as they stood there for a few more minutes before they all decided they were ready to head out into the unknown.

Without saying a single word, Miyu used very basic hand signals to lead the group through the streets, all of the kids following her lead to the best of their abilities. Every now and then, Kiriko would need an explanation, but luckily Corvo and Lena were kind enough to elaborate for the youngest of their group.

"So where are we going now?" Kiriko asked as she looked up to Lena for an explanation.

"Umm... I don't know. Corvo, where are we going?" Lena pondered before asking the unanimous leader of the five.

"I found this old map in my dad's study this morning. It can tell us where to go." Corvo answered as he stopped for a minute to look through his backpack.

Moments later, he managed to unfolded the map before everyone, their eyes scanning and studying to regard it more in detail. Michiko managed to translate it and apply it to the street names she distinctly spotted.

"If we go all the way down here, we should be safe since those areas are marked down." Michiko explained as she pointed it out on the map, her small finger directing their eyes towards parts of the city with big red circles around them.

Everyone unanimously agreed and nodded their heads until Michiko lead the way with the map clutched between her fingers. The sun blazed brightly as the kids were soon out of sight from the wall that was constructed to shield them from the harsh world they were now exploring without the guidance or protection of their parents. Soon after, the children were walking together through the vast green landscapes of the English countryside, headed East to the nearest town that was visible on their map.

-

Wokingham, Wokingham Borough, Berkshire, England

Roughly an hour later the kids soon stumbled upon an empty four-way street in the middle of the empty new town they now stood in. The area was completely desolate, no signs of life to be seen as far as their little eyes could see.

"Weird, I could've sworn there'd be more people like us." Corvo pondered aloud as he kicked a small Pepsi can across the large street, enjoying the sounds it made as it bounced off the ground before rolling against one of the many stores lining the roads that stood before the group.

Three stores instantly caught the group's attention though. One was a simple clothing store that instantly interested Lena and Kiriko, another was a small library that Michiko just had to explore, then last but not least was a toy store that Miyu and Corvo found to be near irresistible.

"Where should we go first? This place is so big it could take forever!" Kiriko exaggerated as most kids would when looking upon the other surrounding stores.

"We go to the toy store first!" Miyu commanded as if she was in charge all of a sudden.

"We have plenty of toys at home, we wanna try new clothes on first!" Lena and Kiriko interjected as they showed their true interests.

"You guys are both wrong! We should look into that library and see what we can learn from the past!" Michiko suggested, instantly losing the others attention the moment she mentioned learning.

"That's so boring. Nobody wants to read, bookworm!" Kiriko said to Michiko, instantly earning an angered yet hurt look whenever someone would call her that.

"Well nobody asked you for your opinion, shorty!" Michiko responded in a venomous tone.

"Guys, that's enough! Maybe we should ask Corvo what he thinks. After all, he's the one who got us out here in the first place." Miyu suddenly interjected, breaking off the possible fight between the two.

The group soon became silent as they turned their gazes towards Corvo for his opinion on the decision. He was silent at first, knowing he had to be careful with his choice of words so he could avoid upsetting anyone.

"Umm... Well... I suggest we flip a coin?" Corvo suggested, somewhat hesitant as if expecting no one to take him seriously.

"That sounds pretty reasonable, I think we should try it!" Lena commented, showing her enthusiastic support for Corvo's idea.

"Based off chance, it keeps it from being a biased decision. Smart thinking." Michiko complimented as she smiled at him, impressed he could think of a solid solution.

"Yeah, except the fact a coin only has two sides!" Miyu noted as she scoffed at the idea.

"Well... I think it would be fair we do what they want first. We've got plenty of time to search that place. Trust me." Corvo explained, earning a low grumble from his sister before she shrugged her shoulders and stepped away to sit on a knocked over trashcan.

"Heads or tails?" Corvo then asked as he turned his head to look back at the rest of the group.

"Heads!" Kiriko announced, as she wanted to use her favorite side of the coin.

"Then I choose tails." Michiko said as they both watched Corvo line the small coin on his thumb and launch it in the air.

Everyone watched in anticipation as they watched the small metal coin bounce on the ground for a few seconds. Eventually it stopped spinning around only to land on tails.

"Yes!" Michiko announced proudly as she already began to walk towards the small bookstore with the disgruntled Miyu.

"No fair! I don't wanna go to the stupid book place!" Kiriko whined as she crossed her arms and turned away, almost on the verge of tears simply because she lost.

"Don't be a spoil sport, we will go to the clothing store... just not right now..." Lena tried to explain as she tugged at Kiriko only for her to not budge at all.

"I wanna sit out here!" Kiriko then announced as she sat down, flat out refusing to go anywhere else.

"Maybe I can help." Corvo offered as he stood besides Lena.

"Be my guest. Once she's like that, she won't move unless an adult gets involved." Lena explained, knowing Corvo had no chance at getting her younger sibling to cooperate.

"Kiriko, what's your favorite animal?" Corvo asked as he squatted down beside the stubborn child.

"Umm... An elephant! No, cats!" Kiriko answered eagerly before quickly changing her answer.

"Well if you come with us, I can help you look for a book with cats in it. Interested?" Corvo offered as he stood back up, motioning Kiriko to follow.

"Oooooooh, okay!" Kiriko said with intrigue as she then ran past Lena and Corvo in hopes to find a book on cats.

"Wow... I didn't think it was possible, but you actually did it. Thank you, Corvo, that means a lot to me." Lena thanked as she spoke to Corvo in an admiring tone, gently taking his hand.

"Oh...it was nothing, really!" Corvo said modestly before he turned bright red when Lena's hand gently held his.

Lena and Corvo just stood there silently, gazing at one another as if they'd never met before. Their hearts began to gradually pound against the their chests before being interrupted.

"Hurry up, guys! So many books!" Kiriko announced, instantly causing them let go and look away in case the others were watching them.

"Heh, heh, we should hurry up before Kiriko decides to run off on her own. I don't wanna let my little sister out of my sight." Lena suggested as they both ran towards the bookstore, ready to explore whatever awaited them inside.

-

When the last two kids of the group entered the building, they just stood there. Their eyes widened to see the massive rows of books before them while their siblings and friends ran from aisle to aisle to explore the vast amounts of forgotten knowledge and literature.

"Woah...where do we start?" Corvo questioned as he looked about the place.

"Let's find Kiriko first. My parents would kill me if I lost her!" Lena explained as she pulled Corvo along with her until they found Kiriko in the children's section of the store.

Most of the books had colorful covers that would catch the eye of any child that passed by them, but Kiriko managed to find a plain white one that had various images of kittens on the front.

"This one! I wanna read this one!" Kiriko excitedly chirped as she held the book out towards her sister and Corvo.

"Can't you read it on your own?" Lena questioned as she began to look at through the pages.

"I want you to read it while I look at the pretty pictures!" Kiriko childishly demanded as she then pulled over one of the beanbag cushions she discovered when she ran into the kid's section.

"I'll leave you two to that. I should go check where my sister and Michiko have gone off to." Corvo suggested as he left the two sisters to themselves for the time being.

Corvo felt chills running down his spine as he walked alone through the rows and rows of bookcases. The seemingly endless amount of books available was mind boggling to the young boy, but soon enough he managed to find his way to see both Miyu and Michiko climbing on a ladder to reach a book on the highest shelf.

"What are you guys doing?" Corvo questioned curiously, as he stood beneath the two girls.

"Trying... to reach... a book!" Michiko announced as she strained her voice in attempt to grasp the book before nearly falling off the ladder, the tip of her fingers managing to knock the book off, Corvo just barely managing to catch it before it hit the ground. Both girls looked down. A look of amusement formed when they watched the quick reflex in action.

"Shakespeare? Who's that?" Corvo questioned as he looked through the book to see there were no pictures.

"Only one of the greatest writers ever! My Mama told me all about him!" Michiko exclaimed as she climbed down the ladder and stood before Corvo as he handed her the book before she bolted off to read on her own.

Corvo stood there for a few seconds, completely blank until he noticed Miyu was standing over him with a smirk on her face.

"What a bookworm. I thought she'd never stop talking about that guy. So how much longer are we going to be waiting here for anyways?" Miyu chuckled before questioning her brother.

"Give them some time to enjoy themselves. You saw how happy it made Michiko." Corvo said as he leaned against a bookshelf.

"Oh, I get it. You like her, don't ya?" Miyu suddenly suggested with a wide grin on her face.

"What? Why would you say that?" Corvo questioned as he raised an eyebrow.

"Do you think she's pretty?" Miyu inquired as she paced back and forth with a mischievous look to her.

"Why do you care?" Corvo responded as he shrugged his shoulders, somewhat uncomfortable with the subject.

"Just curious is all. But I see you're in no mood to talk so I'll just go cut up some books nobody will miss." Miyu said before she left Corvo on his own.

-

Roughly twenty minutes later, all the kids gathered in the center of the bookstore, ready to move onto the next area to explore.

"It's so weird, I could've sworn we would've at least seen one monster by now. Where do you think they are?" Corvo questioned as he looked at the rest of the group for input.

"I was just thinking the same thing! I mean, I'm not complaining that we haven't seen any monsters yet, but I was hoping to at least see one." Lena commented as she showed her slight disappointment in the lack of Them.

"You know what I think? I think our parents made that all up so we would never come out to see how much cooler it is beyond those walls." Miyu concluded as she earned nods of agreement from everyone around her.

"Mommy wouldn't lie to us...would she?" Kiriko questioned before looking up at Lena for guidance.

"Never! But maybe the stories were a bit exaggerated..." Lena explained before realizing that Miyu may be onto something.

"I wouldn't be shocked if our parents lied to keep us in check. Order is everything after all." Michiko deducted, seeing the logic behind why it would be a good idea to make up such tales.

"Hey, look over there!" Lena suddenly announced as she motioned the rest of the group to look over towards the front of the store.

All their heads turned over to the front of the store only to see what appeared to be another kid standing in the doorway. The small figure just stood there as the sun began to set behind it, a cold chill running down everyone's spines, as all that could be heard now was a soft wheezing.

"Is it a monster?" Kiriko asked in a frightened hush, her hands timidly gripping the back of Lena's shirt as she stood behind her big sister.

"I don't know. It doesn't look like a monster from any of the stories." Michiko mumbled as she began to tremble in terror.

"You guys are such scaredy cats! Have you already forgotten that we just agreed that our parents made up those stories to keep us in all the time?" Miyu taunted as she walked towards the figure fearlessly while everyone just watched her.

Suddenly, the child-like figure let out an aggressive snarl before lashing out at Miyu. The overly confident child was caught off guard and fell on her back as the short sword was knocked out of her hands.

"Miyu!" Corvo shouted as he ran over to help his sister before the grey skinned child could cause anymore harm.

Corvo aimed his BB gun and fired a few rounds into the chest of the slowly approaching creature, as Miyu was so stunned she only could crawl backwards, almost as if she had forgotten everything Saeko taught her.

"Stop missing and hit him!" Miyu snapped as she reached for the blade, just barely being out of her reach.

"I am!" Corvo shouted in response as he began to crumble under the intense pressure, completely shocked at how the infected boy showed no indication of pain whenever the tiny metal balls would pelt it.

"Here!" Michiko announced as she ran over and grabbed the handle of the blade, quickly dragging it towards Miyu with her hand reached out.

When Miyu finally had the blade she quickly bounced back up and dashed towards the infected boy that had both hands reached out for Corvo now.

"Get down!" Miyu ordered as she already had her arms drawn back, the sword poised for battle. Corvo quickly dropped his BB gun as he quickly rolled out of the way.

*Thwack*

In a single swing, the infected boy just stood there motionless. Half of the skull was loose, as the blade had been wedged deeper than Miyu expected it to be. Her arms became stiff as she soon had to let go when the small body collapsed backwards with the sword still inside.

"Is... Is it over?" Kiriko questioned as she opened her eyes, peering around Lena as they both watched Miyu trying to pry her mother's sword out only to be disgruntled when it wouldn't budge.

"What's wrong?" Corvo questioned as he walked towards his determined sister.

"Ugh, it won't... budge!" Miyu growled, as she was seconds away from having a temper tantrum.

"Relax... Maybe we can find another sword and mother won't know the difference." Corvo suggested before all the children heard the sound of a heart sinking groan coming from outside.

Just outside the book store were over thirty infected corpses heading their way, clearly attracted by the commotion and sound the kids just made.

"They are real...they are real!" Michiko cried out in astonishment as her, along with most of the group, stood there like timid rabbits before a pack of hungry wolves.

With a sudden burst of fear-fueled adrenaline, Miyu started struggling to pull the short sword out of the infected boy, this time with Corvo helping her. With a few desperate, straining pulls, they finally managed to wrench the blade free just as the first infected man came shambling in front of the doorway to the store.

With an angry cry, Miyu got her sword positioned into a stabbing stance and dashed towards the undead creature, shutting her eyes tight as she stabbed the blade forward with all the strength her small body could muster.

When she opened her eyes, she felt her whole body go cold when she saw she'd only managed to stab the monster in the stomach, and it was still moving toward her as though nothing had happened.

Before Miyu could attempt to pull the weapon out, Corvo quickly rushed forward and pulled Miyu away from the infected man and violently shoved it back away from the doorway, but only a couple steps back. The two siblings quickly rushed back into the store, both of them clearly terrified and at a loss of what to do.

Luckily, Lena was the only one who was not paralyzed with fear. The young girl quickly ran towards the front of the store and began to look around for a way to save everyone. She knew what she had to do when she looked up at a large bookcase.

"Guys! Help me push it over!" Lena requested as she already began to run into the massive wooden furniture, desperately trying to knock it over before the infected could overrun them.

Inspired by her valor, all the kids (including Kiriko) ran over to help Lena. All of them huffed and puffed as the bookshelf began to wobble back and forth.

"C'mon! Push!" Corvo groaned as he used all his might to make the final force that sent the bookshelf tumbling down, effectively blocking the infected from entering through the front door.

"We did it!" Kiriko cheerfully announced as everyone began to celebrate their victory only to be cut short when multiple windows shattered, causing all the kids to flee to the back of the store.

It wouldn't be long now before the store was filled with Them.

The children were all backed together into a corner of the room as they watched the numerous infected climbing in through the battered down doorway, crawling over the bookcase they had managed to push down only mere seconds ago.

The shadows of the walking corpses drifted over the terrified children as they futilely tried to back further away, but with nothing but solid wall behind them.

Michiko was trembling like a weakened tree branch in the face of a massive storm as her mind spun out of control, with absolutely no idea on what to do.

Miyu was visibly pale and wide-eyed with fear as she now had no weapon to fight back at Them with, ever since she foolishly had tried to stab one of Them with one of her mother's blades she had taken that morning.

Lena was visibly terrified as she held onto a shaking Kiriko in her arms as if trying to protect her from the monsters with her own body.

And Corvo…all he could do was curl up into a ball, frightened tears streaming down his face as he realized this was it. There was no denying it. They were all going to die here, and there was nobody else to blame for it but himself.

"I wanna go home! I don't wanna be out here no more! MAMA!" Kiriko sobbed into her big sisters shoulder, as the first of the infected was about to lunge on top of them with its putrid mouth wide open, ready to tear into their tender flesh.

*Thokk!*

Suddenly, a faint noise of something zipping through the air could be heard before the sound of shattering glass sounded, and a single arrow suddenly slammed straight into the infected man's skull, rendering it completely motionless before it collapsed onto the ground in front of the petrified children.

They all collectively turned to the expansive window that illuminated the room to find the most miraculous sight they could've hoped for at this moment: the distant image of Lena and Kiriko's mother crouched on top of an abandoned ambulance with a composite bow clutched in her hands as if she had just fired it and saved their lives at the last second.

"MOMMY!" Lena and Kiriko both cried out just as a distant rumbling could be heard outside, quickly growing louder and louder before the sight of a single pickup truck could be seen speeding past the front of the building, plowing into the infected crowding the entryway, sending Them flying through the air with the use of its makeshift ramp mounted on the front.

Immediately afterward, a hulking figure dove right through the window, sending shattered glass scattering all over the floor as the sudden noise drew all the infected's attention away from the children.

The figure quickly rose up to reveal Corvo and Miyu's father standing strong and tall, a vicious glare in his eyes as he revealed an armored, bladed gauntlet-type weapon strapped around his right arm.

Wasting absolutely no time, Frasier charged towards the infected, releasing a savage roar like a caged animal as he extended the blades of his gauntlet and stabbed them right into the jaw of the very first walking corpse with an uppercut, quickly flinging his arm back and throwing the carcass into several others behind it, knocking Them down like bowling pins.

Soon, Saeko quickly jumped through the window with her one remaining blade in hand, quickly charging into the fray alongside her husband, quickly decapitating four zombies at once with a graceful spin and an extended arm. Among the children, Miyu watched her mother with an almost dreamlike wonder. She saw her mother's dark side for the very first time, almost making her look like some kind of bloodstained, deadly ballerina of sorts with such grace.

As Saeko quickly impaled two zombies at once before kicking Them back and then beheading both with a single swing, her eyes picked up the familiar handle of her second sword sticking out of the gut of another zombie amidst Their quickly diminishing numbers.

"I was wondering where that had gone to." Saeko said quietly to herself right before quickly impaling an approaching zombie through its gaping mouth. Kicking it back, she quickly grabbed the protruding handle of her second blade with her free hand, and with a powerful twist, sliced the blade free right through the infected's side, its putrid insides gushing out onto the floor before the top half of its head was quickly sliced away.

Soon, Johann and Marcus announced their arrival with a quick and precise barrage of rifle fire that quickly took out the remaining infected that were still outside the building while Rei quickly took care of whichever ones were still inside that Frasier and Saeko hadn't managed to kill with precise shots from her bow.

Once there was finally some breathing room, Frasier, Saeko, Marcus and Johann both shifted their gazes to the wide-eyed children as Rei got down from the ambulance and quickly reunited with the other adults.

There was a very intense and heavy silence between both groups before the children all collectively jumped to their feet and sprinted into the now open arms of their parents, everyone too shell-shocked to be able to coherently say anything.

"Oh my God, I thought we'd lost you…" Saeko exclaimed with tears in her eyes as she held a sobbing Miyu in her arms, whilst Johann and Rei were holding onto their daughters as tight as they could in fear that they might disappear again if they let go.

All the while, after being embraced by his nearly hysterical uncle, Corvo looked up at his father, who unexpectedly wasn't even bothering to make eye contact with his son, instead focusing on comforting Miyu alongside Saeko, who moments later took Corvo into her arms as well. For a good moment, Corvo felt like he'd just been stabbed in the heart with an ice-cold knife. His parents had rescued him, and yet his father didn't even acknowledge his presence.

At that moment, the sound of a radio buzzing to life suddenly filled the room, and caught everyone's attention as Frasier grabbed a walkie-talkie from his belt.

"What is it, Rika?" Frasier asked into the radio as the pickup truck from outside came backing up to the front of the building again, revealing Alice behind the wheel while Yulia sat in the passenger seat beside her.

"I guess it shouldn't surprise you, but all that gunfire and other noise you guys just made woke up every infected in town, and they're all coming right for your position…" Rika's voice announced on the radio before the very brief sound of a struggle sounded and the voice on the other end was suddenly replaced with a nearly hysterical Saya.

"What happened? Are the kids okay?" she was asking, barely coherent as Michiko perked up to the sound of her mother's voice, quickly scrambling and grabbing the radio out of Frasier's hand.

"Mama, I'm here! We're okay!" Michiko announced into the radio, and on the other end, Saya could clearly be heard crying, undoubtedly from relief.

"Oh, Michiko, honey, thank God you're okay! Where are you?" Saya asked, prompting Frasier to grab the radio out of her hand.

"Nevermind where we are. Are you all set up in the town hall like we'd planned?" Frasier asked as he approached the doorway, looking around outside to see if any infected were already nearby.

"Yeah, we got ourselves set up on the roof. We even found a fire engine and got the ladder extended and waiting for you guys when you get here." Saya replied much more calmly.

"Alright then. We're on our way. Stay put." Frasier ordered before turning off the radio and setting it back up into his pocket.

By this time, everyone was all ready to get moving, and the kids had all calmed down much more considerably. Also, by this point, the adults blind joy over their children's safety had turned into a very disappointed form of anger, and it was most visible from Saeko and Frasier.

"Mommy…I-I…" Miyu started to say before Saeko shot her an icy cold glare that nearly paralyzed the poor girl with fear.

"We don't have time for this. We need to reunite with the others first. But don't think I'm going to forget about THIS." Saeko said in barely a whisper as she held up the blade Miyu had stolen from her that morning. Miyu practically shrank under her mother's glare, trying to hide her other eye underneath her purple bangs.

"C'mon, we'll discuss this with all of you once we're safe. Now let's go." Frasier announced, spurring everyone to follow him.

Once they were outside, the kids were quickly greeted by an overjoyed Alice and Yulia as they practically scooped up the children into their arms, trying their hardest not to start crying now that they knew the children were all safe.

Once the second round of joyful reunions was over, Frasier started to climb into the truck, closely followed by the others as they climbed into the back passenger seats and everyone else climbed into the bed of the truck.

Soon they were driving down the road towards the Wokingham Town Hall, and during the whole drive, Corvo and Miyu couldn't bear to look their parents in the eye whilst Johann and Rei kept strong hands planted on their daughters' shoulders, letting them know that whilst they were safe, they also weren't exempt from their inevitable talking-to's either.

Soon, the truck rounded the corner that would lead to the town hall, but whilst they were relieved to indeed find all the others waiting for them on top of the hall roof, they were also discouraged to find well over a hundred infected crowding the road between them and their destination.

"Alright, this isn't like what was outside when we were rescuing you kids earlier. That was almost twenty at most. This is well five times that, so we can't just plow through them. It'd be too easy for them to cause us to lose control or flip." Alice explained as everyone observed their current situation.

"Alright then. I don't see any of those screeching ones from where I'm sitting. Do you?" Frasier asked as Yulia scanned the area ahead with a pair of binoculars.

"No, not so far. It just looks like a lot of the blind ones." Yulia replied as she tucked the binoculars into the survival pack slung over her shoulders.

"Okay, then this might be easier than we thought. If we just stay quiet and be careful not to make any noise, we can just cut right through them with ease." Frasier explained as he looked back over his shoulder to see how the other adults felt about this. Whilst the adults didn't look to object overwhelmingly to the idea, the children looked absolutely horrified.

"Now I know you all are scared, but we've dealt with these creatures countless times before, so we know what we're doing. As long as none of us make any noise, just stay quiet, and just keep moving forward, not stopping for anything, then we'll be perfectly fine. You'll see. Now, do you trust us?" Frasier asked the children as calmly and as least intimidating as he could, making sure to maintain eye contact with all of them so they would know he was being serious.

At first, none of the children looked like they believed him, until Corvo was the first one to wipe the frightened tears from his face.

"I trust you, Dad." Corvo said, drawing everyone's attention.

Soon, Miyu raised her head, also having lost the frightened look in her eyes, followed by Lena and Michiko, whilst Kiriko still looked positively terrified of having to get near those monsters outside again.

"It's okay, sweetie. If it makes you feel better, I'll let you ride on my back while we're walking, and you can just keep your eyes closed until I let you know we're safe, okay?" Rei asked Kiriko softly as she placed a loving arm around her youngest daughter, holding her close.

Kiriko couldn't say anything, but barely nodded her head in compliance with this idea.

"Alright then. Saeko, Johann, Marcus and I will take the lead. Rei, Alice and Yulia will take up the rear, and we keep the children between us at all times, we do not let those monsters get anywhere near them. Agreed?" Frasier asked everyone, who all nodded in agreement. With all said and done, they opened the doors and quickly filed out.

Soon, the whole group had formed into a circular formation, with all the children surrounded on all sides whilst Kiriko clung onto her mother's shoulders, eyes shut tight whilst Rei, Alice and Yulia kept their eyes on whatever was behind the group, weapons at the ready.

"Once we get on the roof with the others, we'll figure out some way to distract all of Them so we can get back to the truck alright. Now let's go." Frasier whispered, spurring the rest of the group to start slowly walking into the horde of almost a hundred.

The children were all visibly shaking as the adults slowly made their way through the unsuspecting horde, and Kiriko especially was trying her best not to start crying, lest it attract any of Them.

Thankfully, once the group was halfway through, the horde had actually started to thin out, allowing for a little breathing room for everyone. It was possible most of the possible horde had already wandered off in the completely wrong direction after all the noise and gunfire.

With some careful sidestepping over the broken glass from numerous car wrecks that dotted the road, the group had soon managed to reach the fire engine Saya had mentioned earlier, and just as luck would've had it, its ladder was already extended all the way to the small clock tower that graced the roof of the town hall.

"Alright, now the kids will go first. The rest of us make sure none of Them get anywhere close, especially none of those Screechers if you see any." Frasier whispered to his fellow survivors as Yulia climbed up onto the roof of the fire engine, extending her hand down to lift up the first of the children.

With a steady rhythm, Corvo, Miyu, Lena, Kiriko and Michiko were steadily brought up to the safety of the fire engine roof one by one, leaving all the adults and Alice to watch everything.

"Alright, now the steps for the ladder are nice and close so you all don't have to worry about tripping. All you have to do is just keep crawling until you're with Saya, Khota and Rika on the clock tower platform, okay?" Yulia explained to the children as they all looked from the ladder to the clock tower and back to the young Russian girl.

"W-what about our parents? Are they coming with us?" Lena asked, clearly scared of being without her parents after what had recently happened.

"Of course, sweetie. We'll be right behind you, don't worry about that even for a second." Rei replied softly in order to reassure not only her own, but all the other children that they would all stick together.

With a singular nod, the children began to climb up the ladder to the clock tower one by one, where Saya was anxiously waiting for them at the other side.

As the adults all looked up to make sure their children were climbing up safely, none of them noticed a single Screecher had come shambling out of the thick of the horde behind them, just close enough to make a lunge for the nearest one: Johann.

With a deafening screech, the infected grabbed for the unwary German, causing him to get tackled to the ground, his gun underneath him so that he couldn't be able to grab it without risk of getting overpowered.

No matter how much he struggled, it seemed like the infected was only getting stronger, its snapping teeth getting closer and closer to his exposed throat. Two inches…all of his strength fading quickly…half an inch…

"JOHANN!" Rei shouted in terror as she suddenly tackled the infected off of her husband, pinning it underneath her. Before it could get up to try and bite her leg, Rei pulled out a single arrow from the quiver slung over her shoulder and brutally stabbed the arrow right into its scalp, driving it in as far as she could with her one free hand. The infected fell lifelessly to the ground as she forcefully pulled the arrow out of its skull, immediately getting back onto her feet and rushing desperately to Johann's side. Luckily there didn't look to be a scratch on him, yet he wasn't moving. He was breathing thankfully, but the one thing that Rei noticed above all else was just how pale and terrified Johann looked, especially his eyes.

Before she could try to say anything, a deafening rifle shot cracked out from the clock tower, drawing everyone's attention.

"C'mon, guys! They're all coming for you! Hurry and get up here!" Khota shouted down to them as Rika fired a shot of her own into another approaching infected from the now advancing horde.

"Oh fuck! C'mon people, we gotta move!" Frasier announced as Rei forcefully grabbed Johann's arm and managed to pull him onto his feet before they began running for the fire engine.

While Khota, Rika and Saya continued their covering fire from the clock tower, with all the children curled up into frightened balls with their hands over their ears behind them, Frasier and Saeko were quickly making target practice out of any infected foolish enough to come near them whilst covering their partners.

On the other side of the truck, Alice was making a stand, quickly putting down each approaching zombie in front of her with a well-placed shot from her trusty pistol. However, once her clip had run dry and she made a reach for another beneath her denim jacket, she failed to notice another Screecher had just come from around another corner of the truck, right beside her, ready to take a bite out of her throat by the time she noticed it in her peripherals.

Within a split second, Yulia had suddenly practically dived from the roof of the truck, landing flat on her feet in front of Alice, quickly unsheathing a small machete strapped to her thigh, and swiping its head off with a single swing.

Once it was down, the young Russian quickly stabbed her blade into another infected face right behind her, whilst Alice quickly capped another on her other side.

Once those two were dealt with, the two young girls quickly ran for the ladder leading to the roof of the engine, since Frasier and Saeko had already gotten halfway up the ladder to the clock tower.

"Man, that was a really nice save, but still, way too close. Thanks." Alice thanked her Russian partner and long-time friend as they began to climb their way up to the tower.

"Of course. We're лучшие друзья [luchshiye druz'ya](best friends), aren't we? It's only natural. Besides, somebody has to watch that cute ass of yours whenever we're out here." Yulia teased her red-haired friend, causing her face to turn a matching shade by the time they'd finally reached the top and rejoined with all the others.

Once everyone had finally caught their breath, no longer in immediate danger, their attention was finally brought back to the kids, who were all currently being held by a nearly weeping Saya.

Rei had her arms wrapped around one of Johann's, holding him close, looking at him concernedly after how close he had come not even a few minutes ago, while he simply remained focused on the children, alongside Frasier and Marcus and Saeko.

Once Khota had managed to convince Saya to let the children free from her arms, the kids all looked up at their respective parents, who were all looking down at them with very serious glares.

"A-are we in trouble…?" Miyu asked nervously as she couldn't even bear to look her mother in the eyes after having stolen one of her precious swords.

"More than you know." Saeko replied as she and the rest of the adults decided it was finally time to let it all out for their kids to hear.

All the kids sat on their knees atop of the roof, their heads hung low as their hands were raised behind their heads as a form of punishment.

"I hope you all enjoyed yourselves, because you've had us all worried sick!" Rei scolded as she crossed her arms, a look of complete and total disappointment that caused the kids to feel a terrible sinking feeling in their guts when looking to see the rest of the adults all had the exact same look.

"I thought we made it very clear to never go over that wall! Did all of you just happen to forget about the warnings from our stories?" Johann questioned in a strict tone, wanting to make it clear to the kids that they were in fact, very real.

"W-we're sorry..." all five kids muttered as they were on the verge of tears.

"I want to know exactly what happened! Which one of you is responsible?" Frasier suddenly roared out from behind the rest of the adults as he had his back turned to them all, gazing at the horde below.

"What do you mean? They all left at the same time, Frasier. All of them are in on this." Marcus questioned as the rest of the adults silently felt the same way, uncertain at what point Frasier was trying to get at.

"Don't be so narrow-minded. One of them is clearly in charge of the rest. All groups need a leader. Isn't that right kids?" Frasier explained in a calmer manner before circling the children like a shark as they nodded their heads, all showing fear in their eyes.

Normally no one in their right mind would allow their child to be treated like this, however the adults of the group also knew that it was for the best they let Frasier spook the kids into never wandering beyond the walls again, as well as let them know he would be coming after them if they did.

"So which one is it? It couldn't be you, Kiriko. No, you're far too small to be in charge." Frasier calculated as he began to slowly walk past each child, giving a run down of each of the possibilities.

"Could it be you, Lena? You certainly have a knack for adventure, don't you? Was it you who put everyone's lives in danger tonight? You're usually so well-behaved, too." Frasier inquired as he strolled past her, not even paying attention to the tears that flowed down her cheeks.

"What about you, Michiko? Is this your way of proving you're smarter than us? That you know the world better than your elders do?" Frasier then asked as he knew the kids wouldn't understand half the things she'd tell them if left in charge.

"Ah, Miyu, my own flesh and blood. Now there's so much-" "It was me!" Frasier began before being defiantly interrupted by Corvo.

All the adults (especially Frasier) turned their gaze over to see the young boy standing up before his father, each one shocked and amazed at the sudden boldness that followed soon after.

"You? I...I'll admit I wasn't expecting it to be you, Corvo. You do realize that your punishment will be far greater than the others, right?" Frasier asked in total disbelief, never expecting something so serious as this from his normally obedient son.

"I do, Dad. I was the one who encouraged the others to leave, and I was the one who was in charge while we were out. Go ahead and punish me, but just leave the rest of them alone." Corvo boldly explained as his tears were long dried by now, showing no fear on his face whatsoever as he wasn't even trembling at the sight of his enraged father.

"Very well...the rest of you are dismissed, and I'll leave it to your parents to determine a suitable punishment. Let's go home." Frasier announced in a more composed manner, motioning the group to follow as the kids rushed to their respective parents, all now well aware of the dangers and consequences of going beyond the safety of the walls.

Less than an hour later, the group had returned back to the safety of the walled off neighborhood they called home, Alice carefully parking the pickup beside the gate as everyone else filed out.

Everyone began to make their way down the main road of the neighborhood, the respective families collectively breaking away to return to their individual homes, until it was only down to Frasier's whole family approaching their own house.

Corvo and Miyu both attempted to hang back as far from their elders as they could, except Marcus was keeping a constantly vigilant eye on the pair.

Suddenly, before they could officially return home, Frasier stopped in his tracks well ahead of the rest, prompting the rest of them to stop.

"Marcus." Frasier suddenly exclaimed, prompting his brother to come to his side.

"Yeah, Frasier?" Marcus asked, barely intimidated by the grim and serious glare in Frasier's eyes.

"Take Saeko and Miyu home. I need to teach my son a lesson." Frasier replied, glancing back towards a now clearly frightened Corvo, as he attempted to hide behind Miyu for protection.

Without hesitation, Marcus made his way to Saeko and the kids, kneeling down to their level so he wouldn't intimidate the children.

"C'mon, Miyu, I'll take you and your mommy home." Marcus explained softly, prompting the young girl to nervously take his hand. Before standing up, he turned his gaze to Corvo; his face sinking in sadness of just what Frasier was possibly going to do to him.

"Corvo…good luck." Marcus struggled to say; wishing he could be able to comfort his nephew more, but he knew such an effort would be wasted considering just what was possibly awaiting him.

With no further words to share, Saeko came to Marcus' side as the three of them made their way back to their family home, leaving Corvo by himself as Frasier stood a good distance ahead of him.

"Corvo!" Frasier announced in an all too serious tone, sending a tremor of fear and regret down the young boy's spine.

A look of despair formed across Corvo's face, knowing that he was in trouble now, especially seeing how his father had made everyone else leave their presence. Corvo took a large gulp before proceeding to see what else his father could tell him off for.

The young boy hung his head low in despair as he could only look away in shame. When he felt his body slightly lose balance, he looked right at his foot to see that his small foot stepped in the larger print of his father's boot. Corvo sighed then continued on, ready for judgment.

When he finally managed to catch up, he looked up at his father to see he was looking out in the distance, just before his head turned down and looked right back at Corvo.

"Dad, I-" Corvo began to explain before his father shot him a glare of disapproval that caused him to instantly go silent.

"Corvo, I'm very disappointed in you." Frasier begun as he looked down to see his son on the verge of tears, knowing he hated being on his bad side.

"But I-" Corvo began before being interrupted yet again when Frasier held up a hand motioning Corvo to remain silent.

"Don't speak, listen to what I'm telling you. Don't just wait for me to finish talking." Frasier interrupted once more, not even giving Corvo a chance to speak yet.

The young boy simply nodded as his father took a moment before continuing.

"I had told both you and your sister, time and time again, that you were strictly forbidden from going over the walls. I made it so clear to you just how dangerous it was out there. You could've been killed! You deliberately disobeyed me, and what's worse is you put not only your sister, but also everyone's lives at risk tonight! Just what the hell were you thinking?!" Frasier explained before inquiring as to why his son would do something so reckless and dangerous.

"I-I was just trying to be brave like you...everyone wanted an adventure just like the ones you all spoke of!" Corvo sobbed, as he couldn't even keep eye contact for more than a few seconds with his dad, his little voice starting to crack with each word that slipped past his lips.

"I'm only brave when I HAVE to be. Corvo…being brave doesn't mean you put everyone at risk along with yourself. You shouldn't be out looking for adventures, son. I've been around long enough to know that you don't go looking for the best adventures, because the best adventures go looking for you. Are we clear?" Frasier explained, setting his son straight before he watched Corvo taking in every last word he said to heart.

"But you aren't afraid of anything, Dad. Today was the scariest day of my life." Corvo muttered as he had tears flowing down his cheeks, never once recalling his dad showing fear over anything. He then looked up at his father only to see his face reveal a look of confession.

"That's not entirely true. You see…I was scared tonight." Frasier confessed as he slightly looked away, not wanting to have his son see him on the verge of crying himself.

"You were?" Corvo questioned, having a great look of shock and curiosity, not even considering the obvious reason as to why.

"Yes. I thought I might lose you and Miyu. I thought we might have lost ALL of you." Frasier answered in a far more approachable tone before he kneeled down to Corvo's level to show a face only a father's love could show.

"Oh... I guess even grown-ups get scared, huh?" Corvo asked as he then had a somewhat look of relief to know the adults weren't so different from the kids after all.

"Mhm." Frasier agreed as he began to form a smile across his face, gently running his large fingers through Corvo's hair.

Both were silent for a few moments. Corvo then wiped off his tears onto his sleeve only to smile when Frasier held him tight in a warm, fatherly embrace.

"Do you still have that scar on your hand from when you tried to climb the big tree in our backyard?" Frasier asked as Corvo then looked down to see the tiny line running across the palm of his hand.

"Y-yeah, right here." Corvo responded as he held a hand up to show a slight mark going across his palm.

"I was so proud of you that day." Frasier reminisced as he kneeled besides his son, the look of anger soon leaving him as Corvo was once again confused.

"But I fell off the tree." Corvo replied, as he felt somewhat embarrassed.

"It's not because you fell, Corvo. It's because when you did, you got right back up and tried again." Frasier explained as he then held his son tight, Corvo tearing up as he knew his father didn't hate him after all.

"Dad…I want you to train me...just like how Grandpa trained you." Corvo suddenly asked in a serious tone, causing Frasier to look at him with a genuine look of surprise.

"What? Who told you about that?" Frasier questioned as he had a look of surprise, astonished Corvo even knew of such a thing.

"Uncle Marcus. He says you became the way you are because of Grandpa. I wanna be like you too and help protect everybody here!" Corvo explained as he had an all too serious look in his eyes.

"I see. I know your intentions are well, but you don't know what my father did to make me the way I am today. Corvo, I love you too much to do the same things he did to me. Despite my loyalty to him, it also made me hate him and resent him deep down, for depriving me of the childhood everyone else had. It broke me and I never truly got better." Frasier explained to Corvo, telling him what Marcus failed to bring up earlier.

"Oh...I understand." Corvo replied in a soft, defeated tone, somewhat shot down by the fact his father denied him to help protect his home.

"However, I will train you in a watered down version to help you get started and become a true man. But I want you to know that once you get started, there's no going back. Okay?" Frasier then said, instantly earning an eager yet serious look from Corvo again.

"I do! When can we get started?!" Corvo answered as he then questioned without even needing to think on the hefty decision.

"I'll need some time to prepare. You just focus on getting some rest and staying out of trouble. Now go wash up and brush your teeth. I'll be in to say goodnight soon." Frasier instructed as he watched his pride and joy playfully salute him before dashing off inside to do as he was commanded to.

Miyu stood before her mother in the basement where the men would train every Sunday. Saeko paced back and forth, deep in thought as she tried to think of a harsh yet suitable punishment that would truly stick to her daughter.

"You not only took what does not belong to you, but have also damaged my trust for you." Saeko explained in a firm yet hurt voice.

Miyu bowed her head in pure shame, as she didn't dare look her mother in the eyes. It was painful to hear how she had broken some of the strong connections made between the two over the years.

"I thought I was ready. I even managed to slay a monster all on my own!" Miyu tried to say in her defense, almost certain that what she had learned over the past two years were more than enough.

"There are far more than just ONE, Miyu. If I recall things correctly, you managed to lose your weapon as well as your only means of defense." Saeko commented, instantly shooting down Miyu's pride in the kill she made.

Miyu did not try to defend herself, nor did she try to think of a reason as to why she did such a thing. It only would've made things far worse on her in the end.

"I thought you knew better than this. I at least thought you knew to respect my own personal belongings." Saeko said to herself if not Miyu, somewhat shocked that her daughter would take such a sentimental item from her.

"It's just a sword, though." Miyu commented as she looked at it mounted on the wall among what seemed like hundreds of various melee weapons.

"'Just a sword?' You have no idea." Saeko said reminiscently as she then drew both the blades out from there sheathes.

Miyu watched with excitement as her mother slowly kneeled before her. Both blades were held in each hand, allowing Miyu to observe the unique short sword.

"A long time ago, I wielded a powerful blade. It was sharper than any of these weapons you see here before you. It was a masterpiece, and truly something to behold." Saeko began to explain as she motioned Miyu to look over towards the broken blade in a display case.

"What happened to it?" Miyu asked curiously as they got up to go inspect it.

"It was destroyed when your father and I battled our greatest foe yet. I managed to save daddy's life, but it came at a price. The blade broke upon impact, rendered completely useless." Saeko said as she ran her fingertips along the glass case, almost reaching out to the sword as if connected to it.

"Were you sad?" Miyu asked as she looked up to see Saeko's eyes entirely focused on the shattered blade before she broke away and wandered towards her new prized swords.

"Words could not describe how I felt. It was the only weapon I ever had since the beginning of this nightmare. That feeling of being completely defenseless and of no use to the group, it was nearly maddening. Sure, your father and Michiko's father helped me learn how to efficiently handle a gun, but it just wasn't the same." Saeko replied as she gripped her fists, recalling those dreadful days.

"Then what happened?" Miyu asked as she looked back to the twin blades once more, completely intrigued at what would happen next.

"Your father could easily see that it was stressing me out, so he raided a history museum and managed to find me an entire armory of melee weapons. Granted they are mostly just for display, because they'd be broken after a few uses." Saeko answered as she then stood back up and holstered the prized blades on the wall.

"How come you use your favorite swords then? Don't you want to keep them from breaking?" Miyu pondered aloud as she remained where she stood.

"That's the best part, my dear. Your daddy actually took two of my favorite swords and replicated them himself so I could use them once I gave birth to you and your brother. It was undoubtedly the best gift I ever received." Saeko said as she then walked back to her astonished daughter, holding her close while still trying to determine a suitable punishment.

"I understand, mother. Does this mean you don't love me anymore?" Miyu questioned as her head hung low, a twin trails of tears on the verge of flowing down her red cheeks.

"Of course I still love you! No matter what happens between us, I will always love you, my sweet little cherry blossom! But that does not mean I will let my feelings for you affect my judgment. What you five did was wrong, and I intend to make you remember it so you don't make the same mistake twice." Saeko explained as she kneeled beside her daughter, gently rubbing her back as she spoke in a smooth yet personal tone.

"So I think it's fair that you are suspended from this room for an entire week. You won't be allowed to touch any of these things, and you will be forbidden to train during that period of time. I hope you will take this seriously and allow yourself to reflect upon your actions with this time. Afterwards, I believe it's time you are given a proper blade of your own." Saeko announced as she had already made up her mind on the matter.

"Yes, mother. I love you." Miyu thanked as she was already wishing the week was over, her mind overwhelmed by the thought of having her own weapon.

"I love you too, my little cherry blossom. Now go get some rest. You'll need it for the coming week, my daughter." Saeko instructed as she gently brushed the hair out of her daughter's face.

Without another word to be said, Miyu darted back up the stairs in time to see her brother entering through the front door. Both of then stopped for a moment, exchanging looks only to hug each other.

"I'm sorry." both siblings muttered as they had finally put their differences aside and knew that family was all that truly mattered, and not who was the best at the end of the day.

Meanwhile in Johann and Rei's home, Rei was in the middle of tucking Lena and Kiriko into their respective beds. During the hour that had passed since their rescue, Rei's previous anger towards her daughters had thankfully subsided into an overwhelming feeling of gratefulness that the girls weren't hurt, or worse.

As Rei gently set Kiriko into her own bed, the younger girl started trembling as her mother's arms started to leave her in order to tuck her in.

"Mama, please don't leave us alone!" Kiriko suddenly protested, her voice trembling with fear as Rei looked down at her, her eyes welling with emotion when she saw just how emotionally devastated today's events had left the poor girl.

"Yeah, what if the monsters get in and get us?" Lena suddenly piped in, clutching onto her blankets tight, tears in her eyes, as she desperately wanted her parents to hold her and Kiriko for the entire night, just to make them feel safe.

Rei had to wipe tears of her own from her eyes as she saw both her daughters trembling with fright in their beds.

"It's okay, sweetie. Those monsters won't get you as long as me and your daddy are around." Rei reassured them as she suddenly picked Lena up out of her bed and carried her over to Kiriko's bed, sitting on its side as she set Lena down beside her little sister.

"We're sorry, Mommy. We won't do it ever again, we promise…" Lena started to apologize for probably the thousandth time before Rei wrapped her arms around both her daughters lovingly, gently kissing both their foreheads like only a mother could.

"It's okay, girls. You don't have to apologize anymore. Your daddy and I are just glad you're both safe and sound now. In the end, that's all that matters. So please, promise, not just me but both of us, that you two won't try something like that ever again." Rei whispered in a soothing, but also serious tone, as she made direct eye contact with both girls to emphasize just how much their promise would mean to her at this moment.

Without any hesitation, both girls wrapped their arms around their mother as they tried to hold back their tears, not just out of fear from what had happened, but also out of happiness that their parents were always going to be there to protect them. Today had proven that point more than anything else.

"We promise!" Lena and Kiriko simultaneously cried out into Rei's shoulders as she continued to hold them close.

A single tear ran down her face as she slowly let go of her beloved daughters and smiled warmly at both of them.

"Okay. You two have both been through a lot today, and I can only imagine how scared you both must still be. But don't worry, we won't leave you two alone any time soon." Rei reassured them as she laid a loving hand on both their shoulders.

"P-promise?" Kiriko asked, her voice still trembling as she looked up at her mother with tears still in her eyes.

"Pinkie promise." Rei replied as she held both her hands to her daughters with her little fingers raised.

Both girls giggled to each other as they locked their little fingers with their mothers.

"Alright. Now, it's almost past your bedtime. I know you girls don't want to be alone tonight, but I have to check on your father, so here's an idea. Now you both know we'll be just around the corner of the hall, and we'll come rushing if either of you need anything at all. But in the meantime, Lena, why don't you and Kiriko share the same bed tonight? That way neither of you has to be alone tonight." Rei announced as she started to get up off the bed and head for the bedroom door, smiling when she saw that both her daughters didn't look to have any objections to her suggestion.

"Mama…is Daddy going to be okay?" Kiriko suddenly asked concernedly when Rei reached for the doorknob.

Rei could feel pain in her heart when she thought back to earlier that day. Johann had looked so vulnerable, so genuinely terrified, more than she had seen him in years when he had gotten grabbed and was unable to fight it off.

Rei took a deep breath as she looked back to her daughters over her shoulder as they both climbed under the covers of their bed.

"That's what I'm going to be making sure of, sweetie. Don't worry, your daddy is going to be just fine." Rei told them with a loving smile as she started to step out of the room as Lena shut off the bedside lamp sitting next to their bed.

"Mommy…how did you find us?" Lena suddenly asked, causing Rei to freeze in the middle of stepping out of their bedroom.

"Well, it didn't take long for us to find out what happened when none of you showed up for breakfast. When we'd gotten outside, it didn't take long for Mr. Frasier to find the footprints you all made, and we followed them all the way to you. But that's not important anymore. The only important thing is that you all are safe and sound now." Rei went on to explain before her tone softened to a loving, motherly whisper.

"Alright, good night, girls. Sweet dreams. I love you." Rei whispered softly to them as she started to slowly close the door.

"We love you too, Mommy." Lena and Kiriko both softly replied as Rei left the door open just a crack so the hallway light could at least partially shine into their room. It would be no surprise if at least one of them was going to be scared of the dark for a while, so she at least wanted to make sure they would feel a little safer.

When Rei finally reached her and Johann's bedroom, she slowly opened the door just to find Johann sitting on the edge of their bed, staring out the window, out into the night outside. The only light illuminating their room was a single lamp sitting on the nightstand, leaving half the room shrouded in the dark.

Rei softly closed the door behind her and started to slowly approach her husband, a look of loving concern on her face as she slowly approached him from behind. As she started to approach him, she caught sight of an old record player sitting against the wall in her peripheral vision.

A soft smile formed across her lips as she momentarily decided to do a little something that she knew would help calm his nerves, just in case.

Wasting no time, she grabbed an old vinyl record sitting on top of a small stack nearby and set it onto the turntable, flipping the switch that would turn it on. The record started to spin as she carefully set the needle where it needed to be, and once it was all taken care of, she proceeded to crawl onto the bed behind Johann as the music started to fill the room. They had played this particular song on the night after they had gotten married, and it had practically become their song whenever they had felt like being more than a little intimate with each other ever since then.

{Procol Harum – A Whiter Shade of Pale}

As Rei crawled behind Johann, slowly unzipping her jeans and unbuttoning her shirt, Johann barely turned his head to acknowledge her presence.

"Are the girls asleep?" he asked tiredly as he looked back out into the night outside the window.

"Yes. It took a while, though. Oh, the poor things, they were so scared when I was tucking them in, it nearly broke my heart. Poor Kiriko was practically crying when I had to let her go to get the covers over her." Rei replied as she slid her jeans off her shapely legs, letting them fall to the floor.

"They know we're both right here ready to come to them if they need anything at all. I even decided to let Lena and Kiriko sleep in the same bed so neither of them would have to really be sleeping alone tonight. They both seemed to really like the idea." Rei continued as she looked at her husband lovingly. Thankfully, he looked to be all right, no visible signs of anything to really be concerned about.

"I know Frasier said that we should think of some way to punish them for misbehaving and doing something so dangerous, but right now, I can't bear to think of doing any such thing to them." Rei whispered, her voice slightly trembling with motherly emotion as she closed the distance between herself and Johann, laying her soft hands on his shoulders, ready to start massaging him to help ease his nerves.

However, the instant Rei's fingers touched him, Johann visibly flinched out of sheer reaction, something he had NEVER done before. Rei looked at Johann with the utmost concern as she could now see that for the very first time, Johann was actually trembling.

"Please don't mention him to me...that's the last name I want to hear right now. Every time I hear his name I feel like I've messed up!" Johann explained when he looked at the shocked and concerned expression Rei had in her eyes.

"What? Because of that sparring match earlier? He explained to us his reasons earlier. I'm sure he would've apologized right away if it weren't for the kids running off. You two are close friends, and you're far from messing anything up, my sweet." Rei explained as she tried to close the distance between them again, Johann being less hesitant this time.

"It's not about what he said Rei, it's how I can't help but feel he was right. I'm weak. I can barely protect myself, let alone you and the kids. I still can't help but wonder why you choose to stay-" Johann began to express before being silenced by a clapping sound. He then felt a stinging sensation when he realized Rei had just slapped him for his choice of words.

"I honestly can't believe you just said that...what if the girls heard what you're saying? You did everything right and more. Why you even concern yourself with such a thing is beyond me!" Rei scolded not in anger, but in a way that showed Johann she still cared for him just as she did the day they took that sacred oath.

"Remember these? We both made vows and an oath that shall never be broken. Johann, I love you with all my heart. No matter what goes through your mind, don't ever let that fact change!" Rei lovingly assured as she held her hand up, reminding her husband of the scars they shared on their right hands.

Johann slowly reached out towards Rei, his hand gently wrapping around hers as he had a look of rejuvenation and faith returned to him once more. Rei softly smiled, knowing that her words were able to help Johann see the truth in the end as they always have.

"I'm so sorry, Rei. It's just when I was nearly bitten today... I just kept being haunted by the thought of me being gone and you being all alone to take care of the kids." Johann began to mutter as his eyes locked onto the scar on Rei's hand.

"Don't be, you just needed clarity is all. You're a great husband and an even greater father; don't worry about something that is so unlikely anytime soon. If we survived this hell for nearly eight years, then I think we're in the clear. What happened was just a rare incident, and in the end you survived just as you always have, did you not?" Rei then proceeded to ask as she began to form a sly smirk on her beautiful face.

"Well... For all I know I could've died and gone to heaven. I have you, the kids, our wonderful house-" Johann responded in a more joking tone as he then was interrupted when Rei burst out with a giggle and a playful smack to the arm.

"You know what I meant!" Rei giggled as she then began to fuss with his curly hair, relieved to see that Johann was back to normal.

"Of course I did. Whenever I need help or I'm distressed, you're always the perfect cure for everything." Johann responded in a more warm tone this time, his hand gently running along Rei's cheek as she then crawled into his lap, letting her shirt slide down her shoulders, leaving her only in a white, lacey bra and matching panties.

"I love you so much, Johann." Rei whispered as she then pushed him back into bed, hardly giving him a chance to say it back to her.

Within moments the two were under the blankets, naked bodies wrapped up against one another, their body heat signatures soon matching as they fell into a lustful, yet passionate spur of the moment. Luckily that night, neither Kiriko nor Lena needed their parents after all.

Just outside Earley

Hidden in the tree line that bordered the western edge of Earley, a figure wearing a thick black mask over his face was lying prone in the bushes and watching the walled off settlement through a pair of night vision binoculars, observing the movement of living people patrolling the walls, as well as the unmistakable lights shining through the windows of the houses that indicated the presence of living people.

As the hidden figure continued his observation, the sound of a twig snapping from behind him suddenly caught his attention. He looked over his shoulder to find a single infected man in priest robes was towering right over him. Before the man could spring for the silenced pistol in his holster, another man suddenly came running from out of the underbrush and slammed a hatchet right into the infected's skull, cleaving it clean in half. The corpse collapsed to the ground as the second man proceeded to start cleaning the blade of his weapon.

"Man, I can't believe after seven years these damn things are still up and walking around. Could've sworn they'd have decomposed and rotted away by now." The man muttered under his breath as he sheathed his bladed weapon in the holster strapped around his thigh.

"Well, if that were the case, we'd have spread out into a lot more places by now. I guess this reanimation of Theirs brings the decomposition process to a screeching halt." The prone man responded as he leveled his binoculars to focus on the distant town once more.

"So, any changes worth mentioning?" the second man asked as he went prone beside his partner, not having any binoculars of his own.

"No, not really. They're still going about the way they usually do everyday for the past four days. They don't even know we're here." The observer replied as he scanned the wall erected around the town.

"Yeah, good thing we were able to cut those strings that were set up across this spot, otherwise they'd have known about us before we'd even gotten a foothold here." The second man whispered, chuckling at how lucky they were due to their observance.

"Yeah. Still, I can't believe we ran into actual living people here. I was beginning to think the whole of England really HAD been wiped out." The observer replied as he set his binoculars down, having seen enough for the night.

"Who knows? Maybe these people came here after the fact. Probably came over the English Channel, most likely. Any idea if these people are organized?" The second man replied, as he got back onto his feet, clearly ready to turn in for the night.

"Well, from what I've observed, there's this young blonde guy who certainly looks and moves like he's in some kind of role of authority. He's built like a tank too." The observer replied as he tucked his binoculars into his survival pack.

"Alright. If that's the case, if he ever decides to go outside by himself, maybe we should take him out then. That way the rest of them have no order to speak of." The second man suggested as he took a good long look at the small town.

"That wall of theirs isn't too strong. We should be able to just punch right through it when the time comes. Do you know when the others are going to be here?" the prone man asked as he got back up, making sure to hide himself from view of the town by standing behind a large tree.

"They're coming in through the north in Ireland. Last I spoke with them, they should be here to meet up with us within a week. I think until then we just wait and carry on like we have." The second man replied as he looked back over his shoulder to the town, knowing that the unfortunate people living inside it had no idea of just what was really coming their way.


	70. Act 26 Homecoming Part 4

**Act 26 Homecoming Part 4**

**Earley, Reading, Berkshire, England**

**2 Weeks Later**

A thick, cool fog hung over the expansive English countryside, laying a blanket of gray over the town of Reading. Still in the early hours of the morning, with the first rays of dawn beginning to shine even through the mist, the inhabitants of the walled village of Earley were still sound asleep peacefully in their beds as the very first bird songs of the morning began to sound out from the trees.

In the guest room of Shizuka and Rika's small home, Alice and Yulia laid peacefully in their single bed, cuddled closely together as the only sound that could be heard was their peaceful breathing. There was no telling if Yulia was aware she did this when she was asleep, but every night she'd always eventually end up holding Alice close, unconsciously running her delicate fingers through her short strawberry-red hair, sometimes even bringing her face into it. If one were to look at the two young girls whenever they slept by the time morning would come around, they'd most likely say the two resembled lovers more than simply best of friends.

At the foot of their bed, Zeke lay curled up into a white ball of fur, sleeping just as peacefully as his long time owners now were. Over the last seven years, the once tiny and energetic puppy had grown into a much larger adult, much more disciplined when it came to his once incessant barking, much stronger and able to put up a fight against the undead, and incomparably loyal to Alice and Yulia as the last few years came to prove without a shred of doubt.

As the morning bird songs grew more and more prominent, both girls simultaneously began to stir awake, each letting out a tired yawn before opening their eyes to immediately be met with the sight of the other gazing right into their eyes, yet neither of them reacted to this at all. Truth be told, this had come to be routine for the two of them. While at one point the both of them would've reacted to waking up in each other's arms with the utmost humiliation, those times had long since come and gone. After spending seven years practically glued to each other, and now that the two of them had finally started entering their adolescence, the thought of actually being separated from each other seemed literally impossible for the both of them to comprehend. The truth was, after spending so much time with each other over the years, the two of them had come to feel an indescribably strong emotional attachment to each other, almost like inseparable sisters; but in a way, perhaps even more than that.

"Good morning, мой милый маленький клубники [moy milyy malen'kiy klubniki] (my cute little strawberry)." Yulia said with a tired but amused grin, prompting Alice to immediately start blushing wildly before climbing out of bed and reaching into the closet, embarrassed to make eye contact with the Russian girl who she was afraid to admit she had come to view as more than just an irreplaceable friend.

"Yulia, you know I hate it when you call me that, especially so early in the morning." Alice said in an incredibly embarrassed mutter as she quickly brought a thick purple turtleneck over her torso as Yulia continued watching her from the bed, smiling mischievously to herself.

"I can't help it if you're so cute and your hair always reminds me of strawberries. Besides, you aren't exactly doing anything to make me stop when you're wearing those strawberry panties you look so adorable in." Yulia pointed out, causing poor Alice's whole face to go just as red as her hair as she instinctively pulled her large turtleneck over her girly undergarments, shooting a glare of clearly playful disapproval at the chuckling Russian brunette as she finally climbed out of bed and proceeded to get herself dressed as well. By this point, the two girls' commotion had spurred Zeke back into consciousness as he only looked up at them from his resting spot on the warm carpeted floor.

Once the two girls had gotten themselves completely dressed into their regular street clothes, they were soon out the door and headed into the kitchen for a quick breakfast before business could be started. It was that time of the week for them again. Scavenging day.

As the two girls proceeded to eat their breakfast, listening only to the serene, peaceful silence that hung all around them, permeated by the singing birds from outside in the trees, Alice would momentarily keep glancing outside, a glint of concern in her purple eyes as she seemed to be focusing solely on just how truly thick the fog outside was.

"What're you thinking about, Alice?" Yulia asked when she noticed just how deep in thought the red-haired girl looked at that moment. By this point it was easy for her to tell when something was really on Alice's mind.

"That fog outside…every time it comes here, it's just the first sign that winter's around the corner." Alice explained in an unusually serious tone of voice, clearly looking like someone who at that moment was thinking about a thousand things at once. It was clear to anyone who saw her like this that after all these years, Saya had definitely rubbed off on her.

"Well, yeah. It is fall right now, and it has been getting colder outside. That's kind of what happens when winter is near." Yulia replied; earning a semi-amused giggle out of Alice before she quickly went back to her serious gaze.

"I'm being serious right now, Yulia. When it starts snowing, it's gonna be a lot harder for anybody to go outside to scavenge whatever's left out there, if there even is anything left." Alice explained, suddenly bringing back memories of the very first winter they'd all spent since fortifying this village. They hadn't been able to start any crops at that time, and so they'd had to rely on the precious yet finite amounts of canned and preserved food their houses had been able to provide and having only blankets and common jackets for warmth. By the time that first winter had finally passed, their food supply had been reduced to nearly nothing. Everyone had agreed afterwards that they would do whatever was possible to avoid going through anything as hard as that again.

"I understand all that, Alice, but don't you think you might be worrying a little too much right now? Everybody's been really good about stockpiling half the food we're able to find on every supply run, and we've all been able to help maintain those crops for the last few years." Yulia tried to reassure her. However, Alice didn't look the least bit less tense.

"Yeah, Saya-neechan was really smart to keep that food stockpile safe in her basement. But she always said to try and consider every possible scenario and problem, and I just don't think we've been stockpiling as much as we should, especially from those crops. And even beside the food, it feels like the winters are just getting colder with each year." Alice continued to explain, almost more like she was explaining it all to herself as Yulia could only take it all in.

"So what are you suggesting we do?" Yulia asked curiously once Alice leaned back in her chair with an exasperated sigh.

"I think we should try looking either for some more heavy duty winter clothes, or maybe some space heaters. Remember back when we were doing one of our first supply runs, and Frasier took us to Bracknell Forest?" Alice began to explain, hoping her partner would be able to get where her thought process was going.

"Yeah, I remember. I remember that one place that had all the stores outside Sandhurst. I think Frasier said it was called 'The Meadow.'" Yulia replied; smiling once Alice nodded her head enthusiastically.

"That's right. I remember there was a big store there that had a bunch of clothes and house stuff in it." Alice concluded as Yulia could only smile when she realized Alice's plan.

"That…uh, 'Next plc' place, right?" the young Russian girl asked, only for Alice to give a singular nod, pleased to see that she and Yulia were once again on the same page.

"Who's to say that place might not have some kind of heaters if not a bunch of heavy duty jackets? I mean it's one of the biggest stores around that we haven't completely ransacked by this point. It's at least worth a try." Alice concluded, by this point more than eager to get on the road so they could get this business done with sooner, along with the fact that she was excited to see one of her very first self-devised plans put into action.

Soon the girls had finished their breakfast and were wasting no time suiting up. Soon, Alice was waiting anxiously at the front door with the keys to one of their many vehicles in her hand while Yulia was loading their pistols before screwing the silencers on.

"Hey, Alice, let's not forget our knives this time. Remember how Shizuka and Rika freaked out at us for forgetting to take them the last time we went out?" Yulia asked when she came out with both their holstered pistols in one hand and two sheathed hunting knives in the other. Alice could only nod with a slight smile as she quickly fastened her pistol to her right hip and then fastened her knife to the left. She did feel really embarrassed for that slip up in their established protocol the last time, and it would've been nice to avoid another firm talking-to with Shizuka talking to them like a couple misbehaved toddlers.

"Alright, if that's everything then I think we should get going now before everyone else gets up. You know how they always get so worried about us whenever we leave while they're up." Alice said as she got the door about halfway open before a very familiar whining sound suddenly caught her attention.

Looking back over her shoulder, Alice couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt in her stomach to find Zeke standing in the hallway, looking at them almost sadly, as if he knew they were leaving once again and leaving him by himself. With a sigh, Alice couldn't help but smile when she suddenly started patting her hand on her leg, beckoning Zeke to rush to her side with a sudden burst of energy, as if he knew exactly what Alice was suggesting to him.

"I think it'd be okay if we let Zeke get a little exercise outside with us, don't you?" Alice asked as Yulia couldn't help but slightly giggle at how happy their dog looked to finally be going outside with them for the first time in months.

Without another word, the two girls quickly made their way into their pickup truck, and soon were outside the walls, driving fast and free through the empty streets of Reading and out into the expansive English countryside.

As she continued to drive and momentarily look at their map every several seconds to get their bearings, Alice barely noticed that Yulia was continuously gazing at her with an almost wistful look in her golden eyes and a warm smile. Of course, it didn't take her long to fully notice it whenever she had to look around them just to get an idea of where they were. At first the young redheaded girl couldn't bring herself to say anything, but after this had continued for several more minutes and they were now driving into the outskirts of a large forest, Alice unexpectedly brought the truck to a stop.

"Yulia, do you think you could maybe stop staring at me for a minute please?" Alice asked nervously, earning a confused look from her Russian companion.

"Why? I like the way you look when you're being so serious." Yulia tried to explain when she noticed Alice had a somewhat conflicted look in her purple eyes.

"It's just kinda distracting right now, that's all." Alice tried to defend herself, although the hesitance in her voice was definitely not fooling her.

"Alice, you know I always end up staring at you whenever we go out on these runs and you're the one driving. It never bothered you before." Yulia admitted, causing Alice to bow her head down, realizing her attempted lie had already been shot down.

"I know that, Yulia. It's just…could we please not do this right now?" Alice asked, her voice starting to crack, which to Yulia was always a sure sign that she needed to be worried for her friend.

"No, Alice. If there's something bothering you, I want you to tell me. You never had a problem with…well, us, before. So what's suddenly changed?" Yulia asked, clearly not in a teasing mood this time. Alice tried to fight back the stinging sensation of tears in her eyes the best she could.

"I don't know. I just…I've just been thinking a lot lately, and…I'm not saying I regret…us, but the more I've been thinking about it, I keep thinking I'm going to just completely forget…him." Alice tried to explain, her vision blurring with tears as memories of a young, deathly pale face suddenly came back to mind.

"You mean…Brian, right?" Yulia asked hesitantly, remembering just what a delicate topic this was for her red-haired partner to talk about. Alice could only feebly nod in return. It was all true. There wasn't ever a second Alice regretted what she and Yulia had secretly become once they'd started going through puberty after several years without any boys their own age to be around, but there was always a part of her deep inside that wanted to hold onto what she and Brian had briefly felt for each other before he died; and it felt like every time she and Yulia got closer and closer as time passed, those happy memories of the young American boy would only fade away more and more; something she couldn't ever allow to happen.

Yulia couldn't think of anything to say at this point. Even though she'd never gotten to know Brian like Alice had, she still understood how important he'd been to her, and even after all these years, the last thing she ever wanted was to cause Alice to forget about him completely. As far as she was concerned, remembering the people you'd lost was the best way to keep them alive in spirit, and to forget them would almost be like killing them all over again. That was why even now there was never a day where even in the back of her mind she didn't think about her old family even momentarily.

"I'm sorry, Alice. I should've thought of that. I'll stop if you really want me to." Yulia said sadly as she finally turned her gaze away from Alice and decided to resign herself to looking out at the foggy forest that stood before them, but mainly to keep Alice from noticing the hurt tears welling in her eyes. As much as she understood what Alice must've been going through emotionally, it didn't make her overall rejection of her at this moment any less painful.

"I'm sorry too, Yulia. I'm not asking you to leave me alone, and I'm not asking you to ignore me. I honestly don't know what I want right now. I just…it's just really confusing for me right now." Alice tried to explain, trying to fight back tears of her own. Yulia could only take a deep breath as she dried her tears before leaning aside and bringing her arms over the young red-haired girls' shoulders.

"I understand, Alice. Really. We can talk about this once we're back home…if you want to, of course." Yulia tried to comfort her partner as she struggled to remove the tears from her face as she could only manage the faintest smile. She knew that out of everyone else in the group, Yulia had proven to be the easiest person for her to talk to about things like this.

"I'd really like that, Yulia." Alice muttered as she resituated herself in the drivers' seat, ready to get their job back on track.

"Hey, Alice, before we go on, do you mind if I ask you something?" Yulia asked hesitantly once she'd been convinced Alice was now feeling at least a little better.

"Of course." Alice answered almost instinctively, a bit wary of the fact that someone usually as open as Yulia was actually asking her permission to ask something.

"Well, if you don't mind me asking this right now, I just have to admit I'm curious…we rarely ever bring him up anymore, so I just have to wonder why you're suddenly thinking of Brian now of all times." Yulia hesitantly asked, worried that bringing him up again would cause Alice to become overly emotional again. Instead of a look of hurt or anger, Alice instead began to look confused.

"I don't really know. I mean, I always think of him at least once every day, but for some reason I just can't get him out of my thoughts today. I have to admit, it actually has me kinda worried." Alice admitted, earning a raised eyebrow from Yulia.

"What do you mean"? Yulia asked concernedly, causing Alice to rest her chin on the steering wheel, just staring blankly down the forested road ahead of them.

"I mean…this was always something in the back of my mind, so I never really thought about it a whole lot before, but…it seems like every time Brian becomes prominent in my mind, something bad always happens shortly afterwards. Like that first winter we spent here, or the day Ramon stepped on that nail. I don't know, maybe I'm just over-thinking it, but it almost seems like it's…some kind of a sign for something bad." Alice explained, a look of unmistakable fear in her purple eyes as Yulia could only place a hand on her thin shoulder in support.

"Those are probably just crazy coincidences, Alice. I think you and I both know by now that there's no such thing as fate or signs. The only thing that decides what happens in the future is all of us, remember?" Yulia reassured her, this time with much more confidence, as Alice seemed to visibly brighten up with her words of encouragement.

"You're probably right. Maybe I am just worrying over nothing. Thank you." Alice agreed as she finally restarted the engine, signifying her desire to get moving once again.

Just at that moment, Yulia quickly leaned in and placed a brief yet heartfelt kiss on Alice's now rosy-red cheek, smiling warmly when she saw how flustered it made her, a look she was all too familiar and much more comfortable with, a sign that she really was all better now.

"Don't mention it." Yulia said calmly before Alice unexpectedly leaned over and pecked her on the cheek in return; both of them smiling at each other before finally returning their attention to the road.

Soon, they were driving down the wet, leaf-covered roads of Bracknell Forest, the lush greenery mixed with the unmistakable colors of fall surrounding them. After about a twenty-five minute drive, Alice suddenly brought the truck to a stop yet again, letting the engine die down so all that could be heard was the sound of the birds singing amid the morning fog.

"We don't know if any large groups of Them are gathered over in The Meadow. We haven't been here often at all, so I just think it'd be safer if we don't risk Them hearing the engine." Alice explained as she and Yulia climbed out of the truck, greeted by the all-too pleasant smell of freshly fallen rain on the ground as Alice motioned for Zeke to climb out of the truck's bed, and soon all three of them were making the rest of their way on foot, each of them eager and ready to see what they would find for everyone back home.

-

**The Meadow, Sandhurst, Bracknell Forest, Berkshire, England**

Nearly twenty minutes later, the three of them now stood before the unmistakable image of a long since abandoned shopping center, a tall sign standing before them with long since weathered shop logos adorning it, with the chipped paint barely reading 'The Meadows' at the very top. The expansive parking lot was wide and sparsely populated, with only a few scattered, rusted cars dotting the landscape. The only sound was still the distant songs of the birds in the trees and the almost deathly silent sound of the chilly breeze.

"Alright, same as before, right? We just go in, see if there are any carts we can use, load up what we need and we just go, right?" Yulia asked as they began to make their way down the parking lot to the sliding glass doors, the glass having long since yellowed and molded from the constant moist weather and no maintenance.

"Have we ever done it differently?" Alice asked sarcastically as she reached back and pulled a small crowbar from her backpack before stabbing one end in between the doors. With barely any effort, she managed to pull the doors open enough for the three of them to squeeze through. Soon, they stood before one of the biggest and yet emptiest shopping centers the two of them had ever seen in their lives. The sunlight through the grey clouds thankfully managed to illuminate a good portion of the interior, but there were still a few dark spots that looked more than a little foreboding.

"Alright, first thing's first. Let's grab a cart and see what we can find in the Next store. If we're lucky, maybe we won't need any heaters or anything heavy like that." Alice suggested as she instantly spotted a turned over cart resting against a wall in the corner. The echo of its wheels hitting the tiled floor once Alice had turned it upright almost seemed to echo throughout the whole building, causing both girls to tense up for a few seconds. But once ten seconds had passed without the sound of shuffling feet or moans, both girls let out a sigh of relief. Of course, Alice was reassured by the fact that Zeke didn't look to tense up at all. If there was anything the old dog could be trusted on, it was that his nose would pick up the stench of one of Them long before anyone else could.

Once Yulia had grabbed a cart of her own from one of the cart stables, both girls were soon slowly making their way through the eerily quiet shopping center, looking almost forlornly at the darkened display windows of numerous stores. So many things just sitting around inside each one, doing nothing but collecting dust now that there was barely anyone left to take them. At least until the day would come when everyone back home would need such things.

It wasn't long before both girls stopped to see the unmistakable white-on-black sign of the Next store, standing larger than all the other stores that neighbored it. With a deep breath of anxiousness, both girls and their canine companion made their way inside. Soon, the daylight illuminating the rest of the building gave way to unimaginable blackness, forcing both girls to grab their pocket flashlights, soon sending two beams of bright light stretching across the expanse of the store.

"Alright, let's stay close. There's a chance one of Them could be hiding in here and simply didn't hear that noise before." Alice whispered in caution, causing Yulia to shoot her a semi-annoyed glare but with a still amused grin.

"Yes, Mama. What would I do without you here?" Yulia teased, earning an unintentional giggle out of Alice before they both finally proceeded on their way, moving through the various clothing racks. Unfortunately, it didn't look to be as bountiful as they'd initially hoped. What hadn't been looted, no doubt during the initial panic had been almost completely moth-eaten by this point. Alice couldn't help but groan in aggravation when she found what looked to be a really nice heavy-duty winter coat about Saeko's size, only for it to almost literally fall apart in her hands once she grabbed it.

All the while, Yulia soon noticed what looked to be a long, pink scarf that still looked to be in semi-decent shape. Unable to resist, she grabbed the end and began to reel it up around her arm as it stretched around a corner.

Once she suddenly began to feel some resistance, assuming it was simply caught on another set of clothes, Yulia proceeded to give it several good tugs, until the resistance suddenly gave, and a figure suddenly collapsed to the floor just mere inches from Yulia's face.

Reacting out of pure instinct, Yulia let out a terrified yelp before quickly drawing her pistol and blasting two silenced rounds right where the figure's head supposedly had landed on the ground.

Like a shot upon hearing Yulia's scream, Alice was practically sprinting to her side to find her Russian partner struggling to catch her breath with a smoking gun in her hand, her shoulders trembling.

"Yulia, what happened?! Are you okay?" Alice asked, nearly in hysterics at the thought of one of Them possibly biting her anywhere.

"I-I'm fine, Alice." Yulia muttered as she took a deep breath to calm her nerves as she holstered her pistol to her hip once again, tossing the scarf she'd found into her cart with some still pent up aggression.

"But I-I heard you screaming, and…" Alice began to ask before Yulia suddenly pulled her flashlight out and shone it to the floor so Alice could now see. What lay at her feet was a dusty old mannequin, now with its head reduced to a mess of plaster and dust.

"I found a scarf, and it must've been attached to that…mannequin when I accidentally yanked it over." Yulia explained, now starting to feel incredibly silly for reacting like she did. Alice couldn't help but smile in relief before silently embracing her, causing Yulia to blush this time around, while still trying to play it as cool as she could.

"Always hated those stupid things, anyway." She muttered in embarrassment before Alice let her go, both of them slightly laughing at this unexpected little event. Finally, Alice returned to her cart where Zeke was still patiently waiting, and soon their task was back at hand.

Once they both returned to the entrance of the store, both girls looked disappointed to find both their carts combined didn't even amount to half of what the rest of the group would possibly need in order to make it comfortably through the next winter.

"I think I saw some kind of home appliance or house maintenance place on the directory on the way here. Maybe there could be some heaters over there." Yulia guessed, and by this point, Alice was willing to try anything. She'd personally hoped this would be the only stop they'd have had to make.

The squeak of the wheels continued to pierce the veil of heavy silence as the girls slowly made their way through the empty shopping centre. Upon rounding a corner, both girls momentarily stopped to see a rather impressive sight. Lying right in the middle of their path was the wreckage of a British military helicopter that had long since rusted over. There was rubble and debris all over the place as the wind blew through the gaping hole in the ceiling, whistling through the twisted wreckage. They could see both pilots inside had long since been reduced to nothing but bones after all these years.

With not a word to be shared between them, the girls slowly continued on their way until Yulia came to a stop, prompting Alice to do the same. To their left was what looked to be some kind of thrift store or some kind of shop meant for used goods.

"Okay, I guess it wasn't house maintenance. " Yulia muttered, as she and Alice wasted no time stepping inside, turning on both their flashlights once inside.

"I'm sure we can still find some heaters in here somewhere. Let's just stay close this time." Alice whispered, still wary of there being any lingering undead hiding in the corners.

The whole store looked to have been completely ransacked as well as partially collapsed. Several of the ceiling panels had long since collapsed to the floor, and there was even a rusted steel girder piercing part of the ceiling in the back.

Peeking around a doorframe into a second part of the store, the girls were instead met with a massive pile of moldy trash bags. However, instead of being assailed with an ungodly stench as they were momentarily expecting, there was nothing to smell at all instead. Acting cautiously, Alice slowly stepped towards the first of the bags and slowly unsheathed her knife. Quickly stabbing and tearing a huge hole in its side, Alice was pleasantly surprised to see the bag was instead filled with a bundle of clothes.

"I think we might've just hit the jackpot, Yulia. Grab whatever winter clothes you can find in any of these. I'm gonna check out the back and see if there are any heaters there." Alice announced as she started to make her way for a set of double doors in the far back.

"Okay. Just make sure you grab some radiators. I don't trust those space heater things as far as I could throw them." Yulia announced back as she already started cutting at any other trash bags she could find, sifting through the assortment of dusty old clothes inside.

"Don't worry, those things need fuel in order to work, and you know we all agreed to just use the fuel we have for the cars and the propane systems. So I don't think you really need to worry." Alice reassured her when she suddenly spotted a pile of what looked to be discarded CD's on a table just outside her sight.

"I know that. Blame Johann for showing us that movie about that Spanish guy with cancer. You remember what happened to all those Chinese people in that basement." Yulia replied back with a hint of sarcasm, giving herself goosebumps just thinking back on that fateful movie night several months back.

However, Alice didn't answer back, which caught Yulia's attention almost instantly. Carefully walking forward towards the double doors, Yulia soon caught Alice at the small worktable, enthusiastically sifting through the multitude of dusty CD cases piled up before her.

"What the heck are you doing?" Yulia asked when Alice suddenly nearly squealed with joy when she suddenly grabbed one CD out of the pile and held it up like some kind of glorious trophy.

"Oh, this is awesome! Whoever brought all of these here had great taste." Alice exclaimed excitedly as she quickly set it down, running to grab her cart. Yulia looked down curiously at whatever it was Alice had gotten so excited about, only to let out a sigh of exaspiration once Alice returned.

"Alice, you know I love you, but I will never for the life of me understand how you can listen to that stuff. It's nothing but a bunch of noise." Yulia commented, causing Alice to give her an almost exaggerated look of personal insult.

"That's just because you have no taste. Napalm Death is classic! All of these are classics! Mercyful Fate, Electric Wizard, Amon Amarth, Arkona, how can you not like ANY of this stuff?" Alice argued with a surprising degree of passion in her tone as she quickly reached out and grabbed an empty plastic tub and already got to work piling as many of her newfound CD's into it as possible. Yulia could only let out a defeated sigh.

"I really wish Marcus and Johann never got you hooked on this stuff to begin with." Yulia relented as Alice gave a victorious, beaming smile as she slapped a lid ont the tub and set it down excitedly into her cart. Without any further distractions, the two girls made their way through the double doors into a nearly pitch black hallway. The air had an almost moist feeling to it, which made it all the more cold to the two girls. Switching their flashlights' brightness even higher, they slowly made their way down the hall. Soon, they came to a large open doorway at the end of the hall that led only into more darkness. However, with the lights of their flashlights handy, they found themselves looking into the open trailer of a truck, and as luck would've had it, there was a multitude of radiators, space heaters and generators to behold. It was like Christmas.

"Wow. Talk about lucking out. We should really keep this whole place in mind in case we ever need anything in the future." Yulia commented, prompting Alice to eagerly nod as she made her way to the nearest radiator she could find.

"Alright, we don't need too many. I think we should only take three or four, five at the very most, then we head back home." Alice explained as she and Yulia got to work carrying whatever radiators they could carry and piling them into their respective carts. Thankfully the two girls had gotten considerably stronger over the last seven years; otherwise this would've no doubt taken a while.

Once the two young girls had collected five reasonably sized radiators, they were soon heading back out the way they came, through the drafty thrift store and back out into the reasonably lit pathways of the shopping centre itself.

"Alright, I think it's time we head home." Alice suggested as she, Yulia and Zeke all happily made their way back to the entrance. By this point, both girls' nerves had considerably loosened, thanks to Zeke surprisingly never growling in warning even once since they came here. It was actually rather surprising once the two of them started to actually think back on it once they were already back on the road, starting their journey back.

"Hey, Yulia, do you even remember the last time we ever went out on a run with Zeke and didn't run into at least one of Them?" Alice asked after several minutes of peaceful silence as they continued driving through the lush scenery of Bracknell Forest.

"No, not really. I think the last time that ever happened was last March." Yulia guessed, not really sure what to think of their unexpectedly successful and altogether uneventful trip.

"Yeah, it's weird. You would think there would still be at least a good number of Them still lingering around this far away from home." Alice continued to think as Yulia looked at her confusedly.

"Maybe They just wandered off somewhere. You know They aren't exactly the smartest things out there. Any noise could drive Them to head off blindly in one direction forever if that were the case. They just seem to follow any noise loud enough." Yulia agreed, personally hoping that were the case. As long as the undead weren't wandering off in the direction of home, then that would be perfectly fine.

For only a few seconds was everything silent afterwards. Nothing to be heard but the calming hum of the truck's engine as they glided down the rain-slicked roads of Bracknell Forest. It was only in that handful of seconds that both girls let their guards down. And that handful of seconds was all that was needed to allow for what was to follow.

Almost as though out of thin air, a full grown deer suddenly came leaping out of the woods and onto the street, and by the time Alice and Yulia saw it no further than a foot away from them, it was already too late.

With a deafening thud, the truck was suddenly sent skidding out of control as Alice struggled with the wheel. Within a single heartbeat, the truck was nearly sent flying off the road and into a small clearing just off the edge of it. Thankfully the truck had managed to come to a stop before it could've plowed right into a tree.

Alice and Yulia slowly regained consciousness, Alice feeling a stinging pain on her forehead as they slowly regained their senses and took in their surroundings. The windshield had nearly completely shattered and now had a few distinctive bloodstains on it, and the engine had ceased running.

"Alice, are you okay?" Yulia asked worriedly as she immediately began to look Alice over for any cuts or bruises or anything she would've considered worth being concerned over. Alice clumsily shrugged Yulia's hands away, her head still slightly spinning and her head throbbing in pain.

Not even stopping to try and think, both girls struggled to get out of the truck, both of them incredibly wobbly upon stepping back onto solid ground, momentarily dazed and confused to find themselves no longer on the road. Of course then was when the memory of the deer they hit suddenly came back to them.

"Oh man, I can't believe this. Here we are in a place where we are literally the ONLY thing moving on the road, and I still somehow managed to crash." Alice bemoaned as she couldn't help but feel considerably down on herself for a defeat as embarrassing as this.

"Alice, it's okay. That deer came out of nowhere. None of us saw it coming. There's nothing either of us could've been able to do. You know that." Yulia tried to reassure her as Zeke couldn't help but instinctively start brushing against the young redheaded girls' leg as a sign of support.

"Well, that's nice of you to say, Yulia. But now the question is how we're gonna get all this stuff back home now." Alice mentioned as she instinctively looked down to see that right now they were all standing about ankle deep in fresh mud.

"Well, why not see if the engine can still run, for one thing." Yulia mentioned, spurring her partner to quickly climb back into the driver's seat. A few seconds later, the semi-relieving sound of the engine rumbling to life graced their ears before Alice shut it back off.

"Okay, well at least that's something. Now we just gotta figure out how we're gonna get this thing out of here." Alice explained, and this time both girls couldn't help but feel completely stumped. They didn't have any harness for the truck or any cable to tie to a tree so they could manually pull the truck out of it, and they both knew for a fact they weren't anywhere near strong enough to push the truck out of this mud by themselves.

"Well this is just perfect. Looks like we're gonna have to ditch it and walk the rest of the way. Who knows? Maybe Frasier could be able to help us." Yulia suggested as Alice couldn't help but nod in agreement. If anybody was gonna be strong enough to help save their ride, then Frasier would be it.

"Alright. Well then I guess we just keep heading west then. I'll grab the walkie-talkie just in case." Alice finally stated as she climbed back inside and fetched a small walkie-talkie from the glove compartment. With nothing left to be said, the two young girls and their canine companion began to make their way westwards, always following alongside the road.

For what felt like hours, the only sound to be heard was the cracking and rustling of twigs and grass beneath their feet and the sound of Zeke's steady breathing as the two of them continued on their way, trying their best to ignore the moist cold air. While Yulia never gave any indication that the silence was bothering her, Alice personally couldn't stand it. Maybe it was simply something she'd picked up from Marcus or perhaps it was simply something she never knew bothered her until she got older, but regardless, she could never stand complete silence.

Desperate to alleviate the silence, Alice began to whistle a rather complex tune that was all too familiar and nostalgic for her, but at the same time, also grating for Yulia. It was a song by one of those accursed metal bands Marcus and Johann had gotten her so hooked to.

"Alice, could you please maybe not do that right now?" Yulia asked as politely as she could, trying to ignore how much her legs were now aching after all this incessant walking. It seemed insane at this moment how a drive that only lasted them a half hour was apparently already more than two hours length on foot.

"Oh, come on, Yulia. You know Sepultura always makes me more relaxed." Alice whined like a little kid, earning an exasperated sigh from her Russian lover.

"Well do you think maybe you could hold off until we get home? You know that kind of music gives me a headache, and that's really the last thing I need right now." Yulia tried to reason with her, trying her very best not to snap after having gone through all the stress of this morning. Even now all she could think about was how much she was dreading having to explain to Frasier what happened to their truck, while also having to deal with everyone reprimanding her and Alice for making them worry.

Alice couldn't help but give a childish pouting frown in response. However, after a few more minutes of uncomfortable silence, she continued to at least hum the tune to herself so at least Yulia wouldn't be able to hear her so easily.

It wasn't too long afterwards that Yulia finally stopped in her tracks and hunched over in an attempt to not only catch her breath but to also give her weary legs a rest.

"Man, I didn't think I was in bad enough shape to get winded by a simple walk." Yulia admitted in embarrassment as Alice supportively patted her on the back.

"You're not out of shape, Yulia. We've never had to walk this long nonstop before, and the cold isn't exactly helping things either." Alice reassured her as Zeke couldn't help but whine a little, clearly exhausted too.

"Do you think we could find some place to rest for just a few minutes?" Yulia asked as Alice had already taken it upon herself to try and find somewhere that wasn't so in the open they could stop. After a few seconds, she spotted the unmistakable shape of a roof partially visible amid a thin tree line atop a small hill.

"Alright, that house might be a good bet. Come on." Alice insisted as Yulia was already back on her feet and joining her side as they started fast-walking towards it.

Upon reaching the top of the hill, both girls suddenly froze when they could see just past the house was what looked like a rather small graveyard. There weren't any undead wandering around in sight, but that didn't make the sight any less unsettling.

Not wanting to spend anymore time outside than they had to, the girls quickly made their way around to the front of the house. Upon trying the door only to find it was locked up tight, Alice quickly grabbed her crowbar and forcefully jammed it in between the double doors. With a good amount of pulling and a little elbow grease between both girls, the lock broke as the doors finally opened up for them. The interior was poorly lit, forcing the girls to put their flashlights to use once more.

It only took them a few minutes to search the entirety of the house, which was clearly used as both a house and a funeral home; but while it gave them the reassurance of no undead waiting for them, it also gave them the disappointment of there being no food and only a dusty old couch for them to rest with.

"Alright, a few minutes is all I need then we can hoof it the rest of the way." Yulia stated as she sat herself down, letting out a sigh of relief to let her poor feet take a break.

"Alright. I'm gonna take a look around the yard. Not like there's really anything else to do anyway." Alice said as she already had begun to make her way out the front door before Yulia could even answer her. The young Russian girl simply let out a sigh of acceptance as she decided to close her eyes and catch up on some much-needed shut eye. Truth was, she and Alice hadn't exactly gotten a lot of sleep the previous night. It had been another of those pleasant instances where the two of them simply were too relished in each other's company to simply sleep just like that.

Truth was, it actually kind of impressed her that even after a night like that, and after their excursion for supplies and recent car accident and nearly three hour walk, Alice still had so much energy. As a matter of fact, maybe that energy and her overall cheerful, sunshine-y attitude of hers was one of the things Yulia absolutely loved about her. Just thinking about it all began to help lull the young brunette to sleep, and for a few precious seconds, everything was quiet and completely peaceful.

"YULIA!" Alice's voice suddenly pierced the silence in a nearly deafening scream. The sound of Alice screaming sparked a whole new burst of adrenaline in Yulia as she practically jumped from the couch onto her feet and was now sprinting out the door into the graveyard to find Alice standing completely frozen stiff among the headstones.

"Alice?! What happened?!" Yulia shouted in near hysterics as she rushed to the young redhead's side, wasting no time to start looking over her for any bites or scratches, not even noticing the lack of a dead zombie anywhere near them. When she looked Alice in the eye, her once vibrant purple eyes had an almost lifeless, wide-eyed look of shock in them. It was like the perfect human version of the "deer in the headlights" look.

"Alice, love, please talk to me! What happened?" Yulia asked in a much more soothing voice as she held Alice's cheeks in her hand, somehow managing to bring Alice back to reality. However, her face still had that look of unspeakable shock.

"Look." Was all she muttered as her hand instinctively and hesitantly pointed towards one of the headstones. Yulia naturally followed her pointing finger, and what she saw, her mind literally could not even begin to process.

"Что ебать?" [Chto yebat'?] (What the fuck?) Was all she could think to say once time had finally caught up to her and she realized she wasn't hallucinating or dreaming this.

"Alice, do you still have that walkie-talkie?" Yulia finally asked, only for Alice to keep staring at the headstone as though in a trance. Once she realized Alice practically hadn't heard her, Yulia acted out by grabbing her roughly by the shoulders and forcefully shaking her in order to snap her out of it.

"That walkie-talkie, Alice! Do you still have it?" Yulia asked, nearly shouting in her face, on the verge of completely freaking out from what she and Alice had now seen. Alice could only feebly nod as she pulled the walkie-talkie from one of the loops in her pants, holding it tightly in her lightly trembling hands.

"Call Frasier right now and tell him to meet us back at the truck. Once he helps us get it free, we're showing him this." Yulia practically ordered, as she and Alice wasted no time to practically start sprinting back to the truck as though the devil were on their heels, with Zeke easily keeping up after them, almost as though he were completely unaware of what the two girls had just seen.

-

Meanwhile, back at the village of Earley, everyone had finally begun waking up and proceeding with their daily routines. This morning, the children had none of Saya or Rei's classes to go to, so this time they were in the process of being entertained with another of Ramon's musical episodes.

"Gather around little Amigos and try to see if you can remember this tune." Ramon announced as he kicked over a small crate lying on the sidewalk before he perched himself on it and began to strum the strings on his old, yet sentimental, guitar.

All the kids eagerly gathered around, instantly captivated by the only source of music they've ever really had. They just watched as he energetically played. All the while, Frasier and Saeko had decided to enjoy the morning with a peaceful walk across the village. It would also give Frasier the perfect opportunity to finally share the latest of his plans for Corvo's training.

"I know you don't like it, but I think he's ready. Corvo might be young, but it's time we do for the kids what we did for Alice and Yulia." Frasier said to Saeko as they walked on the other side of the road, casually watching over the children while Ramon kept them entertained.

"Nothing would make me happier than to know the kids are capable of protecting themselves, honest. I just can't help but..." Saeko agreed with him despite there being clear doubt in her voice.

"But you can't help but think of what happened to Brian, right?" Frasier attempted to guess as he looked at Saeko, noticing that she was bowing her head, clearly dreading the thought of anything like that ever happening again.

"That wasn't our fault! They were separated and completely blindsided. Besides, I did all I could to save him. If only I was stronger back then..." Frasier said defensively before showing that he showed deep remorse.

"You can't blame yourself for what happened. None of us would've been able to do anything about that in those circumstances. I just wish we could've reacted better is all.

"I trust your judgment, Frasier. Just please be careful with our little boy and come back before sundown. He's still just a child after all." Saeko then whispered into his ear as she held him close, knowing that Corvo was in good hands.

Before Frasier could say anything to reassure his wife, he noticed the radio attached to his belt began to crackle before Alice's voice pierced the air between them.

"Hey! Please tell me somebody can hear this..." Alice's voice spoke out, only mildly covered by the sound of static.

"I hear you, Alice. Everything alright?" Frasier responded in a low tone, well aware that they could be trying to keep a low profile from the dead.

"We found something you really need to see. Please hurry. Our truck is stuck just off the road heading towards Sandhurst. We'll meet you there." Alice answered before the soft voice was cut off, causing Frasier to storm off into his home and snatch a set of keys from a small basket.

"You're taking the two-seated? Who're you going to take with you? Marcus? Johann? Khota?" Saeko said curiously, seeing how she knew Miyu was going to be resuming her training in about an hour.

"I'm bringing my new wingman on this one." Frasier responded with a grin before Saeko instantly formed a look of serious disapproval.

"Wait...you're bringing Corvo with you? I thought it was just for training that you'd take him out there. This is much more serious than that." Saeko protested, seeing how Corvo was still only just beginning his training.

"Experience is the best training there is. Besides, he's going to have me by his side every waking moment. I doubt there's anything out there that can pose a genuine threat to me." Frasier answered as they walked towards the kids, who almost all instantly felt a chill run down their spines when they recognized the sound of his footsteps.

"Corvo, are you ready for your first mission?" Frasier questioned while trying to make it seem more exciting to his son.

"I'm going on a mission? Cool!" Corvo exclaimed as he instantly bolted towards his father, more than eager to prove himself.

"Do I get to go too?" Miyu asked with high hopes, not wanting to be left out of the potential adventure to be had with her father.

"Sorry, Miyu. Maybe next time." Frasier apologized, as he felt somewhat guilty when he could see the mixed look of disappointment and hurt on his daughter's face at his blatant rejection.

"Mission? Is everything alright?" Ramon asked as he stopped playing, somewhat concerned that Frasier was letting his 7-year old son come with him beyond the walls.

"Alice and Yulia found something that requires my immediate attention. I figured Corvo would like to get experience along the way. How else can he be ready for the world?" Frasier briefed thoroughly before he walked towards an open area filled with vehicles for them to use.

"Alright, just be careful out there." Ramon said cautiously as he watched Frasier effortlessly lift Corvo onto his shoulders.

"Don't worry. Corvo will do just fine. Besides, I'll be there with him." Frasier responded confidently as he began to walk away.

"I wasn't talking about him. I know you're the most combat adept here, but don't forget that you're not immune from a bite." Ramon corrected, wanting Frasier to remember that the dead were to not be taken lightly.

"I appreciate the concerns, Ramon. This shouldn't take very long anyways. Should be back long before sundown." Frasier said in acknowledgment to his long time friend before leaving for the small car parked not too far away.

Moments later, Khota pulled the release lever on the gate system. Both large doors on the northern wall steadily opened up to reveal a perfectly clear path for the time being.

"Remember the rules for going outside?" Frasier asked Corvo as they both buckled up and began to drive through the gates.

"Always stick by your side." Corvo said confidently as he showed no problem remembering one of the more basic rules.

"Unless...?" Frasier added as he watched his son take a moment to recollect his memory.

"Unless you're fighting the monsters or you tell me to." Corvo answered moments later as he looked up, waiting for approval for remembering what he thought was the correct answer.

"Correct. Now what do you do when you aren't with me?" Frasier replied before tacking another question onto the list.

"Look for a place to hide and keep quiet. Unless you're calling for me." Corvo said, not only answering the current question, but also preemptively answering what he was sure would be the next question.

"Very good, son. So you were paying attention after all." Frasier said with a somewhat surprised expression, seeing how much information his son could retain from his safety contingencies.

"So how come Miyu can't come with us?" Corvo asked as he was looking out the windows, observing every last detail he could see while feeling safe that nothing could jump out and attack him.

"She's going to be spending the day with mommy." Frasier answered bluntly as he concentrated on the road along with any signs of the dead in case They had snuck up on their territory.

"Oh." Corvo muttered under his breath.

It was silent for a while. Neither one said a word until Corvo began to build up the courage to bring something up to his father. He still felt guilty and responsible for what had happened weeks ago.

"Dad...I'm sorry about everything we did." Corvo apologized as he looked down at his feet, feeling that aching pit of his stomach starting to clench again the more he thought about what they did.

"It's okay, Corvo. You're just a kid and kids are naturally drawn to adventure and mystery. And everybody makes mistakes, not just children. I just want you to know that your mother and the others were very worried about you all. Nothing means more to an adult than their own child, so try to be careful. Learn from your mistakes and don't make them twice." Frasier said in a tone of understanding as he placed one hand on his son's shoulders to comfort him.

"Okay, Dad. I promise." Corvo then said with a smile as he nuzzled against Frasier's forearm.

A warm smile formed along the proud father's face as he knew there wasn't a chance in hell he could remain mad at his own son. He then looked at the piles of plastic bags resting on the back seats and let out a reluctant sigh knowing he could no longer hold his tongue.

"Hey, did you leave that back there?" Frasier asked while hardly restraining a grin, trying his best to keep his eyes on the road yet catching himself watching Corvo's now confused expression.

The puzzled child turned around, barely able to reach back and pull at the numerous bags until his eyes lit up when he began to feel a concealed cardboard box that felt like a present. Eventually he pulled one bag away to reveal a small logo that was made up of a silver sphere with a large green X cutting into it.

"Oh my gosh! Is that an Xbox?! Does it really work?" Corvo instantly began to question in an overly excited voice as he could see the signature symbol peering through the plastic bag. Whether it actually worked though was to still be determined.

"It sure is. Your uncle and I found one a few days ago and figured you kids deserve a little taste of what we had back in our time." Frasier proudly answered, as he was glad to see his son still had that powerful spark of joy flowing through him.

"Will you teach me how it works? Were you any good?" Corvo began to ask as he was eager to know of his father's past.

"I-I...personally haven't used one before...but your Uncle and Mr. Hirano certainly have." Frasier hesitantly answered, as he remembered how he had never even touched a controller before, feeling yet another part of his life he missed out on.

"It's okay. We can learn together. I love you so much, dad!" Corvo warmly acknowledged, as he couldn't keep still in his seat, his small arms wrapping around his father's side affectionately.

"I love you too, Corvo. Officially you're still grounded, so I want you to act like you're still being punished. We can bust it out later tonight when you're mother goes to bed." Frasier warmly said before having to pull his son back down to reality.

"I don't know. She has really good hearing. I don't wanna make her mad again." Corvo suddenly said in a different tone, bouncing between fear and caution.

"I'll try to wear her out so she'll be too tired to hear us when she falls asleep." Frasier said in order to reassure his son that his plan would work without Saeko's knowledge.

"By sparring with her?" Corvo asked as he kept looking back at the now poorly concealed Xbox. His heart was racing as all he could think about now was playing it.

"Yes...that's exactly what I meant by that." Frasier said as he had to somewhat restrain a chuckle while he pulled up to the side of the road, knowing that Alice and Yulia couldn't be very far away from them now.

Once they started walking down the road, it wasn't even ten minutes until they found Alice, Yulia and Zeke with the truck, both girls struggling to catch their breath as though they had only just gotten here before Frasier and Corvo did. Once Frasier saw the nearly destroyed windshield and the large dent in the hood of the truck, he couldn't help but furrow his brow in slight disapproval.

"So, would either of you mind telling me just what happened?" Frasier asked in a stern manner, causing both girls to go stiff, as though they were both struggling to think of just what exactly to say.

"Well…we were coming back from that Meadow place near Sandhurst, and…well, a deer jumped out, and…well, I guess the rest is pretty self-explanatory." Alice finally admitted, even momentarily earning a surprised look from Frasier.

"For real? We live in a world where you're literally the only car on the road, and you still managed to hit something?" Frasier asked incredulously, almost as though he were struggling to picture the event himself.

"Yeah, that's pretty much what we said too." Yulia piped in, clearly just as embarrassed as Alice was.

"Alright. Well, first thing's first. We're gonna need to get this thing out of the mud. Alice, get in the drivers seat, start the engine and don't put your foot on the gas until I say so." Frasier instructed as Alice climbed into the truck, thankful to hear the engine was still able to turn on without any struggle.

Frasier situated himself behind the truck, pulling his sleeves up as he proceeded to grab onto the rear bumper, positioning his legs well apart from each other, bending his knees in preparation. Alice shifted the truck into neutral as she looked out the window back towards Frasier.

"Alright, ready? Here we go!" Frasier called out to her as he instantly started to lift with his legs as hard as he possibly could, only barely managing to lift the rear of the truck no more than an inch off the ground. With his arms already burning with unimaginable strain, Frasier quickly got to work pushing the best he could, causing the truck to slowly lurch forward just a little bit. But it was that momentum he was looking for.

"GAS! NOW!" Frasier shouted, desperate to set the truck down before his muscles pretty much burst. Wasting no time, Alice slammed her foot down on the gas pedal, and the high-pitched whirring of the wheels sounded out, signaling for Frasier to let go. The instant he did, the truck immediately started speeding up the rise in a temporary moment of no control before it finally made its way back onto the asphalt, quickly coming to a stop once more.

Alice and Yulia couldn't help but let out a momentary cheer as Frasier tried to catch his breath as he and Corvo climbed up the hill back onto the street to meet the girls once again.

"Oh man, thank you so much, Frasier! I was worried we'd gone through all this trouble for nothing." Alice thanked him as she couldn't help but practically jump and throw her arms around him like a 16 year old girl who'd just gotten her first car from her dad. Frasier let her have her moment before setting her back onto her feet.

"Speaking of which, what did you girls come all the way out here for, anyway?" Frasier asked in genuine curiosity. Usually the girls didn't come out this far from home unless it was for something genuinely important.

"Well, you know we're well into Fall right now, so we thought we could get some more jackets and some heaters for everyone. We really hit the jackpot in both regards." Yulia explained as Frasier couldn't help but look over all the decently sized radiators and plastic tubs full of jackets and scarves and gloves and such, clearly impressed with their haul.

"Wow, good thinking girls. You actually thought of something even before I did." Frasier congratulated, both girls smiling even brighter at such a humble acknowledgment from their respective big brother figure.

"Now, I believe you said there was something else you really NEEDED to show me?" Frasier asked curiously snapping both girls out of their momentary reverie, and both their expressions visibly darkened as he could clearly see they were struggling with what to say.

"Well, you see, it's not exactly with us. It's a little ways back the way you came." Alice hesitantly answered, and by this point, Frasier's curiosity was truly piqued.

"Alright. Take us there. We'll follow you." Frasier stated bluntly as he and Corvo were already making their way down the road back to where they'd left their car. By this point, even Corvo was anxious to see what the girls so desperately needed to show his old man that they couldn't just tell him.

Once father and son had gotten back into their car, the truck was already drifting past them, and with one u-turn, Frasier was soon hot on their tail. After a twenty minute drive that seemed to last nowhere near as long, the truck pulled to the side of the road, prompting Frasier to follow suit. Once they'd all gotten out, Frasier could see both girls were by this point even more fearful, and his curiosity slowly gave way to strong concern.

"It's just over that hill up there." Alice explained as she pointed to the small single house that just barely peaked over the top. Not wanting to waste any more time, Frasier motioned for everyone to follow him. As everyone followed, Alice and Yulia exchanged frightened glances with each other, neither of them sure just what to expect once Frasier saw this.

Soon they were back in the familiar small graveyard, and when Frasier gave the girls a glance, signaling for them to show him just what it was he was supposed to be seeing, they hesitantly stepped forward and began to walk among the mossy headstones, until they both stopped and simultaneously pointed to a small one that stood just between two taller ones. Such a thing would've easily been missed by anyone not paying attention. Frasier could practically feel goosebumps as he slowly approached the headstone the girls pointed out. Every footstep felt a hundred pounds heavier as his mind couldn't help but race in wonder of just what could've been the big deal. However, once his eyes landed on the small grave, he could suddenly feel his whole body go stiff, and his heart nearly jump up into his throat. He could feel a very unpleasant coldness going up his spine, as he couldn't take his eyes away. This was a chill he'd rarely felt, yet knew all too well. This feeling was…genuine and unparalleled fear.

"What the hell...IS THIS?!" Frasier began to wonder in a calm voice before he lost it at the sight before him. His fists were trembling, as he could do nothing but stare aghast at the tombstone before him.

'Here lies Frasier Alexander Markle: beloved son, brother. 1994-2009' was all that read on the worn down stone firmly planted into the dirt.

"No clue. We just found it while trying to walk back home, and...well, we figured you'd know what to make of it." Alice responded as she tried to explain herself while trying to avoid provoking Frasier any further than he already was.

"What makes you think I'd have any clue on this?! Do I look like I should be six feet under?" Frasier snarled before his tone shifted into a more uncertain one as if he was losing a grip on reality. Part of him even was hoping for this to be some kind of nightmare he'd wake up from any second now.

"I'm sorry, girls. You did nothing wrong. Only thing that remains is to see who's buried down there instead of me." Frasier then brought up before he hugged the confused girl.

Alice then just sighed before realizing Corvo was looking at the tombstone with a concerned look.

"I thought these were only for people who were already gone. You're not gonna go...are you, Dad?" Corvo then brought up in such an innocent tone it actually caused Frasier to pause to register his son's question.

"Of course not, Corvo. I'd never let anything come between my little champion and me. Don't you worry about a thing," Frasier said in a reassuring voice to calm Corvo's nerves. A quick sideways glance spotted a shovel just barely concealed in the overgrown grass. At least that was less time wasted before he could finally start getting some now much needed answers.

Not wanting to waste a single second, he slid the shovel down, scooping up the first of many clumps of dirt that stood between him and the truth. Alice and Yulia soon began to pitch in while Corvo sat on the cobblestone wall, playing lookout for any signs of danger.

After an hour of digging through the mud and dirt, eventually the three shovels unearthed a wooden coffin that sounded anything but hollow judging by the sound made when striking it. Without wanting to wait another second, Frasier swing his shovel down over and over until there was a gaping hole in the coffin to reveal no remains whatsoever.

"I'm guessing they didn't bother putting in a skeleton. What do you two think is really in there?" Frasier asked as he single handedly dragged the heavy coffin out onto the surface for further examination.

"Maybe we shouldn't. I know you don't like to talk about your father that much, but I've heard plenty of stories from Marcus. Do you really want to know what's in this thing?" Alice brought up as she watched Frasier mentally step back to debate what really was in this mysterious coffin.

*Clang*

"No point wondering what it is now that we've already come this far." Yulia suddenly intervened as she grabbed a crowbar only to pry the entire lid off, causing dust to kick up in everyone faces.

"Way to wait for him to even answer!" Alice lashed out in a lecturing tone before covering her mouth.

Yulia shrugged but then watched as the dust began to clear to reveal what was truly waiting to be discovered this entire time. A small yet heavily locked black box just sat there in place of what should've been a body.

"Must be something really important inside. Should we bust it open?" Yulia suggested as she preemptively began to raise the crowbar over her head.

"No…maybe another time. Right now I have to show Corvo how the dead work. You two take it back home and rest. Alice, you take the truck, and Yulia can take our car. We'll be walking from here. We're done." Frasier said in a grim voice as he could only imagine the secret behind the black box.

"And Alice, Yulia...thank you." Frasier announced just as the two were about to drive off. They soon hoisted the box into the back of the pickup truck and pretty soon were driving off down the road, leaving Frasier and Corvo alone.

"Alright, Corvo. The last time I checked the map; there should be a small village a little ways west of here. I should think that'd be a decent place to carry out your training for today." Frasier instructed as he was already quickly walking in that very direction, spurring Corvo to quickly run after him.

After about ten minutes, the first of a few small brick buildings became visible through the trees, and soon father and son found themselves standing within a modest, tiny village. The only sounds to be heard was the rustling of dead leaves on the ground as the wind occasionally picked up. There wasn't any sign of life to be seen anywhere, undead or otherwise.

After several minutes of walking through the empty streets, Corvo began to become impatient as his feet became sore. All he could think about was what could his father possibly teach him all the way out here, so far away from home.

"I don't like walking so much. Why couldn't we have just taken the car and let Alice and Yulia just take the truck?" Corvo asked in a somewhat irritated voice while looking up to see Frasier surveying the new town they had traversed into. Every new area was an adventure just waiting for the young boy to explore.

"Shhh. Keep your voice down, son. First thing you need to know about the undead is how They work. They can't see with Their eyes, so They use sound to look for prey. Second thing you should know is that They can't feel pain, so the only way to stop Them is to damage to the brain. Last but not least, you must avoid being bitten or scratched at all costs. Understand?" Frasier began to explain while he went step by step like he was reading from a textbook.

Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Corvo couldn't help but notice a man in a tattered, grimy brown suit limping towards them. Seeing how Frasier wasn't reacting to it, he knew he had to warn him.

"Umm, Dad..." Corvo began to speak up only to be instantly cut off seconds later.

"I'm serious, Corvo. You need to understand how important it is that you're old enough to learn ways to defend yourself and your family back home. I won't be around forever to protect everyone." Frasier continued, showing no signs of awareness on the impending danger behind him.

"But Dad! There's a..." Corvo said in a much louder and assertive voice, causing Frasier to quickly hush him up once more.

"Corvo! Just relax, okay? You never want to raise your voice out here. It could attract-" Frasier hissed before continuing his lecture.

However, just as the shambling corpse was inches behind him, Frasier simply smirked out of satisfaction and unsheathed his knife only to swing his arm back into the side of it's skull. Corvo just stood there completely shocked that his dad didn't even need to look to kill one of Them.

"-unwanted attention." Frasier then finished as he withdrew his blade, allowing the corpse to collapse behind him as Corvo had the biggest look of admiration on his face.

"That was so cool! Can I try now?!" Corvo asked enthusiastically as he was more than excited to try what appeared to be so simple now.

"Not yet, son. You need to learn how to shoot before you can learn to use a knife. The better you get; the closer you can get to Them. Your best option right now will be to keep a lengthy distance between you and Them." Frasier lectured as the hope and excitement in Corvo's heart was quickly extinguished.

"But Dad!" Corvo began to complain, as he hated it whenever someone told him he was too young to do something.

"Don't worry. One day you'll be as good as me. Maybe even better." Frasier said with a genuine smile on his face before motioning Corvo to follow him up to the rooftops.

"But you're the best. Nobody can beat you. How can I possibly be better?" Corvo questioned as Frasier pulled down a fire escape ladder for them to use.

"It's only natural that the son eventually overtakes the father. My father feared my power and sent me away for it. I did everything he asked of me, and in the end I was punished for it." Frasier explained as they sat along the rooftop watching the undead figures slowly pulling themselves out from every hiding spot possible.

"You two saw each other again, right?" Corvo then asked with a concerned look in his young eyes, hoping that this story had a happier ending.

Frasier took a moment to debate whether or not he should tell his son how the real story between them ended. He soon snapped back into reality when he heard the various groans and echoes of the zombies patiently waiting for them down below.

"We finally met three years later. Just days after the monsters showed up and changed everything. Your grandfather was already doomed, but he was the most stubborn man to ever exist. We fought side by side against what felt like hundreds of Them."

"While I remained strong, he was getting closer to death with every second that passed. Eventually, we were pushed back into a corner where he realized that despite how he treated me, I was still ready to die for him. With that knowledge, he made one last sacrifice and ensured that I would survive our final encounter." Frasier said as Corvo could only imagine someone even stronger and deadlier than his own father.

Without saying a word, Corvo wrapped his small arms around Frasier's neck. There was a momentary pause between both of them before Corvo spoke up once more.

"I don't want to be against you. I always want to be on your team every time, Dad." Corvo expressed in a tone that showed nothing but loyalty and care for his father.

"You and I will always be a team. Nothing will keep me from protecting you." Frasier vowed as he kept Corvo close to him, a soft sigh escaping through his nose.

"There sure are a lot of monsters down there, Dad. Should we call Mom for help?" Corvo suggested as he felt a rising sense of danger from the many grey faces looking up at him with hungered expressions.

"Maybe a lot for you, son. But for me, this is a piece of cake. Why don't you sit back and watch how good you will be one day." Frasier responded in a confident manner before pulling out two combat knifes with a grin forming along his lips.

-

Several minutes later…

Frasier stood there in the middle of the street, hardly phased by the mini massacre he just preformed on Them. He then heard something nearby that put him on alert; a sound that didn't sound natural here, but one that he almost instinctively recognized. His eyes quickly scanned the area for any abnormalities or changes from earlier.

Before he knew it, machine gun fire suddenly went off, causing him to immediately jump behind a nearby car. Corvo instinctively ducked down on the rooftop, only to hear footsteps coming from the alleyway down below.

"Keep up that fire! Don't let him make a single move!" a rough voice announced as multiple men dressed in matching military-looking uniforms, continued to keep Frasier pinned in place.

Frasier kept low as he waited for the perfect opportunity to strike back. He counted every bullet that was fired. However, what nobody expected was when Corvo boldly defended his father by firing his own pistol at the men, causing them to flinch out of response.

"Leave my dad alone!" Corvo shouted at the top of his lungs, only for him to hear a dreaded clicking noise when the clip in his gun was completely dry. The armed men quickly aimed for him, giving Frasier the opportunity he needed.

Before anyone could even remotely line their sights near Corvo, Frasier jumped onto the hood of the bullet ridden car. With the flick of his wrist, one of his knives flew through the air only to wedge right into the neck of his closest target. A grotesque gargling noise was all that could be heard before he dropped dead to the ground.

Corvo stood in awe as he watched his father leap from the car and pin the next man down with sheer weight and force. When the third one aimed his rifle back at Frasier, the now fully-grown Brit casually slapped the weapon aside before slamming his second knife into his eye socket.

Not even giving him a chance to bleed out or pass out from the pain, Frasier slammed the well-armed assailant head first into the car headlight, causing it to shatter. He did it again and again until there was nothing left for him to smash.

Frasier then switched his sights on the figure trying to crawl away on the ground before him. Breathing heavily, Frasier snatched up a rifle before kicking the downed man in the back of the head, causing his helmet to come flying off. Frasier paused for a moment to witness the fear and terror in the man's eyes.

"You sons of bitches come into my country, my home, and think I'd go down so easily?" Frasier asked in a rage just moments before slamming the butt of the rifle down repeatedly to the point even Corvo could hear the sound of bone being shattered like fragile glass.

Before Corvo could come out of hiding, more gunshots rang out to reveal more of these men had arrived on the scene, but Frasier was well aware of the threat already. All the young boy could do was watch as his father bolted from cover to cover only to hold his finger to the trigger until the clip was dry.

'I have not...' Frasier thought in the back of his mind before blasting away two men who attempted to flank him mid-thought.

'…Come this far...' he continued as he kicked back a grenade tossed at him, watching as several men were blown apart by the explosion.

'…To die now!' Frasier finished as he tossed the rifle aside when he could no longer restrain his primal instincts to use a blade.

After dashing past several volleys, he slashed right through several well-equipped troopers before suddenly being punched across the jaw by a figure wearing all black military gear that clearly made him stand out from the others.

His eyes were as black as coal, a very thin buzz cut with no facial hair whatsoever. He was no less than 6'4" with a body so dense with muscle and mass, it made even Frasier seem like a 98 lb. weakling in contrast. However, that certainly didn't stop the Brit from trying.

The brute of a man just dodged whatever was thrown at him before he would counter with a hit so hard it would cause Frasier to become momentarily dazed. No matter what he tried, he was always being countered and his attacks rendered useless. After a few rounds, he eventually fell to one knee, his face bleeding from the side while his lungs gasped for air.

'I have to beat this guy and warn everyone back home.' Frasier thought to himself before he barely jumped out of the way when the man stomped down where he was previously.

However, the powerful foe anticipated this and charged forward to deliver a punishing blow. He committed so much into his attack though he didn't even notice the caltrops Frasier had dropped until it was far too late to change his course. A sharp pain shot through his foot, causing the heavily built figure to stumble forward, giving Frasier the perfect line up for an attack.

Bone crunching sounds pierced the air as Frasier punched the man back and forth with everything he had left in him. His opponent could barely stand with the steel traps sinking into his boot, let alone defend himself or engage any effective counter attacks.

Showing no quarter whatsoever, Frasier kicked right at the kneecap, causing him to crumble down. Grabbing his knife, the Brit body slammed him right into a brick wall, knocking out all the wind he had left in him.

Meanwhile, Corvo began to scale down the ladder to hear what was going on since Frasier was too far away to be heard. He saw no danger in doing so, seeing how he figured his dad had won.

"Tell me who sent you and I'll be sure to grant you a quick, painless death." Frasier demanded as he kept the man pinned to the wall with a blade to his throat.

"Heh, I the boss said you'd be good…but I'll bet even he didn't think you'd be THIS good…" the man grunted in a calm yet surprised tone of voice. He then watched a rising flare of anger boil up within Frasier's eyes.

Without any warning, Frasier slid the steel edge along the exposed flesh on the man's cheek, leaving a deep gash. Blood seeped from the nasty wound while bits of flesh hung loosely.

"I'm not going to ask you again. WHO ARE YOU WORKING FOR?!" Frasier roared out as he slammed the man against the wall with the blade now aimed for his stomach.

"You might be too skilled for us. But can you say the same for your son?" the mysterious man then questioned as Frasier turned his head to see Corvo running out towards him, completely unaware of the zombie that was laying in the street, waiting for him to run by.

"Corvo! Get out of here! This place isn't safe for you!" Frasier cried out as he released his vice grip on the man only to run at full speed towards his reckless son, who had become an easy target.

"This place isn't safe for anyone." the bleeding man said with a stone cold look on his face as he lifted his sidearm up and aimed straight at Corvo after Frasier crushed the corpse laying in wait.

"Did you win? Is it safe now?" Corvo questioned as he ran up only to see his father was now running towards him as if this was only the beginning.

Just as Frasier wrapped his arms around Corvo, he heard the sound of a gunshot piercing the air. A red line then streaked across his mind, followed by a burst of unimaginable pain the likes of which he hadn't felt before. Corvo then felt a splash of warm, fresh blood cover his cheek as Frasier stumbled forwards as if he lost all control of his motor senses for a second.

"Dad! You've been shot!" Corvo cried out in a horrified tone when he saw the bloody exit wound in Frasier's shoulder match the extremely painful expression on his face.

With the knowledge that he was the only thing keeping Corvo alive, Frasier quickly grabbed his son's sidearm with his free hand and managed to unexpectedly spin around, firing a counter shot that barely missed the mystery assailant who dodged it just by moving his head aside.

Afterwards, Frasier quickly holstered the gun and took Corvo in both his arms before running as fast as his two legs would permit him. His heart slammed repeatedly against his chest while his wounded shoulder was surging with an intense, throbbing pain. Yes he'd been impaled through the hand and had a piece of one of his ears blown off before, but this was the first time he'd ever experienced a full-on gunshot wound, entry and exit wound and all. None of the grueling training or stories or previous fights would've ever prepared him for just how painful really getting shot was.

"Do you think he'll make it out there after being hit like that?" a female voice through a headset of the mystery attacker asked after witnessing the entire scene through a mini-cam latched onto his shoulder.

"If he can shoot back with near perfect aim like that, I can imagine so. He'll survive all right. Send a pickup team for him while the rest takes care of his group back at their base. Let's hit these guys where it hurts." the man ordered before he wiped the blood off of his face and smiled to himself, knowing this was only just the beginning.

-  
>During all this time, everyone was still going about their daily business like any other day. All except for one violet-haired swordswoman.<p>

Saeko stood on top of the northern wall. It was going to rain soon, and she hated the idea of Frasier being out there with their son and no one else to watch their backs. If anything were to happen to her husband out there, it was likely Corvo wouldn't be able to handle himself for very long. As strong as Frasier was, even Saeko knew he wasn't invincible.

"You shouldn't be so tense, Saeko. He'll be back soon enough. He always comes back." Rhys suddenly announced as he climbed up to resume the rest of his watch.

"It's one thing for him to go out on his own, Rhys. But to bring Corvo with him and have no backup with him doesn't sit well with me. I have no clue what would happen if I lost anyone in my family. They're the only reason I'm still sane to this day." Saeko explained as she crossed her arms, feeling somewhat ashamed that she had come to rely on others to keep her from becoming nothing more than a monster.

"His methods are quite unorthodox, but this world is constantly changing around us. First it was just learning about how to fight back against Them, and once that became easier, then it became all about fighting back against the living on top of everything else, whether it be people desperate enough to survive to kill other humans or psychos who didn't need to worry about society's rules anymore. I think in the end, Frasier's just trying to help Corvo prepare himself for anything and everything he could run into out there one day.

"You know, before he died, my brother once said that you shouldn't bother trying to change a person, but rather what influences them. I guess if there weren't any walking corpses or nut jobs around, he'd have no reason to do this." Rhys shared as Saeko smiled to herself, realizing that no matter how hard she tried, Frasier was always going to be stubborn and risky.

"Thank you, Rhys. It sounds like your brother had a good head on his shoulders. I guess I should start sharpening my blades then if I can ever expect Frasier to stay in one place for very long without going on a killing spree." Saeko said out of gratitude before she then turned to see all the other kids were eagerly listening to Ramon strum his guitar strings while telling another story. One that Saya had pre-approved, of course.

"Don't worry about it, Saeko. Yeah, he always seemed to know just what to say in any situation. To be honest, that's probably one of the biggest things I miss about him. Heh. That reminds me of this one time when-" Rhys began to explain, only to be cut off from the sound of a rifle as the side of his head splattered blood across Saeko's face when a bullet strayed right through his temple, killing him instantly.

For a solid couple of seconds, everyone in the group felt time slow down when they realized something was wrong, seeing how that shot clearly wasn't from one of their own weapons. In a few heartbeats, everyone was scrambling. While the kids looked around in fear, the adults were all quickly springing into action.

Saeko quickly ducked behind Rhys' body as more rounds began to fly overhead to pin her in place. Johann, Brandon, Alexia, Rika, and Khota rushed over to converge for a counterattack. Rei bolted for the kids; practically taking them all into her arms while Ramon urged them to move into the nearest home for shelter. Alice and Yulia meanwhile sprinted for the armory to grab their weapons after tossing the black box aside.

"Rika! Khota! Get to high ground, find cover and find out who the fuck's shooting at us! Everyone else secure that gate! They can't get in any other way." Marcus ordered as he quickly took command. The first thing on his mind though was to ensure that Saeko was still alive.

Marcus made his way up the nearest ladder, only to let out a sigh of relief when he could see Saeko was still moving despite her situation. Luckily, none of the rounds whizzing overhead managed to hit her.

"Saeko! Just stay down and let us handle this! Whoever these guys are, they're packing serious heat!" Marcus shouted over the deafening barrage of gunfire. He could tell these hostiles were certainly using high quality weapons here. The only question was who would have access to such a thing?

Saeko nodded as she clenched her fists tight, hating the fact she was so useless in a ranged fight. The others quickly took cover behind the safety of the wall and instantly began to return fire upon any moving figures they could see.

'Holy shit. What the fuck is going on?!' Johann thought worriedly to himself as he managed to pick off one of the men trying to move in for a closer shot. He instantly was forced to duck down when a storm of bullets began pounding his part of the wall.

Clearly their foe was trained for heavy combat, but at this range, it was quite unclear who they were or why they were even here in the first place. The morning fog had made it incredibly difficult to make out any key details beyond just black silhouettes that kept ducking every time someone shot at them.

After helping Rei get the children into the relative safety of her house, Ramon quickly joined up with the others and began to lay down a suppressive fire. He then noticed two small canisters rolled out onto the street.

"Heads up! They're moving in through the smoke!" Ramon warned as white smoke began to spew from the cans, making it nearly impossible to see where the enemy was.

Without any thermal goggles or sights, the survivors on the wall could do nothing but wait for it to clear while their attackers began to move in for closer engagement. While the wall wasn't built for heavy fighting, it certainly held up against mere small arms fire. Bullets would either be soaked up by the heavy wooden beams or ricochet from the random bits of metal welded on.

"How can we fight what we can't see?" Alexia asked anxiously as she began to load several shells into her shotgun.

"They can't exactly see us either, so don't shoot unless you know you're going to hit one of them." Marcus whispered back to her as she cautiously peeked over the edge of the wall.

Just as he finished that sentence, a single shot rang out from the other side. Everyone ducked down in reaction before checking themselves for any bullet wounds they weren't aware of seeing.

"Everyone alright?" Marcus asked only to see Alexia standing up still with a wide-eyed expression.

At first he didn't understand, but soon enough he saw the gaping hole in her neck that had left her choking on her own blood while the rest of her body remained in total shock, unable to move. Eventually her body collapsed under its own weight and remained motionless when it hit the ground.

"Son of a bitch...everyone keep down! Those bastards are using thermal goggles!" Marcus sighed before calling out to everyone else to warn them of the now obvious threat.

"I can't believe this. First Rhys, now Alexia? Tell me you have the shooters position by now." Khota grunted in sorrow before looking over to Rika while they laid on the rooftop of his house to provide counter sniping.

"Last I checked I was #5 back home. Bastard is most likely in one of those houses. I just hope one of those traps Frasier and Marcus worked on actually works." Rika responded before she tried to determine based off of the sound and angle of the shot as to where Alexia's shooter could be hiding.

***Crack* **

Another round cracked through the air, causing everyone on the wall to look around confusedly. Moments later, the sound of a body dropping could be heard coming from the opposing side. A satisfied grin formed on Rika's lips, as she knew she still had the skills.

After a quiet stalemate, the smoke soon cleared to reveal that nobody out there had moved a muscle. It was merely a ruse to get them to pop their heads up only for the sniper to pick them off. A painful feeling struck Marcus through the gut when he realized they had been so reckless.

"At least we took out a sniper." Johann commented when he was the first to spot a motionless figure huddled over a pool of blood in the distance.

"But who's to say if that was the only one? Okay, time to even these odds. Brandon! You have any explosives on you?" Marcus asked quietly, just in case their attackers could speak English.

"Just a little bit. Why? I doubt we can throw a grenade that far." Brandon asked before the shooting suddenly started up again.

"Oh no, I'm talking about the big ones! We haven't maintained those old buildings, so if I put enough explosives on one side...well, you'll see what I mean." Marcus responded as he then noticed Alice and Yulia running over to him to help.

"Oh no! You two get back and make sure Rei and the kids are still safe!" Marcus shouted as he dashed their hopes of getting to fight with them.

"But we can fight now! Don't just throw us on the sidelines like we're still little girls!" both of them said in unison, only for Marcus to finally lose his temper when a stray bullet nearly hit him when he had almost all his attention focused on them.

"I SAID GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE, YOU BRATS!" Marcus roared out at them in a flash of rage, causing his entire face to turn red from such an outburst. The others beside him momentarily paused when they saw him lose his cool for the very first time with the girls.

Suddenly, as if he somehow harnessed the rage within, Marcus sat up and managed to pick off four targets that were all popping out to deliver another volley at them. His heart raced out of relief when he could see each one was hit with a clean headshot.

Alice and Yulia instantly bolted away, realizing there was no use in trying to argue with him. Part of them even feared how he'd react if he saw them stealing Brandon's explosives and now using the back entrance through the wall to flank the enemy.

"It's probably best we don't tell him." Alice brought up as she carried a heavy backpack filled with their ace in the hole while Yulia kept a pistol in hand to cover them both.

"Yeah." Yulia agreed while they quickly entered a nearby building that was adjacent to the homes the enemy were heavily encamped in.

Alice tossed the backpack onto the floor before she opened it up to reveal it was filled to the brim with explosives. While Yulia kept watch on the outside, Alice began to tape multiple I.E.D.s (Improvised Explosive Devices) along the main support beams of the worn structure.

"Hey! What the hell are you two kids doing here?!" a male voice suddenly asked, causing both girls to spin around only to see a man wearing an olive drab uniform with no official military markings or insignias. His equipment even made the good stuff Frasier used look cheap in comparison.

With no response from the clearly hesitant girls, the man kept his rifle raised while his eyes began to scan the room only to realize the entire place was rigged to blow.

"Holy-" he began to mutter under his breath only to be silenced when Yulia shot him point blank in the face the moment he looked back at them. While she was young, her face said it all: no regret.

Meanwhile at the wall...

"I don't get it...I just checked my workstation, and there's nothing there!" Brandon announced as he came running back to Marcus to report his unfortunate discovery.

"Shit! Guess we'll need to do this the old fashioned way then." Marcus grumbled before he noticed a flash from a pistol coming from the very building he intended to detonate.

"Oh, they didn't..." Marcus groaned, as he knew deep down that Yulia and Alice were down there and were now completely exposed if anyone tried to go after them.

Seconds later, he watched as the two teenagers came scurrying out of the back exit while something even worse appeared from the east. What neither side anticipated was how close a nearby horde just a couple kilometers out were. While the group had the protection and leverage on the undead, those on street level quickly broke cover by sprinting towards the very building rigged to blow.

"Now!" Yulia shouted, even though Alice was more than happy enough to oblige on her own accord by pressing the button.

Those that were not consumed by the raging fires, ripped apart by the shrapnel or crushed from the wreckage were forced to retreat. Despite their obvious skill, the risk of either being shot or eaten was too great.

"Their defense is broken. Now's our chance!" Johann announced as everyone unleashed everything they had on the opposing force. While most were retreating, some tried their best to return fire, one of them managing to nail Brandon in the shoulder.

"Agh, motherfucker, that hurts!" Brandon growled as he sat against the wall trying his best to look over the wound to see if it simply went through or if the bullet had fractured inside.

"Keep still and let me see!" Marcus instructed in a firm tone as he began to observe the wound, only to see that the bullet had in fact went through cleanly.

"You're good, Brandon. Go have Shizuka patch it up so you don't bleed all over the-" Marcus ordered before he found himself pausing when there was a loud booming sound not too far from the area.

"No fucking way." Brandon muttered in hopeless shock as soon enough the source of the sound had reared just around the corner.

Just when it seemed like the enemy was beginning to fall back, things only went from bad to FUBAR when out from behind the buildings rolled out what appeared to be light tank. In a single blast, roughly 20 of Them were sent flying back while the rest ended up being crushed under the powerful treads.

Marcus just stood there paralyzed in shock as he watched the barrel of the vehicle slowly turning towards his position. There was no way they would be able to get close enough to do any real damage to it.

"Fucking move it!" Brandon announced as he shoved Marcus off the wall and onto the roof of the jeep parked below.

In a momentary daze, Marcus could only watch as a bright flash enveloped around Brandon. His senses quickly came back to him when the loud explosion and the heat from the blast interrupted the personal silence. Just like that, another one of his friends was gone, and it had only been roughly 30 minutes.

"Come on! Stop laying about and keep moving!" Saeko snapped as she and Ramon began to pull Marcus off of the roof while the others quickly dismounted the wall to avoid being blasted into pieces like poor Brandon.

"Get off of me! I don't need help...just go get the vehicles ready, get whatever supplies and ammo you can, and get the kids while there's still time! They may have a goddamn tank, but those walls should outlast anything it can throw for a little while." Marcus ordered, as he had no choice but to suppress his sorrow for those who were just killed and continue on as emergency leader.

While everyone scrambled for supplies and spare ammunition, the tank continued its barrage against the heavily reinforced walls. Even though decent chunks were being blown off, the tank crew also was now on a set time limit regarding how the undead were going to be all over it in just a few minutes.

"How long do you think it will last until we can clear out?" Ramon asked, only for a tank shot to be fired without an explosion followed afterwards.

"Oh no...no, no, no! Cover! Everyone find cover!" Marcus began to mutter to himself as he could hear the whistle of the shell-flying overhead, only to crash into a nearby tree that crushed three of their trucks, forcing them to escape on foot.

"Are you fucking serious? Can't we get a goddamn break already?!" Rika growled as she grit her teeth together, trying her best to remain calm despite how more and more desperate their situation was becoming by the minute.

Another shot fired and struck the middle of the street, leaving a large crater along with chunks of asphalt flying everywhere. Nobody dared move a muscle, seeing how the tank was only able to volley its shots over the wall. Luckily it couldn't see them or it would've been over by now.

"Marcus, where the hell are the kids?!" Johann asked desperately as he crawled under a wooden fence to regroup with everyone else after his quick search turned up no traces of them.

"Rei took them inside your house." Ramon answered as he recalled exactly where he'd last seen them.

"REI!" Johan suddenly screamed as he charged out towards his home without any regard for his own personal safety.

"Johann, wait! STOP!" Marcus called out as he sprinted right after Johann while another tank shot went off.

**[American History X OST – Benedictus]**

Just as both men were in the front yard, they were instantly and violently thrown back when the tank shell made a direct hit on the house. Both were sent flying back against the hard street as debris flew everywhere, the raging fire nearly scalding from their distance. The sound eventually caught up as everyone couldn't help but look at the towering inferno that was once Johann's house.

Johann remained completely motionless while Marcus was on his back, groaning in agonizing pain. He then sat up to see that Johann was still breathing. What Marcus didn't consciously notice was that now half of his field of vision was completely gone, but he didn't currently care why.

Johann groaned in pain as he slowly managed to get off his back and slowly take in his surroundings in a daze, his head painfully ringing after being so close to such a deafening blast. But once his vision finally cleared and he could see the blazing inferno that was once his house, that's when he literally felt his throat go dry and his entire body grow cold and stiff, unable to move no matter how much he wanted it to. Everything fell silent until he could finally feel the words erupt from his mouth.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Johann shrieked as he was instantly on his feet and sprinting into the burning wreckage with Marcus quickly following after him. The now scalding, stinging sensation of his tears filling his eyes and flowing down his face didn't even begin to register to him as he immediately began desperately digging through the painfully scorching rubble burning into his hands, desperate for some sign, some kind of hope.

"Johann, for god's sake, man, we have to get out of here!" Marcus shouted into Johann's mentally deaf ears as he grabbed him by the collar to try and drag him out of this inferno. But what he didn't count on was Johann struggling like a madman until finally socking him in the gut to make him let go.

The devastated young German immediately began to practically throw every bit of scalding rubble in his way aside until a momentary glance up into the smoke filled, stinging air suddenly showed him something that almost literally froze his blood cold: two thin, silk ribbons, lightly singed, gliding through the air towards him, almost in an ethereal manner.

Johann was literally at a loss for words as his hands instinctively reached up to grab the two thin ribbons from the air, looking at them both with wide, completely unreadable eyes. He knew what these were the instant he saw them. One of them was the unmistakable black ribbon Rei always used to tie her small ponytail with, and the other was one of the pink ribbons Kiriko tied her twintails with. Both were lightly singed and already covered in microscopic burn marks and ashes. He couldn't even feel his tears raining down into his badly burned palms, as Johann couldn't even muster up the strength to scream to the heavens in the most unimaginable, indescribable agony.

Marcus came back to Johann's side, also feeling himself nearly shatter when he saw both ribbons in Johann's hands. He'd clearly seen both girls wearing them just this morning. What this could've possibly meant, he didn't even dare to wonder out loud.

When he grabbed Johann's collar to pull him back onto his feet, Johann didn't struggle. He couldn't even find the strength to stand, consequently forcing Marcus to drag him back to the others as he tried so hard not to cry for what was by far one of the group's most horrible losses.

"No…no, god, please…please don't do this to me…not again….please don't…" Johann was practically mouthing solely to himself as Marcus struggled through the smoke filled air with the one eye he could still currently see out of.

**{}**

"Wait! I think I can see one of them!" Shizuka's voice announced as Marcus continued to drag Johann along with him towards the remnants of the group waiting to help them.

"What about the kids?! Where are they?! Oh god, don't tell me they were still in there!" Saya began to panic as Shizuka began to quickly look over Johann (who had a considerable amount of blood on his clothes) while Marcus kept his head bowed, struggling to catch his breath.

When Saya saw the two burned ribbons in Johann's hands, remembering Michiko was clearly still with Rei the last time she saw her, Saya's legs collapsed under her own weight as she could only pathetically whimper as her vision blurred with her own tears and she felt like her heart was about to burst. And it was then that she started to sob for everyone else to hear.

Once everyone else saw what Johann had, they could all literally feel a part of themselves dying, but none more so than Johann, Saya, Khota and Saeko. Khota could only try to hold Saya as she buried her tear-soaked face into his shoulder, sobbing like an infant as Khota couldn't keep himself from weeping alongside her. As for Saeko, as much as she could literally feel the life being sucked out of her at the very thought of Miyu no longer being there for her to hold in her arms, she didn't dare allow herself to start crying now. Right now, getting the rest of her family to safety was all she could focus on right now. Even Rika couldn't help but openly start weeping with the rest of them.

Shizuka had tears running down her face as she struggled to look Johann over for any injuries that would've caused him to have as much blood on him as he did.

"Don't bother, Shizuka. The worst he's got is burned hands. He's not wounded aside from that." Marcus suddenly said, causing everyone to look at him like he was completely blind.

"Not wounded? How is that possible with all that blood?" Saeko asked in disbelief while everyone else began to wonder if Shizuka was even able to perform under such stress.

"It's not his blood...I-I think it's mine..." Marcus responded as he slowly raised his head, instantly earning looks of horror from the group and especially Shizuka, who look like her heart had been broken at the sight.

"I don't know what's wrong, so be honest. How bad is it?" Marcus asked, completely unaware of his own grievous injury. As blood slowly ran down the side of his dirt-covered face, there was a large shard of glass perfectly wedged into what used to be his left eye socket. Shizuka let out a weak squeal of terror as she instantly rushed over to tend to him.

"Oh God, Marcus! Your eye!" Shizuka weakly muttered as she dashed to his side to try and see if there was even anything she COULD to about it.

"Just leave me...I can barely walk right now, let alone see clearly. Let's face it, right now I'm useless in a fight." Marcus demanded as he fell to one knee, unable to even feel the pain of having glass in his eye while the others were now conflicted with a heavy choice to make.

"Like hell I will! I'm not going to lose you twice!" Shizuka cried out as she rummaged through her medical bag in hopes of finding something to at least stop the blood flow. Despite his hopeless situation, she kept fighting on without any plans on stopping.

A loud explosion then rang out as the gate was finally blown to pieces. Just when things couldn't have possibly gotten any worse, smoke covered the northern entrance, meaning only one thing: their new enemy was moving in on them and fast.

"Oh no...Ramon! Take Shizuka and get out of here! We'll be torn apart if we stay here any longer!" Marcus instructed as he then felt himself kept down by Shizuka's firm grip on him.

"I'm not going to leave, so shut up and let me fix you." Shizuka said in a dead serious tone, causing Marcus to sigh. There was no other choice now.

Marcus suddenly roughly grabbed Shizuka's sides and practically shoved her off of him as he struggled to get back onto his feet. Shizuka couldn't help but look at him in shock that he would've been so rough with her, even despite the desperate situation they were now in.  
>"Dammit, Shizuka, we don't have time for this right now! I'll let you do whatever you have to once we're not getting shot at anymore! Understand?!" Marcus barked angrily, and for a few precious seconds, Shizuka couldn't even think of how to answer him, until she let out a sigh of defeat, which was quickly followed by a spark of unexpected intensity in her eyes.<p>

"C'mon, we need to leave while there's still a chance." Shizuka instructed as she guided Marcus out into the backyard while the others quickly followed after her.

"This way!" whispered Yulia's voice as she and Alice suddenly appeared from behind a gap in the fence, spurring the others to quickly converging on their position while trying to avoid being caught by the next wave.

"You two are alive? Oh thank God." Marcus muttered in a weak voice, seeing how he couldn't help but assume they were killed after the old house exploded.

"Oh God, Marcus, what happened to you?!" Alice couldn't help but squeal with fright at his fucked up eye.

"Never mind that right now, okay?" Marcus almost snapped as he could finally start to feel the throbbing pain in his head beneath the practically burning adrenaline.

"Okay, sorry…so does anyone have any idea who these guys are?" Alice questioned as the group assisted Marcus and Johann into the small hole in the wall they'd managed to sneak through.

"From what I could see, no military badges or insignias, but they fight like pros. These are most likely mercenaries of some kind." Rika answered as she kept watch on any enemy movement. Although why anyone would hire them to attack the group was beyond her. Just then, the familiar and dreaded rumbling grew louder until the tank could finally be seen rounding a corner into their line of sight.

"Fuck me...fall back! Fall back!" Marcus ordered, seeing how they had no chance against the tank if it decided to chase after them.

One by one, they went through the small gap in the wall. While it was far more cramped for them to use, they were determined to escape, no matter what.

"Hey! They're trying to escape! Cut them off!" a random mercenary shouted as he signaled a squad to reroute so they could flank their prey into a kill zone.

Moments after the group was finally past the walls, they darted through a few neighborhoods and towards a nearby area that had no houses or man made developments aside from a few wooden fences, headed right for the expansive English grasslands.

"Run into the tall grass!" Marcus ordered as he directed everyone to enter the large field that was connected to a nearby forest.

Without hesitation, the others ran head first into the tall grass that perfectly concealed their location from the pursuing mercenaries. The long grass was the perfect cover to keep them hidden, but it was also near impossible to see any more than a few feet ahead of themselves.

"Where are we going? I can't tell where I'm going..." Alice announced as she, Yulia and Zeke began to drift apart from the others.

"Just stick close to me! I know the entire layout of this field." Marcus answered as he then noticed a small handmade sign that told him where to go next. He then noticed the sounds of multiple, much heavier feet coming from behind them. It was more than obvious that the mercenaries were right on their tails.

As the footsteps grew louder, the group suddenly turned left when Marcus made a 90-degree spin, taking them down another path while the mercenaries continued to go straight, completely bypassing them.

"Why are we turning? We should just keep going straight to save time and energy." Shizuka questioned in fear as she then heard a blood-curdling scream echo out, followed by gunshots that all became silent just moments later.

"Because Frasier and I set up a contingency, just in case we were ever attacked by someone and they managed to pursue us." Marcus answered with a grin on his face before he then turned right to avoid what could only be presumed to be another trick up his sleeve.

-

Seconds ago, the squad of seven mercenaries were moving in an open formation as they were tracking down the several survivors that had made a break for the fields. They all kept moving forward, their eyes so focused on what was in front of them they didn't even notice the red tape in the dirt.

"Where the hell are they? We can't be-" one of the soldiers began to ask, only to suddenly be cut off as he was pulled back without warning; his gun being all that remained.

"We can't be what, Brad? Brad?! We can't be what?!" one of the others repeated calmly, only to say it a third time in a far more irritated voice.

"I think he tripped. Give him a sec-" another man suggested, only to be cut off when two undead men came out of nowhere and wrestled him to the ground. Their decaying teeth sank into his neck and left arm as he let out a agonizing shout of pain.

"Shit! We've got infected! Open fire!" their lieutenant shouted, only to begin unleashing an entire clip before his legs were pulled out from under him. He came face to face with an infected woman as it bared both sets of rotten teeth only for his combat knife to stab the temple of the skull.

The rest soon found themselves surrounded and outnumbered. One by one they were either overwhelmed on the spot or forced to flee, only to be picked off a couple yards away. The lieutenant then noticed that the infected woman he just stabbed to death was wearing a collar with a metal chain around her neck.

"Son of a bitch...they weren't running from us, they were leading us into a trap!" the lieutenant gasped in horror before he looked up to see four of Them tower over him with hungry expressions to Their otherwise bleak and dead faces.

-

Marcus' bundle of survivors soon found themselves in the outskirts of the field that connected to a nearby river. With no more footsteps to be heard, it was safe to assume all the mercenaries that were on their tail were either dead or long gone after being ambushed like he was hoping they were.

"Is everybody here?" Ramon asked as everyone began to look around to see if anyone had been left behind or separated.

"Let's see... me, Shizuka, Ramon, Johann, Rika, Saeko, Saya, Khota. Oh no..." Marcus began to announce as he did a head count only to realize that everyone but Alice, Yulia, and Zeke had made it through the field.

"We have to go back for them!" Saya cried out in near hysterics as she began to run for the tall grass, only for Khota to grab one of her hands and pull her back as she struggled, breaking down into despairing sobs once again. First Michiko, and now she'd lost the two little girls who'd been like irreplaceable baby sisters for her. In one day, three of the most precious people in the world to her, gone forever.

"I'm sorry, Saya. I wish I could tell you how much so. But we can't afford to stay here. Who knows how many more of those guys may still be out here looking for us. We have no choice but to keep moving now. Besides, we don't know anything for sure. Those girls have grown to be tough and more than self-reliant. I'm willing to bet they're just fine out there right now." Marcus tried to reassure her, only for Saya to shoot him a look of the most indescribable anger he'd ever seen her give him.

"You don't know that for sure! Those girls must be scared out of their minds right now! Who knows where they are?! We need to find them now!" Saya spat back at him as she began to run back again, despite Khota still insistently holding her back.

"Saya, those girls are smart, and we know they know our contingency plan. Remember? We said that if anything were to ever happen, we go back to London, and we go to Buckingham Palace to regroup. Remember? You know those girls knew the plan just like the rest of us. So if there's one thing I'm sure of, it's that wherever those girls are, that's where they would be going, and we all know they're smart enough to find their way there." Marcus finally explained as everyone couldn't help but give him looks of uncertainty. Yes, that was the plan. But who was to say if there would even be anyone else out there to meet them? When nobody could come up with an answer, that's when Marcus let out a sigh of acceptance. His emergency role as leader wasn't over yet.

"Alright then. We all know the drill. Now let's move it." Marcus announced as he and his group slowly began to make their way into the woods, following the river.

-

Elsewhere…

After evading the mercenaries, Frasier found himself carrying Corvo through a small grassland. While he managed to stop the bleeding in his shoulder, he eventually had come to the decision that it wouldn't be safe to bring Corvo back home in case the sanctuary had been hit as well.

"Why are we stopping, Dad?" Corvo asked confusedly as he was set down to walk on his own two feet.

"I need to find someplace to hide you. Something tells me there are a lot more of those guys hiding out there." Frasier answered distantly while his eyes looked around for a suitable area.

"What about your shoulder? It looks really painful." Corvo pointed out, still visibly frightened by the still bloody bandages Frasier had treated himself with.

"Dad... I really don't think you should go alone. We're a team, remember?" Corvo said, clearly wanting Frasier to bring him along.

"I'll be fine, son. Just let me handle it while you wait somewhere safe." Frasier said in a disgruntled voice, seeing how he was more focused on finding a safe place to keep his son from danger.

"But Dad, I can help!" Corvo began to argue in a more defiant tone, making it clear he wasn't going to step down just yet.

"Listen! I'm a lot more vulnerable out there when I have to protect both of us. If I go on my own, I'll be able to move faster." Frasier explained in a more stern voice, causing Corvo to remain silent and on the verge of tears from being yelled at.

As Frasier continued to look around, he quickly noticed a small garden shed that looked like a good, unnoticeable place for someone to hide. Once he opened the door, all he was met with was a few dusty tools and a spider or two, but nothing to really worry about. Without a word, he ushered Corvo inside.

"Dad, what if you get caught? You said you can barely fight without Miss Shizuka to fix your shoulder." Corvo brought up, recalling Frasier's exact words earlier on their long walk.

"I won't get caught, but if I do...at least I know you'll still be safe. Do you remember the way back home?" Frasier said, this time being realistic about his current chances of surviving on his own.

"I guess so. But why do I need to remember? You're going to be there with me." Corvo said before Frasier wrapped his arms around his small head.

"If I get caught, I'll need to go somewhere else to make sure they won't follow me home. Just remember everything I've taught you, son." Frasier said in a soft voice as he felt Corvo trembling with fear.

"What if one of the bad guys find me while you're away?" Corvo then brought up as he looked up with tears flowing down his cheeks.

"Then you use this." Frasier responded bluntly before Corvo felt him unbuckle his utility belt and adjust it to fit him.

"If anyone comes through that door, you take this pistol and you shoot them right in the face. If there's more than one, don't shoot them and try to find a place to hide. This field is a hard place for them to find a little guy like you." Frasier continued to instruct as he tussled Corvo's short hair while the young boy was still feeling uncertain about his father's decision.

Corvo remained silent at first. While he did shoot at those mercenaries who were attacking Frasier earlier, he recalled how he missed every shot. This one detail lingered in his mind, causing him to feel uncertain of his father's decision to give him a gun.

"Corvo? Do you think you can handle this? I promise to come back for you, but I have to leave you here for awhile." Frasier wanted to ensure before he could bring himself to leave his son alone.

Corvo looked down at his feet, breathing slowly. At first, all that he could think of was his personal doubts and fears. But when he noticed his father's belt around his waist, he felt a strong sense of pride, knowing his dad trusted him with such a great task.

"You promise you'll come back?" Corvo then asked with a confident smile on his young face.

"Of course I'll come back for you. You're my son and the prin-" Frasier began to express before cutting himself off from saying more than he intended to.

"The what?" Corvo questioned with a puzzled look on his face. He now couldn't help but wonder where his father was going with that last comment.

"Nothing. Just stay here until I return. We'll talk about it later." Frasier responded before he closed the door shut and took off to see how the homestead was holding up. As much as it hurt him to keep secrets from his family, now wasn't the best of times to tell him he was a prince.

-

Minutes after the remaining survivors in the group had fled their once safe haven, Frasier came sprinting through the gaping hole left in the northern wall. Flames consumed the nearby houses, as there appeared to be no signs of life nearby. Shell casings from both sides coated the streets while random chunks of debris littered the yards.

'No! I'm too late...' Frasier thought to himself as the sight of Rhys and Brandon's corpses caused him to remain mute.

At first he wanted to cry out Saeko and Miyu's names to see if they were still there, but he remained silent when he knew he'd only give away his position if any hostiles were still around. However, the only sound that stood out was the crackling echo of the flames and the distant gunshots from afar.

After desperately trying to confirm whether or not there were any signs of the group left, he noticed that Johann's house was completely caved in. His eyes narrowed when he suddenly noticed a faint coughing noise coming from within the thick cloud of smoke.

Without delay, he dashed in head first, avoiding all the wreckage and ignoring every warning his body was trying to tell him. Despite the danger, he knew it had to be one of the kids, judging by how weak it sounded. The further he went in, the more he noticed a cabinet wedged into a door that led to the basement. Every few seconds it would jiggle, as if someone was hitting it on the other side.

"Hello?! Anyone back there?" Frasier roared out as he noticed the jiggling instantly stopped the moment he made his presence clear.

With no response, Frasier could only assume something was wrong on their side. He gripped the sides of the cabinet, pulling with all remaining might despite the searing pain from his bullet wound. Blood began to seep through the bandages.

Eventually, the wooden furniture gave way and the path was clear for him to enter. Frasier quickly dashed down only to see Rei huddled with Lena, Kiriko, Miyu, and Michiko huddled in one hand while she gripped a pistol in the other. What little did he realize, Rei only saw him as a blurry figure from the smoke she got in her eyes.

"Take another step and I'll blow your head off!" Rei cried out as she instantly aimed the gun right at his head, her body trembling in fear of what the blurry figure would do next.

"Rei...it's me! Frasier! Are you okay?" Frasier attempted to explain as he put his hands out to keep her from assuming he was reaching for a weapon.

"Dad!" Miyu called out as she instantly recognized his voice. Not even waiting for Rei to respond, she bolted out only to wrap her arms around his legs.

"It's okay, Miyu. I told you I'd come back for you. Don't I always?" Frasier said in a hushed tone as he held his daughter close, fresh tears dripping against his neck.

"I know...but I was really scared when you weren't here!" Miyu whimpered despite trying to still sound tough for him. Her voice trembled while her nose softly sniffled.

"Frasier, it really is you...what the hell is going on here? Who are these people?!" Rei muttered in a relieved voice before asking in a more shell-shocked tone about what the hell had just happened.

"I have no idea. These guys aren't wearing any insignias, but they're also far too trained and well-equipped to be mere survivors. So I'd say we're dealing with mercenaries of some kind here." Frasier estimated as he then noticed that her eyes were completely locked onto his bloody shoulder.

"You're bleeding. Were you...?" Rei began to question out of concern before realizing he might've been shot or worse: bitten by one of Them during the chaos.

"Bullet wound. It isn't fatal, but I can't shoot right now. I haven't seen anybody else around here, so I think it's safe to say most everyone got out of here. We need to regroup and hopefully find Shizuka. But first things first: we need to get the kids out of here before more of those men show up."

With there being nothing left to say, Rei nodded in acknowledgment before she picked up a backpack filled with emergency items. She motioned the kids to follow while Frasier retreated up the stairs to make sure there was nobody to see them escape under the cover of the destroyed house.

"Remember, kids. Stay under the smoke and try not to breathe any of it in. Hold hands so we don't get separated." Rei instructed, as she made sure nobody was separated or left behind. She coughed a little, but pushed on knowing she was one of the only two people who could prevent losing the children now.

"Frasier! Slow down...we can't keep up." Rei called out, only to inadvertently inhale a gust of smoke that caused her to violently cough in response. She looked down for a mere second only to look back up and see that Frasier had completely left her limited lines of sight.

"Mommy! Please get up!" Kiriko said in a panicked voice the moment she witnessed her mother fall to one knee.

With the sound of her youngest daughter in fright, Rei quickly pulled herself up.

"Don't worry, sweetheart...I'm not gonna die without making sure you're safe." Rei said with a weak smile while she began to sweat from the intense heat.

When she saw a figure amongst the smoke, she ran right for it, only to back up when one of the mercenaries appeared through the smoke with a gas mask that sent chills down the kid's spines. Rei attempted to aim her pistol, but it was quickly slapped away before she could fire a single round off.

With no weapon or any other means of defending herself, Rei huddled over the kids in hope that if he shot her, none of the rounds would hit the kids. She didn't even bother thinking of her own safety now.

***Snap* **

A horrid cracking sound pierced the air as there was a painful grunt followed by nothing but the sound of flames burning away at the remains of the house. Rei looked over her shoulder only to see the mercenary fall to the ground with his neck twisted around.

Her horrified gaze quickly shifted back to see Frasier towering over the dead man. He then reached down and pried the gas mask off only to put it over Rei's face.

"Not me...give it to one of the kids!" Rei gasped as she inhaled and exhaled rapidly now that she was free to breath normally for the time being.

"They're too short to be affected by the smoke yet. You however are in desperate need of fresh air." Frasier answered as he led them through the route he took so they wouldn't end up being corned by the increasing fires.

"What about you? How can you even stand this hell?" Rei then asked as she turned around to see that all the kids were still with her.

"I have a large lung capacity. I can hold my breath for about a 1.5 minutes." Frasier responded as he then ducked down to inhale more air only to spring back up.

Soon enough, they managed to exit the pockets of smoke in the house and make their way past the first few houses before Frasier motioned everyone to halt. At first, Rei felt inclined to know what could be the problem, but she remained silent when the ground began to tremble.

"What's that noise?" Michiko whispered only to be hushed by the other kids who could tell it was trouble just by looking at Rei and Frasier's expressions.

The young girl frowned at first for being silenced without an answer, but it wasn't long before she could hear the sound of something heavy moving through the street. Glass and debris could be heard being crushed under thick treads as the survivors could see through the grass blades a small yet well armored tank rolling through the streets, followed by a squad of mercenaries escorting it.

"Don't bother trying to fight. Even if we do kill those foot soldiers, we'd have no chance against that tank." Frasier warmed while Rei pulled off the gas mask so her breathing wouldn't cause any attraction to their position.

"We can sneak out the way they came through. The breach in the wall looks unguarded and is close by. If we wait them out, we can slip out without any trouble." Rei whispered as Frasier couldn't help but agree with the stealth approach.

However, when they tried to move, the kids were frozen in place. The fear and trauma had finally caught up to them, leaving them too terrified to even move.

When all seemed to be going so smooth, a gunshot rang out that caused Frasier's heart to skip a beat. Rei instinctively ducked down with the kids while Frasier just stood there trembling.

"Corvo!" Frasier roared out as he broke off from the rest of the group and dashed through the brush until he saw the door to the abandoned shed had been smashed wide open. Tears threatened to form in his eyes as he could only assume that his worst nightmare had come true.

When he entered the shed, he just stood there like a statue. Looking at the fresh corpse before him, he realized it was just a dead mercenary with a gaping hole in his left eye that went through the back of the skull. He then slowly looked back up to see Corvo before him with the pistol in hand, the barrel of the gun still smoking as both his little arms were trembling.

"I...I did what you said, Dad. Shoot anyone t-that tries to come in without k-knocking. Did I do g-good?" Corvo asked in a timid voice as he asked for his father's approval on whether he was right to kill this man before them.

"Yes. You did exactly what I asked of you. Good job, Corvo. I'm proud of you." Frasier responded in a low voice as he then knelt down and wrapped his arms around his son. Tears began to flow down Corvo's cheeks, as he knew it felt wrong to take another life, yet his father was happy with him. So how could it be so bad?

"Did you find Mom?" Corvo asked just as Rei began to enter the shed with the other children, only to stop when she saw the gory mess Corvo had made with his clean shot.  
>"No. I only found Mrs. Kessler and the other kids so far. But I also didn't find any signs of her being dead, so she must be with the others. Don't worry, son. It will take a lot more to hurt your mom." Frasier said honestly before he began to walk Corvo outside only to see him bow out of sadness for not knowing where his mother was, although he was relieved to see Miyu and the others were still okay. They began to exchange stories in an instant while Rei stood before Frasier with a worried look on her face.<p>

"So it was Corvo who shot the gun?" Rei asked, despite already knowing the answer. She knew it was him, but it was so shocking that she had to be sure she wasn't simply imagining things.

"Yes. That man was one of the mercenaries. He must've figured we'd use this shed as a hiding spot. Only he wasn't expecting a little boy to be armed and ready to shoot anyone who didn't knock first. Why are you worried? Everything is alright." Frasier answered as he estimated why one man was so far away from the rest of his group and as to why it was that Corvo came out on top of things.

"Did you just say everything will be alright...how can anything be alright after today!? DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS COULD DO TO CORVO?! The poor thing must be scared out of his little mind." Rei hissed out of anger at his poor choice of words before calming down when the kids looked over. They knew something was wrong and it worried them that she was yelling in contrast to being so calm to lead them earlier.

"I'm sorry...I didn't mean it like that, Rei. We can worry about his potential trauma after we regroup with the others. I know this is tough for everyone, but if we're to survive, we need to keep moving and deal with trouble as it comes our way. You with me?" Frasier said in apology when he realized how easily misinterpreted his words could be seen before he looked out in the direction they needed to go to meet the others.

-

During this time, Marcus' group had been steadily making their way through the woods outside of Reading. Since they didn't have any maps on them, all they could hope to do was simply go east until they'd find their first sign of London. From there it would be much easier to get to Buckingham Palace and just hope somebody else would've made it there to meet them.

All this time, Marcus' burning adrenaline was blocking the ungodly pain of the glass shard sticking from his left eye, a fact that left Shizuka constantly worried sick, on top of many other things, namely the whereabouts of everyone else, especially poor Alice and Yulia, wherever they might have gone.

"I think we're being tracked." Shizuka finally grumbled when she turned her head back, unable to shake the feeling they were being followed.

"Wouldn't be surprised, given how everything else has been going today. Did they bring a fucking battalion with them?" Ramon commented as the group was barely hanging on by a single thread at this point.

"Don't even get me started on that tank of theirs. Anyone know what we should do if we encounter it again?" Saeko brought up, just in case it wasn't the last they saw of it.

For several moments, nobody said anything. Truthfully, none of them had ever even considered one day going up against a full-blown tank, so for once, everyone was fresh out of ideas. Perhaps if Frasier had been with them, they'd actually have a plan to go on. But alas, they knew they'd pretty much used up the last of their luck for the day in just escaping with their lives.

"You guys, I want you all to keep going to the rally point. If Shizuka's right and somebody IS following us, then I'm going to try and lure those bastards away while you continue moving as planned." Rika suddenly announced, causing everyone to stop dead in their tracks.

"What?! You can't be serious...Rika, we need everyone to stick together!" Shizuka responded in a hurt and fearful tone, knowing that even with Rika, they were barely hanging on.

"I'm sure by now Frasier has heard all the noise we've made and will be on his way there now." Rika said in an attempt to avoid answering the question, which caused everyone to look at her, uncertain why she mentioned the obvious.

"How do we know he's even still alive? What if they got to him first?" Ramon questioned, as Rika was already preoccupied with getting her bearings straightened out.

"He's our best hope for surviving this nightmare. But even if he is dead, we still need to go to the rally point in case Alice and Yulia are there waiting for us." Rika responded as she slung her rifle over her back and a pistol onto a hostler at her hip.

"And what if they aren't? Rika, please don't leave us." Shizuka asked with a painful look in her golden eyes.

"We wait for a day. After that, regardless of who shows up, we will have no choice but to retreat to France. Hopefully Gerard is still president and won't mind us staying for a while. Really it's our only option." Rika finished before she finally stood before her long time friend.

"Shizuka, I know it's hard for you to see me do this again, but just know I'll be back. Remember how you were when I left for my service?" Rika then reminded her as she placed a confident hand on her best friend's shoulder.

"I do…but this is different! Just please come home in one piece, for me." Shizuka answered before bowing her head, talking in a somewhat soft tone as she couldn't help but start softly crying.

Rika simply nodded in response before she took off, taking one glance at the others who watched her valiantly split off from them.

"You heard her. Let's get a move on!" Marcus ordered in a firm yet inspired tone that fired everyone up to move double time while there was still a chance they could escape.

-

Nearly twenty minutes later, Frasier and Rei managed to lead the kids to the farthest outskirts of Reading after evading a few mercenary squads and multiple packs of the undead that roamed just about every corner they took. Both told the other what they'd encountered so far, only to come to the conclusion that they were heavily outmatched and that the mercenaries knew exactly who and where to strike.

"Frasier, we need to stop again. The kids are tired and can't keep up much longer. How much farther until we reach the rally point?" Rei expressed in concerns for the exhausted children.

"If we had a car, I'd say a couple hours. But right now…first we need to get to London, period, and on foot; I'd say that'd probably take us one and a half days if we don't stop. I know it's hard, but you guys need to be stronger for just a little while longer." Frasier responded without realizing that the kids weren't only physically strained, but also the emotional trauma was beginning to finally weigh them down.

"Dad, where's mom?" Miyu suddenly asked as the kids began to sit down on the nearby crates in the small warehouse they soon found themselves taking refuge in.

"I don't know, honey. Hopefully she's safe and sound and on her way to the rally point. That's why we must keep moving so we can be with her again." Frasier attempted to answer before he fell silent at the stunning realization of what he'd become if Saeko were to be killed.

Part of him even felt he'd become far too dangerous or unstable to be in a group any longer while another part felt a horrible chilling sting for thinking of such a horrid thought. What he knew for certain though was that he'd see to it that the kids would survive this no matter what.

"I'm sure the others are all just fine and waiting for us. You guys just focus on resting up so we can start moving again." Rei reassured in a far more comforting voice that somewhat put the kids at ease for now. Even against such overwhelming odds, her motherly instincts kept shining through.

She then noticed a lengthy lead pipe sitting in the corner of the room that could prove to be a decent weapon. It was better than nothing, seeing how they had no ammo left after a pack of corpses began to follow them a few blocks back. Rei gave it a few practice swings before she smiled to herself, knowing she could at least defend her daughters now rather than rely on a miracle or Frasier if he even could fight.

That wound on his shoulder also generated worry if not fear from Rei. If a single drop of blood from one of Them was to be mixed in his open wound, who could say if he wouldn't become the biggest threat of all. Rei hated the thought of any group member turning after what happened to Hisashi so many years ago, but she also knew that if Frasier were to become a threat to her or the children, he'd have to be taken down no matter what.

Suddenly, the sound of boots dashing through the streets caused everyone to freeze in place. Frasier motioned everyone to duck down while he casually crept towards a broken window. His crystal blue eyes slowly peered over only for him to see nothing despite the sound moving closer.

"It's a single person. Sounds like they're carrying light equipment too. Moving too faster to be dead though...Rei, be ready to beat the crap out of this guy." Frasier estimated from the sound provided while he placed his fingers around the door handle, ready to ambush whoever was approaching.

Rei nervously tightened her grip around the lead pipe while she could only imagine who would be running around and all alone in this place. However, she also felt ready to take another human life if it meant protecting the children that all gathered behind her to see what would happen next.

Sweat slowly beaded down Frasier's face as he anticipated just how close the target was. When the moment finally arrived, he slammed the door out without hesitation and charged out with Rei, ready to kill once more.

What he didn't expect though, was to realize that on the ground before him was none other than Rika herself. She however reacted out of pure reflex and lashed out with a forward kick right into his shin, causing him to fall forwards.

"Woah! Wait, stop, Frasier! That's Rika!" Rei hissed, the moment she recognized the panicking sniper.

"Holy fuck! You assholes scared the shit out of me! Wait, you assholes are still alive? Oh, thank God!" Rika snarled in a painful tone from being hit by a door before she made the connection that Frasier and Rei were still alive, her voice instantly changing into a hysterically relieved one as she quickly embraced both of them.

"Good to see you too, Rika. Where's everyone else?" Frasier replied calmly before finally asking the one question that worried him more than anything else.

"It's just down to Shizuka, Marcus, Johann, Ramon, Saeko, Saya, Khota and me. Everyone else is dead." Rika answered in a soft yet mournful tone while they went back inside to avoid being detected.

"Johann's still alive?! Oh God, Rika, thank you, thank you! You have no idea how happy that makes me! Thank you so much! Let me go get the kids!" Rei said excitedly before she dashed off to go tell the children the great news about their respective parents.

"Oh my god…even Alice and Yulia are dead?" Frasier muttered in a shocked tone, wanting to confirm this with Rika. Part of him couldn't even begin to try and wrap his head around this fact above all else.

"Those two were split up when we went through the tall grass. I just hope your little walker trap didn't end up killing them. If they're still kicking it, I'm sure they'd be heading for the rally point too." Rika corrected, realizing that they never officially witnessed or saw any signs of evidence that confirmed whether or not they were really dead.

"But still, Brandon, Rhys, Alexia... all dead? They were good friends. I can only hope their suffering was quick." Frasier sighed softly at the tragic loss. He simply bowed his head while he remembered how close they'd become with his group over the years. And now he'd never be able to see or talk to any of them ever again.

"It gets worse. You see, everyone else is convinced Rei and the kids are dead. When that house they were in got blown up, Johann had Rei and Kiriko's ribbons in his hands. It hit all of us really hard, but especially Saya and Johann. The poor guy is like a vegetable now, and she hasn't been able to stop crying since, not that I could blame her. Marcus got it really bad too." Rika brought up, only for Frasier to shoot her a shocked glare once she mentioned his brother possibly being hurt.

"Marcus? What the hell did those bastards do to him?!" Frasier suddenly demanded in a raised voice when he processed what Rika had just said.

"He...a piece of shrapnel from the explosion...took out one of his eyes. He wouldn't even let Shizuka operate on him until he was sure they'd be somewhere safe. I'm sorry, Frasier, but at least he's alive." Rika answered in her best attempt at being sympathetic.

Frasier just took a few steps back and slumped against the wall. There was so much going on he didn't even know what the next step should be. Eventually he came to the conclusion that getting to the rally point was their best option.

"Rei, gather the kids. We're moving out, double time." Frasier ordered with a headstrong attitude while he stormed over towards the door, only for Rika to hold him back.

"Hold on there, Rambo! I lured a squad of those assholes that was tailing us earlier to keep the others safe. They'll be here any minute now. Why'd you think I came here alone?" Rika warned as she told the others how they only had a few moments to rethink their next step.

"How are you doing on weapons?" Frasier then asked hesitantly while he watched Rika quickly take inventory.

"You can't seriously be doing what I think you're doing, are you? Frasier, you're still wounded, and fighting with these people is completely out of the question. You saw that tank of theirs!" Rei protested as she pointed out his bloody wraps tied around his shoulder.

"Can you even fight like that? You might tear your muscles apart trying to shoot or stab with a wound that bad. I think you might wanna listen to Rei on this one." Rika began to express before they realized the sound of multiple boots could be heard echoing throughout the streets.

"What if I can get you one of their guns? I doubt any of them can match you, Rika." Frasier then suggested in an attempt to compromise with the two women, trying to figure out how much time they had left to come up with a plan.

"Well, my rifle's already all out, so yeah, if you were to somehow grab me one, it shouldn't be too hard to fight back then. But how do you plan on doing that?" Rika asked, curious as to how he could possibly do anything in his condition.

"I might not be able to shoot a gun, but I can certainly use a knife with my left arm. Just be ready to slaughter those bastards when the time comes." Frasier confidently replied before he was already running out the door, bolting across the street and into a nearby parking lot while the sound of footsteps grew near to the point voices could be heard.

"Hey, did you see that?" a voice whispered from outside.

"I sure did. He must be desperate if he's running out in the open like that. You two wait here in case he tries to come back out. The rest of us will try to flush him out," another voice said in an authoritative tone. Soon enough, the majority of footsteps began to decrease as their figures could be seen through the broken glass.

Frasier meanwhile was carefully hidden beneath one of the many abandoned vehicles in the parking lot. He could see that these hostiles were smart enough to actually stick close together rather than spread apart like most search parties would.

Even with his injuries it would be no problem for Frasier to pick them off one at a time, but in a cluster, he'd be lucky to get one before being gunned down. His eyes locked on and memorized each subtle movement they would make. To his avail though, these men played it safe by manually checking around every car for any signs of him.

His heart began to race while waiting for an opportunity to open up. While the adrenaline pumped throughout his body though, not a single ounce of pain could be felt in his entire body. Part of him now contemplated on catching them off guard by charging out like a madman. If it meant giving the others a shot at survival, he'd gladly sacrifice himself.

However, before he could make up his mind, he noticed a few cars over, one of them was rocking back and forth. Frasier cautiously crept over only to jolt back when the figure within lunged at him, smacking face first into the glass. An undead child clawed at the windows while the two fully grown skeletons of its former parents remained in place.

"It would be a lot easier if you just surrendered!" one of the soldiers yelled out in attempt to keep Frasier from maintaining his cool.

Frasier steadily opened the door and slashed the seatbelt restraining the undead child that began to crawl towards him instantly. He then rolled under the car to avoid an immanent struggle with the child.

"C'mon, I've got better things to be doing than playing hide and seek with some coward!" the same mercenary called out, instantly drawing the attention of the child as it shambled towards them now.

'That's right. Keep talking, you loudmouthed bastard.' Frasier thought to himself as he carefully positioned his next move.

"Douglas, shut the fuck up already. You're just going to attract the dead if you keep it up." another man grumbled before all three stopped in their tracks the moment the undead child appeared and began to scuttle right for them.

In a rapid burst, all three blasted the child away with minimal effort. One walked up and gave it a tap with his boot to make sure it was dead for good while the other two waited and looked around to make sure Frasier wouldn't strike while they weren't paying attention.

However, instead of killing them, he actually had used this time to sneak out the parking lot through a spot they had already checked. He silently went around the nearby buildings, managing to position himself behind the two mercenaries who stayed behind.

Without hesitation, he jumped down on one, managing to use him to cushion his fall while his left hand perfectly wedged the knife into the gap in armor between the second man's helmet and body armor.

"Over here!" the one being crushed under Frasier's weight announced, only to be quickly silenced when the Brit stabbed him in the back of the neck.

"Rika! Take this!" Frasier ordered while he frantically tossed the sniper a rifle, leaving the rest of the mercenary squad to her.

Just as the squad rallied back to see what all the commotion was about, Rika instantly picked one off and managed to wound another while the third one ducked behind cover. Frasier quickly knelt down, using a nearby crate to shield himself from stray rounds fired overhead.

Rei and the kids all covered their ears from the loud echo Rika's shots produced. Glass then began to shatter; causing them to move out of what little cover they had, leaving them entirely exposed.

The surviving mercenary quickly took notice of this and took aim at Rei. When she realized her mistake, her eyes widened only to shut tight so she wouldn't see what felt like the end for her. After all she had survived, it felt pathetic to end it all this way.

"Move it!" Frasier's voice suddenly rang in her ear as she felt him shove her aside, only for his entire being to instantly cringe when a volley of bullets struck him in the right arm, rendering it completely inoperable.

Rika took notice of this and instantly retaliated by blasting the mercenary's head clean off his shoulders. She then rushed over and put an entire clip into the one she wounded moments ago.

"Dad!" both Corvo and Miyu cried out as they could see him drop to one knee, clenching his bleeding arm in a vice grip while his face couldn't help but form an indescribably painful expression.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry, the glass... I didn't think... Shit! I'm so sorry, Frasier." Rei muttered in horror when she could see three burrowed holes in his arm while fresh blood poured out without any signs of stopping.

"It's...fine! Just help patch me up so we can get the hell out of here. No doubt all that shooting will alert any nearby mercenaries to our current whereabouts, if not draw out more of Them as well." Frasier groaned as he took his knife and quickly dug the tip into one of the holes in his arm, managing to pry a round out, causing the kids to look away out of disgust and fear.

"Hold still. Focus on preventing any more blood loss. I'm amazed you still can walk after being shot twice now." Rika instructed while she tore off a sleeve of her shirt to try and sustain him.

"Just a shoulder and arm shot. Besides, my muscles are practically armor. I can barely feel a thi-augh!" Frasier said confidently before Rika lightly slapped it causing him to shout in pain.

"Don't even TRY to tough this one out, you idiot. You'll be lucky if there's no infection from this. It will take weeks if not months for this to heal." Rika scorned, as she held no patience for his headstrong attitude now of all times.

"Since when did the sniper become the doctor?" Rei jumped in as Rika suddenly pulled out her lighter and literally began to seal his deep wounds with the flame, causing Frasier to clench both fists tight while his teeth grit against each other from the immense pain.

Before Rika could reply though, a low groan from not too far away caused them to all spin around to see that the dead had finally shown up. Roughly thirty of Them began to form up, making escape impossible for the small group of survivors.

"What do we do?" Rei whispered, as if she believed they had a chance to remain undetected. All five kids trembled behind her as they knew danger was approaching.

"We can't run. So there's only one thing left to do." Frasier began to say while he barely pulled himself up only to slump back against a crate for support.

"Don't even think about fighting. At this rate, you'll die tired." Rei protested as she stepped in to keep Frasier from recklessly sacrificing himself.

Not even waiting for a moment, Rika began to fire a single round into any of Them that came too close. She knew each shot would only draw more in, but she knew the kids had to be escorted first, and Frasier if there was time.

"I don't care about dying anymore, Rei. I've lived a full life. But the kids have only just begun theirs... they're my only concern now. All my life I've wondered what my purpose was. I just assumed I was to be a tool of war, but when everything changed, I was lost.

"At first, I thought it was to help my siblings survive, but then I met your group and soon became the leader. For a long time, I was under the impression I had found my purpose, but then when so many people perished, I stepped down to let others make the hard choices. I was convinced being a cog in our little system would've been just fine, but eventually you all rallied under me for leadership once more."

"But then that fateful day occurred where everything finally made sense. My son and daughter came into the picture. No longer did I think of personal survival or being the leader. All that mattered was that the kids were safe and had the best life a child could have in these dark times." Frasier explained in a weak voice as he pulled himself up, struggling every step of the way. His head hung low as blood trickled down his arm, seeping though the rags tightly wrapped around his fresh wounds.

"They're what...THEY'RE WHAT I LIVE FOR!" Frasier announced in a last gasp for power while he finally stood upright. Despite his severe injuries, something inside granted him the energy to remain moving with little pain to be felt.

However, Rei walked past him and stood alongside Rika with the metal pipe in one hand. Frasier just stared at her, knowing that she still wasn't going to let him pass.

"Rika. You've done enough. Take the kids and get them to the rally point. Frasier and I will take it from here." Rei suddenly said in an authoritative tone as she put a hand on the sniper's shoulder to grab her attention.

"Mommy! No! We need you!" Kiriko cried out, completely horrified at the thought of her mother trying to fight the oncoming monsters off.

"Mom? What are you doing?!" Lena asked hysterically when she couldn't understand why her mom would say such a thing.

"Don't worry about me, sweetie. I'll be right behind you. Lena, take good care of your sister. Make sure she behaves for daddy." Rei said with tears in her eyes as she held both her daughters, her precious babies, to her waist. It killed her to potentially never see her children again, but after hearing Frasier's speech, it reminded her that it was her duty as a parent to make the ultimate sacrifice for her kids. Even if it meant fighting the undead till the end.

"No way am I letting either of you do this. If anyone is going to be making a sacrifice, its gonna be me. You have a family that needs you. Let me do it." Rika suddenly announced as she volunteered to stall the dead.

Frasier and Rei realized that despite Rika being a close friend, they knew she was right. No matter how hard it hurt to admit that cold fact, Rika was able to accept her role as a martyr.

"Go. I'll be alright." Rika said as the dead drew near, only for her to blast away a few in a quick succession of shots before Rei and Frasier nodded in acceptance, watching as Rika boldly ran out into the street only to stand on a car firing at the dead, drawing them right to her.

"C'MON! I'M RIGHT HERE!" Rika yelled out as she refused to let any of Them lose interest in her while Frasier and Rei escorted the kids towards the nearby parking lot to hotwire a vehicle that still held gas in the tank. There was no way they could do this on foot any longer.

Once her rifle was out of ammo, Rika drew her pistol, firing a few rounds into the first of the dead that began to rock the car back and forth. Soon enough, the dead rocked the car so hard the lone sniper was forced to leap from the car and right into the center of Them.

Determined to get everyone out of this in one piece, Rika spun around in a whirlwind of fury, kicking, punching, and slashing everything around her.

What she didn't notice though was that behind the crowd, appeared a figure with eyes as black as coal, and a very thin buzz cut with no facial hair whatsoever. He stood no less than 6'4, with a body so dense with muscle mass, it caused Frasier to shudder in horror seeing that his former adversary from earlier had not only survived but was now here of all times.

Before he could call out to warn Rika of the impending danger, he instinctively stepped aside in time to narrowly avoid being bitten by a corpse that managed to bypass Rei while she used her staff skills to bash and push back any of Them that came close to the van.

Suddenly the veteran mercenary raised his silenced weapon and fired past the dead, managing to nail Rika in the gut. Her eyes widened at the sudden feeling of intense pain crawling through her body while she looked down to see her own blood.

However, rather than crumpling over like most would in her position, she simply gripped the knife tighter and continued fighting the dead. Her eyes narrowed at how much it hurt to fight, let alone move. She didn't understand why she kept going onwards. All she could tell was that if she gave up now, the dead would only go for Frasier, Rei, and most importantly the kids.

Just as she grabbed one of Them and shoved it into a crowd to buy herself some breathing space, she felt herself rock back a bit only to realize she'd been shot a second time. This time it was right in her upper torso, just barely missing her lungs. Rika coughed up blood onto her chest while feeling the knife she held gently slip from her waning grasp.

Rei turned around after bashing several of Them aside. She just watched helplessly with the very fear of leaving the kids on their own preventing her from helping Rika.

"I-I'm sorry..." Rika muttered under her breath as the dead that remained around her were blasted away by the veteran mercenary who then stood before his victim. His cold eyes just glared into hers while she waited for him to finish the job.

However, when Rika fell to her knees, completely defenseless and unable to even pull herself to safety, Frasier's body began to violently tremble all over. His lips pulled back to bare his teeth as his entire face balled into nothing but pure, agonizing rage. Next his body suddenly pulsated, causing his muscle system to flare and swell violently.

The bandages on his arm instantly broke away from his sudden increase in mass, casually floating through the air before touching the pavement. Rei looked at him horrified; as she could see the bleeding bullet holes on his arm actually stop bleeding all by themselves. When she thought she was merely delirious at this moment, she continued to see something even more unbelievable unfold before her.

The very flesh that had not only stopped its own bleeding now began to start closing itself up at an accelerated rate. She was literally witnessing Frasier's bullet holes healing themselves at least ten times faster than they would have for a normal person. His sudden growth in size reverted back to normal, yet his body began to give off heat like a radiator. What looked like steam began to escape from the now fully sealed wounds.

Just when Rei thought the freak show was finally over, Frasier let out an ear-piercing cry that rivaled that of the ones made by the Screechers. The veteran mercenary instantly turned to fire his gun, only to be punched across the jaw, causing him to fly back from the tremendous force behind it.

***Crash***

His body slammed into a car, causing it to nearly flip over on its side. Frasier just stood there, looking at his fist, breathing heavily as what appeared to be steam slowly flowed through his mouth, most likely due to the cool air.

'How is that possible? I know I hit him in the shoulder earlier. There's no way he should be able to punch that hard, unless...' the lone mercenary pondered to himself before preparing for another charge.

Frasier slammed right into the car, causing an even bigger dent in the side of the vehicle. The mercenary just barely dodged it by the skin of his teeth. His eyes could only widen at the ferocious being before him that showed no intentions of stopping anytime soon.

"The boss said he'd become faster and as strong as ten men, but he never said anything about accelerated healing! What the hell is going on?" the veteran muttered softly to himself before he dashed in for a counter attack.

However, he didn't expect Frasier to literally tear the damaged door from its hinges and swat him aside like a common housefly. When the man sat up, he groaned in pain, knowing that he now had multiple cracked ribs and internal bleeding when he felt fresh blood trickling from his mouth.

Frasier let out another angered roar before dashing in for another close encounter. With everything he had left in him, the mercenary leader could only block and dodge the powerful, yet insanely fast punches being thrown at him. Even when he managed to perfectly block an attack, it felt like his bones were going to snap from the sheer force alone.

On the rare moment when he managed to deliver a hit of his own, it turned out Frasier simply wanted to create a perfect opening. The man watched in shock as the Brit opened wide only to bite down on the hand slammed against his jaw line.

Unable to react in time to the unexpected maneuver, the mercenary watched as Frasier swung his arm into his gut, causing him to literally launch up into the air only to land on his back.

'Warner, you bastard! You knew capture was impossible, this was all just a test to see how he'd hold up…' the veteran mercenary snarled in the back of his mind before Frasier towered over him only to lift him up by his neck with both hands.

"I'M GOING TO BREAK YOU." Frasier said in a restrained, yet gritty, voice as he glared into the dark eyes of his adversary. His body gave off a slight jitter every few seconds from the unknown source of energy. His crystal blue eyes burning with pure, unrefined hatred.

"You really are something. I thought I would've been your match, but clearly you're just full of surprises." the man chuckled to himself as if amused by his sudden discovery of Frasier's unknown traits. Frasier didn't even bother responding as he then slammed him to the ground before clamping both hands around the sides of his skull, pressing with all his might with a sick look in his eyes. He just smiled to himself, watching as his hands began to move closer and closer together while the mercenary leader cried out in pure agonizing pain. The pressure was so intense; his legs began to wildly kick like a fussy baby on an airplane. His breathing and heart rate skyrocketed while his body trembled all over. Eventually, one of his eyes caved in while blood flowed out his nose.

Before Frasier could apply the crushing blow, he heard a low groan behind him, causing him to instantly turn back, only to watch as a metal pole bashed in the back of an approaching walker's skull. Rei just stood there, half-smiling with her bloody metal pipe in hand before Frasier returned the smile, only to be suddenly kicked off by the severely wounded mercenary. He landed right on top of Rei, only to watch as the man was already bolting as fast as he could down the road. He stumbled a few times from the lack of an eye, but it was clear he'd be back with more reinforcements if he were lucky.

Before chase could be given, Frasier realized Rika was still breathing and instead chose to rush to her aid. He dropped to both his knees while he felt the newfound source of energy quickly dissipating.

"Dad...is Miss Rika okay?" Corvo asked nervously as the kids hesitantly approached him, somewhat fearful of his sudden outburst. Her eyes gently fluttered open as she continued to bleed out in silence.

Without any response, Frasier slowly lifted her up to see if he could sustain her long enough for Shizuka to potentially save her. But it didn't take a medical expert to know that a mere glance at her wounds showed they were far too great to recover from.

"Frasier...are the kids alright?" Rika softly muttered as each breath she took sent a crippling pain through her chest. It was somewhat odd to for her see them as her priority, seeing how in the past she never seemed to show anyone but Shizuka how she truly felt.

"Yeah. They're right here, Rika. Because of you, they survived." Frasier answered while he observed her broken down body, only to realize she wouldn't be able to continue for any longer than a few minutes.

"Make sure Marcus takes good care of... of Shizuka. Promise me that you guys will keep her safe. If he ever breaks her heart, you be there to kick his ass for me." Rika pleaded while she began to cry, despite how tough she had always seen herself.

"We'll all be there to protect Shizuka. Who said anything about dying today?" Frasier said optimistically while trying to think of a way Rika could survive this.

"Frasier...don't be an idiot. We both know I'm not getting out of this alive. Can you at least promise me something?" Rika grunted in a raspy voice before asking in a more merciful tone for one last favor.

"Of course. Just name it." Frasier responded as he felt her otherwise strong hands timidly wrap around his.

"I was never able to admit it to her face, but…when you find her…please, tell Shizuka…she's the strongest person I've ever known. I think…she'll know what I mean." Rika chuckled in a somewhat relieved voice before she finally shut down. Despite her body being completely motionless, her eyes still held a small amount of life in them.

Frasier remained entirely silent as a small gust of wind blew by. The kids all began to weep as they watched him pull his tattered jacket off and place it over Rika's body to cover her up. After all this time together, Rika was one of the last in their group expected to ever fall.

Frasier simply let out a sigh of deep sorrow before he stood back up on his own two feet. Despite losing a close friend before his very eyes, too many questions about what just happened clouded his mind, as well as what their next move should be.

"C'mon, you guys. We should go before more arrive." Frasier announced as Rei and the children stood there in tears at the loss of Rika, someone they could call a real friend, even when she was trying her hardest to keep everyone out of her life.

"We're just going to leave her? But what if...you know..." Rei brought up as she brought up the indignity of Rika being eaten by Them.

"What's the point? If someone dies, a body is just a body. I'd have no quarrel burying her, but given the dire circumstances, I'm afraid it's not an option." Frasier replied before he motioned them to follow him back to the car. He then just stopped dead in his tracks when he realized that none of them were following.

They just stood idly by Rika's side. It was as if they couldn't abandon her in the open after the great sacrifice she made for them.

"Well…I suppose it could bring some closure for Shizuka if we brought Rika..." Frasier mumbled as he then gently hoisted her over his shoulder and watched as everyone followed him back to the vehicle.

Frasier securely set Rika in the back while Rei started to buckle the kids up, making sure they didn't watch. She could only imagine the trauma they were going to have from everything they'd witnessed this day alone.

"Dad? Will we be alright?" Miyu asked weakly as he then climbed into the driver's seat. All the children looked to him for an answer, hoping they could be reunited with the others soon.

"For now. Just rest for now, you guys, We'll all be home soon enough." Frasier responded in a soothing voice while he ran his hand along Miyu's cheek, smiling as she let off a yawn before closing her eyes.

The others kids soon found themselves at their limits and began to fall asleep one by one. Frasier then took the wheel and drove off, leaving the dreaded area in the dust.

"Before we get going, do you think you can explain what the hell that was earlier? I want to be sure you won't...do anything unexpected again." Rei suddenly asked in a whisper when she felt certain the kids were fast asleep. Seeing Frasier go berserk like he did earlier left her feeling more than a little concerned.

"Believe me, I have no clue what happened either. Most of me didn't even feel in control of it. It just... it just did it on its own. Think of it like a dam breaking, and the water is rushing so fast to the point control doesn't mean a thing." Frasier attempted to explain, not even aware himself of being capable of performing such feats.

Part of him was afraid of what he was if he could regenerate damaged tissue like he did. A normal human being couldn't do something like that. It just couldn't. For the first time in what felt like ages, Frasier had absolutely no idea just what the hell to think of what just happened to him.

"Where do we go now? Once we reach the others, I mean. I doubt we can simply go back to whatever's left of our home. Please, please tell me you have a plan." Rei then asked in utter exhaustion as she looked back to Lena and Kiriko, her face filled with sadness knowing they had no place to live after all these years.

"We have no choice but to return to France. With any luck, Gerard will still be in power and he will have someplace for us to stay. If not...we just do what we've been doing since we first met, Rei. We survive." Frasier answered as he finally began to drive. The destination was now London, but who was to say what the hell would be waiting for them on the way? Would anyone else be waiting for them once they got to Buckingham Palace? Where would they go if France turned out to be a dead end? For once, Frasier had to admit to himself, he was momentarily all out of any other ideas.

Author's Note: Thank you all for sticking around after nearly half a year of no updates. We've been hard at work and plan to make the rewrites and the new chapters ones to remember! With work, personal lives and responsibilities we can only give the story so much of our time but when we do we really go all out. Stick around for the next chapter! You won't wanna miss a single line! 


	71. Act 26 Homecoming Part 5

**Act 26 Homecoming Part 5**

**Just outside of Hilingdon, Greater London, England**

**9 hours later…**

Under the cover of darkness, a small van drove down the lonesome road with the headlights shut off. The once thick forests began to give way to a few small buildings every few kilometers, beginning to grow more and more frequently. Clearly a large city wasn't far off from here. While Rei and the kids were fast asleep from their long journey on foot, Frasier didn't have that luxury; especially not with so many questions on his mind, each one burning and making him question whether or not this was all just one bad dream he couldn't wake up from.

What really kept him wired though, was what he did just hours ago. He continuously looked at his right arm where he'd been shot. He knew he shouldn't have been able to move this arm at all, and it certainly shouldn't have been feeling stronger than ever. Yet it did, and every time he dwelled on it, his mind began to question everything he thought he knew was real. None of this seemed even remotely possible. Yes, he used to think that of the dead coming back a long time ago as well, but something like THIS was really stretching it.

As he continued to drive, Frasier momentarily looked at the rearview mirror, and when he noticed something in the far off distance, he felt his heart rate immediately skyrocket. He quickly pulled the van over to the side of the road and began to systematically wake everybody up, earning a few respective groans from the children, while Rei was far more alert and concerned if he was waking her up.

"What is it? What's going on?" Rei asked nervously as she helped release the kids from their seatbelts and file them out of the van.

"We have company. Stay low and out of sight." Frasier explained as he rushed to motion them to hide behind the nearby bushes.

As they all eventually managed to settle behind the large thicket of bushes, trying their best to ignore the multiple tiny branches poking and scratching at their arms and exposed legs, they listened carefully for any signs of danger. At first it was nothing more than the sound of crickets and the occasional howl of wind, but soon enough there was a whirring sound that sent chills of fear down their backs. A set of bright lights could then be seen in the sky, as the new noise grew increasingly louder.

"Mommy? W-What is it?" Kiriko whimpered as she and Lena held their mother tight for some form of comfort.

"It's a helicopter. Isn't it?" Michiko suddenly asked, vaguely recalling the description from an old aviation book she once read back home.

"What's a helicopter?" Corvo then butted in as they all nervously watched the skies to see it hovering not too far from their current position.

"It's a flying machine we used back in our time. Judging from the slim silhouette, I'd say that's a military one. Most likely equipped with thermal sights, so all of you stay down. Luckily for us, it's a cold night." Frasier began to explain before looking over to see the kids were shivering from the cold air. Despite their discomfort, at least the cool weather would make them nearly invisible so long as they remained still for now.

Soon enough, it was overhead and hovering in place for what felt like hours when only seconds had passed by. The group felt loose bits of dirt and dust flying into their faces while the nearby grass would almost dance to the powerful hum of the helicopter.

Inside the helicopter, both pilots were carefully looking over the area right beneath them, but no matter where they looked, there didn't appear to be any sign of any people down below.

"Thermal scans indicate that van has been used recently," the co-pilot observed as he noticed the engine to the van was glowing white on his screen.

"If that's the case, then they can't be too far ahead. We follow this road and hope we haven't lost them." the pilot responded before she lightly titled the joystick to their vehicle to move onward, leaving the scene just as fast as they arrived.

The group meanwhile remained frozen in place, unwilling to move a single muscle until they were 100% certain the coast was clear. Frasier kept his breathing constant and controlled. However, the others couldn't help but practically hyperventilate at the fear of being caught.

"Relax. If we were spotted, they would've attacked. Lets keep moving." Frasier said aloud as he began to pull himself back up.

When nothing happened, the others soon followed, only to begin heading towards the van.

"What are you guys doing?" Frasier then asked when he noticed they weren't following him on foot.

"Getting back into the van? I can't imagine we'd have much longer to go from here." Rei answered, clearly not understanding where Frasier was coming from.

"Well, I'm sorry to break it to you, but I'm afraid we're going to have to go the rest of the way on foot. Those helicopters are most likely equipped with thermal cameras. If we tried to use any vehicles, we'd practically be offering ourselves on a silver platter." Frasier answered as he stood his ground, certain that moving on foot was their only option for now.

"But our bodies give off heat...why didn't they see us just now?" Rei then wondered as the kids stood there, watching them debate whether or not to use the van.

"My guess is the angle they were at. Maybe the cold winds are interfering? I honestly don't know, but I do know a vehicle will attract their attention. Now let's go before that helicopter comes back." Frasier guessed, more interested in moving onwards rather than debating why they weren't already dead.

After steadily balancing Rika's body along Frasier's shoulders, the small group reluctantly walked down the side of the road they could barely even see. A soft, hazy, white fog certainly didn't help either. The winds were bitterly chilly, causing them to shiver every time a breeze went by.

**Hilingdon, Greater London, England**

**Shortly afterwards…**

It hadn't even been an hour yet, and the kids were already beginning to slow down considerably. They all were in desperate need of rest, and every sound they would hear would only make them all shiver in fear.

"It's so cold." Kiriko softly muttered as she began to try and heat herself up by breathing heavily onto her hands.

"My legs are tired." Michiko added as she could feel her legs painfully throbbing with each extra step taken.

"Dad...when can we take a break?" Corvo asked in mid-yawn, barely even able to keep his eyes open before he suddenly tripped over his own feet.

Unable to have a chance to react, Miyu was also knocked over. She grit her teeth in anger as she felt a stinging sensation when her knees scraped against the road.

"Hey, watch it!" Miyu practically snarled in a restrained voice as she suddenly noticed her knees were bleeding, the sight causing her to suddenly begin to tear up, biting her lip to keep from crying in front of everyone.

Rei instinctively stopped in her tracks and instantly began to help Miyu back onto her feet. With a few brushes against the young girl's scraped knees, she'd managed to clean them out the best she could without any first-aid equipment handy.

"Are you alright?" Rei asked in a soft, motherly tone as she rubbed Miyu's back reassuringly while she took Kiriko's hand with her other free hand, not wanting her youngest daughter to feel like she was being ignored.

"Mhm. It just stings a little." Miyu replied while she desperately tried to wipe the tears from her eyes, trying her best to toughen the pain out by the time Frasier caught up to them, seeing how Rika's body continuously weighed him down.

"I know you're all tired, cold, and scared. If we can find any shelter, believe me, we'll take it." Frasier said, taking a deep sigh as he looked at the despaired look in everyone's eyes. By this point, seeing the children all so miserable, he felt personally responsible for making things worse for them all by playing it safe rather than risking detection by using the van.

"Do you think there'll be a bathroom wherever we stay tonight?" Lena suddenly asked causing Rei and Frasier to turn their concerned gazes towards her.

"Do you need to go to the bathroom?" Frasier said with a raised eyebrow, as he watched the young girl shyly turn away.

"Maybe..." Lena nervously admitted, completely embarrassed to admit it in front of everyone, especially Corvo.

"Can you hold it in?" Rei asked as she stood before her oldest daughter, kneeling down so they could be at the same level, trying to be as comforting and understanding as she could right now.

"I don't think so." Lena replied as she looked down, clenching her legs together in an attempt to hold out just a little more.

"Hey Lena, why don't you just do what I do and hold your-" Corvo innocently suggested before Frasier suddenly covered his mouth to prevent any further embarrassment, picking up almost instantly where Corvo was about to go with that suggestion.

"You...never explained to him...?" Rei began to ask, trying her best not to giggle at Corvo's lack of knowledge in terms of even the most basic difference between male and female anatomy.

"He's only seven. It never occurred to me he would need to know until he was older. Lets just keep moving." Frasier grumbled, as he could only be embarrassed for both him and his son, while Corvo still had no idea as to why his father silenced him so quickly.

Only minutes later did the group come to a halt when they suddenly came across multiple vehicles piled together as if to form a barricade in the middle of the road. Despite the darkness making it hard to see, it was quite clear there was a battle here when the group began to step on multiple casings from spent rounds littering the ground.

"What do you think happened here? I thought your people had no chance against that gas attack." Rei questioned as the existence of something like this shouldn't have been possible if everyone was killed almost instantaneously back then.

"I don't know. Maybe a few weren't affected by it, or maybe they took shelter and managed to ride out the initial attack, and afterwards tried to put up a fight. It could also be a trap. You and the kids stay here while I check it out." Frasier attempted to theorize before he grew impatient, climbing over the barricade alone while preparing for something or someone to be waiting just around the corner for him.

After scaling the car barricade, he suddenly lost his footing and slipped off before barely landing on his feet. Expecting to be instantly attacked, he held his knife up, only to be greeted by the sight of multiple skeletons scattered around the area. While some were clearly civilians, some were also clearly wearing military attire.

However, what really caught Frasier's attention was how there were bullet-sized holes in the clothing and helmets.

"Frasier? Is everything alright over there?" Rei whispered just loud enough to pull him away from the puzzling sight.

"Y-yeah. I think there's a gate you guys can use. Hold on." Frasier's voice replied moments before a sudden creaking sound pierced the air.

The rest of the group made their way around the barricade before finding the rusty old gate Frasier opened up for them. The kids kept close to one another while Rei lead them into what appeared to be a military checkpoint.

"Soldiers, huh? Do you think any of them have weapons on them?" Rei asked as she could see Frasier scanning the area for anything he might've missed in his initial search.

"There was a firefight. Despite all these rounds all over the place, I can't find any of their weapons. Something tells me whoever actually killed them kept the weapons for themselves. It almost looks like they tried to cover this up as well." Frasier answered, as he couldn't help but show suspicion over this sketchy scene.

"You really think somebody tried to hide all this? Isn't it possible the dead simply overwhelmed these soldiers?" Rei continued to question as she began to knock over some debris that revealed a decent-sized lockbox hidden beneath it, causing her to form a curious look.

"Must be. Look at the clothes on them; those are bullet holes. The dead wouldn't bother with weapons. At least God, I hope not..." Frasier began to reply before shuddering when his mind lingered at the ludicrous concept of the undead being able to operate weapons.

"Hey Frasier, take a look at this." Rei suddenly suggested after popping the box open only to find it was filled with multiple side arms, along with silencers and ammo to complement them.

"Oh man, talk about a lucky break. Must've been somebody's personal stash; minor things the quartermaster wouldn't really notice or be too concerned about. Maybe it was even his to begin with." Frasier said while he began to observe the box, his fingers brushing aside the extra contents such as cigars and spare cash.

"With these silencers, we could even train the kids on how to shoot once we get some rest." Frasier followed up as he looked over to see them all sitting together, practically falling asleep while waiting for him and Rei to finish exploring.

"Excuse me? You honestly think that sounds like a good idea? Letting the kids hold deadly weapons with live ammunition inside? For God's sake, Frasier, Kiriko's only five! If you think I'm going to let her or Lena carry a loaded gun, you're wrong!" Rei protested while she couldn't help but think of the horrible things that could occur from letting the kids use firearms.

"Rei, I know what I just said might've come across as insane, but we aren't exactly in a good spot right now. If they could even help by distracting or suppressing the enemy, they could potentially save a life!" Frasier argued, knowing deep down that he had to ensure the kids knew how to survive on their own; seeing how it was only him and Rei that were still alive for all he knew at this point.

"I-I can't do that, Frasier. Believe me, I want the kids to know how to survive just as much as you do, but…I-I just can't agree with THIS. If anything happened to them, I'd never forgive myself. And I don't think you would be able to forgive yourself either." Rei said while tears began to well in her eyes; the very thought of the kids being hurt, or worse, caused her heart to break.

Even though he didn't say so, Rei's words also struck a chord with Frasier as well. He knew there was real merit in what she was saying. These children weren't accustomed to guns like he and the rest of the group were, and if, God forbid, one of the kids were to accidentally kill themselves or each other, he knew that in the end, it would be all his fault for trying to teach them to use the damn things to begin with. Just the thought of such a tragedy left a twisting, cold feeling in his stomach.

"Maybe if I could at least show them how to shoot, just so they would at least know how to properly hold it for future reference? Or at least have them hold the pistols with no ammunition in them?" Frasier sighed before realizing that despite how desperate their situation was; putting the children in serious potential harm by their own hands wasn't going to help.

"That could work. Look...Frasier, I'm well aware we've taken some heavy losses today, and our luck is basically the only reason we're still standing right now. But do you really think we can win this time?" Rei asked as she began to calm down.

At first, Frasier remained silent. He recalled all the foes and deadly situations they'd faced before, how each time they'd survive only because of tactics and skill. But this time felt different. Today, only luck was why they were still breathing.

"I'm sorry, Rei. But even together, we still have no clue on how many of those mercenaries are around. I'm afraid we have to live to fight another day on this one." Frasier sighed in exasperation, as could see no positive outcome of fighting back without taking more losses on their side.

"Then we keep moving onward and hope we can find the rest of the group at the rally point." Rei replied, somewhat relieved Frasier could be realistic about their chances of winning this fight.

It wasn't long until the group was back on the road again, trying to manage their way through the dark. The risk of using their flashlights and being spotted by any mercenary scouts or Screechers was simply too great.

After about fifteen minutes of more walking, the clouds above began to part so the moonlight could finally shine through, at last giving the group a better idea of just where they now were. From the looks of it, it looked like they were now in a small suburb. There weren't any vehicles on the road to be seen and only one or two of Them shambling far off in the distance, so all in all it looked to be alright.

"Okay, I'm pretty sure we could settle down in one of these houses tonight." Frasier suggested, earning sighs of relief from the children as he began to walk up the steps towards the door. When he tried the handle, the door wouldn't budge; clearly indicating it was locked since he didn't see anything obstructing the door from the other side through the small windows.

Taking a sharp breath through his teeth, hoping the resulting noise wouldn't attract any of Them, Frasier brought his boot up and quickly kicked through one of the small windows on the door before reaching through the newly made hole and unlocking the door.

He quickly looked around to see the two undead further up the road didn't look to have heard the noise he just made, so with a sigh of relief, he motioned for Rei and the kids to file into the house. Once they were all inside, he shut the door behind him and made quick work of sliding a nearby china cabinet up against the door, effectively barricading it.

"Alright, Rei. Stay here with the kids. I'm going upstairs to make sure there aren't any of Them hiding here." Frasier instructed. Rei gave a single nod of understanding as she ushered the kids around her while Frasier cautiously made his way upstairs.

Each of the children couldn't think to say anything. They could only breathe heavily as they waited for some kind of sound from upstairs, whether it be Frasier signaling everything was safe, or the sound of him fighting one of the monsters.

For the longest time, there was no sound but the thumping of Frasier's feet. And then there was for the briefest moment, nothing. Everyone held their breath unknowingly, worried at the limitless possibilities that silence could've meant.

Then in the blink of an eye, there was a sudden splattering sound coming from the backyard. Everyone instinctively ran to check what it was, only for Rei to practically leap in front of them in case it was something they shouldn't have had to see. It was too dark to see through the sliding glass door, but suddenly a shadow fell from the sky and landed softly on the grass, briefly causing the children to jump in frightened surprise. The moonlight illuminated everything outside once again to reveal Frasier rising up over a splattered corpse, no doubt one of Them, at his feet. Wasting no time he made his way for the door as Rei preemptively opened it for him, giving him a look to explain himself.

"Don't worry. It was just one of Them. We're in the clear now." Frasier explained as he let out the heaviest sigh, finally allowing his long-building exhaustion to let itself be known.

Roughly an hour had passed by. Frasier peered into the bedroom Rei and the kids were sleeping in. He let out a sigh of relief, knowing that despite the hell they endured this day, they could finally get some much needed rest. He certainly felt drained himself, but the overwhelming question about his condition proved to be far stronger than his need for rest. Just the lingering feeling of not understanding what was going on with his own body had been driving him up the wall nonstop ever since it happened.

He quietly walked into the backyard, right past the walker he had tossed out. The only source of light to be had in the neighborhood was the very moon itself. Setting himself on a nearby tree stump, he began to observe his hand, almost becoming lost in a daze as his free hand grabbed the handle of his knife, slowly unsheathing it as he brought the very tip of it to his palm. His mind reeling with confusion and countless questions, Frasier unconsciously pressed the tip of his knife into his palm, producing a sharp, stinging, and cold pain before he proceeded to run the edge along his palm, cutting a large gash into his hand.

The sharp, stinging sensation shot throughout his nervous system while blood naturally continued to flow out of the open wound. However, seconds after things appeared normal, he watched carefully as his hand began to literally release what looked like steam.

Frasier swatted it away just long enough for him to momentarily glance at the wound to see it was healing itself just like the other ones from earlier. The torn skin literately began moving and shifting until it was seamlessly connected once more.

"What the fuck am I?!" Frasier practically cried out as he began to repeatedly slash at his hand, only for it to continuously regenerate and steam up. Despite how much it hurt and how deep he began to dig into his own flesh, every single cut was already sealed as if nothing happened.

"Okay...okay...clearly this isn't normal, and that's after the dead being able to walk again. Maybe there was a mutation...or I'm just imagining this. Maybe this is all from some form of post-traumatic shock? Hell, this could just be a dream still." Frasier began to mutter to himself in a very frightened, delirious voice before he suddenly placed the knife up to his own throat, ready to cut into it until he would wake up with Saeko at his side and everything could be back to normal.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of grass being rustled by footsteps, causing him to naturally turn, only to see Rei approaching him. She formed a look of extreme shock when she saw he was poised to slice his own throat wide open.

"Frasier, don't you fucking dare!" Rei hissed at him, angrier at his unexpected display of cowardice, rather than concerned after seeing an apparently suicidal side to him she'd never seen before.

Closing the gap within a quick stride, Rei actually managed to slap his arm down only to disarm him instantaneously. The knife stabbed the grass as the blood that ran down the steel blade began to sink into the dirt.

"Suicide? Have you lost your goddamn mind?!" Rei began to ask, her voice brimming with anger and the sadness of feeling betrayed as she couldn't help but question his out-of-nowhere change of heart; normally being used to his otherwise brave, headstrong attitude in almost any other scenario.

"I'm clearly dreaming, Rei. There's no way I can be doing this. It's all just an intense dream! I can't be some kind of freak who can instantly heal all his wounds! There's no way this can be real! This nightmare can end if I just wake up." Frasier replied in a soft tone, convinced that there was no alternative explanation to his bizarre self-discovery.

"Look, Frasier. I know that this, on top of us losing our home and several friends against a force we can barely fight has been rough on you. Trust me, I know. It's been hard on all of us. But let me make this very clear for you: I will make this a REAL nightmare for you if you try to pull that suicidal shit again. These kids need us now more than ever, and for you to try and just take the easy way out is unbelievably selfish! Now get back inside and go to sleep. Hopefully you'll be back to your normal self with some rest." Rei said softly with a sympathetic demeanor only to fade into a far more serious and much darker voice, her words and intense glare resembling the very definition of determination.

Frasier closed his eyes as if he was going to reply, but he merely let out an exasperated sigh before he strolled back into their temporary shelter. Rei just stood there, completely taken aback at how one of the strongest members of the group was finally broken and beaten. She then pried the knife from the earth and made her way back inside, locking the sliding glass door behind her.

As the night passed on, the morning sunrise beamed a bright light through every window in the house, giving off a sense of wonder and relief to Kiriko once she sat up only to realize she was the only one up amongst the kids. She just remained frozen in place, too afraid to move without Rei or Frasier around to make her feel safe.

However, she soon grew impatient and eventually got over her fear when she got up to see that no monsters jumped out at her. Each tiny footstep she took helped build up her confidence, and her curiosity of what the house looked like now that see could see, began to pique.

Naturally she would at least wake up or alert one of the grown-ups of what she was doing, but she didn't want to wake them up and risk being yelled at, nor did she want them to say she couldn't explore the house. She gently pulled against the doorknob, making sure it wouldn't release a loud creak that could potentially wake the others up.

Kiriko cautiously walked down the hallway that was illuminated by the calm morning sunlight. Every time she walked through it, she'd enjoy the warm sensation on her cheeks.

While walking down the hallway, she would occasionally stop to look at the photos framed on the left side of the wall. She would take a few moments to observe and memorize what she could assume was the family that once lived here. It looked like a happy family, just like hers.

After braving the stairs, she entered the kitchen only to instantly notice a bowl of what looked like perfectly preserved fruit displayed on the kitchen table. Helping herself up, she took the shiny red apple and licked her tiny lips. Feeling hungry after nearly 18 hours without eating, she immediately bit into it, only to realize it was made of plastic.

Unaware of what plastic fruit was, she began to grab the other various options, hoping at least one of them was real. To her dismay though, every piece was plastic and fake. She felt her tummy rumbling and was prepared to go to the adults knowing they'd find food for her.

However, Kiriko all of a sudden noticed a very familiar smell she only smelled once before. Carefully wandering through the sliding glass door, she found herself walking into the backyard. The further she ventured out, the more she could hear a series of groans and sighs that appeared to be coming from behind a brick wall.

The smell grew even more foul and putrid as she approached the wall. Her heart began to race when she began to see multiple hands reaching over the very top of the wall. The flesh was grey and decaying, instantly making it very clear to the little girl that the dead were huddled up just on the other side.

Kiriko began to walk backwards, hoping that she hadn't alerted any of Them. So far, the dead seemed pacified, but who knew how long her luck would last. The young girl was tempted to cry out for her mother, knowing she'd know what to do.

Suddenly, Kiriko felt a cold hand wrap around her mouth, causing her heart to skip a beat. Tears flowed down her cheeks, the terrified little girl certain that one of Them had grabbed her and was going to eat her right there on the spot. Trying not to go down without a fight, she began to struggle and use all her strength in an attempt to break away.

"Hey, hey! It's me, Kiriko." Frasier's voice suddenly whispered as he watched her reaching for his pistol holstered at his hip.

"Shoot them! Kill the monsters!" Kiriko said in a hysterical voice, managing to actually wrap her tiny hand around the grip before Frasier naturally brushed her off.

"I can't, Kiriko. I don't have nearly enough ammo, and if we're seen by a Screecher, we'll be up to our necks in Them." Frasier explained as he managed to restrain her in place so she could look him in the eyes.

"What do we do?" Kiriko asked, as she was on the verge of crying again, scared out of her mind that the dead would find them and eat them all.

"First, we wake the others up. Then we sneak out and continue our journey as planned. Those monsters can't see, so we have the advantage. Remember, Kiriko, that the monsters can still hear us, so stay quiet." Frasier answered before ensuring that she wouldn't make any unnecessary noises.

Moments later, the rest of the group was awake and quickly and fully briefed on their current situation. Rei pulled a blind aside only to see the neighborhood was now infested with the dead. She continued to scan the street, observing the multiple corpses wandering around. While the dead didn't appear to know exactly where the group was, They certainly seemed to be drawn to this area.

Meanwhile, Frasier was in the next room, wrapping up Rika's body in multiple sheets in an attempt retain what little dignity he could spare her.

"I'm sorry, Rika. It should've been me who made the sacrifice back there. Without you, we would've had no chance. You may have been rough at times, but deep down you were just like the rest of us, a true companion till the end." Frasier muttered as he looked at Rika's pale face. Her eyes were closed, yet he could still feel like she was giving him her standard glare.

Suddenly, Rei entered the room with the kids following right behind her. She looked down at Rika's body and let out a soft sigh, knowing things would never be the same for them after losing so many people in one day. However, with the chance of Johann still being alive, she knew she had to persevere and make best of their otherwise desperate situation.

"So what's the plan? I assume we still can't use a car, right?" Rei asked while she watched Frasier pick up Rika effortlessly.

"I'm afraid so. If the noise doesn't end up causing a bottleneck from the dead that hear it, those mercenaries will certainly catch onto us. Did you see any routes or paths that could help us slip out without much confrontation?" Frasier said in an attempt to justify the group not using a vehicle before checking for a secret exit they could use.

"Well, I didn't spot any paths the dead weren't blocking off. However, I did notice something that could be of use." Rei replied before walking over to a window and motioning him to walk over.

"See that manhole down there? If we manage to get to it, I'm more than certain we'll be able to evade the dead without drawing an entire horde." Rei brought up, certain by now that the group was more than capable of stealth, seeing how much they'd avoided up till now.

"Won't it be really, really, REALLY dark in there? I don't like the dark." Michiko suddenly chimed in as she was already against the idea of being enclosed in the darkness once again.

"We have flashlights, see? If it helps, I'll let you hold them." Frasier offered as he begun to let his fatherly instincts do the talking in order to give Michiko and the other kids some incentive to face a common fear head on.

"Okay...can I hold the biggest one?" Michiko hesitantly agreed before trying to get the best outcome she could for herself.

"Certainly. Just don't turn it on until we get down there. Don't wanna waste the batteries now, do we?" Frasier rhetorically asked as he reached into his supply pack and handed both Michiko and Kiriko a flashlight.

"Don't we get one too?" Corvo asked, feeling somewhat left out while Lena and Miyu both formed a similar look of disappointment.

"You guys are older and more mature. Think you three can show the others how it's done?" Frasier replied in an attempt to persuade the other kids.

"Well, it can't be that bad..." Miyu said as she now took this as a challenge. Corvo and Lena couldn't help but silently nod in agreement.

With nothing holding the group back now, they began to descend the stairs, only to stop momentarily when multiple figures passed by a window, Their silhouettes phasing through the curtains. Eventually They moved on to the point it was unclear whether or not They simply moved on or were just standing outside of the group's line of sight.

Rei peered through the peephole in the front door, her eye slowly panning back and forth to every possible angle, ready to be relieved when she saw no signs of Them by the door; when she was completely caught off guard when one moved right in front of the peephole. She let out a soft gasp of shock, inadvertently causing the undead creature to stare at the door as if it was on alert now.

"There's one just outside the front door. I think it knows something is up." Rei whispered softly to Frasier, only for him to switch positions with her to handle the immediate threat.

The kids watched as he pressed his face against the peephole before he unholstered his silenced sidearm and began to aim it against the door. In a quick succession of precise shots, he nailed the same spot over and over. A low thud soon followed outside as Frasier smirked to himself before turning to the others.

"That was really awesome." Lena softly whispered to Corvo as they proceeded to exit the house, keeping low and as quiet as church mice.

The street was moderately empty; most of the dead were either festering in the nearby alleys or amongst the other homes. All seven survivors moved out into the open, completely exposed.

Just when all seemed to be going right for them, Rei looked back just in time to see a walker with pulsating red eyes wandering out into the open, only to stop dead in its tracks when its head turned in their direction.

When Frasier noticed this, he instantly dropped Rika and unholstered his silenced sidearm again, firing a rapid amount of rounds in an attempt to kill the Screecher. The first couple of rounds pounded at the chest and shoulders; the next few merely skimmed the side of its cheek, and the final shot in the magazine missed due to his lack in trigger discipline.

Its putrid jaw hung wide open, only to let out that dreadful banshee-like wail that could only be followed up by a momentary silence before what sounded like hundreds of groans filled the air. Everyone's hearts started to sink when nearby fences and windows were suddenly being broken by the dead heading over to intercept them.

"Rei! Get them into the sewers, now!" Frasier ordered as he reloaded his sidearm before picking Rika back up, moving as fast he could towards the manhole cover.

Rei took her makeshift staff and impaled the small hole on the lid. With all her strength, she barely managed to pry it loose enough to where it could be dragged off. She then motioned the kids to follow her.

"Kiriko, you go first, sweetheart." Rei said in the most calm voice she could manage, hoping that if she could keep a level head, the kids wouldn't begin to panic at the sight of Them closing in on them so fast.

However, the poor five-year-old stood there petrified with fear when looking into that dark abyss. Despite holding the flashlight, she could do nothing but stand there like a timid deer caught in headlights.

"I-I can't! Mommy, don't make me go alone!" Kiriko began to cry out as tears flooded her eyes instantaneously.

"Go! Get them down there! I'll hold them off!" Frasier roared out to Rei as he set Rika down a moderate distance from the opening; drawing out his knife in one hand while unholstering his pistol in the other, ready to fend the dead off for as long as Rei needed him to.

"It's okay, darling, mommy would never abandon you. We'll all do this together." Rei said in a hushed voice as she took Kiriko's trembling hand and began to help guide her down into the darkness. The other three kids all nervously stood by the open sewer hole while they waited for her to come back up to help them down as well.

Meanwhile, Frasier aggressively charged into the first of Them, plunging the knife into an eye socket of the first before he swung his leg around, knocking four into one another. With precise shooting, he nailed every single one in the head, bloody chunks flying out through the exit wounds.

From his right side, an infected man lurched out with both arms reached out. Out of pure reflex, the knife was swung in an upward motion, piercing right through the lower jaw and into the brainstem. With raw power, the undead cretin was lifted up into the air, merely hanging by the very blade wedged deep into it.

Frasier swung his arm around, launching the corpse onto a crawling walker, effectively pinning it down just long enough for Frasier to stomp its skull in. What used to be someone's face was now just a caved in mess.

He then turned to see a small group had set their sights on the kids. Without hesitation, he gunned down the first few while he bolted over only to drop kick the last one long before a gap could be closed. After repeatedly stabbing it in the temple, he suddenly realized he couldn't hold off all the dead while ensuring They couldn't come any where near the manhole nor Rika's body.

Knowing he had to continually draw Their attention, Frasier twisted off the silencer to his sidearm only to start blasting it at the dead while he watched Their vacant gazes all turning unto him. Their jaws hung low as their feet dragged against the pavement.

"C'mon! Fresh meat, right here!" Frasier announced as he bashed, bludgeoned, and shot through entire packs that came too close to him. He then grabbed the sheets Rika was wrapped up in, dragging her away in attempt to keep any stragglers from eating her.

He set Rika aside before he grabbed one of Them by the face. His boot swiped sideways at the ankles while pushing the head back with such force the entire being was sent straight into the ground only to end with the satisfying splatter of skull meeting asphalt.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted two of Them already tearing away at the sheets on Rika's corpse. Enraged at this sight, Frasier grabbed one of the legs of the walker he just crushed, beginning to swing it around in a circular motion, only to toss it at the two zombies attempting to feast on his deceased friend.

Grabbing Rika again, he fell back until his back was at a van. Thinking he had his back covered, he didn't expect it when two walkers underneath the van grabbed his boots and suddenly managed to topple him over. Frasier desperately kicked one back while the other was sinking its rotted teeth into his hardened boots.

Unable to swing his knife, he resorted to kicking the second one back and forth before managing to land a crippling kick to the forehead that caused the back of the rotting skull to break against the underbelly of the vehicle. The first one however came back for seconds, only for Frasier to blast the top half of its head off with the last round in the chamber.

The lone Brit pulled himself back up only to see that the dead had spared no time moving in on him. Despite a sizable chunk being blocked at his rear flank, he knew it was only a matter of time before he was overwhelmed and devoured.

Soon enough, Rei had managed to help the rest of the children down, leaving just him and Rika left on the surface. Despite managing to accomplish his task, he clearly had little to no chance at breaking through the crowds of dead that blocked him from the manhole.

Everything slowed down around him, every second that went by felt like hours to him. The dead were cutting off all potential exits with each step They took, drawing closer and closer to him. Ammunition had to be spared, and he couldn't waste all his time and energy battling this horde.

Caught up in a mix between the heat of the moment and a desperate situation, Frasier suddenly lifted Rika's body over his head, only to launch it into a bottleneck of Them that was blocking the direct path to the manhole. He immediately bolted through, unable to watch the undead piling up on top of his deceased friend. Their rotting teeth proceeded to tear her flesh to shreds while more and more of Them flocked towards their newfound easy meal.

As he entered the small hole, he caught one last glimpse of Rika's face looking right in his direction, before he finally managed to seal the entrance off from Them. A set of tears fell down to the bottom of the tunnel downwards.

'Forgive me, Rika. I had no choice.' Frasier thought to himself, as if he were hoping she could actually hear his apology. His face cringed at the sound of the dead feasting upon her remains while he slid down the ladder to regroup with the others.

Once Frasier's feet could feel the solid ground beneath him, he was momentarily lost in the pitch-blackness until two beams of light suddenly shined in his face, briefly blinding him.

"Oops. Sorry, Mr. Markle." Michiko apologized as Frasier could now clearly see Michiko and Kiriko holding the flashlights as they brought the beams out of his face. Once his eyes could finally adjust to the darkness, he could partially make out Rei and the other children with them as well.

"Is everyone alright?" he asked, his heart still racing after the close call they'd all just had up above.

"We're fine. Frasier…what happened to…Rika?" Rei asked hesitantly, as if she already knew the answer. Frasier could feel his throat go dry. How could he possibly admit what he had to do, and in front of the children especially? When he and Rei made direct eye contact, she could immediately sense the despair and regret in his gaze, and she could only gasp as she brought one of her hands to her mouth, tears of sadness beginning to well up in her ruby red eyes.

"Oh God…Frasier…how…how do we tell Shizuka?" Rei asked, clearly struggling to try and find the right words, all the while sniffling as she proceeded to let her tears flow freely. This was unlike anything anyone in the group had ever done before. Rika was Shizuka's best friend in the whole world. How could they possibly tell her that they had to use her as bait?

"WE won't tell her, Rei. It was my decision to make, so it's only fair that I take responsibility for my actions and tell her myself. But I'll worry about that once we're at the rally point. For now, all we need to worry about is getting there." Frasier explained, swallowing his sadness once he could see his and Rei's emotions were starting to rub off on the children as Kiriko and Michiko and even Lena looked to be on the verge of crying themselves.

"How will we even be able to get there, though? Even with the flashlights, it's almost impossible to see anything in here. And besides, this place is no doubt like a giant maze. How will we be able to avoid getting lost in here?" Rei asked, clearly not liking their odds.

"Actually, Mrs. Kessler, I found this while we were grabbing our stuff from the kitchen. Maybe it's useful." Michiko suddenly piped in, and when Frasier and Rei looked to her, they saw she was holding up what looked like some kind of folded up map, but when Frasier looked it over more closely, he could see it was actually specifically a map of the entire sewer system of Greater London. For once, luck was finally on their side.

"I guess that house we were in must've belonged to some kind of sewer maintenance worker." Frasier said mostly to himself as Michiko handed him the map to look over.

"Oh, that's a terrific find, Michiko! Your mom will be so proud when we tell her." Rei congratulated the small girl, causing her to smile brightly to herself.

"Alright. Right now we're in the Hillingdon area of Greater London, and Buckingham Palace is to the east over in Westminster City. However, London is divided in half by the Thames River. Fortunately, all the sewer lines lead out to the Thames, so all we have to do is reach the end of this line, then we can climb back up to street level, cross the bridge that leads to Big Ben, and from there it's a straight walk to Buckingham Palace." Frasier explained as he folded up the map and tucked it into his pocket once he was sure he had everyone's attention and understanding.

"But won't there be a bunch of monsters up there?" Kiriko asked nervously, prompting all the other kids to look at each other uncertainly.

"Not this time. I haven't really told a lot of us this, but every couple weeks when I've gone out for a while, I've actually been making a point of heading to where we're going and making sure the general area is clear of monsters, just in case we ever had a reason to go there like we do now." Frasier explained, trying to avoid the disapproving glare Rei momentarily shot him at the mention of him once again keeping a huge secret from the rest of the group.

"So we have a pretty long walk ahead of us again, you guys, so the sooner we get started, the sooner we can get there and finally rest and meet up with everyone. So are we all ready?" Frasier asked in an attempt to perk the children up so they could get a move on. Once all the children nodded, Frasier proceeded to start walking past all of them to the direction they all had their backs turned to, prompting everyone else to follow after him.

As they continued to make their way through the otherwise pitch black of the sewers, with only the lights of Kiriko and Michiko's flashlights to light the way, the only sounds that could be heard were the trickling sound of the flowing water that filled the middle of the tunnels and every now and again, the almost ambient sound of rats scurrying around in the darkness.

After a few instances of that, Rei took it upon herself to handle Kiriko's flashlight as she carried her frightened five-year-old on her back whilst holding Lena's hand. Michiko also stayed rather close to her side while Miyu and Corvo were visibly reluctant to choose either between being at their group's mother-figure's side or at the side of their father as he kept leading the way through the various twists and turns without any sign of fear or hesitation visible in his movements.

"Hey, Dad?" Miyu suddenly asked, prompting Frasier to momentarily look back at her over his shoulder as he continued to walk.

"Yes, Miyu?" Frasier asked, trying his best to sound as approachable as he could so as not to sound intimidating to his own children.

"Do you…do you really think mom will be there when we get to wherever it is we're going?" Miyu nervously asked, prompting Frasier to momentarily stop in his tracks before he proceeded onward, if just to keep Miyu from seeing the uncertain look on his face.

"Your mother is strong, Miyu. If there's anyone I know who would make it there no matter what, it would be her." Frasier explained, hoping that would be enough of an answer for her.

'How can you even say something like that so easily to your own child? You don't know the truth any more than she does.' He momentarily thought to himself before he quickly shook his head to get rid of the nagging doubts in his mind. All the while, Corvo looked to see Miyu looked to be considerably calmer, but there still seemed to be a glimmer of doubt in her one visible eye.

For a while afterwards, nobody could think of anything to say. Every now and again a little bit of sunlight would shine down on them from the grates above. Whenever they'd reach spots like this, Frasier would momentarily stop and pull out the map in order to get their bearings straight once again. By this point, he could see they looked to be just a little ways away from the Thames.

Before he and the rest of the group could proceed, Kiriko started coughing, nearly gagging even. Everyone looked concernedly at her as Rei took her in her arms so she could look her in the eye.

"Kiriko, sweetie, are you okay?" Rei asked, heavy worry in her voice as Kiriko pinched her nose shut with her tiny fingers.

"It really stinks here, Mommy." Kiriko whined, prompting Rei to hug her close while gently rubbing the back of her head in an attempt comfort her while she looked at everyone else in slight embarrassment. However, what she wasn't expecting was for Frasier to suddenly look even more worried than she was.

"She's right. It smells a lot worse here than it did the rest of the way we went." Frasier said mostly to himself. Normally the sewers altogether should've been absolutely rancid, but after seven years of absolutely no human interference or waste, the place had pretty much aired itself out. But if that had been the case, then where was this stench coming from?

It was then that, while she had been looking around nervously, Michiko ended up shining her flashlight down one of the side tunnels and ended up illuminating a huge, congested horde of Them just several feet away from them, only by this point after Kiriko's coughing had echoed down to Them, the whole horde was startling to clumsily shamble right for them. It took almost no time after this for Frasier, Rei and all the other kids to see the otherwise invisible horde was already nearly on top of them.

"OH SHIT! EVERYONE RUN!" Frasier shouted out, and like a spring was in their steps, the whole group practically jumped out of the way as the horde burst out from the tunnel and was already hot on their heels after them. Even now, several were starting to actually climb from out of the water at their sides; their slimy, bony rotted fingers clawing the air for them as they sprinted past. There was nowhere near enough light or room for any of them to efficiently fight Them off, so all they could hope to do was run for their lives.

"THIS WAY!" Frasier called back as he quickly ran over a small, rusted metal bridge connecting one side of the tunnel to the other. Everyone else quickly followed after him; the bridge rattling and shaking dangerously as their weight began to wear out the rusted supports. None of them even bothered stopping to look back as the horde followed after them, Their combined weight causing the bridge to give out right under Their feet, sending Them all plummeting into the water.

"The Thames should be just around a few more turns. We're almost there!" Frasier announced as he began to slow down once he noticed he couldn't hear the wall of moans following after them anymore. The rest of the group began to follow suit, the children struggling to catch their breath.

As Miyu practically had to hunch over to catch her breath, her lungs feeling like they were practically on fire, she failed to notice a moldy, slimy rotting hand just under the edge of the path she and the others were standing on, as it slowly reached up over the edge towards her ankle. Like a cobra, the bony hand practically lunged forward as it clutched Miyu's ankle, pulling with such an unexpected strength that it caused Miyu to slip on the slimy floor and land hard on her rear as the zombie in the water proceeded to pull her closer.

"HELP! MOMMY, HELP!" Miyu shrieked before she suddenly went over the edge into the water. Out of pure instinct, both Rei and Frasier dove into the water, the icy cold enveloping them as they could only swim forward to where Miyu fell.

It was almost no time at all before Rei could suddenly feel the touch of Miyu's hair under the water, and reaching downward, she could feel her arms were hooked underneath Miyu's, so she proceeded to pull with all her might while Frasier grabbed his knife and swung through the water with all his might, managing to sever the rotting hand holding his daughter even despite the water resistance.

Frasier kicked both his feet out, crushing the zombie's skull against the submerged brick wall, while also using its face as a launch point as he broke through the water's surface, quickly followed by Rei as she had Miyu in her arms as she proceeded to swim back towards the wall. Frasier followed after her as he grabbed hold of Miyu's other arm as they began to lift her back up to the edge to the other kids.

Understanding what the adults were trying to tell them to do, Corvo, Lena, Kiriko and Michiko all reached down to grab Miyu's arms, their combined strength managing to pull Corvo's sister back up onto solid ground as Frasier and Rei pulled themselves out of the water.

"Miyu! Miyu, talk to me! Are you okay?!" Frasier asked frantically as he and Rei both began looking over every inch of her for any sign of a bite as she began to regain consciousness. Once her eyes were open, Miyu practically jumped away from the adults as she backed herself up against the wall, immediately curling herself up into a ball, her whole small body trembling uncontrollably as everyone could only look at her worriedly.

"Miyu, calm down! You're not in any danger anymore." Frasier tried to reason with her as Miyu didn't even seem to be looking directly at anyone but was just staring blankly ahead, too terrified to even formulate words.

"The monster's dead now, Miyu. You're safe." Frasier tried to speak to her once again, this time much calmer, but it still didn't look as though his words were getting through to her. Not saying anything, Rei slowly approached the petrified purple-haired girl as she scooped her up into her arms, which this time Miyu didn't try to resist or escape from. Perhaps she was simply too terrified to even move period.

"Oh, the poor thing. She's scared out of her mind." Rei whispered to Frasier as Corvo approached his sister and nervously grabbed her hand in his, to which she quickly wrapped her fingers around, as if to keep Corvo from letting go of her. Frasier could only sigh in a form of defeat as he looked regretfully at his daughter. It only served as something of a brutal reminder that in the long run, Miyu was much closer to Saeko than to him. Saeko always seemed to know how to approach her and talk to her every single time, while right now all Frasier could do was talk to her like an unhinged soldier under his command. Of course, the situation was the same visa versa between Corvo and his mother. Frasier seemed to always have a better understanding of how to talk to Corvo all the time as well.

"Well, Frasier, you said yourself we're almost at the Thames, so that must mean we're almost at the rally point. After going in THAT water, I just have one thing to ask before we move on. Does this place have a functioning generator or propane system?" Rei suddenly asked, snapping Frasier out of his reflective moment. He could tell from the trembling in Rei's voice that she was desperate for an answer akin to 'yes.' Not that he could necessarily blame her after they'd both dived into what was still essentially sewer water. Even he himself, who had been covered in the blood of both humans and undead alike many times before, had to admit that right now even he felt violated.

"Yes. Every time I cleared the place out, I always checked to see if the Palace still had running power. It is the most important place in the United Kingdom in terms of national icons, so it didn't surprise me when I found it had its own separate power system in case the country went into full-on blackout. So yes, it does." Frasier explained, and Rei let out what was probably the most relieved sigh a person could ever possibly give. Truth be told, that fact alone bolstered her eagerness to get there by tenfold.

Not wanting to waste anymore time, Frasier proceeded to take lead of the group once more as Rei knelt down so Kiriko could climb onto her back and continue riding while Rei continued holding the still trembling Miyu in her arms. As they continued their way through the tunnels, Miyu hesitantly brought her small arms around Rei's shoulders, unexpectedly hugging her without saying a word as Rei and all the other children couldn't help but look at Miyu in surprise, never expecting her to do such a thing with anyone but Saeko.

It was only a few minutes more until they finally turned a corner that beheld the unmistakable light of day at the end. By now, everyone was practically running for the light before coming to a stop. What laid out before them was just what Frasier had hoped would be there. The vast expanse of the Thames River laid stretched out before them, with the all too familiar sight of Big Ben and Westminster Palace just a ways to their left on the other side, with the iconic bridge not even a single kilometer up the road from where they were.

As Frasier looked around, he was pleased to see a small ladder jutting out of the concrete wall to their left that led up to the street above them. Now it was just a clear shot to the rally point from here.

"Alright everyone, we're almost there. Once we get up to the street, we just cross that bridge up ahead to Westminster Palace, and from there it won't even be an hour's walk to Buckingham Palace. We've gone through more than we ever should have in order to get this far, but I think we can safely say the worst is behind us now." Frasier announced to his group as they all looked to him with clear gratitude while Corvo's face held more what looked like sheer admiration.

"Just lead the way, Dad." Corvo said, sparking a newfound burst of confidence in Frasier's heart as he reached out and grabbed the first rung of the ladder.

"Alright, everyone. Let's make sure we'll be sleeping safely in our beds tonight." Frasier announced, ready to get the final leg of their long and far too miserable journey underway.

Roughly after forty minutes of walking with little to no interruption, the small group finally stood before the marvel that was Buckingham Palace. Despite the quiet, uneventful walk, it was hard for anyone to fully relax knowing that danger could rear its ugly head around every corner at any given time.

Frasier stood at the front flank, carrying his terrified daughter, who was still shivering from the chilled winds against her wet skin. Rei meanwhile was carrying Kiriko on her back while Corvo, Michiko, and Lena clumped together as their own personal little group.

The kids all looked up at the massive statue with multiple figures posed around the base that stood tall and proud in front of the massive palace. Their eyes mainly focused on the golden winged figure wearing a crown. Without a word, Frasier motioned for everyone to follow him as they made their way through the opened gates.

The large fence was reinforced with barbed wire and sandbags piled alongside it for a bolstered defense. With no corpses around, the palace thankfully brought up a sense of security in the survivors. Their finally began to collectively lower their guard as they relished in the refreshing breezes of wind that went by.

"It's certainly clear out here, but can you say the same for the inside?" Rei asked uncertainly as she watched Frasier prepping himself to open the twin doors before them.

"I think so; but given how those mercenaries appear to always be one step ahead of us, it's best I search the place first. We can secure the main hall together, then I'll scout out the rest of the building on my own." Frasier answered as he then handed her a pistol, knowing with the years of practice the group had undergone, that Rei had become a really decent shot.

"Alright. I just hope we can finally sit down without interruption. With any luck the others will be here soon." Rei agreed, still choosing to let her optimism shine through.

With the kids positioned at the sides of the doors, Frasier went in first with his pistol, aiming for anything that showed any remote signs of movement. The interior looked exactly the same as it did the last time he checked up on the place a few weeks ago. Rei meanwhile was at his side and checking out the multiple doorways, making sure there was nothing rushing out at them unexpectedly.

"We're clear. Get the kids inside." Frasier instructed, standing his ground while Rei took a step back to motion the children to quickly get inside, sealing the doors behind them.

"You five hold up here. Barricade the door and wait for my return. If everything is as secure as anticipated, we should be alright." Frasier suggested as he escorted them up the stairs, through a hallway, and into a luxurious bedroom that had more than enough room for over twenty people to use.

"I think we can manage that. Just be careful, okay? We've lost enough as it is." Rei replied with half of a smile before her voice began to lower at the thought of something happening to him while he would be alone.

Frasier just nodded in acceptance before closing the doors, leaving them behind to wait for his return. Knowing they were no longer under constant threat, the kids all began to look around the room, only to realize it was far greater than what they once had back home.

"How come our house doesn't look like this?" Lena asked her mother as the others began to spread out to see the shiny objects decorating the walls.

"Because this place is huge, sweetheart. It's far too big to be raising a family. We'd have hardly any way to keep track of you little rascals." Rei answered as she tried to ignore how disgusted she felt after traveling through a sewer.

"Do you think we could try living here when we find daddy?" Lena then asked, unintentionally causing Rei to hold a few tears back, seeing how despite how optimistic she was trying to be for their sake, she still didn't really know if Johann was even still alive at this point or not.

"W-We'll see, Lena." Rei briefly responded before she became completely silent while her eldest daughter strolled away to tell Kiriko the good news of them potentially living here.

Rei then hung her head in despair, nearly overwhelmed by the crippling woe and heavy burden she felt when thinking of living a life without Johann. Granted, she had two daughters she wouldn't trade for the world, but to raise them with no father felt so cruel and unfair to them as well.

Meanwhile, the kids (except for Kiriko who was resting on the nearby bed) began to talk again when Lena approached them. They all paused a moment to look at her before returning to their conversation.

"What are you guys talking about?" Lena asked out of curiosity, somewhat uneasy at the fact they seemed hesitant to answer.

"As bad as this might sound...we think it's just us that are left now." Miyu reluctantly answered as she could see a look of shock form across Lena's face at such a response.

"How can you say that?! That's your mom and my dad you're talking about! They're going to be okay!" Lena began to say in disbelief at such words.

"The others were closer and had a head start. There were more of them too, so anything that could get in the way would be defeated in no time." Michiko expressed in the same cold, brutally calculating tone Saya would've spoken in.

"Well... what does Corvo think?" Lena then asked, knowing he'd have something to say about all of this.

"He didn't say much. I am curious to know what he thinks, though." Michiko brought up as she and Miyu focused their eyes on him, causing the young boy to feel the nearly unbearable pressure from them all at once.

Lena then turned to Corvo, hoping he would agree with her on this one. He just looked into her hopeful eyes before he let out a defeated sigh, knowing he had to speak up.

"I think Lena is right. The other grown ups might not be as strong as my dad, but together, they're unbeatable. Remember all the stories they told us? How they fought against all kinds of bad guys and monsters and always won?" Corvo said in an attempt to remind Michiko and Miyu that the other grownups were just as much a force to be reckoned with.

"That's another thing I'm curious about...your dad, Corvo. Tell us, why did he take you outside while leaving the rest of us completely vulnerable?" Michiko added as she began to ask more personal questions with a raised eyebrow.

"We were helping Alice and Yulia. They found something really important before he sent them home. After that, dad was training me for a while until a bunch of those men attacked us." Corvo answered honestly as he tried to add everything he felt was necessary, feeling more and more uncomfortable under Michiko and his own sister's calculating gazes.

"Dad's certainly been spending a lot of time with you, Corvo. Is there anything he's telling you that he isn't telling us?" Miyu finally added, feeling somewhat suspicious and even a little jealous about how often she'd seen them talking alone without her.

"I don't know. He just teaches me how to survive and makes me do a lot of exercise. Do you think he knows more about this than he says he does?" Corvo began to explain, feeling more and more uncertain. In the end, he finally began to think the hardest question of all to himself: was his own father keeping secrets from him on top of everyone else?

Meanwhile, Frasier quietly went from room to room, thoroughly checking for any of the undead or perhaps even any mercenaries that might've already been holing up in any one of the many unsecured areas of the palace. Sweat ran down his face from the intense adrenaline and stress he'd put himself through every time he would burst into a room only to realize he was the only one around.

Eventually, he managed to stumble upon the lower basement. He flicked on one of the flashlights Michiko lent him moments before their arrival. The small beam of light strafed across the room for anything that could stand out as useful.

Frasier then noticed signs on the wall showing him directions to the emergency generators. He took subtle steps; listening for any ambient sounds he didn't make himself.

Once he found a small sectioned off room, he noticed a figure slumped over in a chair with its back turned to him and its head hung low. The smell wasn't nearly as bad as rotting flesh, making it clear to him that this figure could be no more than a mere skeleton, so he had nothing at the moment to worry about. But still, he knew it was better to be safe than sorry.

With the barrel of the pistol pressed against the back of the skull, Frasier managed to spin the chair around, causing the skeletal remains (wearing tattered clothing of what seemed like a maintenance worker) to face him with its jaw hung wide open. After a quick observation, he noticed a gaping hole in the side of the skull, and that there was a small piece of paper clenched between the bony fingers.

"To whomever finds this note: FUCK YOU FOR LASTING LONGER! Now that we've cleared that bit up, you're probably wondering why this note was even written to begin with. Simple! I'm smarter than you and I know how to operate the controls to the emergency power grid here. Just follow these simple little drawings I've made on the back page and try not to fuck it up." Frasier began to read aloud before turning the paper over to see numerous steps on how to work the console before him. He then noticed more writing just below.

"Sorry if I've come off as a condescending prick back there. It's just that when your whole life is ending, and you're left without any say or choice in the matter, it brings out the worst in you. The news claims we only have a few hours left before the majority of us turn into those fucking creatures the rest of the world has been dealing with while we just sat back and watched while our government and Queen, God save her, did nothing to help. Karma sure is a bitch...but that bitch isn't going to kill me for THEIR sins. Not this one...I'm going out on my own fucking terms!" the rest of the note read before a splotch of crusted blood covered the signature of the former maintenance worker.

"Hmm, to each is own, I suppose." Frasier mumbled to himself while he set the note on the console. He then ran his foot under the chair to feel what felt like a small revolver.

He crouched down and snatched it up before thoroughly looking over it. Five rounds remained in the six-shot cylinder. Obviously, only one shot was needed for what its previous owner had in mind. While the ammunition wouldn't work with the pistols he carried, he knew that if Rei let up, he could let the kids potentially learn to shoot with it later. If not, at least he had a nearly full sidearm at his side.

'All right, lets see how much power we got left.' Frasier then thought to himself as he began to follow the illustrated instructions.

Minutes later, he pulled down a lever and flicked on a set of switches that caused a low hum to emit before all the lights in the room turned on, only for this stroke of good fortune to spread throughout the entire palace. At first he was glad to see that they had power, but then he realized they were now a dead giveaway to any mercenaries that could potentially see the palace. In a quick succession of flips, he powered down only a few essential areas that would be near impossible to detect outside the castle.

Frasier let out a sigh of relief before he looked over to see that the boilers were already heating up, indicating they had more than enough heat and running water for a much needed shower after their sewer incident. A sigh of relief escaped his lips as he pulled himself up and began to casually head back to Rei's position, knowing she would be more than thrilled to wash away the filth that they had been covered in for nearly a full hour now.

"You're 100% certain? No doubts at all?" Rei asked as Frasier stood before her, the kids gathering up now that he had returned to inform them of the new situation.

"Every single room has been searched, Rei. We're clear, and I even secured the other entrances with barricades." Frasier reported as he looked over and noticed Corvo, for some reason, had a conflicted look on his face.

"And before you ask, I restored the power, and as it turns out, we have a high storage of propane left, meaning the facilities are fully functional." Frasier said with a sly grin, knowing how happy his long time friend would be to know this.

"Oh god, that is EXACTLY what I needed to hear. C'mon, kids. Let's go clean this muck off before we all get sick." Rei said before she immediately took off for a room with a bathroom.

Everyone followed her up until they stood before the doorway. Rei was the first to enter the purely white tiled room while Michiko, Lena, Miyu, and Kiriko eagerly followed, with Corvo not too far behind until Frasier suddenly held him back. The doors slowly closed before a locking sound could be heard clicking seconds later.

"Why can't I go in?" Corvo began to ask with a puzzled look while they could both hear the sound of running water getting turned on. A series of giggling, squeals of amusement, and glee soon followed.

"Because you're a boy, Corvo." Frasier responded while they both patiently stood there as if standing watch.

"Is that a bad thing?" Corvo said with a heavy amount of shame in his voice.

"What? No, not at all, Corvo. It just means you and I are different, so we can't... uh... be naked around them. I'll explain it to you when you're older." Frasier began to answer confidently before he began to realize it was increasingly harder to explain to his son simple social behavior.

"Mom used to bathe me when I was younger, though." Corvo brought up, momentarily shooting down Frasier's sub-par explanation.

"That was different though, Corvo. Don't ask me how, it just was." Frasier tried to explain, only to stop short the more he realized he had no idea how to explain stuff like this to his son.

"Oh, okay. So how long do you think we'll need to wait for them to finish? No offense, Dad, but you were in that nasty water with Mrs. Kessler too, and…" Corvo accepted before he hesitantly brought up the fact that now that they had nothing else occupying their thoughts, he now could finally notice the all-too strong smell coming from his father's clothes.

"Judging by the sounds they're making, I'd say at least an hour. So we've got plenty of time to... Hmm, now that I think about it, I wonder if they'll be able to hear us, though." Frasier began to answer before he suddenly had an idea that caused him to pause for a moment as he shifted his attention to the revolver he found earlier.

"This is a big place, Corvo, so I'm sure there's plenty of bathrooms here. I already checked to make sure there aren't any monsters anywhere in here, so what do you say we take a walk and find one we can use?" Frasier suggested, and Corvo was quickly following after him, happy to at least get to have some personal time with his dad. This would at least give him the chance to bring up what had been bothering him so much for the last several minutes.

"So Dad...you tell us everything...right?" Corvo hesitantly brought up as he looked up at his father, who was clearly deep in thought.

Frasier was silent at first, somewhat taken aback that Corvo, his first and only son, would go as far as to doubt him. It genuinely hurt him to have his own flesh and blood distrust him. Although there were a few things he never covered with the group, such as clearing up this rally point every now and then on his monthly trips, Frasier made sure to tell the group everything vital and necessary to their survival and safety.

"Corvo...I don't know what you've heard about me or what you may perceive of me, but I assure you that I'd tell you guys everything to be considered even remotely important. I'm sorry if you don't completely trust me, son. In the past, I used to be very secretive, even from your Uncle Marcus and Noa-" Frasier said as he knelt down to be face to face with his son, pouring his heart out in hopes that Corvo would trust his word.

"Then why did you do that thing earlier? You looked so angry, and it really scared us." Corvo questioned as he began to express his inner feelings towards his father's outburst from earlier when Rika was shot.

"I honestly have no clue on that one. Human beings aren't even remotely capable of doing such things as that. If I knew what it was, I'd gladly explain it to you. Corvo, I'm your father and your protector. If you can't trust me, you can't trust anyone in the world." Frasier explained as he could see a look of conflict in Corvo's blue eyes.

"I'll tell you what. You can ask me anything you want, and I'll answer it within reason." Frasier then offered in an attempt to regain the lost trust of his son.

"Anything?" Corvo asked with a curious yet intrigued look on his face.

"Er...yes. Anything." Frasier sighed as he now realized this might not have been the best idea.

"I wanna know more about my uncle." Corvo suddenly stated with no hesitation as he formed a serious look in his eyes that showed he meant business.

"Marcus? What do you want to know about him?" Frasier asked with a surprised look on his face when given such a question about his younger brother.

"No. My other uncle. Nobody ever talks about him. I've always heard stories about you and mom along with the other adults, but never about him. Why is that?" Corvo said as he went further into his reasons as to why he wanted to know of Noah so badly.

Frasier slumped against the wall, letting out a dreary sigh as he realized he had to talk about a subject he'd been so reluctant to even acknowledge at times. However, he did just say he'd talk about anything, so he mentally dug up thoughts and memories he suppressed long ago, ready to tell Corvo in detailed length about his Uncle Noah.

Moments after Frasier and Corvo were left outside the door, Rei walked up to the nearest showerhead and eagerly twisted the knob around, holding her hand under the hissing water that sent chills down her body when she felt its warmth.

"Oh yeah, that's what I'm talking about!" Rei softly cooed as she clearly enjoyed the heated water she so desperately needed after having to dive into sewer water. Both Lena and Kiriko couldn't help but feel slightly embarrassed at how she reacted to it.

For a couple minutes, the girls couldn't bring themselves to move from their spot as Rei was already energetically washing herself all over at LEAST three times; desperate to cleanse herself of absolutely all the filth she'd gotten on herself whilst saving Miyu. Once she looked herself over in a small wall-mounted mirror inside the stall, now completely convinced she'd finally purified her whole body once more, she instantly noticed all the girls still standing together in their clothes, clearly a little uncomfortable with showering together. To see them acting like this at such a young age couldn't help but make Rei giggle. Of course, a tiny part of her felt bad for focusing so much on herself, if even for only a couple minutes.

"Don't be shy, girls. We need to clean that muck off of you right away as well. Last thing we want is for one of us to get sick." Rei instructed as she began to turn on multiple showerheads and run a bath that could practically hold several people.

Having no reason to disagree with Rei, the kids quickly undressed as the steam from the showers created a fog, making it a slightly more comfortable situation.

Once they had all fully washed themselves over in the showers, Kiriko, Lena and Michiko piled into the large tub with Rei, adjusting to the warm water that sent an immensely pleasurable tingling sensation through all of them. Kiriko childishly began to splash and make a huge mess, more than amused by her antics while Lena and Michiko couldn't help but roll their eyes, despite the temptation to do it themselves.

"Kiriko! Stop that! You're making a mess!" Lena whined as she couldn't help but feel embarrassed for the both of them when Michiko gave her an irritated look after one of Kiriko's splashes got her right in the face.

"Don't be a party pooper! Splash! Splash!" Kiriko replied before cupping her hands and tossing a handful of water at her older sister just to spite her.

"Now, Kiriko, you know your big sister doesn't like that. Why don't you come over here and let me wash your hair." Rei said in a very motherly tone, trying to sound as soothing as possible to her youngest daughter.

"Alright, Mommy. Can you braid my hair to make it look like yours when we're done?" Kiriko obediently said as she scooted over, nearly body slamming into Rei.

"Aww, sweetheart, I'd love to, but your hair isn't long enough yet. But I'm sure I'll be able to do something with it. Now close your eyes." Rei sighed with emotional tears in her eyes, immensely touched by Kiriko's high admiration for her. She then held up a small cup she managed to snag earlier, scooping it full of water only to pour it all over Kiriko's hair, making it cover her face.

The five-year-old girl began to clench her eyes and spit wildly as if she was drowning. She instantly stopped though when Rei pulled the wet hair out of her eyes, showing a warm smile of boundless love and affection that practically buried all of Kiriko's reasons to be afraid of anything.

"Who's my little snuggle muffin?" Rei said in a silly voice while making a face to go along with it that easily captivated and entertained Kiriko with great delight, just like it always did.

"I am! Me!" Kiriko enthusiastically replied as she practically latched onto her mother affectionately, playfully giving Rei little kisses on the chin while Lena just sat there bowing her head while Michiko couldn't help but giggle at the undeniably adorable sight.

"It could be worse, Lena. My mom tries to make me study math while I'm bathing. This is actually really nice." Michiko commented as she leaned her head back, enjoying the warm water against her skin.

"Yeah, I guess it could be." Lena agreed, somewhat relieved her friend didn't let Kiriko's childish actions bother her. She then smirked to herself as she then caught Michiko off guard by splashing her, only to pull a face and pretend she didn't do it.

"Oh so that's how it's gonna be, huh?" Michiko grinned as she began to instantly retaliate, both girls suddenly finding themselves splashing one another and giggling with great amusement.

"Kiriko, I know you hate this part, but if you want to have nice clean hair, I'll need to wash it with this." Rei began to explain sympathetically as she held up a bottle of shampoo and another with conditioner.

"But I don't want it! It stings and hurts!" Kiriko whined as she shied away and covered her head, wanting nothing to do with the shampoo or conditioner.

"I know, sweetie. Maybe if I add some bubble bath, that will change your mind?" Rei offered in an attempt to persuade Kiriko into letting her do it.

With a reluctant nod, Kiriko turned away while Rei began to gently apply a mix of shampoo and conditioner to her semi-long, dark brown hair.

"I hate this part..." Kiriko groaned as she covered her eyes with both hands, slightly trembling as Rei poured another cup of water on her, letting the mix of shampoo and conditioner wash out.

After a few more cups of water were dumped, Kiriko steadily opened her eyes only to see Rei had kept her word and added a bubble bath mix that instantly reacted to the water. With no stinging sensation to be felt, Kiriko immediately began to express blissful joy by playing with the water and forcing more bubbles to be made.

"Lena, Michiko, do you two need help washing your hair?" Rei offered as she moved over toward them to ensure they would take full advantage of what most in this world would now consider a blessing.

"We can do it," both girls said in a semi-embarrassed tone, as if to prove they could handle themselves in this simple task. Although truthfully, Lena didn't mind the thought of at least getting the same kind of attention Kiriko just did; but she just couldn't shake the idea that she had to be more mature as the older sister among them. And Michiko, while somewhat jealous that Kiriko got such loving attention and affectionate treatment for something like this in comparison to herself, just couldn't bring herself to accept an offer of help for something this simple. Of course, Rei could see right through them both with hardly any effort, but she figured she could at least avoid pressuring them and at least keep her ears open, just in case they both changed their minds.

Rei smiled to herself before noticing she was one child short. She began to look all around her for Miyu, only to see her figure partially hidden in the steam. She was sitting all alone under the running water of one of the showers, her legs propped up against her chest with her arms wrapped around her knees.

Rei looked back at the others and could tell they wouldn't notice her getting up for a minute or two. She carefully got out of the bathtub and silently approached Miyu, managing to hear a sobbing sound followed by a sniffle every now and then.

"Miyu? Why are you here all by yourself? There's more than enough room for you in the tub." Rei said in a coy tone, knowing this clearly wasn't about the girl feeling there wasn't enough space for her with the others.

Realizing that Rei was onto her, Miyu quickly tried to wipe her nose and change her attitude in a matter of seconds.

"I'm fine! I just wanted to sit here. I like this spot." Miyu replied in a weak effort to throw Rei's suspicions out the window.

However, going not only by motherly instincts but simple female ones as well, Rei instantly knew something was bothering the young girl terribly, and she already had a very good idea what it was.

"Miyu, you don't need to hide your feelings from me. I know what happened today was really scary for you. I know everything that's been happening since yesterday has been horrible for all of us, but the last thing you should do is shut everybody out. Trust me, I did the same thing, and it didn't solve anything." Rei began to explain while Saeko's daughter just scowled and tried her best to keep from bursting into tears.

"I'll be fine. It was close, but so was what happened a few weeks ago when we snuck out. I'll get over it in time." Miyu said distantly while trying to rationalize her fears with cold logic and denial.

"Miyu, it's okay to be afraid sometimes. It's what makes us fight harder, and it makes us stronger when we conquer those fears. Miyu...it's okay to cry." Rei began to explain as she could see the young girl trembling, trying her best to remain strong only to soon burst into tears as she finally caved in.

Rei knelt besides her, gently rubbing her back as Miyu uncontrollably wept and shivered, showing Rei just how weak and vulnerable she had become without Saeko to be there for her. With nobody to open up to and the pressure to remain strong and bold before her father, Miyu had felt so alone and pent up inside up until now.

"I miss my mommy! She wouldn't have let that happen to me! She would've been faster and...A-and she wouldn't have let me go one step without her! She always knew what to do and what to say." Miyu softly muttered, occasionally cut off by her nearly coughing from the hyperventilation.

"Shhh, Miyu, you need to relax and just take a deep breath." Rei said, noticing how intense this was on the poor young girl's body.

After a moment of recollecting herself, Miyu let out a deep sigh and a soft sniffle. She knew she couldn't hold it back any longer, so she might as well explain herself and get it over with.

"Mom always knew what to say. She always knew what to do and how to do it. I know my dad loves me, and I love him, but mom would never have let any of the monsters come that close to me. Never." Miyu softly expressed, clearly showing that she put the majority of her faith into Saeko over Frasier.

"I see. Miyu, I understand you have a strong bond with Sae—I mean, your mother. She's very wise, and without a doubt one of the strongest women I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. Without her, I doubt we would've lasted for very long, so it's very natural that you can relate to her better than your father." Rei sympathized; gently rubbing Miyu's back to comfort her while she controlled her breathing.

"Mrs. Kessler...I know she's strong, but how do you know she's even alive? Miss Rika was strong too, and she didn't make it. What chance does my mom have?" Miyu began to whimper as she began to show what really was bothering her now.

"Miyu, I can't lie to you. I can't be 100% certain she is alive, but she was with the others, and if anyone is still alive, I'm more than sure she is. Why I wouldn't be surprised if she was the one leading them right now as we speak. We just need to give them time." Rei explained before she attempted to reassure Miyu that her mother was the most likely to survive out of anyone else.

"What if she doesn't come back, though? What if you're wrong?" Miyu questioned, still somewhat doubtful of Rei's words, as if there was a part of her that just couldn't shake off this doubt in her mind.

"Miyu, I promise, if such a terrible thing were to ever happen...I'd take care of you. Now don't think of it as me taking your mother's place. Think of it more as me being your Aunty Rei, okay?" Rei began to offer with hesitation, only to finish strong; knowing that right now (and potentially for the rest of the other kids lives) she might have to be mother to all of them if worse truly came to worse. It was a horrible thought for her that the kids would potentially go on without their real parents, but she knew if it ever came to that, she would more than willingly step up and take action if such a tragedy were to ever occur.

Without saying a single word, Miyu slowly brought her small arms around Rei's shoulders and buried her face into her chest with fresh new tears running down her cheeks. The little violet-haired girl held tightly onto Rei as she proceeded to let everything out; weeping and sobbing like there was no tomorrow, showing Rei a side she was so very reluctant to show anyone else. The strong little fighter Miyu tried so hard to be had finally broken down and accepted that she needed her mother now more than ever, and that right now, Rei was the best substitute she could possibly hope to have. Rei could feel tears of her own beginning to surface as she instinctively brought her arms around Miyu as well, holding the little trembling girl close.

"It's okay, Miyu. I know it's all so scary for you. Just let it out and know that all of us will stick together from now on. There's no shame in being afraid. That's what a family is for, to help you feel better." Rei whispered soothingly as she gently brushed away Miyu's hair to reveal her always-hidden right eye.

"Do you really think my mom is still okay, Aunty Rei?" Miyu then muttered as she looked up with a hopeful look in her eyes, momentarily catching Rei off guard that the little girl was already opening up to her enough to call her that.

Rei knew she had to be careful with her choice of words; anything Miyu could perceive as negative could easily have a bad reaction.

"Miyu...I've known your mother for many years now, and if anyone is still breathing, it will be her. She will be the first here, and I know she'll never let you go again." Rei said in a genuinely honest voice, knowing deep down that Saeko was far too stubborn to be die without knowing the whereabouts and safety of her children.

"Hey, Mommy? I…I changed my mind! Could you please wash my hair too?" "Me too, me too! Please?" both Lena and Michiko suddenly called out eagerly from the bathtub, causing Rei to let out an amused giggle. She just knew those girls wouldn't be able to resist the chance to get smothered with all the limitless love she had for them all. She certainly knew they all deserved it after what a horrible journey they'd just went through.

And in all honesty, now that they finally had the opportunity to bask in this peaceful setting, Rei could feel the essence of her lifelong motherly nature coming out in bursts, as all she wanted to do now was hold all the children in her arms and share her tender, loving care with all of them.

"I have to get back to the others, Miyu. You're more than welcome to come with me. I'll even wash your hair for you too if you like." Rei offered with a loving smile before she stood up and headed back to the bathtub. Miyu almost instantly jumped onto her feet and eagerly followed her into the tub, relishing not only in the pleasant sensation of warm water and suds, but also in the indescribably warm feeling of being among those she knew with no doubt now were all much more than just her friends; they were her family.

A few hours later…

While the kids entertained themselves in the library by trying to find books with pictures, Frasier was sitting up against a window with an old fashion mounted telescope aimed for the street level. When Rei noticed this, she could feel all of her previous worries outside from the children start coming back to her all at once. She slowly approached him; a nervous yet determined look on her face as she stood next to him, knowing the kids weren't paying attention.

"Frasier…how long do you plan to wait for the others?" Rei hesitantly asked as she could feel herself beginning to tremble nervously, honestly not knowing what his answer was going to be.

"By sundown tomorrow. If they don't reach us by then…I'm afraid we'll have to leave and assume the worst has happened." Frasier replied bluntly, knowing that he had to disconnect his own personal feelings from such a tough decision.

"Will they have any chance to return? Frasier, what if we left and they came here after the fact, thinking we didn't make it here yet to begin with? Are you sure we couldn't hold this place down if we were attacked?" Rei asked as she began to think of all kinds of ways their groups could be kept from reuniting.

"I'm sorry, but this palace isn't like the old ones designed to withstand a siege. I would gladly go search for them myself, but it always comes back down to one thing: the kids." Frasier replied, showing that he had clearly thought this up long ago.

"Yeah...I doubt I could protect them for very long against trained guns for hire. The dead maybe, but...dammit, why are they doing this?! What have any of us done to deserve this?" Rei began to agree, only to suddenly have a minor meltdown as all the fear and stress she'd been trying so hard to contain momentarily all burst out at once.

"Rei, relax! There's no use in trying to figure this out. All we can do now is wait and see what happens next." Frasier said as he took command to try and help calm her down for now.

Rei just buried her face in her palms, softly weeping yet barely managing to control her breathing so the kids wouldn't catch on and worry for her. She eventually settled down and took a deep breath before looking him dead on in the eye.

"Give me your honest opinion, Frasier. Do you really think the others are even still alive? That between these…mercenaries and Them, they even hold a single ounce of a chance?" Rei requested with a voice that brimmed with hope. Frasier knew he needed to pick his next words very carefully. This was clearly a question that would easily determine Rei's emotional state.

"Rei, this is nothing like we've ever faced before. We're heavily outnumbered and outgunned, not to mention how they knew exactly when and where to strike us. However, have you noticed that we've yet to encounter any more mercenaries ever since my...inner discovery?" Frasier began to express in a weak voice, before bringing up a question that caused Rei to take a mental backtrack, suddenly realizing Frasier was right: their new foe had indeed been awful quiet for quite some time.

"That's right, Rei. They're not only still alive, but they're putting up a fight that has drawn our enemy's focus away from us." Frasier then said as he looked out the window again, noticing dark clouds that began to loom over them.

"Frasier…thank you. You really have no idea how much that meant to me. I mean, I hate the fact they're fighting for their lives while we sit idly by in this place, but as long as we have a chance to see our loved ones again, I'll wait as long as I must." Rei said with a fragile, warm smile, her voice practically dripping with gratitude as she felt like a massive weight had been lifted from her heart, greatly relieved at the thought of Johann and the others still being alive.

Frasier just smiled and watched Rei as she went back to the kids, who all collectively gathered to her side to play with her. It really was a sign of just how naturally being a loving mother came to her that all of the kids were so open towards everything she did with them. Frasier then let out a low sigh, feeling somewhat jealous that Rei managed to connect better to Miyu than he ever could. It made him feel weak inside, like he wasn't even able to take care of his own daughter.

However, he just shook his head and tried to focus on keeping an eye out for any signs of the missing group, knowing that if they were nearby and in danger, he would need to be able to swiftly assist them without any delay.

A few hours more later…

Later that night, Rei took the kids to one of the many bedrooms. All of the kids snuggled up into one large bed while their mother figure kept watch over them in case anyone or anything somehow managed to get past Frasier's lines of sight.

About an hour later, Kiriko began tossing and turning in bed until her discomfort woke her up. She immediately knew what was bothering her, but the moment she got out of bed to take care of it, she realized how dark it was now. She timidly climbed back up onto the bed and began to shake Lena until her big sister was awake, still half asleep though.

"W-what is it, Kiriko? I'm trying to sleep." Lena groaned impatiently while trying to keep her eyes open.

"I have to go potty." Kiriko whispered, as if she was embarrassed that one of the others might hear it despite being asleep.

"So? Go on your own. You know how it's done." Lena said dismissively before turning away.

"It's dark though. I'm scared." Kiriko tried to explain before she began to look back and forth, still frightened by what she couldn't see.

"Oh, alright. Just be sure not to wake everyone up." Lena reluctantly said before getting up to help her sister wander blindly through the room until they reached the nearby bathroom door.

After a few minutes of Lena waiting, Kiriko walked out with a relieved look on her face, and soon Lena was helping lead her back to their bed. However, before they could settle back in, they both noticed what sounded like someone gently sobbing out in the hall.

Curious to see who it was, they both crept up to the exit door, peeking around only to see their mother alone with tears rolling down her face. Both girls were smart enough to know something was wrong and immediately moved up to see what could've been wrong with her.

"Mommy? Why are you crying?" Lena asked as she walked up to Rei, who nearly jumped when she realized her daughters had just come out of nowhere and were now seeing her like this.

"I'm alright, girls. Honest. I just got something in my eyes." Rei lied in an attempt to brush off their questions and avoid any worries they might have had regarding her crying.

"Mommy, please tell me what's wrong." Lena said as she could see right through Rei's words, knowing it was something much deeper than what she led on.

"Lena, I'm fine! You two should get some sleep in case we need to move again. I..." Rei began to say defensively as she tried to change the subject.

However, she looked into both their eyes to see they clearly couldn't be persuaded that easily. Both sisters' eyes showed great concern, and it was clear they were far too stubborn to let this slide just like that.

"It's about daddy...isn't it?" Lena then asked after managing to easily put the pieces together as they both instinctively held tightly onto their mother for comfort. Rei could feel herself go weak at the knees as she slowly sat herself against the wall, both her daughters cuddling up closer to her as she held them both close, trying her best not to start openly sobbing in front of them again.

"Mommy...do you think daddy's all right? When is he going to get here?" Kiriko then asked as she trembled from a cool breeze that flowed through a slightly opened window.

"Kiriko, I really wish I could give you a solid answer but...no matter how much I honestly want to believe, part of me keeps feeling like we're all that's left. It's like a part of me has died inside...after losing so many of our friends the day before yesterday, it feels like my heart has practically given up all hope. It hurts so much just to even think about your daddy. So many things could've gone wrong out there." Rei hesitantly explained, unable to even make brief eye contact with her two precious daughters, who could only tear up now at the thought of never seeing their father again.

"I'm so sorry, darlings. I shouldn't have said anything. I just wish they'd get here already. Every second without him is just another second for me to assume the worst. I'd give anything to see him again, to continue what we started." Rei continued, knowing she had to be more careful with expressing herself in front of her own kids.

"Mommy, don't talk like that! Daddy would never give up! He wouldn't ever stop if it was you out there..." Lena suddenly snapped, unable to handle seeing her otherwise strong-willed mother being so helpless.

"Lena..." Rei began to say, visibly and mentally taken aback by her oldest daughter's unexpectedly heated tone.

"No! He wouldn't even be here! He'd be out there looking for you! We remember the stories you would tell us, about how you both survived against all kinds of things." Lena continued on with her rant before she had to stop in order to catch her breath.

"Mommy, don't give up hope. You taught us that anything can happen with enough hope." Lena finally finished with tears starting to flow down her cheeks.

"Mommy, daddy always came back before. He's big and strong! He'll come find us and we'll all be together again, you'll see!" Kiriko chimed in, clearly spurred on by her big sister's unexpected outburst, but with her voice positively shining with the optimism Rei so desperately needed.

"We made a pinky promise that you and daddy would always be there for all of us, remember? Daddy knows we did. Remember what you told us a pinky promise is, Mommy?" Lena asked as she wiped her tears from her eyes as Rei could only form the faintest smile as she could practically feel her heart swelling with sheer emotion as her daughters both held up their tiny pinky fingers.

"A pinky promise is forever." Rei managed to say in barely a whisper as she locked her pinky fingers with theirs, causing both girls to smile brightly, which could only bring her to smile even more.

"That's right. A pinky promise is forever, so we know daddy will come find us, and we can be together again and not break that promise." Lena stated enthusiastically while Kiriko could only practically jump onto her mother, wrapping her tiny arms around her shoulders while planting multiple little kisses on her cheek, her adorable face practically shining with childlike happiness that brought a warmth unlike any other into Rei's heart.

"You're absolutely right, girls. I'm sorry I didn't even stop to think about that. We made a promise; one that can't ever be broken, and one that never will." Rei expressed in a voice trembling with emotion as she embraced both her beloved daughters even tighter, tears of happiness running down her cheeks as she planted loving kisses of gratitude on both their faces, causing both girls to giggle as they couldn't help but kiss their dear mother back, both of them eager to make her feel better by any means.

After a few minutes, all three of them began to feel the familiar sensation of sleep start creeping back as Kiriko couldn't help but let out a little yawn as she and Lena cuddled up closer in Rei's arms.

"C'mon girls, let's get you back in bed with the other kids. We don't want them to worry about you when they wake up." Rei whispered softly as she slowly got back onto her feet, carrying Kiriko in her arms while she let Lena hold onto her nightgown to help guide her back into their bedroom. Soon, she had both girls tucked back into bed with Corvo, Miyu and Michiko, and within a matter of seconds, Kiriko was already fast asleep, burying her face into a pillow with a happy smile on her face.

"Mommy, will you stay here with us?" Lena asked, struggling to keep her eyes open, as Rei couldn't help but smile more and more with every word that her daughters said.

"Of course, sweetie. I'll be right here, keeping you all safe and warm." Rei whispered gently as she actually climbed onto the foot of the bed, lying down with a satisfied sigh, never once taking her eyes off the children.

"All night?" Lena asked; her eyes slowly closing as she felt inside she already knew her mother's answer.

"All night. I love you both so much, Lena." Rei whispered back as she saw her oldest daughter finally fall asleep with a warm, delicate smile on her face as she snuggled even deeper under the covers.

Even though Lena wasn't able to say it right now, Rei knew without question she and Kiriko felt the same. As she lied down on the foot of the unbelievably soft bed, watching over all the children, looking at all their contented, peaceful sleeping faces, Rei could practically feel her heart flutter over what had just happened. Despite how sad she felt, this moment, more than anything, made her realize just how much she still had left to protect and live for now. Even if, heaven and all gods forbid, she were to never see Johann again, Rei knew without any shadow of a doubt now that she would never give up. She was more determined than ever now to continue living; not just for herself, but for these children. They all needed her, and by God, she wasn't ever going to forget that. If need be, she'd be there for all of them without any hesitation for years to come. She silently swore to herself just before finally falling asleep that she was never going to let any of these children get hurt ever again. Until the day would come that they'd reunite with the rest of their family, Rei was going to care for not only Lena and Kiriko, but all these children as if they were her own flesh and blood.

Early the next morning, the kids awoke to the aroma of a warm meal that instantly caused their stomachs to rumble and groan with anticipation. At first they were under the impression that Rei had managed to slip out and cook them something like she always did, but they soon noticed her rising out from beneath the blankets to reveal she had no part in it for once. Her eyes widened when she almost instantly noticed the smell as well.

'Did he really?' Rei thought to herself, somewhat baffled at the idea of Frasier cooking without it involving something (or someone) exploding in the process.

All of them made their way down to the source of the smell only to see Frasier standing there with a somewhat proud look on his face for what he just created. Their sense of smell caused them to look over towards what looked like an entirely prepared meal displayed on an oversized dinning table.

"Eat up, kids. You need to keep up your energy." Frasier encouraged as he motioned them to sit at the table while Rei approached him, somewhat anxious to know where he found all this food.

"And here I was convinced all you did in your free time was train and fight. How did you even manage to do this?" Rei said, somewhat impressed that Frasier could not only actually cook, but even cook food that was actually edible, as the kids all seemed to be relishing in it as they ate.

"To be perfectly honest, most of them were simple powder mixes given a bit of flavor by left over preservatives. Ramon showed me a thing or two about cooking once. You give that hombre a rock and he'll somehow manage to make it taste like a gourmet meal." Frasier answered as he began to reminisce on that fond memory that nearly ended with Frasier setting the kitchen on fire trying to do something as simple as boiling water.

"Just be sure to have extras left over. I'm sure the others are going to be starving when they arrive." Rei suggested while speaking in a very hopeful voice that displayed just how rejuvenated she was after what her daughters told her last night; her faith now stronger than ever for them making it here. Of course, the reminder that they were still supposed to be here on a time limit drove Frasier's thoughts back to the next most important thing he knew he had to bring up again.

"Rei, I think we need to talk about the kids training again. I know you don't want to hear this any more than I want to say it, but with every second we don't spend preparing them, we'll only be decreasing their chances at survival if we were to ever perish." Frasier suddenly brought up as they stood by the doorway, observing the children as they continued eagerly digging right into the hot meal before them.

"Frasier, why do you keep talking like we're going to die at any second? You know me well enough by now to know I'm more than capable of protecting myself, and I'll do anything it takes to protect those kids. And then there's you; the last time I checked, those bullet wounds were about as effective as tissue paper. For all we know, whatever made you do that might also contain a potential counter to a bite." Rei replied almost in a hiss, venting out how she somewhat perceived him as an entirely new being, which she was entirely justified to believe given the evidence.

"That is true...although I still felt it all. Not to mention those were limb shots. If I was hit in the brain or the heart, I doubt I'd be able to survive, regardless of this…whatever this is. Sadly, this isn't one of those things we can just test." Frasier agreed before admitting that even with this newfound anomaly within himself, there were certainly bound to be some limits they weren't aware of.

"We're getting off track though...Rei, even with this power, who knows what might happen? If you were to die, wouldn't you want to go knowing your child was prepared and ready, rather than just leave them to the mercy of this cruel world?" Frasier then backtracked, watching as Rei had to bottle up her emotions to keep from tearing up at such a horrible thought.

"Alright, Frasier, I get it, you've made your point. Fine, if anyone is to prepare them, I'd rather it be you. I honestly think you're one of the only people I know who's ever managed to survive out there all by themselves. Although you're a total bastard for making a mother think of such a terrible thing." Rei said in reminiscence of his rampage in Hamburg, as she could no longer deny the harsh truth that the kids had to be prepared to survive on their own if worse came to worst.

"I'll go set up some targets. Those dishes should do the job just fine." Frasier said with a victorious smirk, completely brushing off the insult while fixating on what to improvise with for the imminent training session.

Rei just rolled her eyes sarcastically as she watched him begin to pick up random dishes the kids had no further use for. She then smiled, somewhat relieved that her close friend could remain so calm and manage to think ahead without breaking down. What would've easily broken or demoralized others in an instant hardly fazed him at all. Be it a walker in his face or staring down the barrel of a gun, he always persevered and managed to stay one step ahead of everyone else.

'Still a bastard though.' Rei thought to herself before Frasier walked by carrying a massive pile of clutter he found, entering the very next room over.

Within minutes of quick, precise placement, Frasier managed to stack and position a moderately large amount of items atop a bunch of unused chairs and overturned tables. The kids (excluding Corvo) nervously gathered behind Rei, each one nervously looking at the strange assortment of junk Frasier had set up in front of them, not even knowing just what it was he had in mind for them.

"Now you all might be wondering why I set this all up. Well, the reason is that today, I'm going to teach you all how to defend yourselves and how to safely operate a weapon, specifically a gun like you've seen all us grownups carry. Now I know this may seem scary and these things can be intimidating to some of you, but with the proper training, they will quickly become your best friend." Frasier began to explain as he started to pace back and forth, trying to ease the kids into the appropriate mindset.

He then lowered himself onto his knees and held out his palms to reveal to them the silenced pistol he'd been using lately. They all just stared at it, observing it down to the very last detail.

"Every part of this thing has a function. I'm going to tell you the most basic of tips in handling one of these. Let's start with just handling the gun.

"One of the most important rules for you all to remember is this: NEVER point it towards yourself or a loved one. All it takes is one little slip of the finger to accidentally kill yourself or someone you love. That's why we usually have the safety on, which is this little switch right here, that way even if you accidentally pull the trigger, it won't fire.

"Now see this? This is the barrel, the part where your bullets come out of when you pull this little switch, which is called the trigger. Always keep the barrel pointed away from yourself and your friends, as I mentioned earlier. I can NOT stress enough to you guys how important it is to always know where your gun is positioned and held at all times.

"Now, I want each of you to take a turn and get a feel for it. We're going to slowly pass it around so you can get a feel for the weight and control how to hold it." Frasier said as he moved his hands out, first offering it to Lena who happened to be closest to him.

She quickly peered her head over her shoulder to look at Rei for approval. With a reluctant nod of acceptance from Rei, Lena slowly took it by the handle and began to lift it, only to nearly drop it.

"It's a lot heavier than it looks, isn't it?" Frasier said with a soft smile, knowing it was something everybody went through when first handling a gun.

"Mhm." Lena muttered softly as she managed to adjust and lift the small pistol up, constantly checking that the safety was on and her arms weren't trembling from the fear of wielding such an item.

Eventually she passed it on to Miyu who took a deep, collective breath. Her one uncovered eye widened as she began to feel the all-too familiar pressure over making even the slightest error. However, she then felt her father's hand rest on her shoulder.

"It's okay, sweetheart. Don't be afraid...I'm here for you. Relax." Frasier said in a far more soothing voice, trying his best to ease his daughter's nerves and doubts about him from the other day. She then held the weapon with decent stability and was even so bold as to take practice aim at the makeshift course.

Frasier couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. Miyu eventually became accustomed to the feel and passed it towards Michiko, who was more than ready to hold the sidearm. Rei and Frasier both raised a quick eyebrow, somewhat suspicious as to how she could handle it so well.

"Your father gave you a lesson before...didn't he?" Rei asked as Michiko's cheeks turned a soft shade of red.

"I dunno." Michiko replied almost in a mumble as she then gave it to Kiriko, who was so petrified of the idea, she pulled her hands away and practically jumped away from it.

"Kiriko? What's wrong?!" Rei asked concernedly, rushing to her youngest daughters aid in a heart beat.

"It's too scary! I don't want to touch it...somebody could get hurt!" Kiriko explained as she trembled in place only for her to hold onto Rei's leg as she began gently sobbing out of fear.

"It's okay, sweetie. You're still very young. You don't have to if you aren't ready." Rei said in a soft, soothing voice while she lifted up Kiriko and began to softly rub her back to comfort her.

"If any of you aren't comfortable with doing this, then you're free to go. Just know that one day you might need to know this. Any of our lives may depend on it." Frasier suddenly said to the others as he gave them the chance to backout, knowing it would be pointless to try and teach them something they weren't interested in or not ready for.

However, the others stood their ground and were visibly more than willing to learn. Corvo then stood before his father with a determined look in his eyes.

"Dad, I want to go first. I want to protect my family too!" Corvo boldly announced, not even noticing the look of admiration on Lena's face for his bravery and care for the others.

"Be my guest, but don't get carried away, son. One of the most important things when handling a gun is learning how to control your feelings." Frasier said, somewhat curious as to why out of everyone, Lena showed the most intrigue in his son all of a sudden.

Corvo carefully picked up the pistol and formed a loose yet confident stance while the others respectively backed away to give him some breathing space. His left eye slowly closed while his lips sealed together so he could control his breathing through his nose.

Suddenly he fired his first shot, causing everyone, excluding Frasier and Rei, to jump at the soft yet sudden noise that pierced the air, only to be followed by the sound of a dinner plate breaking. His body only slightly recoiled as he began to fire more shots. Both Rei and Frasier alike were more than surprised to see how well he was doing.

By the time the magazine was unloaded, Corvo turned to his father only to offer the silenced handgun back. Frasier reclaimed it before he gently patted his son affectionately on the head to show approval for his performance.

"11/12. Not bad, son. Not bad at all." Frasier said with a satisfied grin while Corvo couldn't help but feel pride in his accomplishment.

"What about you? How did you do your first time with grandpa?" Corvo asked curiously as he was more than eager to compare himself to Frasier at his age.

"I didn't miss...however, you fired in a much faster time succession than I did, so don't feel so bad. Besides, I was already a year into my training by the time I was your age, so I was much stronger." Frasier replied honestly while managing to not entirely kick the wind out of Corvo's victory here.

"Miyu, you're up next." Frasier then announced as Corvo walked back, both siblings looking at one another briefly before passing by.

"You'll be fine. I believe in you." Corvo said supportively, causing his sister to feel encouraged from his words, seeing how normally they'd be focused on bringing one another down a peg.

Miyu took her stance, trying to mimic the one Corvo took before. She just stood there with the pistol held up, only for Frasier to kneel beside her now that he was ready to explain how to properly fire, seeing how only Corvo knew prior to this moment.

"You need to relax, Miyu. Don't be so stiff. You'll only be fighting yourself, and the recoil might hurt a bit. When you're ready, I want you to squeeze that trigger and don't hold your breath. Regulate it." Frasier began to instruct as Miyu did everything he said; slowly squeezing the trigger only for the recoil to bounce so far back she dropped the gun and missed her shot entirely.

"Ugh! I so had it!" Miyu growled as she scrambled to pick it back up and take aim again. However, before she could fire again, she felt Frasier kneel behind her now. His hands began adjusting her elbows and his chin hovered right beside her ear. She just stood there like a statue, now hesitant and afraid she would miss again.

"Hold on. You can't shoot if you can't concentrate. I want you to be calm and collective like you are when your mother taught you how to use the wooden sword." Frasier said in an authoritative voice while managing to set Miyu's mind into a far more familiar setting.

"But what if I can't do it? What if I'm never going to be as good as you or Corvo?" Miyu then questioned as she began to feel frustrated again.

"Don't worry about us, Miyu. You don't have to be a master shot. In fact...I'll be proud of you no matter what happens. I always have been, darling. Ever since you made your first step as a baby, you've always been determined to be the first and best at everything. But I don't want you to think I won't love you if you aren't the very best. You don't have to push yourself like that. You're my daughter, and I'll always love you, no matter what, so don't think of making me proud anymore. I just want you to try. That's all." Frasier said before finally realizing what had always kept him and Miyu so separated emotionally. At first he spoke as a mere instructor to a struggling student, but the further he went on, he started to sound more and more like a real father guiding his daughter in life.

Miyu suddenly felt an immense amount of stress and pressure suddenly being lifted off her shoulders at his words, smiling to herself that he could finally treat her the way she had always wanted him to in the first place, just like Saeko had when they would train.

With her emotions in balance, Miyu took aim again as she fired shot after shot. While missing smaller objects such as the wine glasses, she did manage to hit a few dinner plates, enjoying the sight of the porcelain being shattered from the ballistic impact.

"5/12...erm...well done, Miyu." Frasier said with a warm smile, feeling his daughter wrapping her arms around his neck affectionately after setting the pistol aside.

"I did good! Did you see that, Aunty Rei?!" Miyu said with excitement and pride in her voice as she raced over to see what her new mother figure had to say.

"I did. You're certainly a better shot than your mother." Rei said in an attempt to give Miyu some positive reinforcement.

While Miyu was talking to Rei, Michiko walked over only to accept the pistol and a fresh clip from Frasier. With little effort, she placed it in perfectly before looking to Frasier, who was watching her every move intently.

"What do I do now?" Michiko said as she awaited further instruction, somewhat nervous when she saw Frasier form a sly grin, the one he'd make whenever he outsmarted someone.

"You know, Michiko, I would tell you, but I think you already know what to do next." Frasier responded as she looked at him with an irritated expression in an attempt to cover her true feelings.

"Well how am I supposed to do well if you won't tell me what to do next?" Michiko questioned while shooting him an annoyed glare. Beads of sweat started to roll down the back of her neck now.

"Something tells me this isn't your first time...seeing how I never did tell any of you how to reload it." Frasier said as he watched Michiko form a look of surprise, releasing the vital flaw she made.

"Michiko? Did your father give you a lesson before all this happened?" Rei asked curiously as she soon managed to put the pieces together.

"Please don't tell my mommy! It was only a few times, and we had so much fun together. It's one of the only things we both really enjoy together!" Michiko suddenly cried out of fear as she broke down, knowing it was no use trying to bluff or lie to them now, fully admitting that she and Khota had private firing lessons not too long ago.

"Michiko, calm down. We promise not to say a word. Besides, your mother can't stop you from enjoying what seems like a healthy bond between you and your father." Frasier said in an attempt to ease the young bookworm's mind, watching as she began to sniffle at the thought of Saya learning of this.

"Promise?" Michiko requested as she looked back at him, wanting him to verbally swear to her.

"I promise. So are you going to stand there and cry, or you going to show us what your father's been teaching you?" Frasier replied, only for him to follow up with a challenge that caused Michiko to collect herself once more.

Within seconds of being challenged, the little bookworm took a stance and steadily paced herself between each shot, the recoil barely affecting her at all. Her shots, while taking precise timing, accurately blasting away the tougher targets Frasier had set up.

"10/12. Impressive. Your father would be proud." Frasier commented as Michiko proudly strolled back, leaving the last training clip to be used by Lena, who was visibly nervous at the fact everybody was going to be watching her.

"Lena, you don't have to do this if you don't want to. There's no shame in it." Rei called out to her daughter, her motherly instincts instantly picking up on her daughter's timid body language.

At first, Lena was ready to back down just as Kiriko had, but when she looked at Corvo, she looked into his pretty blue eyes. Something about him gave her the courage to not only return back to her original position, but to look Frasier right in the eye before holding her hand out for the sidearm.

"So how do I reload it?" Lena asked while trying to sound strong and determined.

"Take this and push it up into that gap in the handle." Frasier answered softly, motioning her how to insert the ammunition clip properly.

"Like this? Is it in right?" Lena requested as she let him quickly double check to see if it was placed correctly.

"Mhm. You've seen how the others do it. Anything else you want to know or have on your mind?" Frasier responded before making sure the young girl was ready to fire for the first time.

"Nope." Lena said innocently before he handed her the pistol and stepped back, eager to see what she could do.

Without hesitation, Lena began to fire just as fast as Corvo had. Glass after glass shattered as she refused to be affected by the recoil. She stood there while both Rei and Frasier were in total shock at what they had just witnessed.

"Lena...that was...12/12." Frasier said as he tried to comprehend her perfect accuracy, almost as if he couldn't believe it, despite being the closest of all to witness it.

"Really?! Mommy did you hear that? I got a perfect score!" Lena cried out proudly as she ran over to her mother to see what she had to say about it.

"I knew you'd be good. Oh, just wait till I tell your daddy about this!" Rei said in an overly joyous voice to let Lena know she was happy for her, while also managing to hide the fact that she was now somewhat suspicious if Johann had also done some of what Khota did with Michiko. However, she couldn't bring herself to feel mad about something she wasn't even sure was true or not.

"Anyone else want to try? Kiriko? You sure you aren't willing to give it a shot?" Frasier offered as he noticed he still had a few rounds to spare.

"Umm…well, if my big sister can do it, then so can I!" Kiriko began to reply, still too nervous to directly talk to him despite knowing he was on her side.

"Frasier, don't pressure her. She's only going to retain so much anyhow." Rei replied, allowing Kiriko to make her own choice.

While everyone gathered around to watch Kiriko try her hand at it, Lena noticed Corvo sneaking off without anyone else noticing. Curious to see what he was up to, she steadily backed away until she was at the open doorway.

Certain that nobody noticed their quick absence, Lena rushed over to Corvo, who was now clearly storming away.

"Hey! Corvo, wait up!" Lena said excitedly as she ran up to him, holding his hand only for him to pull away.

"What do you want?" The young Brit said distantly as he didn't even bother to look at Lena.

"I just wanted to talk...are you okay? You don't sound very happy..." Lena answered honestly, the happiness in her voice gradually declining as she began to feel concerned for his change in attitude.

"I don't want to talk. I'm going back to the bedroom. Alone." Corvo replied in a sharp tone that devastated Lena, never hearing him talk to her or anyone else like that before.

"I can't join you?" Lena said in a weakened voice as she looked down, trying her best to not let his words affect her.

"Especially not you, Miss-I-Can-Shoot-Perfectly!" Corvo lashed out, not even remotely aware of how much those words hurt Lena.

The moment he saw tears form in her eyes though, he instantly realized he'd made a great mistake.

"Lena, wait! I didn't mean it...I'm just..." Corvo began to apologize before stopping himself from giving a full explanation.

"Because of what...?" Lena questioned as she brushed a few tears off, wanting to hear what he had to say for himself.

"I'm just a bit jealous because you did better than me. I just thought I would've done the best out of everyone who tried." Corvo went onto explain, feeling deep guilt and shame for his petty behavior.

"So you don't hate me and we can still be best friends?" Lena asked with a hopeful tone in her voice.

"Of course! I'm sorry I hurt your feelings though..." Corvo replied warmly before apologizing and bowing his head.

He suddenly felt Lena wrap her arms around him, her small lips pressed up against his cheek. The young boy turned a bright red after realizing she had just kissed him. His body practically froze up despite how warm it made him feel inside.

"It's okay...I knew you didn't mean it anyways! If it makes you feel better, I think I only did so well because I thought of protecting you." Lena replied as she took his hand and led him back to the others, who were watching as Kiriko just finished off the last clip.

"How did I do, Mommy?" Kiriko asked out of excitement as she actually enjoyed shooting much more than she earlier anticipated. Mainly it was because of her big sister leading the way.

"You did very well, Kiriko. Just remember the other rules Mr. Markle went over with everyone else." Rei applauded despite the fact Kiriko only landed one shot, but she also knew it would be wrong to devalue her personal accomplishment.

"Hey, Mommy? Think you can show us how good you are?" Lena suddenly asked as she approached her mother, somewhat relieved nobody had noticed their absence.

"Erm...well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to demonstrate for you guys." Rei replied as she was handed the pistol, noticing that there were hardly any targets left for her to shoot. However, she then took aim and smiled to herself after thinking up an improvisation.

She took the stance Frasier taught her a few years back, her ruby red eyes looking around for the perfect spot. In a series of burst shots, she managed to do exactly what she had envisioned, even though to everyone else, she had entirely missed the targets set out for them.

"How did I do?" Rei said with a satisfied smirk on her face as the kids looked at her with confused expressions.

"You...missed every shot? Do you want me to teach you how to do it?" Kiriko offered as she actually felt like she could teach her mother a thing or two.

"Take a look at that wall, sweetheart." Rei suggested as the kids all focused their sights to where her finger was pointing.

To both their surprise and amusement, they all began to laugh the moment they noticed a large smiley face imprinted on the wall that was all connected by the bullet holes Rei had created.

"Wow! Let me try that!" Lena requested as she reached for the gun.

"No, it's my turn!" Kiriko announced as she clung to Rei's legs.

"You guys just went! I wanna be next." Michiko added as she joined in.

"Get in line, it's our turn!" both Miyu and Corvo ordered as they all were practically jumping at Rei for the pistol, not even realizing how dangerous this was.

"Enough! All of you sit down!" Frasier's voice suddenly boomed out as he snatched the pistol from Rei, realizing they were now completely out of control.

Without hesitation, they all dropped down while Rei stepped away, knowing they clearly had to learn restraint here.

"These aren't toys! Don't you ever do something so foolish again! It might not have been loaded, but it could've been and someone could've been seriously hurt, or worse!" Frasier practically growled as he was greatly disappointed to see them acting like kids, despite the fact they actually were kids still.

"Sorry, Dad. It just looked like a lot of fun." Miyu said in a soft voice, realizing why he was so mad now that their hype was completely crushed.

"It's...fine, Miyu. I just want you all to be safe and unharmed. Now I want you all to apologize to Mrs. Kessler." Frasier said in a stern voice, making sure they knew what they did was wrong without completely going overboard.

One by one, the kids walked up to Rei, looking at her with an apologetic look in their eyes as they did exactly as they were told.

"It's alright. It's my fault for showing off. Just remember what we learned here today. Why don't you all go back to the library and pick a book for me to read to you?" Rei then suggested as all the kids managed to form eager smiles before they bolted out the room, leaving both Rei and Frasier to talk amongst themselves.

"You were right, Rei. They clearly aren't ready for this. Better not plan on dying anytime soon." Frasier then said as he could only feel sheer disappointment in all the children, clearly overlooking the fact that they didn't have the soldier mentality he did.

"I don't know...they seemed pretty good up until the end. Thanks to you and Rika, we all learned how to improve and properly handle a firearm. Just give them time...and don't even joke about that, you ass!" Rei said as she sympathized for the kids, seeing their potential before smacking him on the arm for saying such a thing.

"I'm sorry. Usually Marcus is the one to make a bad joke to lighten up the mood. I'm sure once they get here, he'll have something to say." Frasier apologized before showing that he still had hope for the others, causing Rei to smile at him for not giving up.

"They'll make it. Don't forget everything we've all been through." Rei said in a warm tone, watching as he himself couldn't help but smile, knowing there was hope yet for the rest of their group.

"C'mon. We should go make sure the kids don't stray. This is a big place after all." Frasier suggested as they both took off, knowing it was going to be a long day.

Hours went by, and with no signs whatsoever, the group could only find ways to stay entertained while waiting out the staggering time that passed by slowly. Thunder crackled in the distance as rain continuously poured from the dark grey clouds above. The air grew increasingly colder, but luckily they had more than enough power to heat the entire palace up.

"Frasier, I know we're on a tight schedule here, but...do you think it's possible we could maybe extend it? For all we know, this weather could be slowing their progress down." Rei requested as she approached him, knowing that despite their hope and faith for the others, it wouldn't change the fact the weather might be affecting them as well.

"Rei, we're already putting ourselves and the kids at great risk the longer we dwell here. I'm afraid by sundown, we have to go no matter what." Frasier answered as he knew he had to get the kids as far away as possible from this war-zone. However, he also felt sympathy for Rei, knowing just how much she'd been wanting to be reunited with the others.

"I...I understand. We do what's best for the kids." Rei weakly responded as she began to walk away, bowing her head down in sorrow only for Frasier's hand to suddenly hold her back by the shoulders, stopping her dead in her tracks.

"Rei, take the kids back to Paris if the rest of the group doesn't return by sundown. I'll stay behind and search for them. Dead or alive, I swear I'll find them." Frasier suddenly offered as he could see an astonished look forming in Rei's eyes to hear him offering to further risk his own life for the others.

"Frasier...you'd honestly do this for me? For all of us? What if those mercenaries catch you?" Rei questioned, still in disbelief he'd take such a hefty risk.

"The real question is what they're going to do when I find them. But don't you worry about me. I work better alone anyways. If the others are alive, I will find them. You just focus on getting the kids as far away as possible." Frasier said humorously before answering in a more serious tone.

"You really don't need to do this. For all we know, they're just a few blocks away from us even as we speak." Rei said as she couldn't help but hug him out of immense gratitude.

"I'm afraid I do. If I lost Saeko, I'd only become a danger to everyone around me, and without closure I'd just become a madman. You remember how I was in Hamburg." Frasier corrected her as he bowed his head, knowing Saeko was the only one keeping him from becoming a true bloodthirsty monster, and the thought of him snapping in the presence of his children was one that absolutely terrified him.

"I'm sure you knew this a long time ago, but she's really lucky to have you. Ever since you came into our group, she's been so much more social, and much happier than I could've ever anticipated. You're a good husband, Frasier." Rei expressed softly, her voice slightly trembling with further gratitude.

"I'm just doing what Johann or any of the other men would've done in the end. It just took me a little longer to figure it out. Just promise me you'll stay put and wait for us." Frasier said in an attempt to play it off humble before making Rei vow she wouldn't try to do the same thing herself.

"I promise. You just be careful out there...it's hard enough to take care of all the kids with you around." Rei promised before she made it clear she needed him to come back to help if the others were no longer alive.

Before anything else could be said between the two long time friends, a series of crackling noises could be heard not too far out. At first they assumed it was nothing but the the wind playing tricks on them, but soon more noises began to erupt that came down to one dreaded conclusion: gunfire.

"You hear it too?" Rei asked nervously as she felt both relief and fear at the same time, knowing deep down it had to be the others, yet they were clearly in danger if resorting to using firearms.

Frasier quickly snatched up a pistol and his combat knife before dashing out of the room at lightning speed. Rei quickly gathered the kids with her, knowing that this would all be over soon, one way or another.

"Where's he going?" "Why do we need to hide in here?" "Please don't leave us, Mommy!" all the kids began to question and cry as Rei tried to comfort them while ushering them into one of the spare rooms.

"Just please do as I say and stay here, darlings. I promise, it'll all be over soon. Promise me you'll stay here and find a good place to hide and don't come out until I tell you to." Rei requested as she could only watch them tear up at the thought of being left behind. But one by one, they all reluctantly nodded their heads in understanding as Rei couldn't help but pull them all into her arms, if just to help comfort them a little more before leaving them here, hopefully for only a few minutes. Soon, she shut the door behind her, locking the latch so as to make sure the kids wouldn't go running off after her once her back was turned. There was no going back now.

Armed with nothing but a revolver, she sprinted through the hallway and down the stairs that lead to the front entrance where the doors were wide open when Frasier burst through them not too long ago.

Rei quickly sprinted through the vacant streets, knowing that Frasier already had a lengthy head start. But this only made her far more determined to catch up and help any survivors they may hopefully find. Despite how she was already going at maximum speed, the thought of finally being reunited with the rest of her large family pushed her to move even faster.

She might not have been able to see him, but with the constant gunfire, she could simply follow the sound. Rei's heart rate kept rising the longer she dwelled on who was possibly winning this fight she couldn't even see. Yet, hearing it continue on was a slight relief to her, since it could only mean someone was still alive.

Without the kids and the lack of rest to slow her down, Rei managed to clear the distance just under twenty minutes. Her sides slightly ached, but it was worth it knowing that there was always the chance she might be reunited with her husband again.

A loud yet familiar, spine-chilling boom suddenly echoed out. Rei recognized this sound to be none other than the tank that had trapped her earlier in the burning remains of her house. Normally she would've stopped in her tracks out of fear, but she was far too overwhelmed by sheer willpower alone to turn back now.

As the rain battered down against her face as she proceeded to get closer to where the battle appeared to be, Rei hardly even realized just how dead silent it suddenly became. She slowed down, assuming that one side was victorious, but which one was yet to be determined. Moving through a nearby alleyway, she crept along the wall.

Her head slowly peeked around the corner to see Frasier was just up ahead, cautiously searching through the open street for a sign of who was still nearby. A low howl of wind sent chills up her spine as she approached his rear flank, trying her best not to spook him, seeing how his reflexes were usually more "shoot first, ask questions later".

"Rei. Stop." Frasier muttered just loud enough for her to hear.

Naturally she was used to him always being aware of his surroundings after knowing him for so long, but in a tense situation, and in the middle of a rainstorm, she managed to get momentarily caught by surprise before freezing in place as instructed.

She looked back and forth, wondering what had caused him to remain so still. Soon enough, the sound of crackling flames could be heard just on the other side of the street. In broad daylight they could've easily distinguished what it was from where they were, but the weather made it hard to see any further than a few yards in front of them.

What was mere seconds of being motionless felt like entire hours to them. Before Rei grew impatient at their lack of progress, she was just now realizing there was another figure wandering the streets up ahead. It was near impossible to tell who it was from the rain and the hazy fog, but the way it moved made it clear that it was certainly not one of Them.

Amongst the light fog, a sudden blink from the figure flashed, soon followed by the sound of rifle fire going off. Seconds later, Frasier slowly toppled backwards. Water splashed up into the air when he hit the ground with a powerful thud.

Rei just stood there, horrified as she could see he had been hit in the lower torso. Entire chunks of his left leg and right arm were scattered in the street. One round even hit the side of his cheek, leaving a gaping hole to see his mouth and tongue. Both his crystal blue eyes weakly trembled as it actually looked like her was looking right at her.

Despite his arm wound earlier, Rei could easily see this was much more serious. After all the running and close calls, she was too tired to cry out in neither anger nor sorrow.

When the other figure looked over at Rei, she lifted her weapon up to fire without hesitation, knowing that she had to kill whoever that was or be killed herself. Tears flooded her eyes as she was deathly certain that her longtime friend who had fought so hard to protect her and the rest of their whole entire group, their family, was now dead.

A single shot rang out through the streets, soon followed by a light thud of another body collapsing in the street.


	72. Act 26 Homecoming Part 6

**Act 26 Homecoming Part 6**

**Somewhere in Bracknell Forest**  
><strong>A few hours after the village attack…<strong>

A lone crow perched itself on top of a lamppost. Its coal black eyes surveyed the area as it then noticed movement just below it. The small scavenger let out a loud caw before flying away, vanishing behind the outskirts of the tree line. Seven survivors walked out of the forest and back onto the open road; each one sniffling from either the crushing sadness of their incomparable losses or because of the cold weather that affected their sinuses, in some cases both. Their feet dragged against the dirt as they followed the asphalt road that spanned for miles on end.

"So where do we go from here?" Saeko suddenly asked, effectively breaking the silence as Khota held up a small map in place of Marcus.

"We have a lot of ground to cover if I'm reading this right. There's no way this can be done by today if we're gonna go the whole way on foot." Khota replied as he tried to estimate just how long it would take.

"If not today, then when?" Saeko questioned almost as if this was her only motivation now, regardless of how they were all personally doing.

"Two...three days at the most, depending on who or what we encounter. Hopefully Rika managed to lure those mercenaries off our trail." Khota answered as they began to walk along the asphalt road completely devoid of any life other than the occasional bird or squirrel.

The very mention of Rika caused Shizuka to shudder; greatly concerned about her best friend valiantly going out by herself and risking her life just to relieve the rest of them. She knew Rika was formidable and capable of defending herself, but against these odds, nobody could be considered in the clear. Not even Frasier himself.

"You should try and relax, love." Marcus suddenly announced under his breath, causing Shizuka to snap out of her trance when his words finally managed to register.

"H-how can I possibly relax when we just lost four of our dearest friends, all but one of the children... maybe all of them for all we know! Rika, Frasier, and little Corvo are out there all alone against untold amounts of god-knows-what, poor Alice and Yulia are all alone out there, and to top it off, you have shrapnel in your eye! Marcus, how in the world can I possibly relax after a day like today?!" Shizuka demanded to know in a contained yet emotional tone of voice, uncertain how he could be so calm after potentially losing everything but the six people around him.

"It's not about what I've lost, Shizuka. It's about what I have, and what I might still have. My little bro used to be the most optimistic person I've ever known. You could take everything from him, and yet he'd still find a way to smile and push on. When all hope is lost, you've already sealed your fate by giving up. Surrender isn't an option." Marcus began to explain before he began to stumble, his legs suddenly growing weak as if made of jelly.

"Oh no...Guys! I think he's going to fall!" Shizuka announced, as Ramon and Johann were luckily able to catch him just in time, bracing him to where he could walk at his own pace.

Taking a better look at him, Shizuka noticed there was a yellow liquid starting to leak through his makeshift bandages. It was more than clear to her that she needed to do something about his eye as soon as possible.

"Is there any nearby structure we can use? No neighborhoods or anything?" Ramon asked as he noticed that Marcus' condition was rapidly declining now that the adrenaline and shock had clearly worn down, the damage finally taking its heavy toll on him.

"Umm…well, there isn't anything on this map for a few kilometers, but I can see a dirt road up ahead. Maybe it can take us somewhere?" Khota answered, as he couldn't see any direct paths that wouldn't take them at least a few hours to reach by foot.

By the time they reached the path, it was more than clear to them that vehicles had been using it, due to the indent marks left behind. With any luck, they could take shelter wherever this unmarked road may lead them.

"How far is this going to be? It won't take us off course, will it?" Saeko suddenly demanded to know, firmly standing her ground while the others were already starting to move down it.

"Unfortunately yes, but you can't possibly think that Marcus and the rest of us can possibly go much further without rest?" Khota responded, knowing that they had to look out for themselves first.

"I know this is hard for you to hear, Saeko, but even if Frasier and Corvo survived, they are up against untold amounts of these mercenaries. They knew exactly when and where to strike. How many do you think they sent alone to handle him?" Saya brought up in a brutal yet honest tactical assessment, causing Saeko to grow silent at that realization.

"Something tells me he is alive. Clearly they would've sent more if they can back up a tank out here. For all we know, these guys are setting up a foothold here and colonizing England. We just can't tell how big this threat truly is." Marcus suddenly brought up in a weak voice, trying to instill some hope back into Saeko when she looked as if she was about to break into tears.

"You really think they're that big? That would take thousands, if not millions, in manpower alone just to rid this country of ALL the undead, and that's not even including Ireland, Scotland and Wales." Ramon asked, becoming even warier of their chances of survival now.

"No clue, just a theory at this point. Now can we please keep moving before we get shot or attacked by Them?" Marcus said honestly before making it clear that talking about their problems wasn't going to get them anywhere but setup as easy targets.

With nothing else needed to be said, the group of seven moved on, eventually managing to bury their doubts and fears long enough to where all they could do was focus on getting wherever this path would take them.

Moments later, the sun had finally set on the horizon as the group followed the road. After a few minutes of stumbling upon nothing but more road and nothing else, they could all start to feel the tension begin to rise, as it was clear this route was going nowhere. However, when it seemed like they had made a bad choice, they stumbled upon a small cottage that was completely covered with overgrowth from years of nobody being around to take care of it. Thankfully, this meant that the place would be next to impossible to find for any outsiders, especially here in the dark

Unable to wait another minute, the group burst in and quickly searched the place only to be relieved when there was none of the undead lingering within.

With the small cottage cleared out, they closed the door, locking themselves in, forcing a large cabinet over the door, and finally taking a moment to collect themselves.

"Set him up on that table over there." Shizuka requested as Johann cleared the large wooden table in the kitchen area before Ramon assisted the weak Marcus onto the table where he began to breathe heavily, knowing that when she was done, he would hopefully be feeling considerably better.

"Okay...let me just take a look here." Shizuka said in a calming voice as she braced herself for whatever she was about to witness under his bandages.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she unwrapped them. The more she removed, the more heartbreaking it became for her to have to look at such a horrific sight, especially on her loved one. How he somehow managed to stay awake through even a minute of this was beyond her.

Eventually she removed the bandages to reveal his torn up eyeball with a sliver of shrapnel sticking out of it. It was more than clear his eyeball was beyond saving and she would need to perform an enucleation on him. The very thought of having to remove his eyeball sent tremors of fear down Shizuka's spine.

"Oh god...I-I don't think I can do this. If I mess up, I would only make the pain worse, or even kill him. No! I just can't risk his life!" Shizuka cried out as she began to back away, unable to withstand the reality of potentially losing Marcus, by her own hand no less.

"Shizuka, I know this is hard for you, but you're his only hope. None of us are nearly as capable as you are. Not to mention if that becomes infected, it could lead to something far worse. You might as well put a bullet in him now if you back down now." Saya said in an attempt to use fear and reason to help Shizuka realize that she was Marcus' only hope now for survival now.

"I...I barely managed to grab any anesthetic. He'll be in so much pain when he wakes up. If he wakes up." Shizuka then said as she rummaged through her medical bag, trying her best to swallow all of her fears.

"I can knock him out. Hopefully he will stay down long enough for you to finish." Saeko suggested as she looked down at her brother-in-law, knowing that she had to do something to ease his pain.

Shizuka nodded as she then took a moment to collect herself, mentally preparing herself for this last ditch effort of an operation. Suddenly, she felt Marcus' hand grab hers.

"It's okay, Shizuka. I know this is all scary for you. I'd be crapping myself if I had to do something like this. But I also know you're capable of this, and I only trust you to do this for me. So please, don't be afraid. Just do what you can with what you got." Marcus requested as he managed to eventually get through to her, his hand lightly squeezing hers.

Shizuka nodded, finally managing to compose herself to the point she could wield a scalpel properly. Saeko meanwhile felt along Marcus' shoulders until she found where she needed to apply the pressure.

"My brother taught you this one, didn't he?" Marcus softly chuckled under his breath, recalling the time it was used on him.

"Yes. Yes he did." Saeko said softly before applying the right amount of pressure, causing Marcus to suddenly become motionless, excluding his chest rising and falling when he was breathing.

"He's out. Better get to work before his conditions declines again." Saeko suggested as Shizuka nodded before she put her gloves on, finally ready to remove his eyeball now that they were all finally able to catch their breath.

"So how does this work? Do you just severe the optic nerve then patch him up?" Saya began to ask, as she was curious as to how Shizuka was going to go about this.

"It's not removing the eye that's the problem. It's removing some of the muscles around it while trying to find something to block off the gaping hole it's going to leave." Shizuka explained as she began to setup her medical tools along the table for easy access.

"Just do what you can, Shizuka. Anything is better than nothing." Saeko responded as the others gathered around (while giving Shizuka her space) to be ready when she needed assistance.

After an intense, grueling, heartbreaking four hours of constant work on removing the eyeball and the muscle around it, all that remained was to find away to plug up the gaping hole in Marcus' eye socket.

"So how are we going to plug that hole up?" Saya asked nervously as she looked at the motionless eyeball resting on the table with a huge chunk of metal wedged into it, feeling her stomach twist at the sight of it.

"Usually they put in an orbital ball to help fill the missing volume, but we don't have the right materials. Best I can do now is cover his eye socket as much as possible so nothing can slip in. We'll need to constantly observe his condition and ensure nothing gets in." Shizuka explained as she was already wrapping up his bandages before tying them off as tight as she could until about a third of his head was completely wrapped up in bandages.

"How much will he feel when he wakes up?" Ramon then brought up as Shizuka let out a massive sigh of relief now that she had finished the most intense and complex operation she ever had to perform.

"There's going to be a lot of discomfort and irritation, but I should have enough pain killers to sustain him for the next few days. That is if I manage to conserve them properly." Shizuka answered before she let out a soft yawn, slowly cleaning up her tools.

"We should all try and get some rest. We're going to need every last ounce of energy to make up for tonight." Khota suddenly suggested as he noticed the others were all clearly exhausted in every sense of the word.

Without hesitation, they all began to find their own parts of the small cottage and make use of it. Saya and Khota curled up against one another in the first bedroom, and in the silent darkness, with only each other for company, they both slowly began breaking down into tears once more as they could only think to mourn the loss of their precious daughter, Michiko.

Shizuka practically collapsed at her seat and rested her head right beside Marcus, her hand gently tussling what of his hair wasn't buried underneath bandages as she drifted into slumber.

Ramon eagerly took the couch and managed to drift off within minutes. With any luck, his nightmares would have mercy and actually let him sleep peacefully for once.

However, neither Saeko nor Johann could rest for even a split second. All night, the two just remained silent as they stood watch over the small cottage. All that could be heard during the entirety of the night was the sound of the local wildlife going about their usual order, as if completely ignorant of the ungodly amounts of suffering that had occurred this day.

When morning had finally come by, the group was already more than ready to move out. While Khota, Ramon, Saya, and Saeko looked over their own weapons and gear, Shizuka was helping a dazed Marcus walk out into the morning sunlight. He showed little signs of pain as he looked out to see with his one good eye that everyone was ready to move again. By this point, a small bloom of red had already started showing through the bandages directly over what used to be his left eye.

"Are you sure you can walk without my help? Your depth perception is going to be off by a considerable amount, and the last thing we need is for you to be tripping and hurting yourself." Shizuka asked, as she wanted to confirm that Marcus would be all right.

"Don't worry about me, love. You did everything you could, and I thank you for it. Just worry about the others…especially Johann. I think he needs more help than any of us." Marcus thanked before he lowered his voice, barely nodding his head towards their mute German companion; his expression completely and utterly unreadable, like that of a fragile porcelain doll.

"I tried, but he hasn't said a word to anyone. This morning, I only just realized how burned his hands were from the attack yesterday. Thankfully, he let me look them over, and the damage itself wasn't anything he couldn't recover from. But the entire time, even when I used what little rubbing alcohol I had to disinfect them, he showed no ounce of pain, let alone any kind of reaction. All he had was just a cold vacant stare, as if he were simply staring off into nothing, almost as if he didn't fully register where he was, or what was even happening." Shizuka began to explain before falling silent, unable to even comprehend what could've possibly been going on silently inside his head.

"I see...but can you really blame him? You know how much he loved Rei, Lena and Kiriko, how much they all meant to him. How could any sane man not react like this after losing everything that gave him a life worth living, especially in a hell like this? Perhaps he just needs to be alone, instead of being sheltered with sympathy. I say we let him make up his own mind on what he will do now." Marcus suggested as he tried to figure out what the best course of action was for the group and Johann.

"I don't know, Marcus. That almost sounds like you're suggesting we just abandon him." Shizuka replied with a heavy tone of disapproval and worry in her voice as she kept looking at Johann concernedly.

"God no, that's not what I'm saying at all. I…I'm just saying that…fuck, I don't know. I don't even know what I'm trying to say. I'm just saying that we should just give him his space for a while, that's all." Marcus relented, clearly stressed out still from everything that had happened to the point he was clearly not thinking his own plans all the way through.

"What about Saeko? She has been showing some pretty obsessive behavior since yesterday, almost as if she knows something we don't." Shizuka then brought up as they looked over to see Saeko carefully examining the katana she had been using all these years.

"I honestly don't know. I mean, Johann was able to confirm that he lost his loved ones. We don't know what's happened to my brother and nephew though. Perhaps she's just refusing to let go of whatever hope she has left for them?" Marcus said in an attempt to guess her reasons before he looked down painfully, trying to forget that he could possibly be the last male in the Markle line.

"At least she's talking. It's nearly impossible to help those who are completely shut down. It makes them…unpredictable." Shizuka sighed as Marcus walked off on his own, having a bit of trouble adjusting to the use of only one eye still.

"Here. Take this, Shizuka." Ramon suddenly said as he offered her a small, sharpened stick he had been carving while Marcus was talking to her.

"What's this for?" Shizuka asked confusedly as her golden eyes looked over the sharp wood that could clearly pierce skin nervously.

"For if we run into trouble. If things get heavy, then we can't protect you without risking ourselves to do so. Besides, if you somehow end up being the last of us, then you at least should have something to help you survive." Ramon went on to explain before he took off, making it clear he wouldn't allow Shizuka to refuse the small makeshift weapon.

With nothing to say now, Shizuka shrugged her shoulders and slipped the sharp stick into her pocket, just in case she really did need to use it.

"Let's keep moving. If we can find a vehicle, we might just be able to cut our trip in half." Marcus announced as the others followed his lead, all of them astonished that he was still being so active for someone who just had an entire eye removed not even 12 hours ago.

The rest of the day seemed to go at a snails pace as the group never once strayed from the single road they had been determined to follow all the way to London. Thankfully there was never any question as to whether they were going in the right direction or not thanks to Khota keeping a constant eye on their only map.

Every few hours, Marcus would end up slowing down due to the slowly returning throbbing head pains, but Shizuka would always instantly be at his side with a single painkiller in hand, and every time would follow several minutes of Shizuka having to take the lead while guiding Marcus by the hand, due to him momentarily spacing out from the nearly euphoric effects of the painkillers once they would take effect. If nothing else, for the rest of the group this would at least serve as a unique way for them to tell how much time had passed of them walking, since the painkillers Shizuka had were supposed to last for about four hours each.

After about 12 hours, due to Marcus having to get his painkillers three times during the whole trip, the sun had begun to set, and with the dimming skies came the biting cold winds, causing Saya to shiver as she inched up to Khota as he brought an arm around her in the hopes of keeping her at least a little warm. All the while, neither Johann nor Saeko gave any indication that the chilly Fall winds were bothering them in the slightest. They just kept on walking.

"We've got to find some kind of shelter tonight. It's too cold for us to just sleep outside." Saya pointed out, although nobody still slowed down, more than keen on cutting as much distance from the trip as they possibly could before they could be bothered to even consider sleeping.

"Please, you guys. We need to conserve our energy the best we can. If we keep running ourselves to exhaustion and have to sleep outside, who's to say if any of us will even have the energy to fight if we were to run into a group of Them with a Screecher, let alone any of those men out there?" Saya continued on, trying her best not to sound like she was whining from just how much her legs were now killing her. This time, some of them actually paused in their tracks, as if they were all collectively now noticing the irritating burn in their own legs as well; the most undeniable sign of just how long they'd been going nonstop today.

"Ah, she's right. Just because we're moving against the clock doesn't mean we can't afford to think this stuff through. Alright, the next shelter we find, we'll hunker up there for the night." Marcus announced, earning a few sighs of relief from Shizuka, Khota and Ramon as they all proceeded to continue further down the road.

Shortly afterward, upon rounding a curve further up the road, Marcus could barely make out the distant form of a van sitting idle on the side of the road all by itself up ahead. As they all came closer to it, he couldn't help but naturally begin to inspect the single vehicle, as if checking to see how sturdy it really was. The paint had long since withered away, giving way to some small specks of rust, thanks to the continuously moist English climate, along with the last seven years having passed by with absolutely no maintenance whatsoever. But before Marcus could think about checking how functional it could be, his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the rear double doors being forced open, followed instantly by the sound of Shizuka letting out a wistful cry of relief. Upon rejoining the others, Marcus beheld a large single mattress resting on the floor of the rear of the van. It thankfully looked to be at least somewhat fresh, at least not to the point that it could be infested with bugs.

Not wanting to waste time, Shizuka practically jumped onto the mattress, letting out a sigh of contentment as she nearly sank into it, clearly showing the others it was decently soft.

"Oh, Marcus, could we please hole up here tonight? This is the most comfortable bed we could hope for right now. I guarantee it." Shizuka asked anxiously; a tone of hers that Marcus even now couldn't possibly say no to.

"Alright. This thing may be old, but it seems sturdy enough. If any of Them were to come here, I don't think we'd have to worry about being spotted." Marcus relented, also taking note of the small curtains covering the windows on the rear doors. At least he wouldn't have to worry about anything or anyone spotting them from the outside.

"Even so, one of us should stand watch, just in case." Saeko chimed in, earning looks of serious concern and understanding from everyone else. Even with the guarantee of some kind of shelter, none of them could afford to let their guards down for even an instant.

"You already were standing watch all night last night, Saeko. You should get some sleep. I'll keep watch." Marcus offered, only for Shizuka to instantly step in and pinch his un-bandaged cheek between her fingers, forcing him to look her in the eye as she stared him down like a mother scolding a misbehaving child.

"Not a chance, Marcus. It hasn't even been a day since your operation. I'm not going to let you completely push yourself over the edge and burn yourself out. You're sleeping with the rest of us and saving your energy. No ifs, ands or buts about it." Shizuka reprimanded him as he couldn't think to argue with her. If she'd possessed the medical know-how to do something as delicate as removing his eye, there was no way she couldn't know what she was talking about, and Marcus knew now he'd be a fool to go against her advice now of all times, finally nodding with a defeated sigh.

"It's okay, Marcus. I can still keep watch tonight. If I do get tired, I'll just find someone else to take over for me. Don't worry." Saeko reassured him as he realized there was no point arguing against any of this. Now that everyone was in agreement and the last rays of sunlight finally disappeared beneath the horizon, the group all quickly filed into the van, shutting the doors behind them finally granting them shelter from the bitter cold.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl as the night went on. While everyone else was at least trying to sleep soundly in the cramped quarters of the van, Saeko simply took in the chill breeze of the Fall night air as she sat atop the lone vehicle, gazing out endlessly into the impenetrable blackness of the forest. Even despite the full moon shining overhead, there was nothing behind the tree line she could possibly hope to see. All she could hear was the chirping of the crickets echoing all around. As serene as this setting normally should've been for her, she just couldn't allow herself to ease up her tension in the slightest.

The ambient sounds of the night were briefly broken by the sound of the van's rear doors suddenly opening, momentarily breaking Saeko away from her thought as she looked down to see Marcus carefully climbing out before slowly shutting the doors behind him.

"Hey." Marcus spoke bluntly as he saw Saeko simply gazing down at him from her one visible eye before she turned her attention back to the woods ahead. Deciding not to let Saeko's silent treatment get to him, Marcus quickly climbed up onto the roof, sitting himself down beside her, looking out into the darkness as well.

"Seen or heard anything so far?" Marcus asked, unable to handle the overhanging silence between them. Once again, Saeko didn't bother to even look in his direction, almost as though she were reluctant to have him see her face.

"Nothing so far. Granted the darkness makes it rather hard to see, but these ears of mine have never failed me, and so far I haven't heard anything." Saeko replied bluntly, laying her katana down on her lap, clearly not in the mood for talking more than she needed to.

"Oh. Right." Marcus replied nervously, clearly at a loss of what to say. Even to this day, he was still intimidated by Saeko whenever she would close herself up like this.

"You should be getting back to sleep, Marcus. You know Shizuka was right about conserving your energy." Saeko reminded him, causing Marcus to sigh irritably.

"I know. I tried, but it's hard whenever this damn throbbing starts up again. I already took another one of those painkillers from her bag, so it should start kicking in soon. Besides, I don't know how long you've been up here, but I figured you could probably use the company." Marcus said boredly as he listlessly gazed up at the moon up above.

"I appreciate the concern, Marcus, but I'm fine. I need to keep watch." Saeko answered with a tinge of impatience, as if to try and signal to Marcus that she'd rather be alone. Of course, Marcus knew her well enough by now to pick up on this almost instantly.

"Who's to say we can't both keep watch? You've got your back turned to the woods as well, so who's to say you couldn't use an extra…well, eye, watching your back?" Marcus offered, knowing he did not want to leave Saeko by herself right now, since it was so obvious something was really bothering her.

"I don't need your help, Marcus! I can keep an eye out all over for us! I'm strong enough to at least do that much!" Saeko spat unexpectedly, causing Marcus to instinctively inch away from her, surprised that he'd actually unknowingly touched a nerve she didn't normally have.

"I can't accept help. Not now. I need to be strong…" Saeko continued, this time talking more to herself rather than talking to anyone else. Her voice slowly began to lower as her body grew less tense. Of course, hearing these words, Marcus was quickly reminded just what Saeko had been holding in for the past day.

"You're worried about Frasier and Corvo, aren't you? Believe me, I understand. I am too." Marcus tried to sympathize, hesitantly inching closer to his sister-in-law again as she slowly bowed her head until her eyes were both hidden behind her bangs.

"Frasier's out there with Corvo…the two of them are all alone out there, and I'm not there to watch out for either of them. They need me…" Saeko whispered, hardly paying Marcus any attention anymore, clearly talking to herself again until Marcus suddenly placed a hand on her shoulder, causing her to go silent as she slowly shifted her blue eyes to look at him.

"I know how you feel, Saeko. I'm worried sick about them too. But you know how tough Frasier is. He'd rather die than let anything happen to Corvo; we both know that. And you know he's gotta be fighting tooth and nail every step of the way to meet us at the rally point." Marcus tried to reassure her, although truth be told he was just as much trying to convince himself just as much as her.

"Neither of us know that for sure, though, Marcus. We never once considered the possibility of being attacked by a force like this. We were all so certain that we'd finally made it, that all our troubles for the most part would finally be over. But we were all wrong, Marcus. For once…I don't even know for certain if Frasier could survive a fight like this.

"And…I wasn't strong enough…I wasn't strong enough to save those we lost, or to go and find him and bring him back. I…I-I couldn't even save…" Saeko went on, her voice quickly beginning to crack as Marcus could see shimmering tears begin to well up in her eyes, her lips beginning to quiver as memories of one of their most painful and personal of losses quickly came back.

"…I couldn't even save Rei or the children! I couldn't do anything for anyone! I couldn't even save my own daughter!" Saeko finally broke down as she proceeded to weep into her hands, crying out Miyu's name into her hands as Marcus brought his arms around her, holding the sobbing swordswoman close.

"I swore I would always be there to protect her after they ran off…I promised myself I'd never let Miyu out of my sight again…and now…a-and now…!" Saeko continued to sob into Marcus' shoulder as he could only think to run his hand down her back in some kind of attempt at comfort. He couldn't bring himself to speak, lest he risk Saeko hear the overwhelming emotion in his voice as well, as listening to his normally unbreakable sister-in-law completely and utterly break down into tears was causing him to start crying as well, not even acknowledging the stinging of his salty tears trying to escape from the hole in his head.

"Shh, it's alright, Saeko. Just let it all out. It's okay." Marcus whispered as Saeko couldn't even try to form words anymore as she continued weeping, practically a shell of her former self as she finally let go of the katana in her hand and weakly brought her arms around Marcus in return, desperate for some kind of comfort.

"Oh God, Marcus…no it's not. It's not okay. Miyu's gone…she's gone forever, and I'll never be able to hold her and tell her how much I love her ever again. For all we know, Frasier and Corvo are gone too, and we could never get the chance to even say goodbye.

"Our family's gone…Rhys, Alexia, Brandon…Alice, Yulia and Rika, let's be honest, we don't even know if any of them are still alive either…oh God, and Rei and the children…they're all gone! We couldn't do anything to save our families or our friends!

"Rei was my best friend, even sticking by my side to comfort me at a time so long ago when I hated her…and now I'll never be able to return that favor, because I was too weak to save her or the kids! I loved all those children, Marcus, just like we all did! I loved them all as though they were my very own…and…and I couldn't even keep them safe either!"

Saeko's eyes were practically red by this point, her cheeks shining with the trails of her tears as they just continued to flow from her eyes unfettered. No matter how much she wanted to stop crying so she could recollect herself, her heart was simply in too much pain to simply let her sadness die down just like that.

" I know, Saeko. I know…I feel the same pain as you do, believe me. I should've tried harder to save our people, instead of just having us all keep our heads low. I should've gone for that house sooner…maybe…m-maybe at least Rei and the children would…would still be here. Those people weren't just our friends…they were our family, and we're supposed to protect each other, no matter what. I see the people we've lost every time I close my eye, and I know they won't ever go away.

"But…but I also know I can't let this…this crushing sadness slow me down…I can't let it slow any of us down, no matter how much some of us may want it to. The people we've lost…none of them would ever want us to just curl up and die…we've gone through far too much together to just up and quit now. I know they would still be wanting us to continue on…and I don't plan to let them down now of all times." Marcus began to explain, his voice slowly rising with an untapped passion as the faces of his dear friends and family he'd never get to see again continuously ran through his mind.

"I don't know the truth as to whether Frasier, Corvo, Alice, Yulia or Rika are still alive or not anymore than anyone else. But if there's one thing these last seven years have taught me, it's that faith is one of the most important and vital things you can have, and I do. I just need to have faith that they're holding their own the best they can out there, making their way to meet us at the rally point, and I don't intend to fail them.

"We'll go to Buckingham Palace, and we'll wait as long as we need to until we're reunited with whoever comes next, or perhaps they'll be there waiting for us already. All I'm saying is that I'm holding onto faith as best I can, and…well…maybe you should too." Marcus finally finished, lowering his voice to an exhausted whisper as he let out a heavy sigh, finally having said all he'd wanted to say for the last several hours. He'd known even then that everyone else was sinking into despair, and as their leader, he couldn't just sit back and let that happen.

All was quiet for a few seconds. For all Marcus knew, everything he'd just poured out had fallen on deaf ears. Perhaps it was simply something he needed to hear himself say if nothing else.

But just as Marcus was about ready to get off the van and leave Saeko to her thoughts, he suddenly felt her bring one of her arms over his shoulders, bringing him closer as he suddenly felt the softness of her lips against his cheek in an unexpected kiss of gratitude.

"Thank you, Marcus. I…I don't really know what else to say." Saeko said, a tinge of embarrassment in her voice when she saw the look of surprise in Marcus' eye that she'd actually just done that to him.

"Uh…y-you don't have to say anything else, Saeko. Really. You're my sister, remember? What kind of person would I be if I didn't do my best to make you feel at least a little better?" Marcus asked, also slightly embarrassed as well.

"The pain is still there, and I know it won't ever disappear. But still, what you said…you're right. I just need to have faith in him, in all of them; just as I always have. It was really sweet of you to say all that, Marcus. I really do appreciate it. Just do me a favor and don't make more out of…well, what I just did, than there really is, alright?" Saeko asked, blushing slightly, but still sounding much more reassured as she couldn't help but give him the slightest of smiles she could.

"Don't worry. When we find Frasier, I'm taking this to my grave. After surviving all of this, I'm not taking any chances as to how he'd react to anything, and the last thing I want is for him to kill me over this after everything else." Marcus replied jokingly, unexpectedly earning an actual laugh from Saeko before she quickly tried to recollect herself, still giving him that embarrassed smile.

Suddenly, the sound of a twig snapping echoed through the still air, instinctively flipping a switch in both Marcus and Saeko as they turned to look into the shadowy woods right behind them. The two of them slowly shifted their gazes to each other whilst still keeping their ears to the woods.

"You heard it too, right?" Marcus asked in the faintest whisper, not wanting to risk drawing the attention of whatever could've possibly made that sound, whether it was one of Them…or worse.

"I did. Let's get inside, wake the others. We'll keep an eye open if it decides to step out into the open. We'll decide what to do from there." Saeko whispered, earning an agreeing nod from Marcus as they both quietly stepped back down onto the asphalt before carefully opening the rear doors to the van, stepping inside before slowly shutting it closed behind them.

Not wasting any time, they both began to systematically shake everyone sleeping below them, earning annoyed grumbles from most of them as they could only look at them in confusion, wondering what could've possibly driven them to wake everyone up at this ungodly hour.

"Stay sharp, you guys. We heard a noise, and I don't mean like a bird or anything. It sounded like something or someone coming towards us." Marcus whispered, which managed to bring everyone to full alert as they all reached for their weapons while Shizuka mainly stayed in the corner, nervous as to just what could possibly have been out there.

Everyone slowly gathered around the rear doors windows, making sure not to pull the curtains back so that whatever was outside could see them. For only a minute, yet felt like an hour, there didn't look to be a single sign of life outside. They could all feel a building lump in their throats as the tension between them all could only continue to build up, leaving them eager for some kind of sign of movement so they could at least know for sure what they were going to do.

Then, from out of the shadows, two indiscernible figures slowly came stepping out from behind the threes; their backs to the moonlight, leaving them completely unidentifiable. Just the fact that there really was something out there just when they weren't certain nearly caused some of the group to jump in surprise.

"Stay quiet. Let's just wait and see if these two will move on or not." Marcus whispered nervously, hoping silently that they could avoid a fight by any means necessary.

At that moment, the two shadowy figures ahead stopped in their tracks, and after several tense seconds, they began to actually approach the van, not leaving any room for doubt as to just where they were now going. From the way they moved, it was clearly not any of the undead. These two strangers were alive. Now whether they were truly dangerous or not remained to be seen.

Suddenly, one of the figures suddenly collapsed to its knees, instantly drawing the other to kneel to its aid, helping its partner back up to its feet. As the two figures slowly came closer and closer, one by one the group could start to make out the voices of the two strangers as they spoke to each other.

"I…I don't know how much more I can take…we've been walking all day and night…I can't keep this up…" one of the figures spoke in an exhausted sigh. The very first thing everyone picked up on was that it was clearly a young female from the sounds of it.

"I don't care. We're literally just a few steps away. Once we get in that van, then we can rest all night, Alice. Now come on!" the second figure urged on, also clearly a female and with a very distinct Slavic accent. But if that wasn't what immediately set off everyone's alarm, it was obviously hearing Alice's name.

Almost as if on some kind of cue, everyone wasted no time to practically throw the rear doors open, causing the two now clearly visible forms of Alice and Yulia to practically jump a foot back; Yulia instinctively reaching for her pistol right before she was suddenly swept into a massive group hug, greeted by the collective exclamations of unfathomable joy as she and Alice quickly recognized who had just practically jumped them.

"Oh my good god, you girls are alive! I'm so happy!" Saya exclaimed, practically bawling as she practically smothered Alice before immediately pulling Yulia in as well, acting as though she were their very own mother reunited with her own children.

"Saya?! Everyone?! I can't believe it's really you!" Alice cried out happily as she gladly embraced anyone she could get her arms around, Yulia happily joining in as everyone couldn't help but continue to cry out as happily as they could that they'd finally reunited with two of their own. After several minutes of a reunion brimming with unfathomable joy, everyone had finally taken the moment to recollect themselves and try to get things back to normal now that the two girls had finally reunited with them. One of the very first things they noticed, however, was a bloody set of bandages wrapped around Alice's left forearm.

"Alice, what happened to your arm? You…oh god, you didn't get bitten, did you?!" Saya asked, her voice quickly nearing the point of hysterics. The last thing she could've ever possibly been able to handle, especially now, was the thought of losing Alice or Yulia on top of everything else.

"Yeah, but not by any of Them, if that's what you mean. We can explain later, but right now, we're exhausted." Alice tried to reassure her before letting out a tired yawn, clearly eager to finally call it a night.

"Of course, let's take this at your pace. I can't even imagine what you two must've gone through out there. But the important thing is that you're both here, alive and well. Really, how could we possibly be anymore grateful just for that?" Marcus announced, earning yet another round of enthusiastic agreement from everyone as they all proceeded to bring Alice and Yulia into another hug yet again.

Amid the overwhelming sense of joy ringing through his head accompanied by the collective words of ecstatic relief from everyone else, Marcus failed to hear the almost silent click of a pistol's hammer being cocked back, but all at once, in the span of a fraction of a second, he felt his entire body go cold, every last light of happiness he was briefly feeling completely snuffed out all at once when he felt the cold, hard barrel of a pistol firmly pressing up against the back of his head. Almost like a switch had been flipped, everyone else went deathly silent all at once.

"Oh, isn't that just precious? A family reunion." An unfamiliar, gruff voice announced from right behind Marcus. Like a shot, the rustling of bushes gave way to the sound of multiple heavy boots dashing across the asphalt as suddenly the silent night air was pierced by the sound of several men angrily shouting as everyone was suddenly jumped and slammed face first into the ground by nine men in matching tactical uniforms. Marcus and Ramon immediately tried to struggle but were quickly met with heavy blows to the backs of their heads by rifle butts as the strangers quickly got to work removing their holsters and their side arms before tossing them aside, far out of any of their reach.

"That just makes this whole thing a lot easier." The older man finished as his men quickly dragged everyone to the side of the road, lining them up on their knees. With the exception of Johann, who was pretty much like a rag doll as he was dragged to his friends' side, everyone else was wriggling and struggling, fighting tooth and nail in the unbreakable grips of their captors only to one by one receive another heavy rifle butt to the stomach, knocking the wind out of each of them with brutal efficiency.

Once everyone was able to regain their breath and look up at their captors, they could feel their blood go cold as they immediately recognized the uniforms these men were wearing. It was more of those damned mercenaries from the village. Despite all their efforts to escape, it was all for nothing. They'd finally been caught.

"Hey, captain, check it out! One of them had an awesome sword! I'm calling dibs on it!" one of the mercenaries announced excitedly as he held up Saeko's katana in the air like a war trophy, causing her to grit her teeth in anger that she now had no sword or pistol to fight back with.

"Put it with the rest, boy. We'll take them all back with us. Plus, I'm sure the boss will be wanting some kind of proof that the problem's been dealt with." The older man who was clearly the leader ordered coldly as he systematically looked over all his newfound prisoners.

"Wait, I thought the boss said we were supposed to take them back to him alive if we could." One of the other soldiers asked confusedly, earning absolutely no sign of acknowledgement from his commander, not even a sideways glance.

"That was the plan, but right now, I don't give a shit. This is personal." The leader announced with a tinge of anger lurking in his tone as he took a step forward and kneeled down so he and Marcus were now eye-to-eye.

"I'll bet you little shits thought it was pretty fucking clever to set up that little trap with the walkers in that tall grass back there, didn't you? Well congrats; it worked like you no doubt meant it to. Too bad it still didn't do any of you a damn lick of good." The old man growled as his icy blue gaze practically burned into Marcus' one remaining eye.

"I don't remember even catching a glimpse of one of you lot having these bandages before, so that's obviously new. Well, it's at least reassuring to see good old karma can catch up to you lot. Takes a tiny bit of the workload off my shoulders." He continued, sparking an instant of anger from Marcus when he suddenly spat in the old man's face purely out of resistant instinct. However, the old man didn't even flinch as he continued to stare Marcus down before he slowly got back onto his feet.

"Okay…clearly there's still a bit of fighting spirit in old one-eye here. Looks like we'll need to fix that." The leader growled as he began to scan over everyone else in the prisoner line, carefully looking over all their faces, as if trying to figure out which one would be the most vulnerable.

Suddenly, like a cobra, the man drew his pistol once again and viciously struck Marcus across the cheeks, causing him to earn a face full of dirt, as he lay sprawled on the ground, his head ringing in throbbing pain, his cheek feeling like it was on fire.

"MARCUS!" Shizuka cried out, but before she could even begin to rush to his side, she suddenly felt a hand grip a handful of her hair and practically pull her up to her feet by it, only for an arm to wrap around her neck tight, practically constraining her where she stood, hardly even able to breathe. The old man looked in her direction, his grizzled face barely forming into a smirk, but for once not out of any kind of perverted purpose. Instead, it actually felt even worse.

"Clearly somebody here holds you near and dear to her heart. And in times like this, it's hard to imagine the feeling isn't mutual…Marcus." The old man announced as he slowly began to start approaching her, pretending not to notice Marcus slowly get up onto his knees.

"NO! You leave her the fuck alone!" Marcus growled in rage as he slowly started to hobble up to the man's back, only for yet another of the mercenaries to step forward and grab him by the hair and practically flip him onto his back, hitting the ground hard.

"Listen, kid. As much as I'd love to simply put a hole the size of a grapefruit in your head and the heads of all your friends, that's simply not gonna be enough.

"You see, your little walker trap might not have gotten me…but it DID get my sons…all of them. Before now, they were the most important things in the world to me. But now…all that matters is making sure you all suffer the same kind of loss I have, and then finally ending you all." The old man proceeded to explain, as he carefully looked into the terrified gaze in Shizuka's golden eyes before slowly looking back at Marcus over his shoulder, motioning his hand over all of them with his one free hand as he finally reached his point.

"However, I'd hate to leave anybody out right now, so here's what I'm thinking. I know some of your people died when we attacked your village, so I'm sure some of you have lost people precious to you already. So, I'm willing to do those of you a favor.

"Just so you won't have to keep living with that pain of going on without your loved ones, you'll be the first ones to die, and then…then we'll begin the festivities for the rest of you." The leader explained, pure venom thinly disguised as kindness hanging on his every word as everyone could feel a chill of despair go up their spines at once.

"You should all consider yourselves lucky, though. I've always been able to tell about people just by looking at them, so you won't have to worry about me picking the wrong person and end up killing someone who still has someone to live for prematurely." He continued on as he began to start slowly walking in front of the whole group, slowly looking them all in the eyes as some of them resisted making eye contact with him.

The first person he stopped in front of was Ramon, who kept his gaze glued to the ground, as the older man seemed to be carefully looking him over.

"Hmm…you've definitely got a look about you different from everyone else so far. You don't have any kind of truly unbreakable attachment to these people…but you just don't have that…oh, what would you call it…that air of someone who's truly got nothing left to live for. Your posture is far too resistant to be someone yearning for the end. And besides, I don't want to start off by killing the only dark-skinned person here. I may be planning to kill the whole lot of you, but I'm not racist. So you're good…for now."

The leader got back up onto his feet as Ramon could only feel slowly brewing anger rather than relief that he was at least being allowed a couple more minutes to live.

Once he reached Johann and descended to his level, the old man couldn't help but form an amused smirk. When he looked into the young, mute German's eyes, saw just how devoid of any emotion his face was, even in the face of certain death, and just what a black, hollow void was right behind his eyes, he knew. Just from the chillingly cold and lifeless atmosphere that practically exuded from Johann's gaze, the leader knew he'd found his first.

"Now that is a man with nothing to live for if I've ever seen one. So congratulations, kid. You're up first." The old man announced as he quickly got behind Johann and unholstered his pistol once more.

"No, no, please…please, don't…" Saya was quietly begging as tears began to well up in everyone's eyes. Even Saeko couldn't see a way for her to fight her way out of this. The mercenary holding her hostage had his pistol right up to her temple, and all it would take is a split second of her making one wrong move for him to officially put her down.

Even when Alice and Yulia glanced to each other in desperation for some kind of plan, they couldn't think of a way to slip away and try to save everyone. They now had no guns, no knives, and the blood loss from the bite wound on Alice's arm had already left her too weak to really run. For once, it really seemed like this was it. None of them had any secret plan or ace in the hole or anything. For the first time, they were truly and utterly helpless.

"Johann, please! Don't do this to—" Saya began to cry out when one of the men swiftly stepped forward and viciously slapped her across the face, sending her glasses flying and shattering against the asphalt. Saya's whole face felt like it was on fire as she could barely taste the familiar copper flavor of blood in her mouth.

"DON'T TOUCH HER, YOU FUCKER!" Khota unexpectedly roared out as he suddenly jumped from his spot in the line, grabbing for the man's rifle. As if spurred on by his split second act of bravery, Ramon quickly followed suit, grabbing at the soldier's collar, spurring the others not currently holding any of the others at gunpoint to quickly rush in and pry him off.

With a burst of adrenaline, Marcus managed to get back onto his feet and quickly rushed in, managing to clock one of the soldiers attacking Ramon in the jaw, and within seconds it was turning into a vicious wrestling match with all six of them rolling all over the ground, trying to beat the other senseless.

However, as quickly as it had started, it took almost no time for the mercenaries to get the upper hand and soon had Khota, Ramon and Marcus pinned to the ground as the leader could only look on in disappointment.

"Here I am, trying to conduct this whole thing properly, and you kids just won't stay still. Well, you know what? You want to play so bad? Fine. Have it your way." The leader snarled as he momentarily glanced at Shizuka, who could only look at the three beaten men with utter sadness.

"Once I was done with this sad sack here, I was going to make you be the first, but since your man is so keen to keep getting his ass beaten down, he's just gotten himself moved to the top of the list. So you just keep quiet and enjoy the show." The leader exclaimed angrily as he then looked to his three men holding the three rowdy prisoners down.

"Go ahead, men. Put the boots to them." The old man commanded, and without even a nod of acknowledgment, without even giving them a fraction of a second to react, the three soldiers were viciously proceeding to start kicking and stomping Marcus, Khota and Ramon all over, forcing the three of them to feebly curl up into balls as their whole bodies were being engulfed by an ever intensifying and worsening flood of pain as they could practically feel their bones beginning to crack from the never-ceasing stomping they were now being subjected to.

Shizuka, Saya, Alice and Yulia could only sob as they were forced to watch their beloved friends and lovers being stomped, no doubt to death, while they were completely incapable of saving them. Saeko meanwhile could only bow her head and keep her eyes glued to the ground below her, feeling painful tears welling in her eyes at the sound of her family slowly and brutally being brought closer and closer to death in front of them all.

The leader could only smile in satisfaction at the sight of his three uncooperative prisoners getting the shit beaten out of them as he slowly lowered his gaze to the limp, silent German kneeling at his feet, not even having a fraction of reaction visible in his expression.

"Well, now that we can get back to business, if you can hear me in there, I suggest you start praying. We've only got a few seconds to go here, and I'm sure your family would hate to spend the rest of time without you just because you couldn't work up the guts to say a few words to the big man upstairs." He whispered tauntingly as he pulled the hammer for his pistol back, ready to put Johann down like a dog.

**CRACK! BLAM!**

Like a whip, before the older man could begin to get back up onto his feet, Johann had suddenly bowed his head forward and suddenly swung it back, ramming the back of his skull right into the old man's nose, emitting a sickening cracking sound as he could feel the leader's nose break upon impact, and as the leader reared back in pain, his muscles in his arm instinctively tightened, causing him to pull the trigger right next to Johann's ear; the bullet just barely missing him by a fraction of a millimeter, but the deafening bang causing Johann's head to start ringing as time seemed to slow down to a crawl as he slowly gazed over the whole scene in front of him, as if finally seeing just what was happening to them for the very first time.

Everyone seemed to stop momentarily when they looked to see Johann was still standing after the gunshot that should've signified his death, and some were even more shocked to see the leader of these savages on the ground, blood running down his face from his broken nose as he slowly got back onto his feet.

Like a well-oiled machine, the soldiers that weren't in the process of beating Marcus, Khota and Ramon to a pulp or holding Shizuka like a human shield began to raise their rifles to mow Johann down on the spot, but the old man unexpectedly raised his hand to signal them to stay right where they were.

"NO! This one's got some fight left in him after all…he's mine!" the leader growled as he viciously slammed the butt of his pistol against the back of Johann's head, sending him flat to the ground.

"Boy, you just made this a WHOLE lot worse for you!" he shouted as he grabbed Johann by his collar, yanking him back up to his feet, not even wasting a second before ramming his tightly balled fist into the young German's face, easily knocking a few of his teeth out, and not even giving a moment to recover, he reared his leg back and swung the knee right into Johann's gut, knocking every last bit of wind out of him. Blood was running from Johann's mouth as the old man glaring daggers into him reared his fist back again and slammed it straight into his forehead, causing his whole head to start ringing again as he collapsed to the ground like a fallen tree; his whole head throbbing and spinning from the pain.

As the leader proceeded to start kicking Johann while he was down, Saeko instinctively felt herself begin to move towards him to help, only to instantly get pistol-whipped by her captor, leaving a throbbing bruise on her forehead as all sound briefly dulled from the throbbing pain.

"Don't even think about it, bitch. You'll get your turn." The mercenary shouted angrily as he kept his pistol trained on her head as she slowly got back up onto her knees, grimacing in pain and anger at just how defenseless she really was now.

"C'mon, boy! Get up! Get the fuck up! Let's see what you've got!" the older man ordered tauntingly as he towered over Johann's bloody, bruised form as he slowly picked himself up, getting back up onto his wobbling legs, barely able to stand still as the crippling pain through his whole body made it difficult to even see straight, let alone think. Acting on what little adrenaline he had left, Johann clumsily reared his arm back, as if to swing it like a wrecking ball, but the old man easily sidestepped him once he swung for him, and he was instead met with yet another punch to the head, but as if spurred on by some kind of untapped energy, Johann slowly turned back, not allowing himself to fall back down, already throwing another punch at the leader, but it was all for nothing.

Easily catching Johann's weak fist in his hand, the leader viciously swung his head forward, head-butting Johann in the face, just barely avoiding breaking his nose, but still sending Johann's head rearing back as yet more blood started running down his face from the small open cut in his forehead from all the busted open bruises he now had.

Not wanting to waste anymore time playing, the old man took Johann's moment of being stunned to quickly holster his pistol and wrap his large arms completely around Johann's midsection, squeezing him hard and keeping him from being able to punch and kick alike. Johann could barely even work up the strength to try and break free as all he could now hear was the sound of all the mercenaries laughing and the pained cries of Marcus and the others as they were still being beaten down mercilessly.

"Yeah, that's right! What the hell are you gonna do NOW, sport?" the old man asked with an amused laugh as Johann couldn't even look up to meet his icy gaze.

Saeko couldn't bear to watch as she just glared up at her captor as he couldn't help but laugh at how easily his leader had beaten down yet another one of their prisoners.

By now, the vicious stomping Marcus, Khota and Ramon had received was now down to a simple series of vicious kicks to their stomachs and faces as the soldiers above them couldn't help but laugh at seeing them all being so helpless now.

Alice and Yulia couldn't help but look at each other with despairing tears running down their faces. In spite of all their efforts and struggles to survive, this was how it was all going to end for them: being executed like dogs in the street.

Saya was still weeping at just how hopeless their situation now was. No means to fight back, everyone too weak to fight back either way, there was no other way this could possibly have turned out: they were all going to die here.

Suddenly, an ear-piercing scream tore through the entire scene, drawing absolutely everyone's attention; because it wasn't a scream of one of the prisoners. It was the leader.

Everyone's eyes widened in shock at what they all saw: the leader of these savages with his face frozen in horror and pain as Johann suddenly and viciously sank his teeth into his throat, his canines tearing through the cartilage before he violently jerked his head back, tearing the old man's carotid artery right out through a gaping hole in his neck.

Blood was gushing everywhere, spraying all over Johann as he spat the chunk of pure human flesh right out. The leader's bear grip on him slackened as his body fell to its knees. He couldn't even scream, only letting out a stomach churning gargling sound as he finally collapsed to the ground at Johann's feet, his hands barely even twitching as his eyes stared on into nothing.

For only a split second, everyone felt a chill like death go up their spines at what they just saw.

"…The fuck?" weakly muttered the mercenary holding his gun to Saeko's head, not even paying her any attention, still deep in shellshock at seeing their leader get killed just like that.

However, that split second quickly registered to Saeko, and this was the moment she needed. With her heart skipping a beat, Saeko took her hands away from the back of her head and tightly wrapped her hands around his pistol, immediately launching herself up with her feet, using the momentum to force his gun hand right up, bending his arm until the barrel was right up against his own throat. By the time his gaze shifted to meet her piercing blue eyes, it was already too late.

BLAM!

Squeezing her fingers against his own, the soldier ended up unknowingly pulling the trigger, blowing a gaping hole through his lower jaw and out the back of his head, and as he fell, quickly re-situating the pistol in her hands, Saeko switched her aim to the two soldiers holding Alice and Yulia.

It was only a matter of seconds, but it felt like time had practically frozen still as the two men couldn't even react before Saeko pulled the trigger with no hesitation, the recoil that so often foiled her aim not even affecting her as the soldier at the front reared back as the bullet bore a hole in his face right under his left eye, quickly followed by yet another rapport from Saeko's gun as the man right behind him was flung backwards with a dime-sized hole right between his eyes. Alice and Yulia could only look on in shock as their captors slammed to the ground, blood quickly pooling out the backs of their skulls.

With Saeko's very first gunshot breaking the stillness, Marcus summoned up what little of his energy was left and suddenly launched one of his feet back, slamming right into the groin of the soldier right behind him, and as he hunched over in pain, Marcus practically leaped from the ground, tackling him. With no precision, but the utmost ferocity, Khota and Ramon both jumped as well; Khota grabbing the second soldier's rifle and ramming it into his throat upon impact with the ground; and Ramon ramming himself into the third soldier's midsection, flipping him over his back and into the ground.

As quickly as this had all begun to happen, the soldier holding Shizuka couldn't even think to react, practically glued to his spot in fear. Shizuka herself felt just the same, feeling goosebumps up and down her arms as her heart was practically caught in her throat, her mind going into a frenzy of what to do. However, upon the slight feeling of her captor's arm slightly shifting, all of Shizuka's attention was once again caught, and upon realizing what was happening at this very moment, she suddenly felt a surge of adrenaline the likes of which she hadn't felt in ages.

Acting out of pure panic, almost as though she had absolutely no conscious control over herself, Shizuka suddenly opened her mouth wide and bit down on the soldier's thumb, biting as hard as she could as the man instantly let out a scream of pain as he immediately started trying to pry her off, but the nurse just wouldn't let up as she started to taste the sickening taste of blood in her mouth as her grip on his thumb only seemed to tighten the more he struggled. It was like all her childhood memories of being taught stranger danger coming into action all at once.

Within only a couple seconds, Shizuka suddenly heard and felt a sickening tearing sound, which was unexpectedly followed by the sensation of the man losing his grip on her completely as he tore his hand away from her. Still feeling something solid inside her mouth, she instinctively spat it out, and upon momentarily looking at the man she'd just escaped from, her eyes widened in shock when she saw he was holding up his hand, screaming in agony at the sight of his left hand's thumb now completely gone. Shizuka could feel herself becoming sick to her stomach at the realization of what she'd just done, not even realizing she was instinctively reaching into the pocket of her skirt until she suddenly felt her fingers wrap around something solid and thin inside.

Like she was on the outside looking in, Shizuka watched, as her body was practically acting on its own as she pulled out the small, sharpened stick Ramon had given her. She looked up to see the man had momentarily gotten over the pain and was in the process of pulling out his pistol and aiming it at her, but she could feel herself practically flying as she suddenly leaped toward him, breaking the distance in a fraction of a second. With a scream of sheer panic, Shizuka reared her arm back and swung, almost as though she were simply slapping someone; but instead of the familiar clapping sound that would normally follow, she instead heard the sickening sound of something sinking into something else. Once she opened her eyes, she couldn't even think to gasp when she saw she'd stabbed the stick deep into the mercenary's ear, to the point that even when she let go, it was still sticking out, clearly wedged deep into his brain. He couldn't even make a sound as he dropped his gun and tried to reach for whatever was sticking out of his head. Blood began to run down his face from one of his eyes before he collapsed to the ground, no longer moving.

Shizuka collapsed to her knees, feeling like she was about to puke from what she'd just done. However, before she could, she suddenly felt the familiar small hands of Alice and Yulia grabbing her by the arms, dragging her back onto her feet as the two of them lead her off the street and back behind the van, motioning for her to not make a sound.

It had all happened so fast, but for everyone involved, it felt like living in their own personal war zone. Khota had reduced his target's skull to mush after repeatedly slamming it with his own rifle; Ramon had just finished stomping his boot into the back of his opponent's skull for about the thirtieth time, now having reduced him to a mess of gray matter; and Marcus had nearly broken both his hands as he'd just beaten his own enemy to death with nothing but his own two bare hands.

As soon as everyone had realized it was now over, they all began to take deep, collective breaths as they all looked at each other, as if to silently confirm with each other that it was over and they'd just won.

"YOU ALL STAY THE FUCK BACK!" another man's voice suddenly shouted out, drawing everyone's attention, and what they all saw shot a whole new chill of fear into them.

Standing at the edge of the road with his back to the woods was the very last of the mercenaries, holding a large combat knife to Saya's throat as he held her up like a human shield.

"Any one of you motherfuckers take one step and this bitch gets it! You all turn around and let me go! I'll do it, I swear!" the man barked, clearly terrified for his life. They all couldn't help but let out a grunt of frustration. Even from where they all now stood, they realized this guy had an advantage. Saeko couldn't have enough time to aim for him without him acting, and there was no way anyone could try to get around and attack him from behind. He clearly had all of them in his sights, and there was no question he was willing to do exactly what he said he would to Saya if they tried anything. Even though he was clearly outnumbered, he still had some kind of luck on his side.

However, before anyone could say anything, their attention was caught by the almost silent sound of a blade being drawn from its sheath. When they all looked, they saw Johann with his back turned to all of them, slowly rising up from above the leader's corpse, clutching a large, black combat knife in his bloody hand. When he slowly turned to face them all, they all felt a chill the likes of which they'd never felt from him before.

He was covered from head to toe in fresh blood glistening in the moonlight, even still dripping from his mouth. His eyes were no longer the lifeless, miserable voids they once were. They weren't burning with the all too familiar flame of hatred. This was something…indescribable, horrifying to all of them.

"He's mine." Johann spoke under his breath as he slowly stepped toward them, not even looking anyone in the eyes as he stepped past them, clearly making a beeline for the man holding Saya hostage. As much as they all wanted to grab him, keep him from doing anything that would put her in danger, they couldn't work up the courage to do so. Something about looking in his eyes at this moment had nearly sucked all the courage from them to do anything.

Thankfully, the soldier himself wasn't in any better shape, if not worse. Once he realized this blood-covered monster was coming right for him, looking him directly in the eyes, he felt his whole body go to Jell-O, quickly followed by the feeling of a certain hot wetness running down his legs as he felt himself lose his grip on his hostage.

In a split second act of desperation now that he'd ended up letting go of his shield, the soldier quickly dropped his knife to the ground, raising both his hands over his head, relying on one of the last ditch tactics a soldier could ever use to save his life: surrender.

"Hey, man, take it easy. I surr—"

The instant he was even within a foot of the man, Johann suddenly launched his free hand out, wrapping his fingers around his collar, and with nearly animalistic strength, he pulled the man forward, practically off his feet, and at the very same instant lunged his other hand forward, slamming the entire foot-long length of the knife right into his gut.

A horrifying scream of agony echoed out as Johann savagely began thrusting the knife back and forth, forcing the handle upward, carving through flesh and muscle alike with the serrated edge as he forced the knife higher and higher up the soldier's torso, long since reducing his screams to silence. Once he'd forced the knife all the way up to where his heart would be, Johann forcefully ripped the knife out of the gaping hole he'd turned the man's torso into, and without any hesitation, he swung his arm back and swung the knife straight into the man's neck, sending further jet streams of blood spraying everywhere as he continuously stabbed into the man's throat, leaving numerous gaping punctures all over his throat and face.

Everyone else could feel the slowly rising urge to vomit as they all couldn't help but watch silently as Johann kept hacking and stabbing his long since dead victim, and despite how much they wanted to tell him to stop, they couldn't work up the ability to do so, only barely managing to look away, whilst still being forced to hear the gruesome sound of flesh being carved over and over again. How long this could possibly go on for, none of them even wanted to think about; all they could think about was the practically deafening sound of steel carving bone and mutilating innards whilst the rest of the forest was adorned with the simple sounds of crickets, as if not even aware of the massacre that had just occurred, and in a way, still was.

The hours slowly passed by in silence as almost everyone had gathered themselves back into the van, nearly all of them too shaken to even say a word to one another. Johann never came back in to rejoin them. If anything, the inside of the van served as their own little shelter from having to hear him butcher that man any further.

For the longest time, nobody could think to say anything to each other. They had come so close to getting killed that the fact they were still here, living and breathing, seemed nigh impossible to comprehend.

It wasn't until the first rays of the sun had begun to paint the sky the darkest blue that everyone's attention to their environment seemed to instantaneously switch on as they could finally think to actually speak to each other again.

"Is…is everyone…is everyone alright?" Marcus struggled to ask, groaning in pain from the bruises and possible cracked ribs he had. Of course, hearing him groan in pain drew Shizuka to his side almost instantly as she pulled out a rag and a bottle of disinfectant from her bag.

"This is the last of my supplies I could grab, so let's at least try to avoid getting hurt anymore." Shizuka muttered in barely a whisper as she began to clean the bruises on Marcus' face, his face grimacing from the stinging every time it touched him.

For the first few seconds, everything between them seemed to be like normal, until Marcus could suddenly feel Shizuka's hand shaking uncontrollably the more she cleaned his wounds.

"Shizuka…?" Saya asked worriedly when she saw Shizuka's whole body was shaking uncontrollably to the point that she even dropped the rag in her hand, yet didn't even notice, until she slowly took her hands away from Marcus and started staring at them.

"I…I've wanted to be a doctor…for as long as I can remember…" Shizuka muttered to herself, causing everyone to gaze worriedly at each other.

"All my life…I've always…wanted to help people…heal people, help the sick feel better. Anything to help others." Shizuka continued, this time not even looking at her hands, but rather just staring off into space, but not in the usual air-headed way she always did. This was something far more serious.

"A doctor…is supposed to heal people. That's just the way the world works." Shizuka went on, her words coming out in only the faintest whisper, leaving a chilling silence in the van for only a few seconds. A single tear ran down the nurse's face before dropping and splashing on the mattress beneath.

"A DOCTOR ISN'T SUPPOSED TO KILL PEOPLE!" Shizuka suddenly screamed out, practically in hysterics, causing everyone to suddenly jump back, not even beginning to expect her sudden outburst.

"I…I went against…absolutely everything I've believed in last night! I…I took another person's life! I killed someone…with…with my own two hands! I did something truly unforgivable as a doctor!" Shizuka continued screaming out, now practically sobbing, her face slowly sinking into absolute despair.

"I've done something I swore to myself I'd never do, no matter how bad this world became. But now…these hands of mine…aren't the hands of any kind of healer. They're just the hands of another murderer!" Shizuka continued crying out, bringing up her hands for emphasis, her eyes only looking upon them with horror and disgust.

Suddenly, Marcus leaned forward, clasping his hands around Shizuka's forcefully, forcing her to look him in the eye.

"Stop talking like that, Shizuka! Don't say another word of this!" Marcus cried out angrily, causing everyone to look at him in shock that this was how he'd be talking to her now of all times.

"What you're saying isn't the least bit true, so I want you to stop right there and listen to the words coming out of my mouth. You are NOT a murderer! You never COULD be, no matter what! What happened last night, what you did…you did what anyone would do. You were protecting yourself, just like all of us! That's all we've ever done from the beginning is protect ourselves! We're not like the monsters we've encountered out there before, preying on and killing people weaker than them for their belongings. We're better than that, and I need you to know that's the truth." Marcus went on into a rant, his voice steadily rising at the sight of his love falling apart in front of him.

For a short while, Shizuka couldn't think of what to say or what to do in response to the words Marcus was telling her. She knew deep down he was right, that this really was the way they'd done things before, just what a stark contrast there was between their group and the enemies they'd faced before; but there was just a part of her that couldn't shake the gut-wrenching pain of knowing what she'd done, regardless of whether it was to save herself or not.

"Marcus, I keep seeing that man's face, seeing just how scared he looked in that last moment before he fell. I did that to him. Regardless of whether it was to save myself or not, it still makes me feel terrible, knowing I caused that. To be honest, it actually makes me feel sick just thinking about it." Shizuka muttered in defeat, finally spelling out just how deeply affected by this she now was.

"Shizuka…I understand where you're coming from. Killing another living person, even before the dead started coming back…that kind of thing is a heavy experience for everyone. But you need to think about just what could've happened to you if you hadn't done anything to protect yourself. Look, I'm not saying you're wrong for feeling guilty about killing him. Hell, that guilt is actually a good sign, all things considered. It's one of the things that makes you still truly human. But you need to accept that this world is all about the simple concept of 'it's us or them.' That's all there is to it."

As much as it pained Marcus to have to basically tell Shizuka to toughen up, he knew there was no other way around this. They were in a situation that was only growing more and more desperate with each passing hour, and he knew they all needed to be ready to do whatever was possible in order to stay alive, just as they always had. Despite Shizuka remaining silent and visibly deep in thought, she eventually bit her lip and shook her head in response.

"I'm sorry, Marcus. I…I just can't think like that. The human race is already so few in number to what it once was; I can't take up such a way of thinking. Always thinking about other people, looking to take care of others no matter what…that's just always been a part of who I am, and it always will be. I don't intend to let my life's work towards helping others go to waste like this. So I'm sorry, but I don't intend to let something like last night ever happen to me again, and I'll accept the consequences, whatever they may be, as such." Shizuka firmly explained, her once shaken, hysterical tone replaced with a straightforward, very resolute and confident tone as her posture straightened up, as though it were a visible form of her newly strengthened determination and sheer will.

Marcus could only let out a sigh of partial disappointment. However, he also couldn't help but feel a slowly growing sensation of respect for Shizuka, seeing just how resolute and unshakable she was from her convictions, no matter how much they contradicted their group's 'do anything to survive' mentality.

"I understand, Shizuka. You won't have to worry about this ever happening again, cause I'll keep watching out and protecting you from now on, no matter what." Marcus solemnly vowed, not noticing the barely noticeable smiles of respect everyone in the van was beginning to show in response to this unexpectedly powerful moment between the two lovers.

"You know, Shizuka…if it means anything…I know your drive to help everyone hasn't been for nothing." Yulia suddenly chimed in, quickly catching everyone's attention now that she had finally spoken up for the first time.

"I mean…thanks to what you taught us about emergency first aid way back…I was able to treat Alice before we found you guys." The young Russian girl continued, and like a spark had been ignited, everyone's attention had suddenly been drawn back to the bloody bandages on Alice's arm as the young redhead looked at them all nervously.

"That's right, we never even found out. Alice, you said you were bitten, but not by one of Them. So how in the hell did this happen to you?" Saya asked, a newfound tone of worry already all-too-present in her tone as Alice and Yulia exchanged nearly unreadable glances with each other.

However, before the two girls could begin, a whole new fact suddenly registered in everyone's minds, and one that they'd been amazed they hadn't noticed until just now.

"Girls…where's Zeke? Why wasn't he with you two last night?" Khota asked cautiously, almost as if he were too scared to know the answer.

As if on cue, Alice and Yulia's gazes quickly dimmed into one of undeniable sadness as they struggled to come up with the words. However, once they both began to take a deep breath, everyone almost instantaneously knew they were about to get their answer.

**The day of the village attack**

"C'mon! Move through the tall grass!" Marcus' voice called out in the distance as both Alice and Yulia desperately tried their best to catch up to the group, Zeke loyally sticking by their side rather than darting off ahead to join the rest of the survivors.

"Fuck...I can barely see a foot in front of me!" Yulia cursed under her breath before nearly tripping over a rusty chain she couldn't see. Her foot caught for a mere second, causing her powerful stride to shift into falling face first into the mud.

Alice instantly stopped to help her friend up, desperately trying to pull Yulia back up onto her feet so they wouldn't end up being left behind.

"Marcus, wait! We can't keep up!" Alice cried out as they both tried to pick up the pace only to realize they were now completely lost.

"Oh no! God, why did he insist we move through all this?! I can hardly see a thing." Alice growled in a low, irritable voice before they noticed the sounds of heavy boots rustling in the grass directly behind them.

"Oh, shit! Get down!" Yulia ordered in a rough whisper as she practically tackled Alice into the mud.

Both of them remained perfectly silent and still just in time as multiple figures stormed by, their boots pounding against the dirt and mud while their gear rustled up and down.

"Down boy!" Alice instructed in a nearly mute whisper to Zeke, who just looked at them in confusion until his master gave him the order. Luckily the tall grass and dark, gloomy clouds helped conceal his otherwise easy to spot white fur. Her hand gently rested on his muzzle to keep him from growling.

"I swear I heard somebody shout just a moment ago," a man said as he and his partners stopped moments before fully passing the two girls who were remaining completely motionless.

"Maybe somebody got separated? We might want to separate in case one of them leads us into a trap." Another man replied as Yulia and Alice slowly lowered their faces so they were now facing only the ground, just to avoid the risk of any of these men seeing their eyes through the grass.

"If that ends up being the case, we'll just counterattack and wipe these guys out just like we did with the last lot who settled down," a third mercenary explained before they both heard a nearby stick snap, causing them to become fully alert. They lifted their rifles up and proceeded onwards through the thick brush, completely vanishing from site.

At first the girls refused to move, just in case more mercenaries were to run by. However, a series of gunshots suddenly began to go off, none being recognizable weapons that anyone in their group used.

"Oh god...what if they got the others?" Alice asked worriedly, just barely loud enough for Yulia to hear.

Before the young Russian could respond, a series of screams and anguished cries began to echo out as the gunshots began to steadily decrease, until there was nothing but complete silence.

"Alice, I don't think we're the only ones here. Let's go before someone sees us." Yulia suggested as they both stood up, brushing off the clumps of mud stuck to them.

"Okay. C'mon Zeke, let's go!" Alice nodded before snapping her fingers to signal that it was okay for him to get up and move. Neither of them noticed the chained up walker that was just a few steps away from them before they took off.

After running through the seemingly endless rows of tall grass, all three managed to finally break through and scurry up a muddy hillside that led directly into a small forest. Minutes later, they began to slow down, almost certain that nobody was still on their trail, settling down in the middle of a small clearing surrounded on all sides by dense woods.

"Трахни меня (Trakhni menya) [Fuck me], that was intense! I know things were kind of starting to get boring around here, but this is ridiculous! Who the hell were those people? How did so many manage to get the jump on us?" Yulia began to curse as she leaned against a tree, gasping for air after burning so much energy.

"I don't know, Yulia. Clearly they knew exactly when and where to strike, and they were definitely better equipped than anyone we've ever seen before. I just hope Marcus and the others can get to the rally point without running into more of those men. Too many of us have died today already." Alice began to explain, her voice gradually cracking with emotion before she set her backpack down, still carrying the black box from the cemetery. Zeke meanwhile was sitting down and loyally waiting for them to start moving again.

For only a few moments, neither of the girls could think of anything else to say. And with that unbearable silence, the tears soon began to flow for both of them as they could now only think of their biggest and most painful loss of all.

"Oh God…I-I can't believe they killed the kids though...I'm going to tear them apart for that." Yulia sobbed, able to finally emotionally decompress now that they had time to catch their breath.

Alice put her hand on her long time friend's shoulder to convey her sympathy as she continued sniffling and trying to wipe the overflow of tears from her eyes. It was an unspeakable hell, knowing that the precious children they'd watched grow ever since they were born were now dead and gone, and that there was nothing they could do to stop it.

"Do you think that Corvo is at least still alive? And what about Frasier? I mean, neither of them had gotten back when this all happened." Yulia asked weakly as she had somehow now eased herself into a more calm state, but her voice still clearly having a tone of desperation; desperation that at least one of the children was still alive.

"So long as Frasier was with him, there's a chance he might still be okay. You saw how he reacted when they went outside the walls. The only thing I've seen him more protective of is Saeko and Marcus. So yeah, I think the little guy is still around." Alice replied, knowing that the same could be said of almost anyone in the group, seeing not only how close everyone had become over the past few years, but also just how strong they had all grown.

"I just wish we didn't get separated. I know I love to think we're invincible, моя маленькая клубники (moy malen'kaya klubniki) [my little strawberry], but at times like this, I wish the adults could be here to take care of things. Do we even know which way to go?" Yulia suddenly brought up, admitting they had to get their bearings set before moving out once more.

"Check the trees for moss. Khota taught me that it grows on the northern side of the trunk." Alice instructed as they both wandered around onto the other side to see a large green, squishy stain on the bark.

"Alright. The rally point's back in London, which is to the east, so as long as we make sure the moss we find is facing to the left of us, we should be able to avoid getting lost. Let's take Zeke and keep moving this way. If I'm not mistaken, we should be able to reach a road just on the other side of this forest." Alice announced as she picked her backpack up and began to stretch her legs out to loosen up her joints.

Right when they were about to finally move out again, Zeke stood perfectly still like a statue. The fur on his back stood up as he began to let out a low growl.

"Zeke? What's wrong, boy? What do you know that we don't?" Alice suddenly questioned in a concerned, noticeably frightened tone, as she knew all too well that he would only act this way around imminent danger.

Knowing there was no point in waiting for the danger to show itself, Yulia had already unholstered her pistol and began to cautiously scan the area in hopes of spotting the threat.

Suddenly, a feral dog leapt out from the brush, it's jaws just barely missing Yulia as she ducked down to avoid being tackled at the very last second. Without hesitation, she put a few rounds into its skull; her heart racing a million beats a second at just how close she'd just come to getting her throat torn out.

When she turned around, she could see and hear even more emerging from the nearby brush; their collective fierce growling sending a chill up her spine. She quickly began to back up while trying to conserve as much ammo as possible, knowing she had to make every shot count.

"Yulia! I'm coming!" Alice announced as she didn't even notice one of them had slipped past Yulia had was now darting straight for her.

Alice felt a horrid tearing and crushing pain in her wrist as one of them managed to bite down hard and get a hold of her. The shock and pain caused her to easily lose her footing when the feral dog practically dragged her down to the ground; it's gnashing teeth tearing through her flesh and muscle mercilessly with every movement.

Not going down without a fight, she managed to pistol whip it across the snout, causing it to let out a yelp of pain and let go only to quickly bare it's teeth for another attack. Practically on her back, the wild dog pounced on her, trying to sink its fangs into her neck while she desperately tried to hold it back with what little strength remained with her as the large bite wound on her wrist was bleeding profusely all over her.

Just as her arms were about to give way, the wild dog was suddenly launched back. Momentarily dazed by what just happened, Alice sat up to see that Zeke had come to her rescue and managed temporarily give her some time to collect herself while he held off her attacker.

The fully-grown white dog managed to hold the upper hand until another wild dog intervened and blindsided Zeke. Unable to fend both of them at the same time, Zeke was suddenly overwhelmed and completely ganged up on; vicious snarls and growls mixed with pained yelps and distressed barks.

Alice meanwhile was desperately searching for her gun, crawling towards it the moment she spotted it just under an uplifted root. By the time she got her fingers around it and lined up a shot, the other two dogs already had Zeke pinned.

Without hesitation, she managed to blast the first one away. The second one noticed this and instantly bolted towards her, fresh blood painting its snout and razor sharp jaws. Alice tried to adjust her aim with each shot, the feral dog drawing closer at breakneck speed.

Alice paused for a moment to make her last shot count. When she pulled the trigger, her bullet hit one of its back legs. The wild dog stumbled slightly with a pained yelp before continuing its charge. The young girl held her arms out of natural reaction, only for another series of rounds to suddenly go off.

The last dog crashed onto the ground with a loud thud as dirt was kicked up into the air. Alice turned around to see Yulia standing before her with one hand held out.

"C'mon. Get up, Alice." Yulia instructed as she pulled her up onto her feet.

"Agh...is that it? Did we win?" Alice groaned out of pain as she looked around out of concern, still on high alert, trying her best to ignore the tear-jerking pain in her arm, and the warm moist feeling of her own blood dripping from her fingertips.

"Yeah. I think that's all for now. Lets get Zeke and head out before even more show up. Or something even worse." Yulia replied, her voice trembling with anxiety and fear.

However, when they turned and saw Zeke, both their hearts began to sink. He slowly limped towards them before collapsing from the injuries he endured, letting out an almost never-ending series of immensely painful whines, as he couldn't even bring himself to move. Both girls rushed over to his aid, both of them feeling their blood run cold when they saw the horrible gaping bite chunks and claw tears all over Zeke's body, leaving his once snow white fur mostly blood red.

"Oh God... Yulia, he's suffering!" Alice began to sob, as she couldn't hold back any tears, no matter how hard she tried.

Yulia bowed her head in sadness as she noticed how deep the gashes in Zeke's side were. He was losing far too much blood, and there was literally nothing either of them could do to save him.

Both golden eyes weakly looked up at the two devastated girls, as they were both reduced to whimpering sobs at the sight of their most loyal companion dying at their feet.

"Maybe if we find Shizuka, she can...she can-Oh Zeke..." Alice whimpered pathetically as she dropped to both knees and held his head close to hers. All she could do now was remember how he was always by her side for every waking moment, as if to always remind her she would never be all alone ever again.

"Alice, we can't do anything for him. I'm so sorry." Yulia explained as she was torn at the sight of both Zeke bleeding out and Alice broken down to the point she was nothing more than a little girl again.

"No. There is one thing we can still do for him. Give me your gun." Alice corrected before she held her hand out while speaking in a dead serious tone.

At first Yulia hesitated giving the clearly broken girl a deadly weapon, but she knew Alice too well, and of all the times to say 'no', now was not one of them.

Once she felt Yulia resting her pistol in her hand, Alice rested her head against Zeke's soft, white fur. His warm tongue began gently licking her cheek, almost as if he knew what she was about to do. She then began to gently pet the back of his ear just the way she knew he always liked it. His tail began to weakly wag back and forth in response.

"Shhhh. You're gonna be okay, Zeke. You've been such a good boy. Who's a good boy? You are-" Alice whispered in a soothing voice to lure Zeke into a more peaceful state of mind.

***BLAM***

After the ear deafening blast subsided, Alice just remained frozen in her spot for what felt like hours as Yulia could only look at her concernedly. When she knelt to Alice's side, looking at her face, her purple eyes almost completely concealed by the hanging bangs of her red hair, she couldn't help but feel an almost identical air of coldness as when she'd killed Brian so long ago. That fact alone made Alice's brunette lover worried sick to her stomach. After an unbearable period of stillness and silence, Alice's head just shook back and forth before she finally managed to find the strength to stand again.

Yulia just stood at Alice's side, watching the gun she was still clutching closely to make sure she didn't turn the gun on her, or worse…herself. There was no telling just what the hell was going through Alice's head right now, but Yulia knew she'd rather die than risk having Alice do something unspeakable, whether it be out of grief or otherwise.

"C'mon, Yulia. The dead will be here any second after all those shots." Alice said in an emotionless tone as her long time companion simply nodded in acknowledgement before they slipped away from the scene and continued onwards to meet with the other survivors. At least, Yulia was still hoping the others would be waiting for them. Right now, Alice couldn't even think. All she could do was just keep walking on and on, with no acknowledgment for anyone or anything around her. And as she walked, just out of the corner of her eye, she could always see the damnable image of Brian standing amidst the trees, always watching her with those glazed, lifeless eyes, always smiling that almost taunting smile with that nearly sheet-white face with the black line of blood running from the hole in his forehead nearly looking to split his face in two.

And after a while, whenever she saw him watching her, she soon came to find Zeke sitting at his side, both once golden eyes focused solely on her, with his once spotless white and black fur permeated with his own black blood and gaping slashes.

Neither of them ever moved, and yet they would always be there ahead of them, always watching her, almost as if condemning her for what she'd done to them, regardless of her good intentions. Silently, Alice could only crack the slightest and driest of smirks. She knew. These damn specters of the past were never going to leave her be.

'Fine. Go ahead and stand there. Judge me all you want. I don't care anymore.' Alice thought bitterly to herself as she and Yulia continued on their way through the misty woods, heading God-only-knew-where now.

**Present**

"That night we found an abandoned ambulance and stayed the night there. Luckily there were still some bandages and antibiotics left, so I was able to disinfect and wrap up Alice's arm like you taught us to. I just was never sure if it was enough. Since then, we'd just been walking non-stop." Yulia finally finished, having to wipe away some tears welling in her eyes as she'd shared their painful story.

The whole inside of the van had gone cold as everyone could feel a heavy pit of sadness in their stomachs. Zeke had been always at their side through everything, and they all knew how much Alice adored him. Unable to say anything else, Saya instinctively wrapped her arms around Alice's head, holding her close.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry, Alice. We never should've made you two go through that tall grass. You wouldn't have gotten separated and perhaps Zeke would still be here." The pink-haired genius whispered softly as she continued rubbing the back of Alice's head, who just continued staring on without any look of any kind of reaction on her face now that Zeke had been brought up again.

All the while, Shizuka carefully looked over the bandages on Alice's arm, taking clear note of the coloration of her arm, as if to check and see for any sign of infection. After a few minutes, she let Alice's arm down, a look of relief on her face.

"Well…the only thing I can point out is that your bandaging work is a little shoddy, but other than that, I don't see anything immediately wrong. There's no discoloration of her arm, so I'm pretty confident there's no infection, and it looks like the bleeding has mainly stopped on its own by this point. But that doesn't mean we're completely in the clear yet. I've just used up the last of my supplies on Marcus, so as soon as we can find any other medical tools, I'll need to see to that bite getting stitched up. Only then will we finally be able to say it won't get infected and Alice can fully recover."

As much as it worried everyone to hear that there was still a possibility of Alice's wound getting badly infected, it was at least reassuring to know that for now she was still okay.

"Alright, then we shouldn't be wasting any more time. We need to start heading the rest of the way for London. The sooner we get there, the better. Besides, I'm sure there may be some medical supplies at Buckingham Palace somewhere." Marcus explained, bolstered with a newfound burst of energy, as he was more than ready to get out of here.

"There's still one last thing we need to talk about, Marcus." Saeko suddenly interjected, causing everyone to look at the swordswoman confusedly, most of them unsure just what she could've possibly had in mind.

"What are we going to do about Johann?" she finally asked, and the mention of the young German's name caused Saya and Shizuka to slightly shudder as Marcus could only bow his head deep in thought.

"I really hate to bring it up like this, but let's face the facts. We all saw what he did to that man out there. That was not just some kind of revenge killing; that was just straight up butchery. I…I don't think even I could be able to do something like that, no matter how much someone had wronged me. So…I guess there's no other way to say it. Are we really safe having him stick around?" Saeko asked, uncertainty hanging on her every word. It really hurt to have to be the one to bring up the possibility of just abandoning him. She missed Rei just as much as she knew he no doubt did, but just thinking about how over the edge he'd gone when killing that man sent an uncomfortable chill up her spine.

For a minute, nobody could think to say anything. Finally, Marcus stood up as he approached the rear doors.

"I'll…I'll go talk with him and see where we go from there. Just wait here." He stated, before opening the doors and finally stepping out onto the asphalt.

The sun had finally started to send its rays through the trees, turning the sky a lighter orange as Marcus' eye adjusted to the early morning light. Once he could see clearly, he could see all the bloodstains all over the road from their close encounter. The whole sight gave him an uncomfortable chill as he slowly rounded the corner of the van to see Johann sitting against the side of it by himself, staring out into the distance. His face, hands and clothes were still covered in dried up blood.

Marcus cautiously approached him, unsure at the moment of what to even say to him. Just the sight of his friend covered from head to toe in another man's blood gave him a twisting feeling in his stomach.

"They're all scared of me, aren't they?" Johann suddenly asked, causing Marcus to nearly jump. He hadn't been expecting Johann to actually be aware of his surroundings again, let alone speaking.

"I could hear you all from out here. I'm awake again, and I know everyone's terrified of me now." Johann continued, not even bothering to glance in Marcus' direction.

"Well…Johann, do you even know just what you did to that man?" Marcus asked nervously before sitting down beside him, not taking his eye off him just in case.

"Yes. I. Do. I butchered him. I gutted him like a fish and I turned him inside out the entire night. And I don't regret a second of it. He was going to take Saya as his human shield and do only god-knows-what to her if I hadn't done anything." Johann replied harshly, clearly not showing any signs of breaking this vicious resolve he'd given them all a view of only hours ago.

"Look, Johann…I know how much pain you must be going through, losing Rei and your daughters. I know that. But…" Marcus began to answer before Johann suddenly pounded his fist into the ground, effectively cutting him silent.

"Don't…bring them into this." Johann whispered, bowing his head as if to try and shut out the painful thought of never seeing his family again.

"Okay…okay. I'm sorry." Marcus softly apologized, knowing full well now he had to be really careful with what he would say in front of Johann from now on.

"Listen, Marcus…I'm okay right now. Really. You can go in there and tell everyone they don't need to worry about me. I'm not gonna be hurting anyone here if that's what they're all so worried about." Johann explained, still clearly a little bitter at what he'd heard Saeko say about him. Marcus could only give a slight nod, as he got back onto his feet, ready to finally clear things up and get their group moving again.

"Also, while you were all sitting back there, I'm not sure if you noticed, but I actually tried checking to see if this van can run. Believe it or not, we got lucky." Johann suddenly pointed out, causing Marcus to stop in his tracks while everyone else filed out of the van themselves, shivering from the chilly air.

"You mean…this old thing can still run?" Marcus asked, clearly very pleasantly surprised by this news as Johann gave only a single nod.

"Alright then…everyone, looks like we'll be making it to the rally point sooner than we thought we would." Marcus announced, earning some sighs of relief from the others as Saeko began to climb into the drivers seat.

"Alright, everyone. Get back in and let's get out of here." Saeko announced as everyone began to file back into the van, nobody daring to make eye contact with Johann as Saeko began to fiddle with the wires before a sudden spark caused the engine to sudden rumble back to life. Not wasting any time, adjusting herself to the controls, Saeko turned the van around in a 180 and soon they were all continuing on their way down the empty stretch of road toward London, and hopefully, towards any other survivors at the rally point.

**Several hours later**  
><strong>Just outside the limits of Greater London<strong>

The van came to a slow halt as it stopped just a few blocks away from Greater London. Clouds shifted from white to grey as the air became even cooler by the minute.

"Why have we stopped? Shouldn't we keep moving?" Alice asked concerned as to why Marcus had suddenly motioned for Saeko to stop the vehicle while they had been making such great time than they would've on foot.

"We're going to keep moving, Alice. Just on foot though. Everybody out of the van." Marcus explained before he instructed everyone to get out and onto the streets.

"Any reason why we can't keep driving?" Khota asked, as he was rather enjoying the break on his still aching legs over walking again.

"The plan is as it always has been: we need to reach Buckingham Palace. Once we make it there, we'll wait for Frasier, Rika, and Corvo. Given the circumstances, I say one day to reach us is all we can afford for the time being." Marcus began to explain, making it very clear that they were going to wait for the others no matter what their situation would be.

"And what do we do about the rest of the mercenaries here?" Johann asked emotionlessly, giving everyone a grim reminder of just how unsafe they still really were, no matter where they went.

"Let's face the facts. The reason we're still living and breathing right now after last night was nothing short of dumb luck, and I don't suggest we push it any more than we already have. So in short, we avoid them as much as possible. They're far more organized than we could've ever anticipated. Even a single one going missing could raise suspicion and potentially draw more in." Marcus answered, feeling they'd have a better chance of surviving by not starting a fight if they could avoid it.

"You can't be serious...after all that's happened, you're just going to spare them? These men not only attacked us, but they killed my family, our friends, and even your own brother!" Johann scolded in a furious voice, feeling as though Marcus had just stabbed him in the back.

"We don't know that! For all we know, my brother's already made it to the rally point and is just waiting for us as we speak!" Marcus replied in a defensive tone, irritated that Johann would bring up something like that, of all the times to do it.

"Oh, open your eyes, Marcus! Our entire group has barely survived every encounter so far. It's like you said: just dumb luck. I know he's better than most of us combined, but even this is out of his league. There's no way he could've survived alone." Johann said, feeling grimly certain that they were all that was left.

"You're wrong! This is exactly what he and I've been trained for. Now we're going to patiently wait in the palace and nothing more. End of discussion." Marcus corrected before issuing out his instructions, the others silently following his command while Johann stood there nearly speechless.

"So the plan is to just sit around, twiddling our thumbs while these assholes go about as they please? Fuck that! We need to hunt down and wipe out every patrol we find. And if they really have established a colony or a base or whatever, then we're going to kill every last one of them." Johann disagreed before suggesting total annihilation of their new foes, a heavy darkness hanging on his every word.

"And what if there's women and children involved? If this really is an established settlement, then we should only attack armed targets." Marcus brought up, hoping that would make Johann stop to take a minute to process that possibility.

"I think that's a fairly obvious answer. If we let any survive, they would just come back to be a thorn in our sides in the future. They killed our entire family. I think it's only fair they suffer just the same." Johann said bluntly, not a single trace of humor written anywhere on his face. The fact that he was actually legitimately suggesting they slaughter the women and children of their enemies and meant it, sent a horrified chill through everyone present.

"Have you lost you fucking mind?! Even if they did have families here, regardless of alignment, we aren't going to slaughter them! That's just not right! That's not the kind of people we are!" Marcus said in a disgusted tone, astonished Johann would even begin to consider committing such an act.

"You know if your brother was here in your place, he'd agree with me 100%. He wouldn't ever back down when it came to avenging family and seeking retribution. Don't forget what he did back in Hamburg!" Johann said angrily, instantly bringing back some of the darkest memories Marcus had.

Without warning, Marcus swept his foot at the back of Johann's ankles while he pushed him in the opposite direction, causing the raging German to fall on his back. Before he could even think to retaliate, Marcus already had him pinned down with a knee at his throat.

"Enough of this! Right now! Johann…I know you're in a dark place right now; probably the darkest place anyone could ever hope to imagine. But do you really think this is what Rei would've wanted? Is this the kind of man you would've wanted Kiriko and Lena calling 'father?' Killing armed men is one thing, but killing an unarmed person is wrong no matter what! If we did what you're suggesting, then we'd be no better than those fucking bastards that took everything away from us!"

"As for Frasier, believe me when I say he regretted killing those men. He may not have said it aloud, but if you could see the look on his face that I saw when he finally fully realized what he did...look, he's not nearly as ruthless as he once was. Had this been the Frasier from when the outbreaks started, then I'm more than certain he'd kill unarmed survivors without even a seconds' hesitation, but he's changed for the better because of all our influence on him."

"Don't let yourself become consumed with revenge, Johann. We're a group, and we have to stick together through even our darkest moments. I'm sorry about your family, I truly, truly am. But I need you to come back to us. I need you all together, now more than ever." Marcus announced as he could see at first Johann was teeming with unrefined rage and hatred, but as Marcus went on, he could see the fire in Johann's eyes steadily beginning to soften and dim. His expression soon softened and sank into one of barely restrained misery as he further realized he was so easily allowing himself to become a monster.

"I...oh Jesus, Marcus…I-I just miss them so much. Just knowing that I will never see them again is fucking killing me. When I killed those men…that was the first time I felt really alive since then. I…I'm sorry." Johann explained in a soft, sorrowful tone of voice, bringing his hands up to his eyes as tears soon began to flow endlessly down his cheeks

"I understand your pain, Johann. I felt the same way once before a long time ago. But now…it's time for you to come back to us, to the family that's still here with you. Alright?" Marcus explained sympathetically as he extended a hand for Johann to take, soon pulling the grieving young German back to his feet, a look in his eye that conveyed no hard feeling between them to be seen at all.

"I understand, Marcus. Just please promise me…you won't let this go. Whoever is behind all this needs to pay." Johann requested as he began to regain control of himself and who he truly was, yet still feeling that ice cold pain deep inside.

"Trust me, Johann. I'll go to the ends of the Earth to find out who's responsible for all of this. That much I can promise you." Marcus said before it became quiet again. The others were all remaining silent; seeing how the two young men both had things they had really needed to say to one another at this moment.

"We better get a move on. It looks like we're going to be getting some rain." Saya suddenly announced as everybody looked up to see a series of grey clouds looming over London.

With nothing more needing to be said, the group moved onwards and prepared to face whatever they might encounter during their journey deeper into London. Nothing was going to get in their way now.

**An hour later…**  
><strong>Westminster City, London<strong>

The clouds over London began to turn a darker grey as the once soft winds now began to howl without control. What started off as light sprinkle of water soon shifted into heavy rainfall that made it very difficult to see any further than a few yards in front of oneself.

The group continued on their way through the streets; Saeko taking the lead until, barely permeating through the wall of noise of the heavy rainfall, her ears picked up the faintest rumbling sound, causing her to stop dead in her tracks, prompting everyone else to instantly do the same, knowing the seasoned swordswoman wouldn't just stop without a good reason to.

"Shh! Anybody else just hear that?" Saeko suddenly hushed as she knelt down and placed her hand against the pavement, feeling it start rumbling as the sound of a powerful engine soon could be heard not so far from their current position, steadily growing louder, drowning out the sound of the downpour.

"Everyone stay low. Something tells me we've got trouble nearby." Marcus whispered as one by one they knelt down, moving slowly through an alleyway to see what could've been possibly making so much noise.

Soon enough, the group came across the most nerve-wracking sight they could've come across: that of the very tank that destroyed their village, roaming through the streets of London unopposed. Several men could be seen riding on the sides of the armored vehicle while it steadily began to cross over the bridge leading to Westminster Palace, meaning the group had just barely missed getting spotted by the treaded behemoth by barely a minute.

Suddenly, a loud shot rang out; causing everybody to freeze in place while the mercenaries themselves began to hop off of the tank as it came to a grinding halt on the bridge. Smoke began to suddenly rise from the rear of the tank while its top opened up to reveal one of the crew members climbing out to check things out.

"Goddammit, I told you guys we had to stop for repairs!" one of the tank crew announced as he began to open up a vent to reveal the engine of the tank as it continued to violently sputter black fumes into the air.

"Well it's not exactly like we had a say in the matter; since that that damn horde from earlier wouldn't get off our backs. We should be so lucky that those creatures don't move very fast," one of the mercenaries previously replied as the crewmember began to inspect the engine.

"Just let him worry about fixing the problem. We need to stand watch for any hostiles. If any are in the area, then I have no doubt that they just heard the engine pop." another far older sounding soldier ordered as he motioned everyone to spread out and form a defensive perimeter around the tank.

"Marcus, if we could get close enough, do you think we could possibly plant an explosive under that bridge? I was able to scrounge some plastic explosive off the bodies of one of those guys from last night." Khota suddenly whispered as he suggested they eliminate the armored threat while they had the perfect opportunity.

"As much as I just want to sneak past these guys, that tank might come back later to give us trouble. At the very least, we destroy that thing." Marcus replied, realizing if they were going to survive any further encounters, they would need to take out that tank.

"Saeko, Johann: you two follow me to the underbelly of the bridge. The rest of you: take up positions in this building, second floor. Be ready to pick off the stragglers, and be on the lookout for any reinforcements. These guys might not be alone." Marcus instructed as he showed began pointing everyone to the direction they were to go in, finally beginning to strategize rather than just act.

"You three be careful. We can take out a few in one burst, but we can't guarantee to kill all of them if they spot you." Ramon warned as the two teams began to split off, everybody moving into place while trying to avoid being detected this early on.

"Don't start shooting until we engage them. Just mark a target each and wait for the boom." Marcus whispered as his voice became increasingly distant while he crept down a concrete slope leading to the catwalk leading underneath the bridge.

Rain pinged against the tank's armored hull while the crewmember continued to make what repairs he could. The other men were all loitering around and standing guard, idly chattering to each other while waiting for some kind of update.

"You hear what happened to Commander Clayton?" one man curiously asked as he kicked a small stone off of the edge of the bridge.

"I heard they found 117." Another soldier responded as he leaned against a lamppost while he lit a cigarette.

"Did you hear what happened when they did? Only Clayton survived, and even then, just barely! Thomas told me his head was practically caved in; that they barely managed to save him." the first one replied, showing more concern if not fear in his voice now.

"Jesus Christ...at least we got the easy job dealing with his people. Hopefully the captain managed to track them down by now." the second one replied in a shocked voice, shuddering at that image.

**{Wolfenstein The New Order OST - Ransacked} **

Meanwhile, Marcus, Johann, and Saeko were all slowly creeping on the hard concrete surface, making sure every step they took didn't echo out for anybody above to hear. Their hearts raced rampantly while thick, dry lumps of anticipation clenched their throats. None dared to say anything to one another, each one barely able to contain their anger, anxiousness and hatred for the metal monstrosity above them. More of the very men who took everything from them lied just above them.

'If only you could see this, Frasier. I've finally become the man you and father always wanted me to be.' Marcus thought to himself, carefully setting the explosives along a support beam.

'Rei, Lena, Kiriko…I know you're watching me right now. If I don't make it through this fight…just know I'll be with you all again soon.' Johann's said to himself in the back of his mind, his body burning on the inside with anger and bloodlust despite the freezing cold weather around him.

"This is it. Do it now." Saeko softly whispered to Marcus as they managed to get to a safe distance, ready to take their revenge in one swift motion.

***KA-BOOM!***

A powerful explosion completely shattered the concrete support beam that held up the section of the bridge the tank was resting on. The shockwave caused those nearby to go stumbling back as entire chunks of the bridge began falling down, dragging the tank with it, completely covering it with debris as it all came plummeting down into the Thames river.

Unable to hold back a moment longer, everyone unleashed everything they had all at once. Johann took a strong lead by sprinting up the nearest slanted terrain leading up to the rest of the bridge and gunning down five men in his way before his clip ran dry. That didn't begin to stop him though as he flipped the gun around and literally swung it like a club, bashing his sixth target across the jaw, causing him to fall and tumble down the slope, only for Saeko's blade to perfectly slice his neck from his shoulders.

While Johann quickly reloaded his gun, he could hear the others in his group unleashing entire lines of lead into those who had only just recovered from the shockwave of the explosion and were now fully aware they were under attack. Blood filled the streets as soldier after soldier was mercilessly mowed down.

'Kill them! Kill them all!' continuously echoed in Johann's mind as he rolled along the street, managing to position himself behind some cover that was just up against the edge of the hole they just made.

While Johann laid down a suppressing barrage, a small group of four managed to slip by and was now moving along the catwalk beneath the bridge in hopes of flanking him. However, in the blink of an eye, a blade perfectly sliced the arms clean off from the first one to try and ascend the slope of rubble beneath the gaping hole in the bridge.

The man let out a shrill, blood-curdling scream before Saeko's katana plunged straight through his flesh and body armor. The others backed up while desperately firing, only hitting their dying comrade as Saeko used him for a meat shield while pushing through.

As bullets pelted the human shield and soon tore off limbs, Saeko kicked it forward to stun the two she hit before sliding on her back thanks to the wet ground. She held her blade straight up as her body slid between the legs of the third soldier.

His body just stood there as his guts began to spill out through the gaping gash the incredibly sharp steel blade left in his lower torso. He fell over and looked at the horrifying sight of his steaming guts literally piling beneath him. His bloody hands desperately tried to pull them back inside only for Marcus to notice and unexpectedly take pity on him with a single round to the face while Saeko spared no time on the other two she was focused on.

"We've got more inbound!" Saeko announced while she and Marcus ran up the wet grey hill of rubble, trying to pick off any who weren't already in cover after they took seconds to collect themselves.

The backup mercenaries quickly responded with their own series of gunfire, trying to keep their attackers from gaining any further momentum on them. Taking cover behind old vehicles and debris, they were dug in and could barely push up without risk of being slaughtered.

Thunder rang out through the dark grey skies as rain showered the bloody battlefield. The smell of gunfire filled the air while each shot fired cracked and echoed across for miles. Spent casings littered the streets while the fighting dragged on.

Marcus sat beside Johann, both of them more than satisfied with what they were accomplishing at this moment. They both knew that even if they failed here, at least they inflicted a heavy blow to their new enemy.

Clutching a grenade in one hand, Marcus clenched his teeth down on the pin, only to yank it out and lob it as far as he could.

Moments later, a bloody mess of gore was sent flying from behind the victim's cover as two others were flung away from their cover, bleeding from the shrapnel sticking out from their bodies.

Before they could begin to crawl back into cover, several rounds from Khota's sniper ran straight through their skulls, leaving massive gaping holes in place of what used to be flesh and bone.

The groups' marksman then shifted his scope up towards a loose sign on a nearby building, barely held on by what remaining supports there were. Firing every last shot remaining in his clip, the large sign let out a loud creak before collapsing onto those caught in its fall.

Just when things seemed to be going their way, a sudden rumbling could be heard that sounded far too familiar to the survivors. Their hearts and confidence both drastically began sinking at the sight before them.

The tank they were certain had been destroyed was still active and was beginning to escape from its prison of concrete and water. Slowly but surely, it had begun to push through the debris and was now advancing up the slope to join the fight.

"Let the tank get up that hill! We can then move up and finish these vermin!" a mercenary ordered while the rest were ready to spring out of cover after the tank would lead on with their counter attack.

"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me! Everyone pull back!" Marcus ordered, as he was ready to move, but paused when he saw Johann glaring at the metal monstrosity that was about to wreck havoc once more.

"Johann! We need to pull back before that thing blows us to pieces!" Marcus ordered, only to be caught off guard when Johann suddenly snatched the bundle of grenades from Marcus' vest and dashed out with all of his remaining energy.

Knowing there was no point in trying to stop him right now, Marcus ran for the others while Johann raced towards the tank that had begun to blast holes into the building they were taking shelter in. He pulled himself up onto the base, trying to keep his balance while making his way for the top hatch.

Prying the hatch door wide open, Johann pulled the first pin out only to drop the whole batch directly into the very belly of the metallic monstrosity. He then slammed the door down and held the lid shut as it already was being banged on from below by a desperate crew member trying to escape the impending explosion. Johann simply closed his eyes before he let out a deep sigh, counting to five.

When it passed the fifth second on his countdown, the entire interior of the tank was completely blown apart, causing the rest of the tank to become violently engulfed in flames in a sudden blast, with no sign of Johann to be seen.

**{}**

Bolstered by the unmistakable destruction of the tank, the group continued fighting as the mercenaries last hope of making a comeback had been completely snuffed out. Many scattered as Marcus' group relentlessly pursued and ensured that they could kill as many here as they could before having to move on.

After a few more minutes of this, Marcus' group slowly emerged from their cover, certain that they had finally driven out all hostiles in the area. It was eerily quiet the moment all gunfire had completely ceased.

"Anyone hurt?" Saeko asked with a heavy sigh as she took a quick head count for their group, praying to herself that nobody was killed in their ambush.

"Had a few close calls, but luckily we only have a few scrapes and bruises. Other than that, we should be alright." Saya answered, as everybody was still on high alert, unable to drop their guard in case more mercenaries would show up.

"Wait, what about Johann? Did he...?" Shizuka began to ask the moment she could only spot Marcus and Saeko without any sign of him to be found.

"When I last looked, he was on top of that tank when it went up in flames." Marcus said as he called that final image he witnessed before the tank was completely destroyed.

For what felt like forever, nobody could think of anything to say, with only the cracking sounds of the flaming tank and the relentlessly pouring rain to be heard. Khota then suddenly kneeled down, remaining silent for a few moments as a sign of respect.

"Oh god…so…so Johann's gone now, too? I…I HATE this! How many more people do we have to lose before this nightmare ends?" Alice asked in a frustrated and devastated shout as she began to tremble all over, thinking of how many of her family had been killed over the past few days.

"Listen, you guys…I really, REALLY hate to have to say this now of all times, but…the longer we wait out in the open like this, the more likely we will suffer a similar fate. We need to move now before potential reinforcements arrive. We'll grieve for him and everyone else later. Now come on. Let's get the hell out of here." Marcus answered, ready to move on and continue with the original plan, not willing to let a single other person die under his watch today.

Suddenly another gunshot rang out, causing everyone to duck again as they looked around, knowing that shot couldn't have possibly been for them now that they had time to listen in for where the source was.

"Wait here." Marcus whispered to everyone as he unholstered his pistol, barely avoiding Shizuka's grasp as she tried to keep him back, but was already too late as he swiftly moved on ahead in a crouch.

Seconds later, he peered around a corner to see two figures standing in the road up ahead, both with their arms raised and ready to fire the weapons in their hands at each other. He flinched as the one further down the road completely blasted the head clean off from the figure standing closer to him.

Hesitant to jump in, Marcus keenly observed as the surviving figure moved closer and closer towards the fresh corpse. The closer the figure came, the smaller and slimmer it appeared. His jaw slowly dropped, as it appeared to be a female figure now standing over the bloody mess of a body. Soon, the sheet of falling rain began to thin out just enough for him to suddenly notice this female figure had very familiar long, golden brown hair with two distinct strands sticking out. There could've been only one person in the world with hair like this that was standing right there for Marcus to behold.

"Rei?" Marcus softly muttered to himself in absolute disbelief as he watched her viciously fire round after round from her pistol into what could only be assumed was a straggler from the previous fight. He quickly rubbed his eye to make sure he wasn't seeing things, but this was most definitely her alright.

"Psst! You look lost." Marcus softly whispered in an attempt to get her attention, more than aware that she must've been severely on edge to just keep shooting a dead body.

The moment she heard the words leave his lips, she spun around with the gun raised up towards the source. All that could be heard was a loud clicking sound, indicating not only that she had used up all her ammo, but also that she actually pulled the trigger on him.

"Woah! I thought we were friends, Rei!" Marcus said in a humorous but still visibly shaken voice as he stood up with his hands over his head to show the terrified woman that he meant her no harm.

"Marcus?! Oh, you bastard, you scared the shit out of me! Wait...Marcus!" Rei gasped, quickly switching to shouting out of anger at his antics, before she finally realized the fact that another survivor from the attack was actually standing before her.

Before he knew what hit him, Marcus felt the wind get knocked out of him when Rei practically threw herself against him, holding him tight and crying happily, overjoyed to see he was still alive, practically overwhelmed to see another friendly face at last.

"How is this possible?! We all thought you were killed by that tank back home...how the hell did you survive? Wait…does this mean the kids aren't...?" Marcus began to question, nearly edging on joyous hysterics, as he couldn't help but want to know how it was humanly possible that Rei was still standing before him alive and well.

"I took the kids into the basement, just in case any bullets went through the house. Not long after that, we heard a deafening boom before we heard an even louder crash right above us. When I tried to get us out, the door was blocked off.

"Luckily no more than an hour later, Frasier arrived and lead us to where he'd hidden Corvo before looking for us. Without him, I doubt we could've survived all this time." Rei began to explain as Marcus could only step back with a massive sense of relief on his face.

"I knew it! Hahaha, nobody can beat my older brother! Oh man, just wait till the others hear the good news!" Marcus announced, absolutely ecstatic, before he let out a loud whistle, drawing the others to regroup.

One by one they appeared, and one by one formed their own individual looks of absolute shock and indescribable happiness to see Rei standing there completely in the flesh. Before anyone could even think about hugging her, Rei suddenly noticed one crucial detail: Johann was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Johann? He was with you guys, right?" Rei asked as she began to hyperventilate, soon giving an almost silent gasp when nobody could think up an answer for her, all of them unable to look her in the eyes.

"Rei...I-I don't know how to say this..." Saya began to say in a weak, trembling voice, unable to find a way to properly explain to Rei the bad news. Tears instantly began running down Rei's face as she collapsed to her knees.

"I...I've been hoping…all this time…that he would've survived. How did he die? Can anyone at least answer me that?!" Rei said in a devastated voice, well aware that their reactions had said it all.

Before anyone could answer, the sound of concrete crashing against the street could be heard behind them. Expecting another mercenary to have survived, everybody spared no time to surround the destroyed vehicle. Their sights focused on the figure that was desperately trying to free itself from underneath more rubble until it finally managed to push through.

"Don't fire yet. If we take this one alive, we can interrogate him." Marcus instructed as he decided to make this last one suffer.

However, when the figure crawled out from the rubble, they all slowly paused to realize the tattered and burned outfit belonged not to a mercenary, but it was the simple street clothes just like their own. The rain soon cleared away the dirt and ash from the figures' face, only to soon reveal Johann, standing before them all as they lived and breathed.

While everyone else stood there in complete awe at his survival, Rei had a completely different look. Instead she had a wide, practically glowing smile across her face, her feet slowly shuffling towards her dazed husband, who hadn't even noticed her moving towards him until she was a single step away, staring directly into his eyes.

When Johann stopped to register just who he was looking down at, he just stood there paralyzed. He began to rub his eyes and shake his head.

"No…no, this isn't…this isn't real, you're not real." Johann began muttering to himself.

Out of instinct though, his hand began to slowly reach out. It felt warm running against her cheek as she continued to smile with sparkling tears of unparalleled joy running from her shimmering ruby eyes. Tears flowed down his dirty face as he kept staring at Rei. There was no way in the world this was real. He saw her burned ribbon and held it in his hands, and he knew she wore it every waking second; it wasn't earthly possible that she was still alive, standing here in front of him for him to feel and touch.

"Marcus...is Rei really here? Or am I...?" Johann began to question, hoping deep down that he was wrong on this one, but also knowing that it was pointless to ask Rei, seeing how his mind would just tell him what he wanted to hear.

"Yes, Johann. It's her. She's really here…but it gets even better." Marcus announced happily as he watched Johann's face slowly but surely form probably the most overjoyed, relieved smile anyone could've ever had as he could now only focus on Rei, his heart practically a thousand tons lighter now that he knew without a doubt his beloved wife was here in the flesh alive and well.

"The kids are alive, Johann. Lena, Kiriko, Miyu, Michiko, even Corvo. All of them are alive, thanks to Frasier and Rika. We'd been traveling here and waiting for you all for the last two days, and when we heard all the gunfire, we came as fast as we could." Rei explained as she tried to wipe her joyful tears from her eyes.

Unable to hold back any longer, her arms wrapped around Johann's neck as he quickly took her into a warm embrace, gently rubbing her back for comfort while she rested her head against his chest after giving him the most emotional kiss she'd ever given anyone. Johann was still beyond speechless as all those outcries of anger and hatred were now reduced to absolute silence now that he knew his beloved family had not been truly taken from him.

"Wait...Frasier and Rika survived? Where are they? With the kids?" Saeko suddenly asked anxiously after overhearing their mention of surviving.

At that instant, Rei formed a new look of horror when she realized that between finding the survivors of the attack and being reunited with Johann, she had completely forgotten about Frasier being shot moments before she had shot that last mercenary.

Without warning, she suddenly broke off from Johann and sprinted back to the previous scene. Knowing something was up for her to act so spontaneously, everybody followed after her, but instantly froze in place when they eventually came across the sight of Frasier's motionless body lying in the street while chunks of his left arm and right leg could be seen lying out in the street.

Despite the incomparably good news that Rei and the kids were all still alive, everyone could feel themselves freezing up at the sight of their once brave, strong leader lying dead in the street. After he had lead and protected them all these years, it was beyond heartbreaking to see him finally defeated. Saeko let out a soft gasp as if all the air had been knocked from her lungs.

"I...I'm so…I'm so sorry...he thought that man over there was one of you guys..." Rei explained in a weak, trembling voice as Johann kept her close to him, far too shaken not only by the thought of having lost her before but now seeing the strongest man he'd ever known undeniably dead in front of all of them to risk letting go of her at all.

"No…no, Frasier...y-you can't be dead!" Marcus groaned in sorrow and disbelief before he finally realized the cold, hard fact that he was now the sole survivor of the Markle brother trio now.

"Beloved...you can't be gone! You just can't!" Saeko muttered to herself in a weak voice, falling to her knees in tears as she began to crawl to him.

She steadily moved towards him with tears flowing from her eyes as she pulled herself onward. The very sight of his motionless body caused her whole body to tremble with fear and fill her entire being with utter despair.

'We were supposed to live the rest of our days together…to grow old and watch our children spread our warrior legacy.' Saeko practically screamed in the back of her head as she continued to crawl for him while the others could only watch and silently mourn the loss of their once thought-to-be invincible leader.

When her eyes were finally able to get a clear look at his body, they soon widened to see what looked like steam emitting from his wounds. The others all watched in shock and awe as Frasier's body slowly lurched upwards to reveal his torso wound had completely sealed itself up as if nothing even happened to it.

His face twisted in agonizing pain as he held his arm out; the muscles that had been blown out suddenly began to regenerate, individual fibers and tendons literally pulling themselves back together inside the gaping wound for all of them to see. A new layer of flesh began wrapping around the holes as they then noticed both his eyes suddenly had a green glowing tint around them.

"Saeko! Get away from him!" Marcus suddenly cried out as he rushed over to protect her, just in case Frasier had absolutely no control over whatever the flying fuck was happening to him.

Saeko and Marcus however were frozen in place as Frasier stood up and towered before them, all his previous wounds completely healed over as if they'd never even been there to begin with. Steam covered most of his figure as his face continued to clench up into a look of unimaginable pain. His teeth were bared as he looked up into the sky and let out a petrifying roar of agony.

However, before he could take a single step forward, the glowing tint that took hold in his eyes quickly vanished. The steam that concealed him quickly dissipated into thin air only to show him falling to his knees, his heavy breathing clearly visible in the cool air.

Without waiting for another moment, Saeko got back up only to run into him and hold him in her arms again. She placed her ear to his chest, tuning everything else out until she could only hear a perfectly normal heartbeat resonating through her ear.

Unable to hold anything back, she completely broke down and began to cry in front of the entire group, sobbing as her arms clung to his sides.

"Saeko, get away from him." Saya suddenly said in a deathly serious tone, aiming a pistol right at Frasier's head.

"What the hell are you doing?! Put that away this instant!" Marcus snarled, shocked to see Saya acting this way now of all times.

"Excuse me? What am I doing?! What the hell are YOU idiots doing?! Did you both just decide NOT to see what just happened?! He's a fucking monster! Whatever the hell that was that just happened, medical science and modern science clearly does NOT apply to it! Don't you remember the last time we encountered something like this? ONLY THE ENTIRE WORLD ENDED!" Saya responded back in a furious tone, more than certain that Frasier was now a huge threat to the group.

"I hate to say it, but…she has a point. For all we know, this is some kind of new variant of Them. Saeko, get away and let us handle it." Johann suddenly said, earning shocked looks from Rei, Marcus and Saeko as he unexpectedly sided with Saya.

"Fuck you! All of you back off!" Marcus cried out defensively as he drew his gun on them. His eye narrowed as everyone instinctively began slowly stepping back from him.

"You're all more than welcome to try it. But I warn you, when a single finger touches a trigger, I'm going to end this." Saeko warned in a dark, fearless voice as she took a combat stance with her blade poised for attack.

"I know this is hard for you two to handle, but Frasier clearly isn't human anymore. The fact he's able to do…THAT…can only remind me of Them. Is this really somebody we want around us while our guard is down?!" Saya asked, as Khota and Ramon soon found themselves at her side, fully aware that in this world, a single mistake could mean life or death for everyone. Johann's hand slowly began to lower to the pistol at his hip, which Rei noticed instantly.

"Johann! Put that down right now! This isn't right! What if he IS still one of us? Don't do this! You know this is wrong...all of you do!" Rei suddenly cried out as she tried to pull his arm away, hoping that they all still could be reasoned with.

"Rei, I thought I lost you once already. I can't risk that really happening. That's why I must ensure that you and the kids aren't in danger. Not by Them, or by any human hands…including his own." Johann tried to explain, showing that he was only doing this for the security and safety of their family.

"I sure as hell know I'd want you all to do the same if I ever did something hellish like that." Ramon suddenly brought up, showing that he knew sacrifices had to be made to ensure everyone else survived.

"IF IT WASN'T FOR HIM, THE KIDS AND I WOULDN'T EVEN BE HERE!" Rei suddenly announced, as this instantly caught the attention of all the parents opposed to allowing Frasier to live.

"That's right...Lena, Kiriko, Corvo, Miyu, Michiko... we all would've no doubt died if it wasn't for him. Even when he did…THIS, whatever the hell it is, the first time around, he still gave his all to protect all of us the whole way through!" Rei continued to explain, as one by one, everyone exchanged uncertain looks with each other, as though silently debating whether or not to take Rei's story to heart. Soon, they could all silently agree with each other that they couldn't go on with this plan, knowing they had to at least give him the benefit of the doubt.

Eventually, they all lowered their weapons and backed away, unable to continue on with this. However, both Saeko and Marcus remained as intense and ready to kill as ever, while Shizuka was holding Alice and Yulia close to her for comfort, slowly trying to back away from everyone in case this took the most unspeakable turn.

"I should shoot every single one of you fucking traitors dead! What if one of YOU did this? Huh?! Would you still want to be on the receiving end THEN?" Marcus said in an enraged voice, unable to control himself as he refused to stand down, even placing his finger on the trigger as he aimed right between Saya's eyes, just one muscle movement away from blowing her brains out right here and now.

"No... Marcus, put that down right now." a calm yet weak voice ordered before gasping for air. Everyone looked over to see Frasier slowly pull himself back up onto his feet.

"Don't direct your anger toward them for this. They simply fear what they cannot understand. It's a natural human reaction we all have. Even the walking dead are easier to understand than what I've just accomplished." Frasier explained, still heavily breathing as he tried to remain as least intimidating as possible.

"Frasier...if you aren't one of Them, then can you please answer me this: are you a threat to us? To the kids?" Johann suddenly requested, the next answer clearly being the deciding factor in what could possibly happen to everyone gathered here in the next few seconds.

"I...I don't know. I don't know what will become of me now to be honest. While I am clearly not a normal human being physically, I still feel like I'm the same person I always have been on the inside. Sadly though, I don't know if I will remain this way as time goes on. So you have every right in the world to fear me." Frasier replied honestly, wanting to let everyone know that even he wasn't capable of a certain answer to all of this. Yet, despite how ambiguous his answer was, none of them could think to draw their guns again. Somehow, even in this moment, they all managed to trust him on his word and accept him for now. Perhaps the fact that he didn't straight up say he was okay and decided to be so brutally honest was the deciding factor for all of them.

"I'm sorry, Frasier...we all are. This world has changed so much in the last 8 years! And now all this? Just when we thought we could finally settle down and get the hang of things, all of this had to happen." Saya said in apology as she began to cry, thinking back on how she used to think that their suffering had finally ended and their luck had turned around for the better just for absolutely everything to fall apart.

"It's okay, Saya, everyone. You all did the right thing by questioning this. I'm sure you all would rather not hear this, but I think it's best I lay everything down on the table for you all. I…I nearly killed myself when I discovered this…this abnormality. But at this moment…I feel so much stronger, with so much more energy to expend than I've ever had before! Don't even get me started on the fact I can regenerate any wound I've had so far over the last two days..." Frasier said sympathetically, knowing that they simply acted upon emotions driven by their love for each other's safety and survival. Yet as he began to grow visibly more intrigued by this new ability of his, he could tell it was starting to concern everyone else. Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, Frasier looked upon his reunited family with much calmer eyes now.

"So are we cool now? Can we just put the weapons away and get back to the kids?" Frasier then requested as Saeko and Marcus had yet to sheath their weapons.

At first they hesitated to do so, but eventually they both cooperated and begrudgingly accepted his command. Shizuka, Alice, and Yulia soon came walking over, as everyone just stood there in the rain, only able to assume everything had calmed down. Nobody could say anything after a critical moment like that. Eventually Alice walked up to Frasier and held up what appeared to be a handheld radio.

"I-I picked this up. I thought maybe we could listen in on what those men are planning." Alice said as she timidly handed it to him, watching as he played with the settings until the radio sparked to life, static filling the air before chatter could be heard.

"Commander, we've pinpointed the location of another downed squad. Looks like the survivors of the attack managed to ambush our mechanized squad in the area. Shall I send in a Reaper squad to resolve this once and for all?" an operator announced before requesting his orders to whomever it was that was on the other end.

"Deploy them at once! I don't care about taking prisoners anymore. These people have been causing us enough trouble as it is." a garbled yet recognizable voice snarled into the radio, clearly fed up with the group's constant resistance.

Frasier and Rei both cringed in anger as they suddenly recognized the commander's voice to be Rika's killer. Just that memory suddenly sparked a very dark truth for Frasier: now that Shizuka was here, she was no doubt going to want to know where Rika was. However, before he could dwell on it another second, another voice entered the conversation that caused them both to listen in again.

"Belay that order, commander. It is quite clear to me that you are not capable of this accomplishing this task for me. The mission is canceled. Pull all of your search parties back and prepare to leave for Japan. My sources claim ANOTHER one has been spotted. Hopefully you can still prove yourself by capturing THIS one alive." announced a voice that was so powerful and dark, yet calm and tranquil that it actually intimidated those who heard it, including Frasier.

"But boss! We can still do this if we just throw everything we have at them now!" the commander disagreed, eager and certain they could still win this.

"Are you defying my order, commander? If I wished to hear your excuses, I would've simply asked for your opinion, but I clearly haven't, so shut your mouth and get to the extraction zone. Or do I need to stop what I'm doing and come down there myself?" the new voice said in such a way it caused everyone to hold their breath, this man clearly being someone you did not want to make angry.

"Y-yes, Mr. Regis. I'm heading out now." the commander stuttered hesitantly, yet still begrudgingly answered before going completely silent. The fear hanging in his words made it clear he was nothing compared to this one known as Regis.

"Fool. Never telegraph your attack to your enemy, regardless of their situation. Especially when they can hear your every word. Isn't that right 117, or do you prefer 'Frasier'?" Regis chuckled to himself before he then caused everybody to feel their hearts stop the moment he addressed their leader directly.

"If I know you right, and I do, then you're listening in on our channel right now. So feel free to listen to this: You can run and you can hide all you want from me, but I can guarantee you this much is an irrevocable certainty: we ARE going to meet each other. It will be good to see you after all these years. I look forward to our next encounter." Regis continued to announce as he sent fear down everyone's spines, the fact he was aware of their presence alone was enough to chill their blood cold.

However, it became silent once again and the group could only pause before anyone could really muster up the strength to say anything.

"Jesus Christ…what the fuck are we dealing with here?" Marcus began to mutter as he looked down, shuddering in disbelief at all of this. Soon the others began looking to Frasier, seeing how his name specifically was dropped.

"Hey, don't look at me. I've never met ANYONE named Regis before. Perhaps it's just a mind game? Trying to throw us off guard?" Frasier explained, trying his best to come up with some sort of explanation for this sudden discovery, perhaps trying to convince himself just as much as everyone else.

"As much as I want to know what's going on here...we really should get back to the kids. They're waiting for us." Rei suggested, everyone agreeing with her instantly as they spared no time to head back to the rally point.

As they proceeded on their way back to Buckingham Palace, Frasier kept his eyes fixated forward as he suddenly heard a single pair of footsteps come steadily closer to him from behind. It wasn't long until he caught a glimpse of Shizuka's anxious face out of the corner of his eye, completely focused on him.

"Frasier, earlier Rei said that Rika found you both. I would think she would've come down to meet the rest of us if she was out here with you two, so is she back with the kids?" Shizuka asked expectantly, and every word made Frasier feel a growing cold in the pit of his stomach. This was by far one of the most dreaded moments he'd ever expected to be a part of. Even now he was drawing a blank as to just how he could possibly break this news to her.

"Did she see us from somewhere and that's why you and Rei came rushing to help us? Is she okay?" the nurse kept asking, growing more and more excited by the sound of her voice, which only made Frasier's emotional pain that much worse. There was no way he could possibly get out of this, and he knew it.

"No…she's…" Frasier began to say in a weak mutter before Shizuka suddenly clapped him on the back, her face practically beaming with happiness.

"Oh, I can't wait to finally get the drop on her! I know she's going to be so happy to see us! She can act tough all she wants, but I swear I'm going to hug her and never let go again!" Shizuka announced practically giddy with excitement. Frasier slowly bowed his head, gritting his teeth, clenching his hands into white-knuckled fists before he suddenly stopped in his tracks, practically feeling his heart stop as the words finally just came out on their own.

"Shizuka…Rika's not with us." He suddenly said, causing Shizuka to freeze before slowly turning back to look at him over her shoulder.

"W-what do you mean? Rei said that she found you both…" Shizuka began to ask confusedly before Frasier finally raised his head, and even amid the still-pouring rain, Shizuka could instantly make out tears in Frasier's eyes.

"She did…but…" he began to say, his face stiffening as he tried to keep all the emotions in as now everyone else behind him could tell what he was about to say could only be incredibly bad.

"Frasier…what are you trying to say?" Shizuka finally asked, her once beaming smile quickly extinguished, as she couldn't even summon tears, as if she refused to believe anything until Frasier would say it.

"Shizuka…I-I'm so sorry…but…Rika…" Frasier finally began to say, struggling with every word as the tears finally began to run down his face; Shizuka instinctively bringing her hands over her mouth with a sharp gasp as every one of Frasier's words hit her like a knife.

"Rika's dead!" Frasier finally said in a burst of emotional devastation as everyone collectively felt their hearts stop. Just hearing that one of their strongest members, unlike Frasier, was legitimately dead and gone forever, was unlike anything they could've imagined. Knowing that their pain of losing their children was all for naught, simply made the cold reality of what Frasier had said all the more painful. But the most unique reaction was Shizuka's. She simply stood there, staring off into space, but not like she'd always done before. This was like true shellshock.

"…what?" Shizuka asked in barely above a whisper as Frasier took another sharp breath as he struggled to find a way to explain everything to her.

"Shortly after she found us…one of those men ambushed us…she tried so hard to fight Them off as well as him, but…when it was all over…she was gone. She was shot…trying to save us and the children." Frasier explained, every painful second of watching her life slip away instantly replaying in his head.

Shizuka finally collapsed to her knees, letting the rain wash over her as she could finally feel the stinging sensation of tears filling her eyes as they fell down her cheeks. This couldn't have possibly been real. Nobody could hurt Rika…she was the strongest person she ever knew, able to withstand anything…nobody could've been able to lay a finger on her, let alone kill her. This had to be some kind of cruel joke.

"I…I carried her…when it was over…because…I-I felt you…we all deserved to at least say goodbye." Frasier finally finished, his words barely registering in her ears as Marcus instinctively came to her side, holding her head in his arms as his words of sympathy weren't even audible to her anymore. Slowly, her golden eyes shifted towards Frasier himself.

"Where is she? Please, Frasier…tell me…tell me where she is. I-I need to see her. I need to know…you're telling the truth." Shizuka asked, her voice practically unreadable as to just what could've possibly been going through her head. Frasier could feel a horrible chill once again. If admitting her death wasn't hard enough, this was part he felt would be nigh impossible.

"I…I…" Frasier struggled to say. Shizuka's eyes never left his as he remained silent, trying to summon the untold amounts of strength it would take to finally say it.

"TELL ME WHERE RIKA IS! TELL ME! WHERE'S MY FRIEND!?" Shizuka suddenly shouted, the suffering in her words resonating within everyone as Frasier collapsed to his knees.

"I THREW HER TO THEM!" Frasier roared out, and in an instant, the whole world went black for all of them. Practically everyone had to do a mental double take just to make sure they'd heard the words coming out of his mouth correctly. There was no way that could've been real. No matter what he'd done before, this was something none of them could ever even begin to imagine Frasier doing, no matter how desperate.

"Before we got here…a horde of Them attacked us…there were so many…I had to distract Them…keep Them away from Rei and the kids…I tried so hard to protect her…but…I had no other choice…and…and I…and I had to throw her to Them like bait!" Frasier sobbed, as if he was feeling every single bit of Shizuka's pain as well.

For what felt like hours, no one could move or even speak. This moment was like a nightmare. There was no way this all could've been really happening. Out of all of them, the only person not in denial of this besides Frasier was Rei. All she could do was bow her head down in sorrow, unable to stand seeing someone always as chipper and happy as Shizuka be completely and utterly destroyed.

Soon, Frasier managed the strength to stand up on his own two feet, keeping his head cast down, unable to look at Shizuka lest he see someone in the deepest pits of despair, and fall in with them.

However, Shizuka unexpectedly got onto her feet as well, with Marcus only able to look up at her in astonishment as she actually started approaching Frasier. He quickly got back up to follow after her as she came to a stop only one footstep away from bumping into Frasier.

Seeing her feet so close, Frasier hesitantly raised his head to look up at her, and the instant he saw her face, he immediately regretted it.

It was the face of a child who'd just been told there was no Santa Claus, Easter Bunny or Tooth Fairy all at once. The face of someone who'd just learned their parents had both died. The face of someone in love who'd just learned their lover had either abandoned them or been lost forever. It was the face of one thing pure and simple and yet personified: sorrow.

With nothing but hesitation and reluctance, Frasier struggled to open his mouth, let alone think of what words to possibly say to someone as deep in the grip of sadness as Shizuka now was.

"Shizuka…I—"

Suddenly, with the most unexpected force, Shizuka had suddenly thrown a fist straight into Frasier's chest, actually managing to make him take several steps back from the impact. Everyone instantly went wide-eyed, never once expecting anyone as fragile and gentle as Shizuka to actually take violent action against anyone, and especially with enough strength to make someone like Frasier step back from a hit.

Before Frasier could even register what had just happened, Shizuka stepped back up to him again, this time shoving him away, yet still making a beeline for him as she wasted no time and punched him in the chest as hard as she could once again.

Once Frasier ended up backing up into the rest of the group as they tried to hold him steady, Shizuka didn't hesitate as this time she just began wailing on Frasier's chest, whatever she could possibly hit, hammering both her fists down on him as she started sobbing heavily, never letting up.

"YOU BASTARD! YOU-YOU FUCKING BASTARD! YOU EVIL…HEARTLESS…FUCKING…BASTARD!" Shizuka screamed out before she finally reared one of her hands back and violently raked her fingers across Frasier's cheek, leaving four visible, deep claw marks across his cheek; to the point three of them were even bleeding.

"HOW COULD YOU?! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS?! AFTER EVERYTHING SHE DID FOR YOU! FOR ALL OF US!" the nurse kept on shrieking as she just kept on throwing her small fists into Frasier's face over and over again with this untapped strength, leaving a few bruises on his face before Saeko finally found it within her to act and get in between them.

"LET GO OF ME! HOW CAN YOU PROTECT THAT MONSTER?! RIKA WAS MY BEST FRIEND FOR ALL MY LIFE! AND HE THREW HER AWAY LIKE A PIECE OF MEAT TO THOSE CREATURES!" Shizuka continued to scream as she struggled with all her might against Saeko as she kept trying to keep the hysterical nurse away from him as he could only look at her with the greatest sympathy. Part of him inside even wanted to tell Saeko to let Shizuka go so she could continue, feeling deep down that he did make the worst decision he could've, and deserved every bit of this.

"What right?! What right did you have to do this?! You took her away from me! I didn't…I-I can't even…I can't even say goodbye to her now because of you!" Shizuka cried out, clearly growing exhausted by this point, but still not letting up her struggle in the slightest, even managing to start pushing Saeko back towards Frasier as she clawed at the air for him.

"I'm sorry…" Frasier muttered, but no one could hear him. It felt like the life, the fire that always burned within him, had finally been extinguished. He had done something he never would've wanted to do. He pretty much had to kill a person's entire spirit.

"I…I-I hate you! You hear me?! I fucking HATE YOU!" Shizuka once again cried out, this time finally prompting Marcus to act as he grabbed Shizuka from behind, which surprisingly seemed to make her fighting much less intense as though she'd finally given up, but still sending a glare of hatred unimaginable to most towards Frasier as he didn't even attempt to look away.

"I…I can't even look at you…" Shizuka spat as she finally went limp, hanging her head low, concealing her face behind her blonde hair as she once again collapsed into sobs as she turned away from him as Marcus continued to hold her. Everyone all collectively looked at Frasier as he just kept staring ahead at her, his face stone cold and lifeless, as though he were repeatedly hearing Shizuka's words echoing in his head, as though trying to mentally punish himself for his actions by repeating her venomous words of absolute suffering to himself continuously.

Without another word, he continued to walk on ahead, soft wisps of steam flowed from the nail markings as the flesh healed in no time. Thus spurring everyone to hesitantly, yet loyally, follow after him the rest of the way.

After Shizuka's breakdown, the group spared no further time to discuss anything. All that mattered now was that they reunite with the kids. Once inside the palace, it took everything Saeko, Marcus, Saya and Johann had not to practically sprint for wherever it was the kids were hiding. Once Rei led them to the room she'd told them to stay in, the doors swung wide open, only to reveal the place was completely empty.

At first glance, the group was about to burst into a full-out panic, but seconds later, like a switch had been flipped, a closet door suddenly swung wide open, with all the children practically bursting out with a wall of ecstatic cries as they all practically jumped for their respective parents.

As if all other problems and threats didn't even remotely matter to them, one by one, the parents fell to their knees and embraced their once-lost children with tears of incomparable joy.

Kiriko and Lena combined nearly tackled Johann onto his back when they practically threw themselves into him. Johann was simply too stunned and overwhelmed with happiness to hug back initially. His eyes remained wide open as he held them both against him, knowing that there was no chance in hell he would ever let them become separated again. Rei eventually walked over and knelt down, holding her family in a loving embrace. She could practically feel her heart nearly come close to bursting as her eyes quickly overflowed with tears as she began to sob, knowing that this very moment was exactly what she lived for.

"Daddy, we knew you'd be okay!" Kiriko exclaimed with glee as she tucked her head beneath his chin.

"Yeah! Mommy never gave up, and neither did we!" Lena added as she had her arms tightly wrapped around his neck.

"Oh my God, I thought I'd never see any of you again! Thank god you're all okay! You three mean the world to me." Johann expressed through sobs of his own as he couldn't help but show the relief and overwhelming joy in his voice.

"It's okay, sweetheart. We're all here now, and nothing will ever separate us again." Rei reassuringly said as they all just remained in place, each one enjoying every second of this moment of peace and unity now that they were finally together again.

"Michiko! Oh God, you really are alive!" Saya cried out as she rushed past everyone else and practically swooped the young girl off the floor and into her loving arms. Tears poured down her cheeks as she instinctively began planting multiple grateful kisses on her daughters face.

Khota simply stood there with a grin on his face, grateful that both he and Saya could finally be at peace now that Michiko was finally back in her arms. He began to take a single step toward his reunited family before Michiko suddenly reached out, grabbing onto his collar and immediately trying to pull him into their hug.

"Oh, Michiko, I thought we'd lost you! How did you all manage to get here so safe and sound?" Saya asked, momentarily at a daze, unsure whether to just keep hugging her daughter like there was no tomorrow, or ask herself if she was only experiencing some kind of cruel dream.

"I helped guide everyone with this map I found. I did just as you said, Mama: always keep your eyes open for anything." Michiko said proudly as she held up the map to show her parents how well she preformed without their guidance. Almost feeling like her heart was going to burst all over again, Saya hugged Michiko even tighter, feeling a whole new set of tears start running down her cheeks, feeling a whole new sense of gratitude that everything she'd ever tried to teach her precious child had a purpose after all.

"I'm so proud of you, honey." Saya gasped as Michiko could feel tears of her own beginning to surface as she wrapped her little arms around her mother's neck, tucking her head into the crook of her neck as she felt both her parents arms around her. For as long as she was able to remember, that was all she'd ever wanted to hear her mother say, and now that she could finally hear it, she couldn't think of anything else to say or do but simply hold onto them both and never let go.

"MOMMY!" "MOM!" both Miyu and Corvo cried out as they practically leaped for Saeko, who was barely able to react quick enough to practically catch them both in midair in a tight hug, almost at a loss of how to react, not even noticing her own tears beginning to run down her face as her children wrapped their arms around her shoulders, both of them laughing ecstatically before she soon fell to her knees, finally snapping back to reality as she suddenly burst into joyous sobs, pulling her children even closer.

"Oh, my babies…I-I thought I'd lost you both forever…" Saeko nearly choked, struggling to find the words to properly convey the maelstrom of emotions she was simultaneously experiencing as she instinctively began planting multiple kisses on both their faces, causing them both to inadvertently laugh as they couldn't help but do the same, overwhelmed by their own feelings now that they were safe in their mother's arms again.

"Mom, we won't ever split apart again, will we?" Corvo asked as he tried to restrain his emotional sniffling as Frasier knelt at his reunited families' side and wrapped his large arms around the three of them, allowing a few long-restrained tears of relief of his own fall.

"Of course not, son. From now on, we'll always stick together, no matter what." Frasier said in a quiet, reassuring tone as he and Saeko locked eyes, almost becoming lost in each other's gazes after having been apart for such a hellishly long time. The two parents began to lean in for another kiss before Saeko suddenly felt Miyu's small hand gently tugging at her collar simply out of reflex as if to get her attention.

"I-I missed you so much, Mommy." Miyu fully admitted, pulling at Saeko's heartstrings to know that being apart from her daughter had made the poor little girl so much more emotionally fragile than she was the last time she'd seen her, but also from simply hearing her daughter address her in such a way she hadn't done since she was barely older than a toddler.

"I missed you so much, too, my sweet little cherry blossom. I promise I'll never leave your side ever again." Saeko whispered as she hugged Miyu closer, running her fingers through her precious baby's violet hair, causing Miyu to smile warmly as she cuddled even closer up to her mother, practically relishing in this moment of being able to see Saeko more as her natural mother rather than as her mentor. At this point, both mother and daughter practically felt like their hearts could both simultaneously burst from just how indescribably happy they both were to finally be together again after all this time.

"Oh, Mommy, I knew Aunty Rei was right! I knew you'd come back!" Miyu finally exclaimed excitedly, finally letting the brunt of her emotions out, not even noticing she'd momentarily caught Saeko by surprise by what she'd just called Rei out of nowhere, simultaneously causing Rei herself to start blushing in a mixture of both slight embarrassment and sheer emotion that even now, the little violet-haired girl still referred to her so personally. When Miyu finally saw the hint of confusion in her mother's eyes, Miyu instantly took it upon herself to explain, eager to share everything that had happened.

"When all those bad men attacked, Aunty Rei took us all into the basement, but then there was this loud boom, and everything got dark and we couldn't get out! But then Daddy came and let us all out, and ever since then, Daddy and Aunty Rei have been watching after us this whole time!" Miyu explained excitedly, practically speaking of Frasier and Rei like they were literally larger than life, as if she was letting her real childish spirit out the more she spoke, which couldn't help but earn some amused giggles from the other kids and the rest of the adults to see the otherwise so closed off little girl so excited from the sheer emotion of this moment.

"And I'm indescribably grateful for that, Miyu. As long as you weren't hurt, then everything is as it should be again." Saeko spoke softly, ready to bring her daughter into yet another hug when she suddenly saw Miyu temporarily freeze up, her one visible eye showing a very clear sign of unease, which immediately set off a kind of trigger in Saeko.

"Miyu…what aren't you telling me? Did you get hurt? What happened?" Saeko asked hesitantly, her voice starting off low, only for a sense of sheer panic beginning to rise with each passing word, a sign of Saeko's maternal instincts going into some kind of full-on panic at the thought of her child being hurt without her being there to prevent it.

"Well…you see…one of…one of the monsters…w-we had to go through a bunch of sewers to get here cause there were a bunch of the monsters on the streets. While we were down there, one of them…grabbed me and…a-and pulled me into the water." Miyu began to explain, struggling multiple times to find the words as her gaze shifted to the ground, too frightened to look Saeko in the eyes, which at this moment was a very wise decision, as everyone could see something burning in Saeko's gaze, like she was on the verge of exploding, and with what, none of them could even begin to guess, not even Frasier.

"But…but when it pulled me in, someone grabbed me and pulled me back out. Mommy, Aunty Rei jumped in to save me. Daddy fought the monster while Aunty Rei saved me and carried me the whole way out." Miyu continued, not even noticing how all the unreadable darkness in Saeko's expression almost instantly disappeared as Miyu continued her story, as if she were somehow not expecting her daughter's experience to end up like this.

"It…I-it was a really scary thing, Mommy. When it pulled me in, I screamed for you, and I thought it was gonna get me, but…b-but Daddy and Aunty Rei saved me, and even after Daddy killed it, Aunty Rei kept holding me the whole way here. It…it was like whenever you would hold me. It made me feel safe.  
>"Even when we got here, I kept thinking more of the monsters would come out and grab me, and it felt so scary without you there, Mommy. I felt like you were gone forever, but Aunty Rei was there for me. She said you would come back, and she even said that she'd protect me until you did. I didn't think it was true, but she was right, mommy! You did come back!" Miyu finally finished, practically exhausting herself from her overabundance of excitement as Saeko scooped her up into her arms, holding the emotionally exhausted little girl gently, still silently processing everything Miyu had just told her about what happened to her during the last two days.<br>Slowly getting back up onto her feet, Saeko slowly turned to face Rei as she and her own family got up as well with everyone else. The two young women locked eyes for a few seconds as Saeko unexpectedly headed straight for her, moving almost as though she were in some kind of trance until she was about a step away from her brown-haired best friend. For a moment, neither of them could come up with words to say.

"Is it all true? Is everything Miyu just said true?" Saeko suddenly asked, causing Rei to let out a slightly embarrassed giggle as she thought of just how to answer something that heavy on the spot.

"Yes, it is. There's no way I could just not do anything if one of our kids was in danger. I love all our children, and I'd do anything for them. Besides, the poor thing was so upset; there was no way I could just leave her alone. When I saw just how scared she was even after all that, especially when she told me how much she missed you, all I could think to do was to hold-" Rei began to explain before Saeko unexpectedly brought her free arm around her, pulling her into an embrace the likes of which Rei had never experienced from Saeko before. This wasn't the kind of thing hug you got from your best friend. This was something that was practically radiating pure gratitude of an indescribable nature; something Rei was able to fully realize when she saw the glistening in Saeko's eyes when she finally allowed Rei to back away a step. Saeko's lip was even trembling with emotion, as she looked straight into Rei's eyes as she struggled to find the words.

"Thank you, Rei…thank you…thank you so, so much…I-I owe you…I owe you more than I could EVER repay." Saeko barely managed to say as her raw emotions continued to swell at this overwhelming news she'd been given, and knowing just who it was responsible for essentially bringing her precious daughter back to her.  
>Overwhelmed by the sheer emotion coming from Saeko's words, Rei could feel all-new tears of happiness beginning to well in her eyes as she and Saeko quickly embraced each other once more, neither of them having to say a word to each other as only a nearly silent sniffle broke the silence between them every few seconds. Between these two strong young women, what had already been one of the strongest bonds between two people that could've been had only grown that much stronger in this moment. Just their actions said absolutely everything they both needed to say.<p>

With the emotion between every single member of the now-reunited family still hanging heavy in the air, everyone began to file out and take in their new temporary shelter together, eager to put these last two horrible days behind them and figure out where they would go from here.

**Later that night…**

While everybody else was resting and recovering their long-since-spent spent energy in the bedrooms, the now nearly silent palace allowed for Marcus and Frasier to take the time to finally speak alone for the first time over these last two dreadful days. Of course, being around Marcus immediately brought to mind for Frasier what a disaster it had become, telling Shizuka what had become of Rika.

"She hates me now. She flat out hates my guts." Frasier finally said once he and Marcus stepped out to one of the windows, bowing his head in shame as Marcus let out a soft sigh, knowing he unfortunately wasn't very far from the truth.

"Yeah. I tried talking to her a couple hours ago, but she's really focused on taking all her grief out on you. I can't really blame her for her reaction though. I mean, we all know how much Rika meant to her. You really don't think there was any chance you could've saved the body?" Marcus asked miserably as he looked over with his one eye.

"No. Don't you think I would've tried harder if there had been a chance I could? At that point, she was dead weight and only slowing us down. I hate myself for letting myself get cornered, but I wasn't going to let anything happen to Rei or the kids!" Frasier explained before he became increasingly angered with each passing word.

"Frasier, relax! Clearly it was a desperate situation if you had no choice but to do what you did. I just wish Shizuka would be able to see this as a last resort, rather than just you being a heartless monster you've…unfortunately shown yourself to be in the past." Marcus said, recollecting the displays and actions Frasier had performed numerous times that would make any man sleep with one eye open when he was near.

"I don't even know what to say at this point. So much has happened; we lost Rhys, Alexia, Brandon, Rika; fuck, even Zeke! We lost our homes. Not to mention everyone else barely survived this, and the rest of the group now fears me or what I might become..." Frasier said in a more soft tone of voice while he looked out in the distance, recalling how hard their group truly had been hit, and just how severely their entire world had changed.

"Yeah…I've actually been meaning to ask you about that. So...you can regenerate like the goddamn Wolverine, your strength has increased dramatically, and all your senses have been heightened...so what exactly does that make you?" Marcus began to ask as he sat beside Frasier, his legs rocking back and forth while they sat on a balcony looking out over London.

"I don't know. I only started to do this the moment I saw the man killing Rika. Something incredible, yet terrifying…just happened to me. Like a flood finally breaking through a dam. It's nothing like I've ever felt before, the power, the rush...the only downside was trying to control it; I was having to fight myself more than him." Frasier explained, remembering the inner power struggle for control when he first went into that berserk mode, the way he completely thrashed that high tier mercenary like a wild animal.

"Maybe you're a mutant, or an alien in human form?" Marcus began to suggest as he was somewhat determined to root it out, anything being possible at this point in his perspective.

"Or maybe even a super soldier?" Frasier then brought up, causing Marcus to pause at the possibility.

"Maybe there's more to your training than dad let on. Perhaps whatever's happening to you wasn't an accident. Maybe it's a fate predetermined even. It's all just theories, but one can't help but wonder." Marcus replied as he was visibly taken back, now beginning to wonder if he too was capable of doing any of this as well.

"Perhaps that black box holds the answer we need. Luckily Alice and Yulia kept it with them all this time. We can only pray it was worth dragging along." Frasier then brought up as he motioned towards the mysterious box resting in the bedroom behind them.

"Part of me doesn't even want to know. The deeper we go, the crazier shit gets. So…what does it feel like, anyway?" Marcus admitted before changing the subject, finally letting his signature curiosity get the better of him.

"How does what feel?" Frasier said with a puzzled look, momentarily clueless as to just where his brother was coming from.

"When you regenerate. Seriously, it's like something out of a comic book." Marcus said as he couldn't help but show great intrigue in this phenomenon.

Unable to find the right words to describe it, Frasier suddenly bit down on his thumb until it began to bleed, his blue eyes slightly wincing as he broke the skin.

"It...feels like any wound at first. But right when the pain is at its peak, I suddenly feel extremely hot inside then everything goes numb in that area until it's entirely healed over. Then just like that, it's like nothing ever happened. I mean, depending on how severe the wound is, the burning heat that comes is more intense. Like when you all saw me earlier, I'd been shot practically all over, so when I was regenerating, it felt like my whole body was literally submerged in molten steel, it burned so bad." Frasier explained in detail while they both watched as the blood was cut off by a small shroud of steam before the damaged flesh began to seamlessly shift back into place.

"Blimey. That's some real freaky shit right there. Do you think...I can do the same?" Marcus said in astonishment before asking a very valid question.

"I don't know. Just don't do anything too crazy, okay? There's no telling how much damage it can heal." Frasier answered before warning Marcus not to overdo it, not wanting to risk losing Marcus to something incredibly avoidable after everything else.

"Right. I already lost one eye after all, so believe me, I don't intend to...wait! Frasier, take my bandages off!" Marcus began to explain before he suddenly had a thought that caused him to become overly excited.

"What? What are you going on about?" Frasier questioned in a confused voice, uncertain what his brother was talking about in that moment.

"Just do it! If I have whatever it is you're dealing with...just do it!" Marcus tried to explain before becoming impatient, far too focused on his sudden idea.

Without needing to say anything, Frasier hesitantly went along with the plan and began to slowly undo the bandages on Marcus' face.

"Well? What do you see?" Marcus asked, as he was almost certain of whatever it was that got him all excited in the first place.

"I see...I just see a gaping hole. Marcus, I'm so sorry I couldn't be there for you all." Frasier said, visibly cringing as he only saw the muscles that were formed around Marcus' eyes slightly twitch as his other eye looked back and forth.

"You mean...my eye didn't regenerate? Fuck...FUCK! This is so unfair! I'm 23, dammit! I'm barely into my prime and I'm already half useless in a fight!" Marcus said in a weakened tone of voice before completely losing his temper. His state of Zen had finally broken down from the hell they just barely survived, and now knowing that he would forever be crippled this way.

"Marcus, relax! Yes, you might not be as combat effective, but that didn't stop you from what you did the past couple of days. From what I gather, you led the group to safety through our trap and onwards, despite the overwhelming odds." Frasier instructed as he gripped Marcus' shoulders, restraining him in his place.

"Yeah…see, I told you it was a fucking brilliant idea..." Marcus said with a smirk as he remembered when they first set up that killing field, and how Frasier had initially dismissed it as an idiotic and suicidal idea.

"Marcus, you've grown up so much since this all started. 7 years ago, you were just a typical, smart-ass teenager that never could take shit seriously. But over time, you grew up and you buckled down, doing whatever had to be done for our group. You're a real man, brother. Father would be proud." Frasier said as he then began to re-apply the bandages after Marcus had finally settled down.

"I doubt it. Nothing ever phased that jerk, but thanks. You might be as stubborn, easy to piss off, and as pure a killing machine as he was, but deep down, you didn't let those qualities control you. In the end, you chose to be more human, and have a real family that loves you. He picked a life driven by career, you picked being a father and husband." Marcus replied, trying to be modest at first before he began to compare Frasier with their father.

"I don't know what to think of him now. I just hope that black box will give us a clue or…just something." Frasier sighed as he looked back, wanting to pry that box open and learn of what secrets it held from them sooner rather than later.

Elsewhere in one of the bedrooms, Rei and Johann were cuddling with their sleeping daughters in the single bed, never taking their eyes off each other. Rei's ruby eyes were positively glistening in the moonlight, and it nearly took the breath right out of Johann just to gaze upon the practically radiant form of his beloved, beautiful wife and knowing that she was really there. However, as the relief and overwhelming happiness of being with his family continued to grow, he also began to recall the nightmarish images of just what he'd done last night when driven by his grief and anger.

No matter how much he tried to remove the memories from his mind, it only came back more and more persistently to the point he could see it whenever he closed his eyes. Unfortunately, Rei immediately noticed the shift in Johann's expression, and knew that there was clearly something seriously bothering him.

"Johann, is everything okay?" Rei asked softly as she reached a hand out to him, letting out a soft gasp when she could feel practically his whole body trembling.

"Rei…I need to tell you something." Johann said softly as he let out a sigh, knowing it wouldn't be easy to say what he felt deep down inside.

"What is it, Johann? Are you alright?" Rei asked with concern in her soft voice. Her delicate fingers gently brushed Kiriko's hair out of her face as the sleeping child remained cuddled up between them with Lena, both girls clearly resting comfortably in their parents' arms.

"Yes...well, no...I mean everything's fine now, but…I did something and…pushed myself to a level I never want to be in again for as long as I live." Johann tried to explain, trying to find the right way to tell Rei what had been on his mind the moment he realized that his family was still alive.

"It's okay, Johann. You can tell me anything, you know that." Rei said in a hushed voice that as always managed to visibly calm his nerves.

"Last night…we were ambushed by several of those mercenaries. Things looked really bad at first, but we were lucky enough to be able to turn the tide when they weren't expecting it. The last man took Saya hostage, but not even thinking about her safety, I walked over as if she wasn't even there to begin with.

"The man was clearly so terrified, he let her go, thinking I would back off, and naturally I would've considered it, but at the time, nothing meant more to me than killing every last one of them. All I could see was red. He just stood there like a deer caught out in headlights, and nothing he could've done would've stopped me from doing what I did." Johann hesitantly explained as he watched for Rei's reactions, hoping that she would be able to sit through the whole story.

"And you killed him? It's a kill-or-be-killed world out there. If you let him go, he could've brought in reinforcements later on. You did the right thing." Rei said in an understanding tone, knowing he did what any other man in the world would've done in his position.

"Rei…I didn't just kill the man…I butchered him. I turned a human being inside out, I held…his steaming entrails…in my own two hands! Killing him would've been quick and partially painless. Oh no, I completely tore him up and practically bathed in his blood. Even when he was long since dead, I just couldn't bring myself to stop." Johann said as he distantly looked onwards, recalling how he had completely and brutally tore another human being apart with no mercy.

"Johann...I...I know that's extreme, but did you ever think that's exactly what any other guy here would do if they lost their loved ones?" Rei said, visibly taken aback initially, but with quick and logical reasoning, she managed to bring up the best point she possibly could've.

"Think about it, does that really sound any different than what Frasier would do if he lost Saeko, if Khota had lost Saya, even if Marcus were to lose Shizuka? I know you must feel like a vicious monster inside, but you were merely acting upon the grief you felt for 'losing' me. Trust me, Johann, I think nothing less of you for what you did." Rei continued to explain as Johann sat there, realizing once again that Rei was absolutely right in what she was saying.

"I understand what you're saying, Rei, but even after what I physically did, my mind was filled with such intense hatred that I openly admitted to the others that we should go to wherever the mercenaries came from and destroy everything they held dear. Rei…I…was ready…to kill women and children..." Johann began to explain; knowing that even if the others had thought the same thing, it would've been wrong to even remotely think of it in the first place, and that it was a place he never even once thought he was capable of reaching.

"Stop it! That was all talk, Johann. It was a terrible time for you, but the important thing is we're here, together, right now. That's all that matters now. Just know that both our daughters and I will always see you as a heroic figure that always will be there for us no matter what. We all love you, Johann. Forget what could've been. Just remember who you are now. You've always been a wonderful man, and you always will be to me. I love you, Johann…and I always will." Rei explained in a slightly heated tone, wanting her husband to realize that he wasn't as truly evil as he initially thought he had become. Her voice gradually became softer and much more emotional as she instinctively reached one of her hands toward his, locking her fingers with his. Tears began to well up in her eyes again as she could feel herself practically relishing in the sensation running through her head, that this was really real. That she and the man she had grown to love with all her heart so long ago were finally together again.

"I love you so much, Rei. Between you and the kids, I have nothing else worth living for. Nothing on this Earth and beyond can keep me from you three. Nothing." Johann said in a soft voice as he knelt his head against Rei's. Both of them were smiling as they just remained this way for a while, enjoying their moment together while Lena and Kiriko continued to rest comfortably between them, giving both parents a future worth fighting for, together.

**The next morning**

When morning came, the city of London was illuminated beneath the expanse of dreary grey skies as the previous downpour of rain had thankfully come to a stop for the moment.

Inside one of the many bedrooms of Buckingham Palace, the light of morning soon caused Saeko to slightly stir in her sleep before her eyes slowly began to open, letting out an exhausted yawn as she stretched her stiffened arms and legs. After the last two days, getting to sleep in a bed as soft as this nearly made the swordswoman hesitant to even get up, especially when she noticed both Corvo and Miyu comfortably curled up at her side beneath the covers. However, her attention was soon drawn to the unmistakable silhouette of her husband as he stood at the balcony, gazing out at the city outside.

Saeko silently climbed out of bed and approached Frasier's side, and despite not making a sound, he instinctively glanced in her direction, as if he could always tell when she was nearby.

"Good morning, my love. I hope you slept well." Frasier greeted her as Saeko smiled warmly, wrapping her arms around him from behind, resting her head against his back, listening to the calming rhythm of his heartbeat.

"Now that we're together again, I doubt I could ever sleep any other way." Saeko softly whispered as she felt the warmth of Frasier's hands rest over hers, both inseparable lovers smiling warmly at this tender moment.

For a few sweet, blissful moments, neither of them could say anything to each other, simply embracing the silence accompanied with being in each other's company. However, Saeko suddenly caught the sound of Frasier letting out a heavy sigh.

"Is something troubling you, beloved?" Saeko asked as she let go of Frasier, coming to his side as she saw the undeniably melancholy look in his blue eyes.

"No…well, maybe. It's just…ever since the first day, when all of THIS started: the dead walking, my sole plan was to get all the way here. To bring my brothers here, and that was all I ever focused on. When we got here and found it the way it was, for a moment, I thought it had all been for nothing, but I still pulled myself back up for all of us. I was so convinced that we could make a real new life for ourselves amid all this…and now…for the first time in my life…with the exception of the plan of falling back to Paris…I'm at a complete loss for a new overall plan. Once we get to Paris…I seriously don't know what we're going to do next." Frasier began to admit, his voice gradually cracking as he finally revealed the one thing that had been burrowing in the back of his head all this time. Now that their group had finally reunited, there was no reason for them to stay here any longer, but for once he couldn't even think of where their next ultimate goal was going to be, or how they would even get there.

"I understand your feelings, darling. None of us ever anticipated things coming to this. But we're here now, and the only way we'll survive is not only by following you, but by working together every step of the way. You may not have a grand scheme in place right now, but you've always managed to pull through every difficulty before, and I know you'll be able to do it again when the time is right. I believe in you, my beloved." Saeko explained in a soothing whisper before planting a loving, reassuring kiss on his cheek, tracing her finger along his jaw line as Frasier couldn't help but let out a soft sigh, taking every last one of her words deep to his heart. He knew he could manage as long as Saeko of all people had faith in him. Now he just needed to learn how to have some faith in himself again.

"Let's gather everyone for the trip to Westminster Palace. I don't want us to stay here any more than we have to be." Frasier instructed, earning a nod of approval from his wife as Corvo and Miyu both simultaneously began to slowly rise from out of the covers, letting out their own tired yawns as they both instinctively blocked their eyes from the bright light of the outside. Frasier couldn't help but give another heavy sigh as he gazed at his beloved children. Somehow, he could feel inside that this was simply a sign that this was going to be the beginning of yet another long and heavy day.

Within the next hour, the entire group was soon gathered in the entrance hall of Buckingham Palace. The air was heavy among most of them. Despite their still lingering happiness of being all together again, it still did not quell their shared worries of just what was going to become of them now. Much like Frasier, none of them had ever considered the possibility of ever having to leave England again. Nevertheless, they all knew they couldn't stay here just as much as he did.

"Alright, everyone. I know we've all been going through absolute hell, not only for the last two days, but every step of the way we had to take to get here to begin with. But as much as I hate to say this, there's no getting around it. We can't stay here anymore. England is no longer safe for us. So we have no other choice but to leave the way we came here in the first place and try to find a new life for ourselves. I understand if you're all hesitant to have to go back out into the world again after all this time. I certainly know I am. But I trust after seeing just what we've been pitted against, there won't be any objections to this course of action?"

Once Frasier's announcement had been made, he began to slowly shift his gaze over everyone before him. He could see everyone glancing uncertainly at each other, but he could still sense from them a common sense of camaraderie from them. A feeling every natural leader had, that no matter what, their people would gladly follow them wherever. Once everyone had given their nods of agreement, Frasier could feel a newfound burst of adrenaline inside, as if he could feel the old sensation of leadership he had 7 years ago come back into him all at once.

"Alright. Well then, everyone…let's go." Frasier finally announced as he began to turn on his heels for the door, only to suddenly feel the familiar grip of Marcus' hand grab him by the wrist.

"Wait, Frasier. Before we go, there's something I need to tell you." Marcus suddenly announced, causing everyone to look at him confusedly as he nervously glanced back towards Alice and Yulia, who both stood nervously together a few feet apart from the rest of the group.

"Listen, I know what we talked about last night, but…listen, about that black box…" Marcus began to explain, but once he mentioned the accursed thing, Frasier's eyes gradually widened, his gaze slightly intensifying.

"Oh, Marcus, you didn't…" Frasier began to say only for Marcus to look back at Alice and Yulia before giving a very slight nod, signaling for them both to come towards Frasier.

"I know this was really important for you, but…dammit, the suspense was just driving me insane. If this had something at all to do with whatever these mercenaries are looking for, I wanted to know just what it was, so we kinda…" Marcus attempted to explain, his tone temporarily rising with heated anger only to just as quickly die down as Frasier's gaze never once faltered. However, instead of letting his impatience and anger out, Frasier took a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh, for once not in the mood to start yelling at whoever he thought was doing something wrong.

"So you decided to just break it open on your own then? Fine. If I'm completely honest, I'm done with just secrets in general. So what was inside it?" Frasier finally asked, a tone of unmistakable psychological exhaustion in his demeanor as Alice reached into one of her denim vest's pockets and pulled out a single blank CD.

Taking the disc out of Alice's hand, Frasier carefully looked it over, almost as though he were looking at the Holy Grail itself while everyone else could only watch on in wonder, almost as if they weren't aware of just why the two young girls had this disc in the first place, and yet seeing the look of true intrigue and curiosity on Frasier's face explained everything to them at the same time.

"I don't know if we should really mess with it, though, Frasier. It always seems like the simplest looking things are always the most dangerous." Marcus mentioned nervously, momentarily breaking Frasier out of his little trance as he tucked the disc into his pocket.

"I don't suppose we have anything to play this thing on, do we?" Frasier asked, only for Yulia to set her backpack aside and suddenly pull out a single black laptop from it.

"I found this thing just lying by itself in one of the rooms here. It's not all that decrepit, so I'm pretty sure if we could just plug it into somewhere with electricity, we could be able to try playing that disc on it." Yulia explained before she tucked the laptop back into her pack.

"Good find, girls. But we can worry about that later. Right now, I think we've spent enough time here as it is. Right now, let's just focus on getting back to the tram and getting the hell out of here." Frasier announced as he once again turned his back to the rest of the group as he threw the large double doors of Buckingham wide open, making a beeline down the stone steps, with the rest of the group silently following after him.

It all felt like one big blast from the past as the group made their way back to Westminster Palace, easily avoiding the sparsely spread out pockets of undead that wandered the streets around them. Once they'd finally reached the palace itself, Frasier couldn't help but stop for a moment, looking directly up at the towering monolith that was Big Ben. His eyes focused solely on the sword he'd wedged into its side the day they first came here, when he'd sworn a blood oath that he would forge a new English empire as its king. Just thinking back on the passion he felt that day when he said those words made the fact they were having to leave suddenly feel that much more painful. In a way, not only had he failed to protect practically half his family, but now it felt as though he'd practically failed his entire race of people by doing this. Before he could dwell on it any further, he felt the all-too familiar grip of Saeko's small hand gripping his own, as well as feeling both his children's tiny hands gripping the fingers of his other hand. To see them all looking at him with such love and admiration…somehow made all this feel so much less painful.

"Don't fret, beloved. You'll reclaim what's yours. Perhaps not today, and perhaps not tomorrow, but someday." Saeko said in a soft, reassuring tone, causing Frasier to give her one of the least noticeable yet most grateful smiles he could've given anyone.

Not wanting to waste any more time, they all quickly filed through the double doors of Westminster Palace, securing the doors behind them. The once dim lights that they'd been greeted with upon their arrival had long since died, leaving the interior of the palace in darkness, only permeated by the white glow of the sunlight behind the overcast skies shining through the windows.

It was like second memory as they all followed Frasier's lead until they found themselves back in the all-too familiar room that was the Prime Minister's office. Thankfully the doorway in the wall that led to the lift was still wide open. Once everyone had gotten inside, Frasier gave one last look at the office itself, almost as though he were simply looking through the walls out to the city itself again. It was as if it was right now that he'd just realized this could potentially be the last time he ever saw his homeland again.

Taking a sharp breath through his teeth, Frasier pressed the large button on the lift's control panel, and thankfully his ears were met with the sound of motors and mechanical parts moving as the lift's doors closed and they were soon descending down the shaft.

The whole way down, the children couldn't help but all look around in excitement. This had been their very first experience with an elevator, and it was like they were experiencing a whole new world of discoveries the whole way down, especially once the lift came to a stop, revealing the tram, still sitting right where everyone had left it seven years ago.

"Whoa! This thing is so big!" Corvo couldn't help but gasp when he initially saw it, trying not to let his excitement get the better of him as he followed everyone else into the tram.

"You still remember how to run this thing, Saya?" Marcus asked as Saya immediately went into the engineer's cabin, looking over the controls.

"Of course I do. I'm just trying to figure out if this thing perhaps has some kind of auto-pilot setting." Saya replied impatiently as everyone quickly got to work claiming their spots, ready to get this thing moving so they could put this horrible business behind them.

As soon as she was seated, Yulia wasted no time pulling the laptop out of her backpack, hooking some spare cables up to it, smiling proudly to herself once she found some outlets on the wall of the tram. As soon as she did, once she saw a small blue light suddenly appear on the side of the laptop, her eyes gradually widened, bringing about a whole new level of anticipation, especially once she saw Alice had the exact same look. If all things went smoothly, then they really could finally see what was actually on the disc inside the black box.

Seconds later, the nearly silent hum of the tram's engine permeated the air, and soon the momentum inside began to shift as the tram began to move for the first time in seven years. Despite starting out the journey with a few stalls that lasted a few seconds each, the tram soon seemed to settle back into its original setting as the motion began to go much smoother, and soon enough, the tram was running like new, steadily making its way through the tunnel.

"Hey, Marcus. We got the laptop to work." Alice called back to Marcus, which instantly caught his and Frasier's attention as they quickly joined the girls' sides, and of course once Saeko saw something had caught Frasier's attention, she was at his side almost instantly, and of course her leaving them alone again was out of the question as she pulled both Corvo and Miyu with her.

When Frasier pulled out the disc from his pocket, he could feel a twisting in his stomach, and as much as he wanted to slip it into the laptop, a part of him couldn't help but feel very hesitant to do so. Of course, once Marcus noticed this, he wasted no time in grabbing the disc himself and slipping it into the laptop.

"I'm sorry, man, but if this disc has something, anything at all related to WHY those guys attacked us, then we all have the right to know." Marcus replied in a sharp, defensive manner when Frasier instinctively glared at him for acting so brashly about something as potentially sensitive as this. Of course, Frasier also knew Marcus was right. If that disc had something related to what their new enemies wanted, after everything they'd taken from them, then they did indeed have every right to know.

"I just don't know how many more unexpected surprises I can take at this point." Frasier muttered as he and Saeko exchanged concerned glances with each other.

"Shh! I managed to get it running." Marcus suddenly hushed as he motioned the others to come see what the CD had to offer.

"Marcus, this seems like a really personal thing. Turn the volume down." Saeko suggested as she knew whatever they were about to see wasn't meant for anyone outside the Markle family to know.

"No. They have every right to know. After the past few days, if this is even remotely related, they all deserve to know." Frasier explained strictly, not wanting there to be any more secrets among them. Shizuka rolled her eyes bitterly, completely incapable of taking anything Frasier said to heart.

"We greatly appreciate that." Johann said gratefully while his family crowded around the small laptop with everyone else.

While the video content buffered, everyone fell silent. Nothing however could've prepared them for what they were about to hear. At first it was a blank screen, but seconds later, the image of Frasier and Marcus' father appeared.

"Grandpa..." Miyu and Corvo both softly gasped as they recognized the figure from several frames photos they found lying around their house.

"If you're seeing this tape, then I'm most likely dead by now. To whoever uncovers this, you need to get it to my sons, Frasier, Marcus, and Noah in Tokonosu City, Japan. If by some astronomically random chance you find this, please show this to them." the laptop announced as it went blank again, only for him to appear again, making it clear the content had been edited to jump forward.

"Hello, Frasier. I'm sure you have a lot of questions for me that I can't answer now, for time is of the essence. I'm going to try and explain a lot in a short amount of time, so you must listen to me very carefully.

"There will be those who fear you, and those who will try to kill you because they fear you, because they fear what they cannot understand.

"You weren't born in your standard hospital, Frasier. You were created, in England's most secret laboratory simply known as the Black Labs. It was a place where no limitations or rules existed, other then to keep it all one big secret. Absolutely no one on the outside could know of its existence. This was a place where countless atrocities were committed, and yet so many discoveries had also been made. Many sacrifices had been made there to protect and benefit mankind.

"Your role in this was for what they called 'Project Gilgamesh', the super soldier program that in turn, inevitably led to the downfall of this horrible place.

"It was always a big question as to what limits and potentials the human body was truly capable of. With some of the greatest minds on the planet here, it was only a matter of time before they created the ultimate formula that would take the user to a whole new level: The Gilgamesh Serum.

It was one of the only super soldier programs to actually work at first glance. Initially, we thought the project was a success, but the further we tested it, the more and more it became clear to us that not just anybody could withstand the changes it brought.

"At first, we figured it was because the user's body and mind needed to be stronger, seeing how over 90% of our test subjects either died from internal failure, or were no longer of use due to becoming severely mentally unstable.

"It was soon realized that the serum would actually reject the user if their genetic code weren't good enough. Only a handful of subjects were left from the original hundred test subjects. They tried a modified version in the hopes that users with weaker genetics would be able to handle it. Only sixteen volunteered, and they all died within three days, making it very clear that the user had to have absolutely perfect genetics in order to fully utilize the Gilgamesh Serum as well as survive it.

"Funds began to plummet after so many dead subjects, and with little to no progress being made. We knew it could work, but we just needed someone who could withstand the serum. It was then that they decided; in a last ditch effort, to use it one last time. This is where you came to be.

"You were created with the strongest genes we had from multiple sources. I hate to admit it, but you weren't conceived the natural way, but they didn't care. Not when they had a possible goddamn super soldier in the making on their hands.

"You were most likely going to die if the serum was injected after you were born, so while you were being created, they gave you a new version they'd created that was intended to develop alongside you as you grew up, expecting the serum to take maximum effect when you were in your prime so your body could withstand it.

"They gave me the sole responsibility of training you, as I'm sure you recall to extreme details. Despite you being a part of me, they warned me not to become attached, to never allow personal feelings to affect my orders. The damn fools clearly never had a child before.

"Despite how cold I always was toward you, I want you to know that everything I did was out of love, and it was for your own protection. I only acted in such a way so that they could never know how I really felt about what they had me do to you. They were always watching, every second of every day. So many times, I just wanted to defy my superiors and tell them they and their super soldier plans could all go to hell, but I knew that if I did, they simply would've replaced me with someone far worse. I couldn't let that happen, so I did what no father should ever have to do. I ended up pushing you away to the point you could only see me as a mentor rather than a father. To the point you hated me. Yes, Frasier, despite how loyal you were always trying to be to me, it was no secret to me how you really felt deep down about me. I deprived you of the childhood you deserved; I robbed us both of the father-son relationship we both desired so much, and I know I can't ever forgive myself for that, nor do I deserve your forgiveness either.

"You were to be tested on the field the day your serum had fully taken affect. However, things took a turn for the worse, and everything changed. Remember that day I had practically banished you from home and sent you to Japan? That was the one day of my life I wish I could forget about.

"On that very day, someone had leaked vital content that could easily be traced back to the Black Labs. Worried that the rest of the world would catch onto the site and what they were doing, the private security was ordered by the government to purge all documents, both living and dead subjects, and even a majority of the staff was now considered too risky to be allowed to live.

"That morning, they gave me the order to kill you in order to destroy all loose ends. I never felt so disgusted in my life, but the truth was I was expecting this to happen eventually, so I came prepared.

"Your mother in the S.I.S. had created false documents for you. Transcripts, passports, everything you needed to live a normal life once we sent you to Japan while we kept the original ones for ourselves. A false grave was dug out, and a tombstone was made and planted to mislead anyone who might go poking around for answers.

"Meanwhile, I did…undoubtedly the worst thing imaginable…something that haunts me to this very moment. I saw this young man who looked exactly like you. He was no older than 16, he had blue eyes, and blonde hair just like yours. Everything about him reminded me of you…and when they showed up for a body…they were none the wiser when I presented them with it. My God…I killed another man's son in order to save my own with no hesitation whatsoever. I was no better than those monsters at the Black Labs, willing to kill an innocent human being who'd barely even begun to truly live.

"Regardless of what I had done though, I knew I could live with this horrid memory so long as you were safe. So long as Frasier Markle, Subject 117, was given a chance to live a normal life, a life he was finally allowed to choose for himself.

"You have incredible gifts now, Frasier. Use them to protect your brothers and this...Saeko that your Uncle Mark keeps telling me about. She sounds like a truly astounding young woman. Don't let our legacy die, Son. While the world falls, you shall rise to whatever challenge awaits you. Good luck, my son. I love you so very much. I always have." Arthur explained as with each few passing moments, the group grew increasingly horrified and shocked to hear what he had to say. Most were visibly shaking while others could only glare at the screen, knowing that this was unlike anything they could've come to expect.

Everybody then looked at Frasier as he fell to his knees, tears flowing from his eyes as he had finally realized that all his hatred and anger towards his father had been completely misplaced now. The very man who had actually raised and protected him since the day he was born, rather than being a heartless monster who only wanted him to become the next unfeeling killing machine in their bloodline. A man who had given up so much for him no longer being seen as a monster, but simply the father figure he never knew he truly had.

"Dad..." Frasier muttered weakly as he could recall their last moments together: Arthur selflessly sacrificing himself to the unrelenting horde that had both of them cornered so many years ago.

"My God..." Saya muttered, practically speaking for everyone who could only now feel pity for Frasier as he remained on his knees, looking like he'd been completely shattered both mentally and emotionally.

"Marcus, my son. I know we've had our disagreements, but I always wanted you to know-" the video suddenly began to say, only for an error message to come up, causing Marcus to drop his jaw as his repeatedly tried to get the laptop to play it again.

No...NO! You can't be serious! Son of a- Argh!" Marcus cried out in frustration as he did all he could to try and get the video content playing again, but all to no avail in the end.

"Marcus, it's okay. Everything's going to be alright." Shizuka said in a calm voice as she brought her thin arms around him from behind, comforting his pain while shooting a death glare at Frasier when she saw he was about to say something to him too. The look so powerful and intimidating coming from Shizuka of all people was more than enough for Frasier to back off.

"So…you're a super soldier, huh? I guess I feel a little bit safer now, knowing the explanation behind what you did now. I just hope you learn to control it." Saya said, greatly relieved now that she wasn't entirely in the dark, but still feeling a tiny bit uneasy at just what else he could've possibly been able to do but just wasn't aware of yet.

"This is amazing! I mean, I've heard of insane things science is capable of, but most were just theories. An actual super soldier though..." Khota exclaimed, as he was greatly intrigued by this news.

"Doesn't make him any less of a monster. I don't care how much damage you can take or dish out. If you step out of line in any way, so help me, I WILL find a way to hurt you." Shizuka warned, as she remained bitter to the very end, managing to send a chill down everyone's backs, since none of them had ever seen her in such a state like this before.

Unable to respond to without risk of potentially making her even more pissed off, Frasier simply turned away and walked to the edge of the tram with his back turned to everyone. He then put his hands up against the back of his head.

"Go ahead. Do it." Frasier replied, causing everyone to question what he was suggesting.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Shizuka questioned as she raised an eyebrow at this unusual behavior.

"You know what I'm doing. If you truly hate me this much, then shoot me. Put a round into me if it will shut you up." Frasier said in a low, humorless voice that even managed to catch Shizuka's undying anger off guard.

"Screw you! Stop acting like a child and just sit down!" Shizuka snarled as she clenched both fists, having to restrain herself from actually giving into his mind game.

"What? Don't tell me you're afraid now. None of you intervene. She needs this." Frasier said in an attempt to provoke her before he could hear the sound of a gun being primed.

Everyone hesitantly stood there, watching as Shizuka held up a pistol, the iron sights directly lined up for a perfect shot. She closed one eye and began to feel for the trigger. A single tear ran down her open eye as she suddenly felt her arms starting to tremble.

"I...I can't do this... I'm not an evil monster like you!" Shizuka muttered before throwing the gun at him, storming off to the back of the tram while the others could only let out sighs of relief knowing Shizuka wasn't COMPLETELY consumed by her hatred.

"So what's the plan once we arrive in Paris?" Saeko asked Frasier as he let his hands down, looking onwards while trying to think of a suitable long-term plan.

"I'm not entirely sure. First, we need to find our old friends from Paris and recover from our injuries. You guys look pretty beat up and exhausted." Frasier answered as he kept looking forward, not wanting to risk having to look at Shizuka's icy glare again.

"We're with you, Frasier. Besides, you look like hammered shit yourself." Johann said aloud before whispering that last bit so neither Rei nor the kids could hear him.

The rest of the group remained completely silent as they all just waited for this long ride to be over, to find a safe place to live and rebuild their once again shattered lives. But they all knew that so long as they had each other, nothing could completely bring them down. Despite the fears and uncertainties of what fate held in store for them now, they were still an unbreakable family in even the darkest of times.

**{And thus ends season 6, thank you all who have loyally awaited this beast of a chapter! Hope you enjoyed it and plan to stick around next time. We plan on writing the rest of season 4 than 3 so near the end of summer maybe fall both seasons will be complete and the story will be full circle. Hope you're as excited as we are!}**


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